Messages of God's Love: 2014

Wouldn’t it be fun to take a tour of the White House where many of the presidents of the United States have lived while in office? However, it would take a lot of planning to go to Washington, D.C., where the White House is located. We could drive there or take a train or fly in an airplane to one of the airports close by.

But first of all, we would have to contact a Member of Congress from the state in which we live for a tour application. And we would need to do that at least three weeks or more before the date of our tour. The Congressman may need to check to be certain we are citizens of the United States. He may also need to check certain state records to see if we had ever been arrested or been in prison. For those of you who live in other countries, you can come too, but you would need to contact your country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., for help in submitting a tour application.

Once the Congressman approved each of our tour applications and sent them to us, then anybody 18 years old or older would also have to be sure to take a government-issued photo with them for identification. And the information on that photo identification would have to match exactly what each one had written on their tour application before we would be cleared to go inside the White House. If something didn’t match exactly, the security officer checking us in would say to that person, “Sorry, you cannot go into the White House.” However, if everything matched, then he would give each one the “okay” to go inside for the tour.

You know, it’s actually easier to be allowed into heaven than the White House! To enter heaven, there’s no application to be filled out, you don’t have to have a photo identification, and it doesn’t matter which country you live in. Since heaven is God’s home, He does have one rule that has to be followed exactly, because there can never be any sin in heaven, not even one! In His book, the Bible, God tells you how you can be washed clean from every sin you’ve ever committed and any future sins too. Once your sins are gone, God will welcome you into heaven with open arms, for He is a God of love.

Long ago God completed His plan for sinners to have their sins removed forever so they can enter heaven. It was a very costly plan, because it meant He had to send His beloved Son down into this world full of sin and be nailed to a cross where He shed His precious blood so that sinners could be washed from their sins. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). That was His full purpose in coming.

Do you know who God’s Son is? His name is Jesus, and He loves sinners. He paid the full price for the sins of any sinner who will believe what the Bible says: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Even if that believing person might have been arrested or been in prison, his record will be wiped totally clean!

I’m sure the White House tour is very interesting and well worth the work necessary to be able to take the tour, and it is free—no admission charge. But even better, there is no work for you to do to be able to enter heaven. And no car, train or airplane is needed to take you there.

Jesus has done it all, and it is free for all eternity! All you need to do is confess to Him that you are a sinner and believe in your heart that He paid the price with His blood to cover your sins! Will you do that right now so that you are ready to enter heaven when God says your time here on earth is finished?

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

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

ML-01/05/2014

Detour From Death

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

Finally they reached Rome and found a nice place to stay overnight. The next morning as they were getting ready to do some sightseeing in Rome, they heard people talking about a terrible accident in the fog in Milan, involving over a hundred cars and a gasoline truck. Many people had been killed. Now Dad and Mother knew why the policeman had put up the barricade. If they had come to that spot a few minutes earlier, they would have turned onto that same highway and been involved in that terrible accident.

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

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

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

ML-01/05/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Treasures of the Snow

“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?” Job 38:22

What are the treasures of snow and hail? There are many. By means of snow and hail, the Creator stores long-lasting supplies of water on mountains, as well as covering the ground at lower levels. In warm weather, these high and low storehouses melt and seep into the soil or release a flow of clear water into rivers, lakes and reservoirs—a vital supply for the needs of every living thing. Coming fresh and pure from melted snow, this water is more valuable than can be told. This is one of the important treasures.

On its way to lower levels, this “treasure of the snow” turns into rivers and passes through powerhouses, turning huge electric generators. In other places the melted snow and hail turn waterwheels and millstones in flour mills and other kinds of machinery. More treasures for mankind.

Vast supplies of melted snow seep into underground reservoirs called aquifers, some of which are very deep and hundreds of miles long. The Creator has placed most of these aquifers under dry lands where quantities of water are pumped to the surface to nourish crops that otherwise could not grow. On a smaller scale, homes in every part of the world depend upon wells that have originated from the same source. The treasures are seen here too.

Glaciers are formed by millions of tons of snow and hail that, over the years, have changed into solid ice. Growing deeper and deeper, their very weight forces them down mountainsides, pushing along any ice in front of them. The 32-mile-long Columbia Glacier in Alaska came into existence this way.

As these glaciers move slowly along, they gouge out the soil and create wide valleys. These later become forested or covered with grass and flowers, adding to the beauty of the area. From those glaciers that eventually reach the ocean, great pieces of ice drop off to form icebergs, providing a mixture of fresh and salt water in big bays. Many forms of sea life thrive in this blend of waters and are eaten by fish, seals, whales and porpoises, some of which become a source of food for humans.

The list of treasures keeps growing, and we could add many more.

In Job 37:5-6 we read, “Great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend. For He [says] to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain.” God’s bounty never stops at our mere needs, but He provides beyond our power to ask or think. There is not only the beauty of snowcapped peaks showing His handiwork, but in more ways than we have considered, hidden “treasures of the snow” provide benefits to us. We can truthfully say, “How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

ML-01/05/2014

I Can't Stop!

“Stop breathing,” said the teacher, “and don’t start again—just stop!”

Each of the children took a deep breath and held it as long as they could and then burst out laughing.

“Don’t start breathing again,” said the teacher. “Just stop!”

“We can’t!” they all said. And they were right. Of course, none of them could just stop breathing.

There’s a verse in the Bible that says, “The God in whose hand thy breath is” (Daniel 5:23). That was written thousands of years ago, and it is still true today. “God ... breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Your breath is in the hand of God, and you can’t stop breathing just by telling yourself to stop.

There was One, and only One, who gave up His breath on purpose and died. His death was as wonderful as His birth. Jesus Himself was born without a human father, and He was the only One who was born into the world like that. The people hated Him and wanted to kill Him— with the sword, or by throwing Him over the edge of a steep hill, or by catching Him in the temple. But their plans never succeeded, because it was not what God’s Word said would happen.

A band of men and officers who hated Jesus found Him one night in the dark, and it was His disciples who ran away, but not Jesus. These men said they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus answered, “I am He,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.

Why didn’t Jesus escape? Instead, He let them arrest Him and tie up His hands, and then they led Him away to the authorities. It was God His Father who was with Him all that awful, dark night.

The next morning they had an unfair trial. They couldn’t accuse Him of any wrongdoing, because He never did wrong. They crucified Him anyway, because they wanted to get rid of Him.

At noontime while Jesus was on the cross, the sun was completely darkened so it was pitch black. Jesus was left alone on the cross, totally alone for three hours. During that dark, dark time, God poured out upon Him all the judgment that I and all other saved sinners would have had in hell forever. His amazing love in doing this for sinners is far, far greater than anything we can begin to understand! Only God and Jesus know the greatness and awfulness of those dark, dark three hours He went through to save us from our sins.

There was one more thing that the Bible tells us. When it became light again after those three dark hours, Jesus said, “I thirst,” and someone ran and brought him a drink of vinegar. Then Jesus said, “It is finished!” And the Bible records these next wonderful words of power: “He bowed His head and gave up [His spirit]” (John 19:30) ... He stopped breathing.

No one else ever died like that. They wanted to kill Him, but He gave up His life.

When Pilate, the judge, heard that Jesus was dead, he was very surprised. He did not know what you and I know—that Jesus was God and the power of life was in Him. A cruel soldier came and pierced His side with a spear, but this did not kill Him, because He was already dead. This just showed that His blood was poured out for sinners. I did not see it, but I know it is true: Jesus, “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). He did all this because He loves you and me so much and wants us to live with Him in heaven one day very soon.

This wonderful story is recorded four times in the Bible—in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It would be good to read this for yourself!

MEMORY VERSE: “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7

ML-01/12/2014

The Rattlesnake

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

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

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

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

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

God’s Word, the Bible, tells us that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).

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

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

ML-01/12/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Tough Grizzly

“David said ... there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of [my father’s] flock: and I went out ... and ... slew both the lion and the bear.” 1 Samuel 17:34-36

What a good shepherd David was to risk his life for a lamb! This reminds us of the Lord Jesus who said, “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). David was not killed, but the Lord Jesus willingly gave His life for His sheep.

An 800-pound, 8-foot grizzly bear is a vicious animal. It is found in the western United States and Canada and up into Alaska. Its large body and head, 6-inch claws on strong legs, and sharp teeth all make it a fearsome animal. However, it does not start life that way. Born while its mother is hibernating, it weighs less than a pound and is hairless and blind. Two or three months later it will be the size of a raccoon. By summer’s end, it will be about as big as a collie dog.

Grizzly cubs are full of fun. They wrestle with each other, slide on the snow and climb slender trees until they bend or break with their weight. But it is not only cubs that like to play: Adult grizzlies will also slide down snow slopes, then climb back up and slide down again. They will tumble and roll down grassy hillsides the same way.

By the end of summer, the grizzlies are fat and lazy, but not too lazy to prepare dens in rocky hillsides or under roots of big trees. There they make beds of soft tree branches and some will line their dens with grass. All grizzlies in a given area enter their dens on the same day, and all dens face north. These are God-given instincts. He knows just when they should go into hibernation. He also knows that before winter is actually over, there will be short warm spells, causing the snow on southern slopes to melt a little. A bear waking and hearing this trickle of water would leave its den before food is available. The short warm spells do not affect the cold northern slopes, and the bears remain undisturbed. How wisely the Creator takes care of even grizzlies!

Waking after five months’ sleep, thin and hungry, they immediately search for food. This first meal might be a large animal that died during the winter, its body preserved by the cold, or small rodents, fish, ants and berries. Cow parsnips are a favorite, and hikers are warned to stay away from mountain slopes where these grow, because grizzlies do not like intruders!

The Lord Jesus, as Creator, never neglects any of His creatures. But His special care over people includes this promise to those who love Him: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:28).

ML-01/12/2014

Grandpa and Johnny Rescue a Deer

Johnny lived half a mile from his grandparents’ house. On Saturday mornings, he sometimes would go over to their house to eat breakfast and maybe help a little with the chores. They lived in the country, and often deer would roam through their yards.

One Saturday morning in the spring, Johnny was sitting at the breakfast table eating a big stack of pancakes with Grandpa. Looking out the window, he saw a deer nervously pacing back and forth in the front yard.

“Look, Grandpa, something must be wrong with that deer. She keeps walking over the same spot,” Johnny said.

Grandpa watched the deer. Then he wiped his mouth with his napkin and said, “Johnny, let’s get our coats on and go out and take a look.”

In a few minutes they were out the door and walking towards the deer. Usually deer are very nervous around people and quickly run off when they come near. However, this deer ran only a few feet and then quickly turned around, almost like she was being tugged by a rope. However, Johnny and Grandpa didn’t see any wire or rope or anything the deer could be tangled up in.

A few days before, the utility company had dug a short, deep trench to check the wiring in the front yard. The hole they dug was a couple of feet wide, a few feet long, and maybe four or five feet deep. Grandpa got suspicious that something in the trench was troubling the deer. He walked over to the hole and looked down. Yes, he was right. He understood that it was the mama deer’s troubled heartstrings that held her to the spot so she didn’t run away.

“Johnny, come look at this,” Grandpa said.

Johnny peered over the edge of the hole and said, “Wow, it’s a baby deer, Grandpa! Look at all those pretty white spots on its back. But it doesn’t walk very good. Do you think it’s hurt?”

“No,” Grandpa said. “The fawn is just scared. It looks to be only a few weeks old.”

“Can we help it, Grandpa? Can we?” asked Johnny eagerly.

Grandpa scratched his chin and thought for a second. “I think so. This is what we’ll do. I will grab you by the ankles and lower you head first into the hole. You grab the little fawn and when you get a good hold on it, I will pull you both out of the hole and we’ll return the little thing to its mama.”

“It sounds like a good plan, Grandpa ... I’ll do it.”

Have you ever considered that sin is like a hole that traps us once we fall into it? The sides of the hole are so steep that we need help to get out of it. The only one who can help sinners is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners. He came to earth and went to the cross where He gave His life for us. After His death, He was buried in a tomb and then God raised Him from the grave. He is now alive in heaven. He did all this because He loves us and wanted to make a way for you and me to be saved from our sins.

Johnny really cared about that baby deer and was anxious to save it. He lay down next to the hole, and his grandpa grabbed him by the ankles and slowly lowered him down into the hole. The fawn tried to get away from Johnny, but in the hole he didn’t have room to escape. Grandpa never let go of Johnny’s ankles, and Johnny grabbed the deer by the scruff of the neck.

“See if you can wrap your arms around its belly, Johnny,” Grandpa advised.

In a second Johnny had his arms wrapped around the deer. Its fur felt soft to him, and he could feel its little heart thumping. Once the baby deer was in Johnny’s arms, it hardly struggled at all. Grandpa pulled them both up and out of the hole, and Johnny set the baby deer down on the ground. Almost immediately the little fawn saw its mama and ran to her side. The mama deer and her baby ran off into the woods.

“Good job, Johnny!” Grandpa said. Both Johnny and his grandpa were happy they could help the little fawn and that it was back with its mama.

When boys, girls or grown-ups believe that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for their sins, He lifts them out of the hole of sin and forgives all their sins and says, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). I am so glad that the Lord Jesus lifts sinners out of the deep hole of sin and forgives them. He did it for me, and He can and wants to do it for you too. Won’t you believe that what He did on the cross was for you? Then someday soon He will bring you to His happy home in heaven.

“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” (Psalm 40:2).

MEMORY VERSE: “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalm 40:2

ML-01/19/2014

The Sons of Israel (Jacob)

Israel had 12 sons. Here is a list of 15 Bible names. See if you can find and cross out the three names that were not Israel’s sons. If you need help, turn in your Bible to 1 Chronicles 2:1-2. Israel’s 12 sons are listed in those verses.

AsherGideonMoses

BenjaminIssacharNaphtali

DanJosephReuben

DavidJudahSimeon

GadLeviZebulun

ML-01/19/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: No Love for Fire Ants

“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth?” Jeremiah 23:24

We have looked at many kinds of ants in past articles, discovering the interesting ways the Creator has ordered their lives. However, as we look at fire ants, we will understand why many people wish they could be wiped off the earth. They only spell trouble wherever they choose to live.

This large, bright-red ant was originally a resident of South America, living in its forests and fields. However, in the 1930s a few arrived in the southern United States. Unfortunately, people didn’t pay much attention to them at that time. The fire ants multiplied rapidly, and before long they spread to many places in great numbers. Today these invaders are a serious pest. Millions of them live in the area from Florida and Georgia west into Texas and are becoming more numerous every day.

If you ever get one on you, you will soon know that their sting is painful and raises a red welt that hurts for several days. It makes some people ill and can even kill a small animal. But for farmers, fire ants are even more serious. They infest their fields, building nests that soon become a mound a foot or more above the soil. The ants coat these mounds with a sticky material that dries as hard as cement. These become hidden among the crops, and farm equipment passing over the mounds gets damaged, requiring expensive repair, only to have it happen all over again. Sometimes the farmer gets so discouraged that he leaves his crop unharvested, which of course means no income from it.

Not only is farm machinery damaged, but the ants also damage corn, beans and other crops, as well as killing young orchard trees. Their ferocious appetites also harm much wildlife—birds, insects, small animals and even snakes. Of course, great and expensive efforts are made to find a means of killing them off, but the ants are so tough that this has not been successful. People now realize they just waited too long.

The carelessness of people, who first experienced fire ants years ago and did nothing about them until it was too late, is a lesson for us about every sin that we commit, even sins that seem very small. If we ignore them, they get worse and worse until they have real control over our lives.

How important it is to confess our sins to the Lord Jesus just as soon as they happen. If we ask sincerely, He will guide us in a right way so they will not be repeated. His promise is, “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). Don’t put off doing this!

ML-01/19/2014

A Howling Blizzard

If you have ever been in a real blizzard, you will always remember the experience. A blizzard is a severe snowstorm with winds of 35 miles per hour or more (56 kilometers per hour) and heavy, falling snow. Strong winds blowing the snow sideways make it almost impossible to see. In some places, like the Great Plains of North America, the strong winds may also bring in bitter cold. The blizzard may last from a few hours to a few days. In many places in the world, people have never seen snow, so a blizzard is almost impossible for them to understand.

This is the story of a blizzard in Nebraska over 125 years ago. There were no phones, no cars and no weather reports back then, and many people lived long distances apart. Children went to a one-room schoolhouse with their brothers, sisters and friends of all ages. We often call this time in history, “pioneer days.”

Does a blizzard sound like fun to you? As a child, I thought it would be great! We know God was in control of the world and weather back then, just as He is now. Amos 4:13 tells us He formed the mountains and created the wind.

January 12, 1888, started out like a normal winter day in Nebraska when Minnie Freeman, the schoolteacher, and the children arrived at the schoolhouse. We don’t know if any of the children or their parents had prayed that morning, asking the Lord Jesus to take care of them that day, but we do know He was watching over them. Even though you may not face the scary time these children did, it is always good for parents and their children to ask the Lord Jesus for His watchful care each day.

On that January day, a sudden, fierce blizzard with howling winds swept across Nebraska. The temperature suddenly dropped to 40 degrees below zero. Minnie and the children did not know it, but that blizzard would last for 18 hours! They sat huddled in the one-room, sod schoolhouse listening to the wind. When part of the roof blew off, Minnie knew they all had to leave the schoolhouse and find shelter in some safe place.

What is the best thing to do when we are in trouble? Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon Me [the Lord Jesus] in the day of trouble.” We don’t know if Minnie called to Him for help, but we do know they certainly were in serious trouble. They learned later that many people died in that awful blizzard.

Minnie told the children that they were going to leave the schoolhouse and that they all must stay together! If anyone needed to stop to rub their hands to warm them, they all had to stop. She took a ball of rope from her desk and tied the children together in a line and then tied one end to her arm. They went with strict orders to keep hold of and follow the child in front of them, with Minnie leading the way.

It was about a half mile to the nearest farmhouse, and Minnie knew that was where they had to go. The wind blew the thickly falling snow so hard, that Minnie and her students could only see about four feet ahead as they struggled on.

What a relief when they finally made it to safety inside the farmhouse! The children were made comfortable on beds of hay on the farmhouse floor, as they waited for the blizzard to pass. The children’s parents were desperate with worry and concern, as there was no way to let them know that all the schoolchildren were safe. When they learned that the children were all okay, the parents gave God the credit for saving them. There were other children who got lost and died in that terrible blizzard.

You may not be lost in a blizzard, but you are lost in your sins if you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. “The Son of Man [the Lord Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Just as the children were safe and cared for in the farmhouse, we are safe when we put our trust in Jesus. The Bible tells us that anyone who puts his trust in Him shall be safe (Proverbs 29:25). Won’t you trust Him now?

Besides the parents and the children, many people thanked and praised Minnie for her effort in saving all thirteen of her students. A song of thanksgiving, called “Song of the Great Blizzard: Thirteen Were Saved,” was written in her honor.

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, have you ever thought of singing songs of thanksgiving and praise to Him, as they did to Minnie? “Giving thanks always for all things unto God” (Ephesians 5:20).

MEMORY VERSE: “Giving thanks always for all things unto God.” Ephesians 5:20

ML-01/26/2014

Monsters

“Mommy, come quick! There’s a monster in my room!” cried Stevie. When his mother came, she explained to Stevie that there wasn’t any such thing as a monster, even though his little friends seemed to think there was.

When Stevie still seemed a little afraid, she said, “Stevie, Jesus is here with you. He won’t let anything hurt you. He loves you very much.”

“Isn’t Jesus afraid of anything?” asked Stevie.

“Oh, no, Stevie. He doesn’t have to be afraid of anything. Don’t you remember when He told the big wind and the big waves to be still, and they became calm? They had to do what He said, because He is God. So you don’t have to be afraid of monsters or anything else with Jesus here to take care of you.”

“Okay, Mommy, you can go downstairs now,” said Stevie. “Jesus will take care of me.” He snuggled down with his Teddy bear under the covers and went off to sleep.

Do you feel afraid sometimes, especially in the dark? Just remember that Jesus is with you all the time. He has promised to those who love Him, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). And the very next verse says, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear” (Hebrews 13:6).

ML-01/26/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: North America's Flying Squirrels - Part 1

“Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create.” Isaiah 65:18

While there are many flying squirrels in lands south of the equator, there are only two look-alike varieties in North America. The northern lives mostly in Canada and is about the size of a common gray squirrel. The southern is slightly smaller and lives in the forests of the eastern United States.

Their name in Latin “gray mouse that flies,” and because of their amazing movements through the air, in some places they are known as “fairy diddles.” Actually, a more realistic name would be “gliding squirrels,” for they do not actually fly but, as we will explain in the next article, they have special bodies which enable them to make gliding leaps between trees.

Unlike the gray and red squirrels which are active during the daytime and which are familiar to most of us, both of the North American “flyers” are active at night. This is why they are seldom seen, and people are often unaware that they are in the neighborhood.

These squirrels do not hibernate, but if the weather gets unusually cold, a dozen or more will keep warm by snuggling together in a nest. Once the weather warms up, they resume their activities.

These closely related little animals are alike in many ways. They all tend to have grayish-brown backs and white underparts. Their pretty fur is thick and silky, and their chins have long whiskers. They all have flat tails nearly equal in length to their bodies, large ears, and big black eyes. It is plain to see how the Creator wisely provided these features to help them in their manner of nighttime activity.

They are playful creatures, chasing each other from tree to tree or scampering up the trunk, accompanied by loud squeals. When gathering nuts, they sometimes stop their work and bat some around, apparently just for the fun of it. In fact, seeing their different playful ways, they seem to be one of the few animals that get much pleasure out of all that the Creator has done for them. They don’t seem to take life seriously and have been seen exchanging what appears to be kisses with their companions. However, on rare occasions when they become irritated, one might be spotted stamping its feet like a spoiled little child or lying on its back kicking its feet in the air as if to pummel a real or imagined enemy.

In many Bible verses, the wonders of the Lord God’s creation are spoken of, such as the words of King David: “I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works” (Psalm 9:1). There is real joy for all who, like King David, do this with their whole heart. Do you?

(to be continued )

ML-01/26/2014

Dumb Duck!

Hello again, Children!

Gramma said to me that I should write a letter to you and tell you what we saw this morning while we were sitting at our kitchen table. We were looking out at our pond where we feed the wild ducks, geese, and other birds, and sometimes the foxes, coyotes and stray cats that come by where we throw out birdseed and scraps of meat for the animals.

There was a cute little wild duck swimming around on the water. Then suddenly, a wild black mink showed up, along with three relatives! What a surprise! One of the minks came up on shore to enjoy some of the meat scraps we had just scattered there that morning. Meanwhile, the young duck was swimming closer to shore all the time.

Suddenly the black mink spotted this foolish duck and said to himself, “I’m going to have this duck for lunch!” The mink is an animal that feeds on meat, and they especially like barnyard chickens. Meanwhile, the foolish duck was swimming closer and closer. So the mink slid down the bank of the pond and into the water and started to swim towards the duck.

Gramma asked me, “Do you think the duck can see the mink coming?”

I replied, “Yes, it can. Just watch its head turn towards the mink.”

The mink was swimming about four feet away from the duck. Then he circled around the front of the duck and then around the side of it. Then when he came around to the back of the duck, he turned sharply and aimed to catch that duck from the back where the duck couldn’t see him! Smart mink! Dumb duck!

Boys and girls, our enemy Satan will try to catch you or me in any one of his traps or snares. He will circle around and try to trap you into using bad language ... you know, like swearing, saying dirty words, telling lies, and then there’s cheating and many more traps. Have you ever been caught in one of these bad mistakes? Not a nice feeling, is it?

This poor duck didn’t seem to know he was close to becoming the mink’s lunch, as the mink moved in from behind for the kill. At the very last second, the duck jumped straight up into the air, squawking loudly and with its wings frantically flapping!

Whew, that was close! Gramma and I couldn’t believe how close this mink came to catching the duck and then missed it! We also couldn’t believe that the duck waited so long to move out of danger! Not a very smart duck.

What a lesson for boys and girls and grown-ups too. The holy Word of God says in Ezekiel 18:4 and also in verse 20, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” These are very serious words! But the Word of God also tells us in Acts 2:21, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”! The real reason why the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world was to save boys and girls and men and women ... just like you and me! But don’t live like that foolish duck that waited almost too long! Accept the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour right now! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Lots of love,

Grampa

MEMORY VERSE: “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21

ML-02/02/2014

Tony's Trouble

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tony’s mother took him back to the school later so he could tell the principal that he was sorry for all the trouble he had caused. This was not an easy thing to do, but Tony did it to please the Lord Jesus. Then he felt much better. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

ML-02/02/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: North America's Flying Squirrels - Part 2

“This also cometh forth from the Lord ... wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.” Isaiah 28:29

The outstanding feature that makes flying squirrels different from their more common relatives is their amazing ability to travel considerable distances through the air. Although they appear to be flying, they are actually gliding, which in itself is outstanding.

On the underpart of their bodies is a loose flap of furry skin on each side, not easily seen when they are scampering up a tree trunk or along a branch. Each flap is attached to the front leg and stretches back to where it is attached to the hind leg. This forms a “kite” that enables the squirrel to glide from one tree to another or safely parachute to the ground from a high point.

How do they do this? A flight begins high in a tree with the squirrel first bobbing its head in every direction, apparently sizing things up before taking off. Then it makes the leap with all four legs spread out as far apart as possible, stretching the loose skin into a tight kite. Its target will usually be a lower point on the trunk of another tree, sometimes as far as one hundred feet away, but usually closer. Gliding through the air, its flat tail acts like a rudder to keep it on course and then is lifted straight up to act as a brake just as it lands.

It always lands in an upright position with the claws of all four feet gripping the tree’s surface tightly. It immediately scoots around to the other side of the tree before venturing farther, an instinct the Creator has given it to preserve it from an owl or other enemy that might have seen it land.

Nests are usually a hole in a dead tree trunk, sometimes one abandoned by a former owner and freshened up with leaves, moss or feathers. There the mother will raise up to half a dozen little ones, caring tenderly for them for a few weeks before introducing them to the pleasures of gliding. Her first task is to take them gliding, one by one. She grasps a baby’s loose skin in her mouth while it holds on upside down with its legs wrapped around her neck. Don’t you imagine that’s quite a thrill for the little one? It is not long before they venture forth on their own, without need of gliding lessons, for the Creator has given them a natural instinct for it.

In the coming happy time when those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be in heaven with Him, they will exclaim: “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). Will you be there?

ML-02/02/2014

The Story of Naaman the Leper

Long ago there was an army commander of the king of Syria named Captain Naaman. The king liked him very much, but Naaman was not happy inside. There was something wrong. This great army captain knew that he had an incurable disease called leprosy and that he would eventually die from it.

There was a little slave girl from Israel working in Naaman’s house who believed that Elisha, the prophet of the Lord in the land of Israel, could heal Naaman, and she told Naaman’s wife about this. When his wife told Naaman what the little slave girl had said, he only half-listened. However, he told the king about what the slave girl had said.

The king said, I’ll send you to the king of Israel, with a letter to him. Naaman took the letter, along with ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of fancy clothes to pay the king of Israel. Naaman couldn’t even carry everything; he had to have animals carry all that treasure.

When the king of Israel read the letter from the king of Syria, he knew that curing Naaman of his leprosy was something he could not do! Taking away even one spot of leprosy was impossible, and he was angry! That king of Syria is just looking for a fight! ... He knows I can’t do this!

Did you notice that Naaman went to the wrong man? The little slave girl had not said to go to the king of Israel; she said to go to Elisha, the prophet of the Lord. The Lord had given Elisha the power to do miracles. That little girl knew more than captains and kings knew, because it was the power of God that she believed in. And here’s something else that kings and captains often do not know! God can take your sins away, all of them, not for money or any kind of payment, but with the precious blood of His Son Jesus. Nothing, absolutely nothing else will do. He tells us it is Jesus— “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Elisha heard of the king’s problem in not being able to heal Naaman’s leprosy, and he asked the king to send Naaman to him.

Naaman listened to the message that was sent to him from the prophet Elisha. But he didn’t get his healing right away, because he thought that an important person like himself should have a face-to-face meeting with the prophet. Elisha didn’t even come outside of his house to talk to him. He sent a message instead: Dip into the Jordan River seven times, and you will be clean.

Not me! Naaman didn’t want to wash in that river! He was furious about this! I think he would have gone home, leprosy and all, but one of his servants had a wise word of encouragement. His servant said, You would have done a hard thing, but this is easy! Why not do the easy thing?

So Naaman went down to the River Jordan as the prophet had told him. Seven times he dipped into that water, and when he came up the seventh time, his skin was as healthy as a little child’s! His leprosy was completely gone! But something else wonderful also happened. Naaman came up out of that water with not only new skin but a new heart too. He truly believed in the God of Israel!

Naaman didn’t have to pay anything or do any work or special deeds to be cured of his leprosy. He only had to believe and do what the prophet of God told him. And you don’t have to pay anything or do any work or special deeds to be washed clean from your sins. All you have to do is truly believe in your heart that Jesus died for you, taking the punishment for your sins. Tell Him that you are sorry for your sins and you want Him to wash them all away in His blood. Jesus won’t make you wait. He’ll wash every single sin of yours away immediately, and you’ll know they are gone! You can do that right now!

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

You may read this story with its happy ending in 2 Kings 5:1-17.

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

ML-02/09/2014

Sharing

“Hi, Gramma,” said five-year-old Cheryl, cuddling her doll in her arms as she came close to my chair. Beside me on the kitchen table sat an apple ... round, rosy and inviting. Cheryl spied it and began dancing around the table. Her doll, now held loosely by one hand, dragged behind her. Cheryl’s brown eyes never left the apple.

“Yes, you may eat it,” I said in answer to her look.

The doll dropped. Cheryl climbed up on a chair and started munching happily.

My eyes returned to my book. Too soon the munching stopped. I looked up to see what had happened. Cheryl was sitting with her arm stretched as high as it could reach, and in her hand was the last third of the apple.

“There’s still fruit on your apple, Honey.”

“I know.”

Still she sat, now propping her arm up with her other hand so the apple would be as high as possible.

“Why don’t you finish your apple?” I asked.

“I’m sharing with God. Don’t you think He’d like a bite?”

“Sweetheart, I’m sure God is very happy that you want to share your apple with Him, but because He is God, He doesn’t need to eat like we do.”

As she brought the apple down, Cheryl asked thoughtfully, “Can God hear me now?”

“Yes, right now He can hear all we say, and He knows if we really mean what we say or if we’re just talking.”

Cheryl looked up and said shyly, “I love You, God.” Then she slowly finished her apple and got down to continue playing with her doll.

“Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer [encourage] little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Luke 18:16-17).

ML-02/09/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Almond Tree

Jacob said: “Carry . . . the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds.” Genesis 43:11

When Jacob sent his sons to Egypt, hoping to receive some favors there, it is interesting to note that the gifts he sent included almonds. This was a wise choice, since these tasty nuts contain minerals as well as vitamins and other nutrients. They were a valuable gift.

An orchard of almond trees is a beautiful sight in early spring when they are covered with fragrant, pinkish-white blossoms that open long before the shiny, pointed leaves come out. These blossoms soon develop into fruit that, in its first stage, looks something like a small, unripe peach. This fruit has a silvery-green rind (soft at first, but turning leathery and hard) which surrounds the nut that is forming inside. This hard outer covering, or hull, finally splits open when fully ripe, curling downward to let the nut drop out. The smooth, thin, inside shell, with which most of us are familiar, is easily broken open to get at the edible almond. This nut is actually the seed of the almond tree.

Almonds are enjoyed all over the world, whether they are eaten plain, toasted and salted, or used in desserts, candy and food products. They also provide oil for cooking purposes and another product which can be found in small bottles in grocery stores called “almond extract.” This is used for flavoring certain foods.

In addition to the sweet-almond trees of California and southern Europe, many bitter-almond trees are grown in the Mediterranean and tropical countries, mainly as shade trees. As the name suggests, these almonds are far too bitter to be eaten; however, the oil extracted from these nuts is used in making certain perfumes and cosmetics, as well as in cough syrups, soaps and other products.

These popular nuts remind us of the third day of creation when the Lord God created the first trees, which we read about in Genesis 1:11. In verse 29 of that same chapter, God told Adam, “Behold, I have given you . . . every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food].” It was there that almond and all other trees got their start, and in God’s goodness they have continued to reproduce to our present time, providing nutritious food.

In Romans 8:32, we read, “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?” Have you thanked Him for His goodness in creation and for the best gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Saviour of those who put their trust in Him?

ML-02/09/2014

Windy Runs Wild and Free

Back in pioneer days, wild mustangs ran free over much of the West. Some even ran wild on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. One day a group of cowboys decided to capture a herd of mustangs that roamed on a sandy beach on the Oregon coast.

Riding on horseback and swinging their lariats, the cowboys surrounded the herd. Before the leader stallion at the head of the herd could break into a run, one of the cowboys threw a loop of rope over his head. The stallion reared up on his hind legs and fought the rope for a few minutes, but the harder he fought, the more the rope tightened. He soon learned that it was useless to fight.

With the stallion under control, the rest of the herd was ready to follow, all except one. This was a pretty mare, probably just a few years old. She was a roan or reddish-brown color with a patch of white on her forehead. To the cowboys’ eyes, she was a real beauty—built for speed—a horse any of the cowboys would love to have.

The mare ran free of the herd. A few of the cowboys saw her break free and gave chase. Every time they thought they had her cornered, the mare would twist and turn and sprint off again. After several long chases, the cowboys gave up trying to catch her. They tried again on several other days, but they never could catch her. They nicknamed her Windy, because she ran as fast and tirelessly as the winds that blew in off the Pacific Ocean. For thirty-four years, Windy ran free and wild over the sand. In all that time she never let a man catch her but ran as free as the ocean breeze.

A horse running free next to the ocean is a beautiful sight. Do you know that God highly values freedom too? He wants you and every other person to live free. True freedom doesn’t come from running after sin and thinking that all will be fine in the end. Sin steals away our freedom, because when we sin, it is like Satan throwing a lariat around our hearts to gain control of our lives. His purpose is to lead us further and further away from God. The final end of sin isn’t happiness; it is an eternity of sorrow in hell. No, true freedom doesn’t come from running wild after sin. It comes from having your sins forgiven through faith in Christ and then by living uprightly before God. The Lord Jesus, the Son of God, said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

The Lord Jesus gave His life on the cross as a ransom for sinners, so that we can be set free from the power of sin. What a wonderful thing it is to be forgiven and to know that all your sins are washed away forever. This is true freedom.

A horse like Windy running wild and free may be a beautiful sight, but God delights much more in people of any age who trust, love and obey Him. Psalm 147:10-11 reads, “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse ... . The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear [trust] Him, in those that hope in His mercy.”

Won’t you come by faith to the Lord Jesus and know the true freedom from sin that only He can give you?

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

ML-02/16/2014

The Hailstorm and Tom's Prayer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-02/16/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Multi-Colored Kingfishers

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam.” Genesis 2:19

There are about one hundred species of kingfishers, ranging in size from six to eighteen inches and divided into two families—the water and the forest. Many of the forest family never go near water and live on insects, small rodents, snakes and lizards.

The water kingfishers, which are more common, make their homes in hollow trees or dig burrows in a bank where the young hatch and develop before going outside to learn to fish on their own. The Creator has given these birds unusual coloring. Many are quite pretty with high crests on their heads. For instance, the common, which is the smallest, has colors that change according to the angle of light. At times it appears sky blue, but as it turns on its perch it becomes a beautiful emerald green, with a variety of colors on its head and throat.

By contrast, the largest is the African giant that is not as brightly colored as the smaller ones—a speckled gray above and light brown beneath. The small malachite from Ethiopia has a speckled-gray head topped with a crest of a dozen feathers. White patches on its head and on its neck blend with a rust-colored beak and legs. A soft-orange breast and underparts and pretty purple feathers on its back, wings and tail complete this beauty.

In North America the most commonly seen is the belted, about twelve inches long. You may have seen one on a branch near a stream, patiently waiting until ... suddenly it dives headfirst into the water and returns with a fish in its beak. Incidentally, kingfishers do not spear fish with their beaks as we might think; they grasp them with open beaks.

Perhaps millions of these birds live in various parts of the world, and people never see most of them. But there is One who always watches over them. He has told about His care over lowly sparrows (also true of kingfishers). In Luke 12:6 He said, “Not one of them is forgotten before God.” Then He adds, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows” (vs. 7). The Lord wrote these words to tell of His love and care over each person in the world and to give His invitation, “Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of Man [Himself] also confess before the angels of God” (vs. 8).

To “confess the Lord before men” means to confess Him as your Lord and Saviour before others. When this is done with a true heart, not only will He tell the angels you are His, but your name will also be written in the Book of Life and will never be removed. Have the angels been told your name? Is it written in God’s Book of Life?

ML-02/16/2014

The Ungrateful Ducklings

I was plowing a field to get it ready for planting wheat. Suddenly, a large bird flew up and almost hit me in the face!

Looking down at the ground, I saw a nest right beside the tractor with four eggs in it. I stopped the tractor immediately or the plow would have run over the nest in the next few moments.

Carefully I picked up the nest and carried it to a patch of ground that had already been plowed and nestled it into the loose soil. I hoped the mother bird would see it there. However, when I had finished my morning’s work and returned to the nest, there was no sign that the mother bird had come back.

Hmmmm, now I had a decision to make. Should I just leave the nest with its eggs there in the field? No, I decided to take the nest home, and my next-door neighbor loaned me his incubator to keep the eggs warm. I knew that the mother bird also turns and moistens the eggs when they are nearly ready to hatch. So I did that too. But I guess I wasn’t a very good mother, because only two eggs hatched.

The baby birds looked like little ducklings. I built them a small house and fed them every day. I even made them a swimming pool, which they enjoyed. But they never enjoyed me! In fact, every time I came near them, they backed into the far corner of their house and acted as though I was their worst enemy. They never came near me or tried to show that they were thankful that I had fed and cared for them.

The ducklings reminded me of a story in Mark 12:1-7. This story is about a man who planted a vineyard and a hedge around it. He also built a tower and a winepress in it. He did everything he could to make sure it would grow lots of good grapes. Then the owner had to travel to another country, so he hired some men to take care of the vineyard and harvest the ripe grapes.

When the time of harvest had come, the owner sent his servants to collect his share of the money they got from selling the wine made from the grapes. But the men he had hired to take care of the vineyard were greedy and cruel. They beat up some of the owner’s servants and killed some too.

The owner was sadly surprised, and he wondered what he should do next. He decided to send his only son to set things straight. He thought they would respect his son.

You know, I thought the ducklings I had cared for would become pets, and we would enjoy each other. But no, they treated me as their enemy. And the men hired by the owner of the vineyard didn’t respect his son either. They treated him as their enemy and made an evil plan. They said to each other, He’s the heir of the vineyard. Let’s kill him, and the vineyard will be ours!

And that’s exactly what the people who didn’t respect God’s only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, did to Him. They didn’t want Him and treated Him as their enemy. They nailed Him to the cross where He died and shed His blood. But God turned their evil plan into good. His Son’s shed blood can cleanse sinners from their sins, making them ready for heaven.

After the Lord Jesus was buried, God raised Him from the dead, and He is alive in heaven right now. He wants to be our Saviour and best Friend.

Will you accept Him as your Saviour and best Friend? “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:14).

MEMORY VERSE: “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” 1 John 4:14

ML-02/23/2014

Sid the Fireman

Sid was a loyal fireman. He liked his work, but he loved people, especially children. This made him even more concerned about the safety of anyone caught in a fire where he was called to help.

It had been a busy afternoon for Sid and the other members of the fire department. There had been several fires and other emergencies to which they had been called. Now once again they were on their way, this time to a burning 1-1/2 story house where they found some very excited neighbors.

“There are three children trapped in that house!” the upset neighbors shouted.

Apparently Sid did not give any thought to his own safety. He immediately ran into the burning house to look for the children.

However, the worried neighbors were wrong. They did not know that the children were not in the house. They had left the house long before the fire had even started. And now Sid had gone into the flames to rescue three children who were not there!

This story has a very sad ending because Sid died in that house, looking for the three children—children that he desperately wanted to save. He died needlessly, because those children did not need to be saved ... they were safe already.

Many years ago the Lord Jesus Christ died on Calvary’s cross because boys and girls (and grown-ups too) need to be saved. All people are sinners and need to be saved from the coming everlasting punishment for their sins in the lake of fire. Just as Sid, of his own will, went into the burning house to save those children, the Lord Jesus, of His own will, went into death to save sinners from their sins. Sid died even though there was no one to be saved, but the Lord Jesus did not die needlessly.

Many have already believed that He died for them, and they will be with Him in heaven one day. He died and rose again that we might be saved for heaven. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). How thankful we should be that the Lord Jesus did not die needlessly.

Are you saved from the punishment for your sins? The Lord Jesus loves you and is waiting to save you. Why not accept Him as your Saviour right now and receive the everlasting life that only He can give.

ML-02/23/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Water and the Balance of Nature

“As the rain [comes] down, and the snow ... and [returns] not thither, but [waters] the earth, and [makes] it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word be that [goes] forth out of My mouth.” Isaiah 55:10-11

People often speak about “the balance of nature.” Actually it is the Creator of the world who has put all things in balance and holds them there—although indifferent people often intrude to spoil nature’s beauty and pattern. Lakes and seas, forests, mountains and vegetation, along with all living creatures, from the smallest microbe to the largest elephant and whale, all depend on one another. But water is the most important of all. It is the true “balance,” and it only exists because God made it so.

The earth is the only known planet supplied with an abundance of water. In this way God shows His special interest in our world, because in it are the boys and girls and men and women to whom He has shown His special love. He provided a Saviour and the everlasting joy of heaven to all who accept Him as their Saviour.

The water cycle in nature begins in lakes and oceans. From them water evaporates into the atmosphere. The sun at its hottest can evaporate more than 5,000 tons of water from just one square mile of ocean in one hour’s time! Winds carry this moisture-laden atmosphere around the world, bringing welcome rain.

In addition to the benefits of direct rainfall, water formed into snow and ice displays the Creator’s wisdom in storing it on hills and mountains in winter. Then when the summer sun melts it, cool, refreshing water flows down to meet the moisture needs of His creatures during those seasons when there is no rain.

Great quantities of water are used to put out fires. But the interesting fact about water is that it is composed of two parts, each of which by itself burns fiercely or supports combustion. These are hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen burns very easily and oxygen is essential for anything to burn. Yet put together in the form of water as the Creator has done, they make an excellent fire extinguisher. Isn’t that amazing!

Water is certainly a great miracle, necessary for all forms of life—human beings, animals, birds, insects, all marine life and all vegetation. Considering its importance, we can easily see why the Lord used water as an illustration of Himself, saying, “Whosoever [drinks] of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). By this He meant that those who accept Him as their Saviour and Lord will have the “thirst” of their hearts quenched forever. Has your heart’s “thirst” been quenched?

ML-02/23/2014

Just in Time!

Have you ever been told you made it “just in time”? Maybe you were late for supper, and then you came running in from play “just in time.” Or maybe it was more serious. You were told to stop when you had started to run across the street, and you stopped “just in time” before a speeding car went by. It certainly is good to learn to be in time! We sometimes sing a song that tells us we should be in time while the Lord Jesus is still calling us. A Bible verse reminds us that “now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). It doesn’t say anything about waiting until tomorrow.

Chris will always remember the day he came “just in time” to save Marvin and Jean from sure disaster. Chris was just returning to work from lunch in the small town where he lived. He heard a train whistle and looked over at the railroad tracks and saw the crossing gates were down. Then he spotted a car stopped right on the tracks at the crossing! Now, we all know that to walk or play on railroad tracks is dangerous, and to have your car stop on the tracks is very, very dangerous!

Chris’s first thought was, I’ve got to do something! as he ran towards the car. It was then he saw the elderly couple, Marvin and Jean, sitting in the car. Their car had stalled on the tracks, and Marvin was trying his best to restart it. He had tried again and again, but it would not start. People in cars behind them kept yelling, “GET OUT! GET OUT!” but Marvin and Jean either did not hear them or did not realize their danger.

Too many people have their own thoughts about being saved from their sins. They try their own ways and not the way that God says is the only way:: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Chris ran to the car, got behind it and tried pushing, but it would not budge! He kept trying, but his cowboy boots slipped on the tracks. Then he felt the vibrations of the train as it was coming closer. The horn blared, and the breaks squealed—the engineer saw the car on the tracks and was trying to stop the train.

Chris ran to Marvin’s window and yelled for him to put the car in neutral. Chris stuck the toes of his boots into the track groves so they wouldn’t slip, and then he heaved with all his strength! The car moved about five feet, just in time and before the train rumbled by, missing the car and Chris by inches. All were safe!

It was a whole day later before Marvin and Jean could talk about what had happened. Marvin admitted he and his wife should have gotten out of the car quickly and left it there, but they “simply froze”—they were so scared they just could not move!

Do you know what you should do about your sins that are going to take you into everlasting punishment? The Bible tells us clearly what sinners should do: “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He is the only Saviour, and no matter what you do to save yourself from the punishment for your sins, it won’t work. You have to do it God’s way since heaven belongs to Him!

The police arrived to check on Marvin and Jean. After the train had stopped, even the engineer walked back down the tracks to make sure everyone was all right. Do you know there are people concerned about you? Maybe your parents or your Sunday school teacher or a friend who knows the Lord Jesus are concerned about your salvation. “The soul that sinneth it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4) is a warning, and that is true of everyone who has not accepted the Lord Jesus as Saviour. If that includes you, you are not ready for heaven! Don’t wait until tomorrow or you may not BE IN TIME!

MEMORY VERSE: “Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

ML-03/02/2014

Something More Than Gold

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

Cathie loved to listen to her friend talk. He told so many interesting stories, and he talked with an English accent! Best of all, Mr. Bailer loved the Lord Jesus and wanted to make sure his little friend was saved from her sins and on her way to heaven. As the two were swinging in the sunshine, they noticed the big granite rock wall beside the swing. Back and forth they went, and the rocks in the granite wall sparkled brightly in the sunshine. Cathie said to Mr. Bailer, “Look at all the gold in those rocks over there. I bet that gold would be worth lots and lots of money!”

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

“Oh, yes, oh, yes, there’s something more,

Something more than gold:

To know your sins are all forgiven,

And that you’re on your way to heaven,

Is something more than gold.”

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

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

ML-03/02/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Ever-Present Cockroach

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-03/02/2014

A Visit to Ephesus

The city of Ephesus, which is located in Asia, is not a very interesting place to visit today. Maybe it was long ago when you could stand looking at the great stone temple built in honor of the goddess Diana. The people of Ephesus believed that her image fell down from heaven. But now the city has all crumbled into ruin, with little left of what had been a busy and successful center of business.

Several thousand years ago, Ephesus was one of the wonders of the world. Does everything have to crumble into ruin and leave us hopeless and sad? Yes, everything—even the best structures that man can build. God says that “the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). But we know of something that will NEVER pass away—God’s Word is FOREVER—and so is His home in heaven, which His Word, the Bible, tells us about.

The Apostle Paul visited Ephesus back when the temple of Diana stood proudly and beautiful. But Paul didn’t stand there and admire the great building. He had the “forever” message in his heart, and he didn’t keep it a secret. He knew our Jesus is forever, just like God’s Word. The temple of Diana was not.

For three months Paul told the people in Ephesus about Jesus, and some people listened. But after three months, some had heard enough and spoke against God’s message. So Paul went to another part of Ephesus where he found eager listeners, and he stayed there for two years. What did he tell them that kept them listening for so long?

He told them of God’s great love and the wonderful story of His Son Jesus. You can find the Book of Ephesians in your Bible, which is the letter he wrote to them after he left Ephesus. If you are a Christian, you will find that what he wrote in Ephesians is for you and me too.

God showed special miracles to prove the power of His words. Some of the believers brought to the sick people handkerchiefs or aprons that Paul had touched, and those who received them were instantly healed. As a result of Paul’s preaching, many of the people turned to Jesus from their idols.

The devil did not like this, just as he does not like you to listen to the Word of God now. He stirred up the silversmiths who sold little silver idols of the goddess Diana and made lots of money this way. Demetrius was their leader, and he was afraid people would stop buying the silver idols if they listened to Paul. He called together a crowd, which got to be a bigger and bigger crowd, until the whole city of Ephesus was one big shouting mob!

They shouted, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” (Acts 19:28), and they kept shouting for two whole hours. A Christian named Alexander tried to speak to the people, but nobody would listen. The angry mob just shouted louder!

The city clerk, whose business it was to control the people, finally got them quieted down. He gave a speech saying, Everybody knows that we worship Diana whose image fell down from heaven. Take Paul to the law courts if you must, but don’t get us into trouble with all this shouting. Go home quietly.

So quiet was restored, but was the city clerk’s message true? Is Diana forever? If, like he said, “Everyone knows,” then where is Diana today? But our Jesus came back from the dead and is alive in heaven right now. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away” (Mark 13:31).

You may read this story of the Apostle Paul in Ephesus in Acts chapter 19.

MEMORY VERSE: “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away.” Mark 13:31

ML-03/09/2014

A Mother Bird's Care

One day I was canoeing down a river. I could tell from my map that there was a high waterfall ahead, so I would have to carry my canoe and supplies around it on a trail.

Soon I could hear the roar of the waterfall, even though I was still two hundred yards away. I slowed the canoe and kept close to the bank of the river. As I searched for the trail, I could feel the water was beginning to flow faster towards the waterfall.

Backpaddling to slow the canoe, I noticed a branch floating by with a young bird clinging to it. The mother bird was fluttering around, chirping and scolding, trying to get the young one to fly to shore. But it would not leave the branch which was now rushing towards the waterfall. When her fluttering and scolding didn’t do any good, the mother bird suddenly pushed the young bird off the branch so that it had to fly to keep from falling into the water. The young bird flew to a tree on the shore where it was safe.

Although what the mother bird did may seem harsh, she saved her young one from going over the waterfall. How often the Lord Jesus works this way too. Perhaps He has brought unhappiness into your life and you wonder why. What the mother bird did seemed unkind, but it was really the best thing for the young bird.

If a problem makes you turn to the Lord Jesus and, as a result, you acknowledge your need of Him as your Saviour and trust Him, it will then be for your good. How much better to have problems and unhappiness if it turns you to the Lord Jesus. God has shown His love to us by giving His only Son to die on Calvary’s cross. There He suffered and died for sinners. Now He waits to save every sinner who will come to Him just as they are and accept Him as his or her Saviour.

“All these things worketh God oftentimes with man, to bring back his soul from the pit” (Job 33:29-30).

ML-03/09/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Scary Crocodile

“Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” Psalm 135:6

The crocodile is the largest of all reptiles, including the huge snakes of South America. There are twenty-five crocodile species throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and some Pacific islands, as well as in South and Central America and the Everglades of Florida.

Crocodiles are related to alligators but grow larger, have longer and more slender heads, and when their jaws are closed, large teeth show on each side, making an ugly grin. The alligator’s mouth doesn’t show these teeth unless it is open. Crocodiles can live in saltwater as well as freshwater, and they are very sensitive to cold.

Perhaps you have seen crocodiles in a zoo and thought they were rather clumsy, but in the wild they are surprisingly fast on land, and in water their big tails and webbed hind feet move them along even more swiftly. They are expert at swimming silently below the surface, snatching unsuspecting birds and small animals that are on the surface. They are more aggressive than alligators. The Creator has adapted crocodiles to a watery life, providing a feature that closes nostrils, ears and throats when submerged, as well as keen eyesight—even after dark—with big bulging eyes. Their bodies are covered with tough, leather-like armor. Their jaws have sharp, vicious teeth, and their long tails serve as a fearful weapon. When their loud roars bellow out and these weapons are in action, it is no wonder that they are one of the most feared of all reptiles!

A female crocodile lays about three dozen eggs in a sun-warmed trench that she has dug out with her tail. She covers the eggs with sand or dirt and guards them, with time out only to search for food. Disaster awaits any intruder that threatens to dig them up! At the end of a month-long incubation, as the little ones begin to hatch, her keen ears hear their sounds through the soil. Uncovering them with her sharp claws, she picks up a dozen or more at a time in her mouth, without harming them, and carries them to water where she leaves them on their own. The six-inch youngsters are quite capable of finding their own food, but most become victims of raccoons, storks, cranes and even adult crocodiles, until they increase in size. Out of three dozen, possibly only six or so may survive.

The crocodile has its place in God’s creation and is included—just as every person is—in the Bible verse: “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). However, the crocodile’s life is just for this world, whereas you and I have souls that live for eternity. Can you say that “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3) through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

ML-03/09/2014

Lost Keys … Again!

Something happened to me recently that reminded me of some very important lessons from God’s Word, the Bible. Some very dear friends, who are retired, enjoy going on long trips. They have given me a set of their house keys so I can take in their mail and water their plants while they are away. I used to keep their keys in the glove compartment of my car, but one night someone broke into my car, and the keys were stolen. Since then, I always keep the keys in my purse.

One Saturday I stopped at their home to take in the mail and water their flowers. The next day I was emptying my purse to put everything into a different purse. This is when I discovered that my friends’ house keys were not in my purse!

I quickly checked the car, the pockets of the clothes I had worn the day before, and different places in my home. But those keys were nowhere to be found! Where could those keys be? This was the second set my good friends had given me. I did not want to have to tell them that I had lost another set of their keys!

The next day was Sunday, so I spent the morning worshipping the Lord Jesus and then enjoyed the fellowship and ministry. However, every once in a while the thought would pop into my head, Where are those keys? Then I would pray and ask the Lord Jesus to show me where they were. I knew I could call on Him for help, because His Word says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15).

That evening I went back to their house to see if I had dropped them outside. No, they weren’t there. Then I went to the office I had cleaned to check if I had possibly dropped them there. No, they weren’t there either. Next I drove to the grocery store I had gone to and asked if anyone had turned in some keys. ... And there they were!

I was so happy and God is so good! He took care of those keys on Saturday when I did not start praying about them until the next day. Isaiah 65:24 says, “It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”

Those keys could not cry out and let me know I had dropped them. They are like the lost coin the Lord talked about in Luke 15. A lady had lost a very valuable coin in her home. She lit a lamp and swept her home until she found it. She was so happy that she shared her exciting news with her friends.

You and I are like that lost coin if we have not accepted the Lord Jesus as our Saviour—we are lost because of our sins. There is nothing we can do to remove them, no matter how hard we try, and we won’t be allowed into heaven still in our sins. We are guilty sinners and need forgiveness from God.

We have good news to tell you. God has done everything for us: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Because He loves us so much, Jesus went to the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. He died and rose again and is alive in heaven right now, and He invites us to share heaven with Him. Will you tell Him that you are sorry for your sins and that you believe He took your punishment when He suffered on the cross? “The Son of Man [Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). And that includes you.

MEMORY VERSE: “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” Luke 19:10

ML-03/16/2014

Setting a Fire

There didn’t seem to be anyone around to play with, so I wandered into the woods where I had been trying to build a log cabin. I had used the trunks and larger branches of alder trees, but I needed more to finish my cabin. Now, some months later, the place looked rather messy. Lots of raspberry canes had sprung up. They were prickly and had caught lots of dead leaves. It was even hard to walk around. It seemed to me the easiest way to tidy things up would be to start a ground fire. Yes, it was a bit windy, but I was sure I could keep the fire under control.

The woods were very dry, so it wasn’t hard to start the fire. At first everything went as planned, but all of a sudden, wherever I looked new flames were springing up! I tried stamping them out with my feet, but that didn’t work. It was getting hot. I ripped off my jacket and began beating the flames with it. As I beat the flames in front of me, more would spring up behind me.

I was quickly changing my mind about it being a good idea to start a fire in the woods. I beat and beat until my jacket was badly singed and I was exhausted. All I could think about was putting that fire out. But there is one fire that will never go out! The Bible tells us about it—hell fire. And there’s one way, and only one way, for you to avoid being in that fire. “Flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7). Run right into the strong arms of Jesus who loves you and died on Calvary’s cross to save you. If you will come to Him to be forgiven, He will write your name in the book of life. This will protect you. Revelation 20:15 explains how: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

I might have started a really big fire that day, but I was finally able to beat out all the flames. I was very, very thankful to see the end of them! But for anyone who is cast into the lake of fire, there will be no end to the flames.

God warns us over twenty times in the New Testament about that fire that will never stop burning. But remember that He offers you an escape, if you will accept His Son Jesus as your Saviour right now. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). That’s God’s promise.

Will you accept the plan of escape that He has provided?

ML-03/16/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Amazing Heart

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

The issues of life (physical as well as spiritual) are all dependent on the heart. All functions of the body rely on it as, beating some 100,000 times a day, it pumps about 600 tons of blood through the body each year at the rate of about a quart every minute.

What keeps it going? Medical scientists do not know but think it may be brought about by certain chemical impulses. The real answer is that this is another wonder of God’s creation. Only He could devise so intricate and reliable a machine out of flesh and blood.

The ten pints of blood that is in the adult body is pumped to the lungs by the heart. The blood passes through arteries on its way to the lungs. By the time the blood finally reaches the lungs, it has passed through about 600 million tiny capillaries. Each of these is less than half the diameter of a hair! As air rushes into the lungs when we breathe, this blood picks up oxygen from the air, at the same time discarding carbon dioxide, which the lungs exhale through the nose.

Enriched with oxygen, the blood travels a different route back to the heart where it is again pumped through the aorta into other arteries and capillaries. Thousands of miles of capillaries are needed to bring the blood to the cells, organs, muscles, tissues and every part of the body.

As the blood makes this long journey, the oxygen content becomes less and less. By the time the blood has circulated through the system and returns to where it started on it’s travels through the body, there is practically no oxygen left, and it must be refueled before it can be useful to the body again. It contains large amounts of carbon dioxide which the cells of the body have given off. Once more the blood is sent to the lungs where the carbon dioxide is released and oxygen is absorbed.

How wise is the master plan of the Creator as seen in this most amazing system! If man tried to duplicate it, he would be totally unable to do so.

The heart is often spoken of in the Bible to describe our feelings and reasonings of the mind. God describes it this way: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” The answer is immediately given: “I the Lord search the heart” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). It is very solemn to know that nothing is ever hidden from Him. Since God knows the heart, shouldn’t we trust in God with our heart? “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 3:5-6).

Have you trusted in Him with your heart?

ML-03/16/2014

Brevin Saves His Family

Six-year-old Brevin heard the wail of the siren. “Please, Mom, let’s go down to the basement!”

There had been tornado warnings all morning and some even the day before. The weather had been quite warm for late November, and now it was raining with strong winds. Weather reports were warning people that weather conditions were ripe for tornadoes to form in the heavy clouds.

Brevin’s mother heard the tornado siren too. She looked out the window and thought everything looked calm. She decided it probably was just a tornado drill. Then she went on about her kitchen duties, even though the radio reports were giving constant warnings of what could quickly develop.

God gives us warnings in His Word, the Bible: “There is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). God isn’t talking about tornado warnings; He’s talking about sin and the end result if people will not believe and act on His plan of safety through His Son Jesus Christ. Many ignore God’s warnings about punishment for their sins and decide they’ll worry about it later. They tell themselves they’ve got plenty of time.

But Brevin, his mother and 11-year-old brother certainly did not have plenty of time to act on the warnings they were hearing. Brevin believed what he had learned in school and once again said, “Please, Mom! This is what they teach us in school: ‘When you hear the siren, you need to go somewhere safe!’”

Finally, to satisfy Brevin, she grabbed a rolled up mattress pad to use for protection over their heads, and she and the two boys went down to the basement. Only minutes later, a tornado slammed into their house and leveled it, along with most of their neighborhood!

As quickly as possible, rescue workers began digging through the ruins of the homes, searching for people who were trapped underneath the piles of collapsed and blown-apart houses. When the rescuers began digging through the rubble that was once Brevin’s family home, they found the three of them all safe in the basement. However, the three were dazed—not sure where they were or what had happened. They were taken to a church where they would be given first aid and cared for, along with others who had survived the tornado’s destruction.

The family knew they had much to be thankful for, especially because Brevin had insisted they go to the basement. A nurse volunteering at the church told a news reporter, “This family is alive today because of Brevin insisting they follow what he had been taught at school.” Brevin had believed what the siren warnings meant and followed the safety instructions he had learned.

There is a lesson to be learned from this smart, six-year-old boy. He believed the warnings and followed the safety instructions. God tells us, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). There is a consequence for our sins, and it is everlasting punishment in that awful place called hell. We all deserve that. But God loves each one of us and has made a way of safety so you and I can be cleansed from every sin. His Son Jesus went to Calvary’s cross where He took God’s punishment for sin, so that you and I can be forgiven and spend eternity with Him in heaven. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Do you believe what God has said? Have you followed His safety instructions by accepting Christ Jesus as your very own Saviour? Don’t wait! You may not have much time.

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

ML-03/23/2014

"Help Me!"

Mrs. James arrived home later than she had expected to, so she hurried from her car to the front door. She was holding the house key in her hand and just ready to unlock the door when suddenly she heard a small boy’s voice calling, “Help me! Help me! Will you help me?”

Mrs. James was rather startled since she had not seen anyone around when she pulled her car into the driveway. Setting her purse down on the doorstep, she started towards the front sidewalk when she heard the voice again calling for help. Then she found Timmy, a little boy from down the street, almost hidden by a large evergreen tree. He was in real trouble.

Mrs. James arrived home just in time to hear Timmy’s call for help. However, the Lord Jesus is able to hear our cry at all times. He tells us, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee” (Psalm 50:15).

Poor Timmy! His bicycle was turned over on its side, and one of his long shoelaces was wound many times around the pedal. All poor Timmy could do was to stand beside his bicycle with his foot all twisted to the side! There was no way a little five-year-old boy could get that tangled shoelace off the bicycle pedal.

Mrs. James worked quickly, pulling the shoelace this way and that way, until it finally came free of the pedal. Timmy was so happy to get his foot free from that twisted position and to be able to ride away on his bicycle again. And Mrs. James was glad she had returned home just when Timmy needed help.

Timmy couldn’t help himself, and each sinner is tangled in sin and completely unable to help himself. The Lord Jesus is able and willing to free all who ask Him to wash their sins away. He is the only One who can do that; “There is none other name under heaven . . . whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

There were other neighbors who could have helped Timmy if they had been there, but the Lord Jesus is the only Saviour for sinners. He died and shed His blood to wash away sins. Won’t you accept Him as your very own Saviour right now? He loves you and wants to free you from the tangle of your sins.

ML-03/23/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Busy Gray Squirrel

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

The gray squirrel of Canada and the United States is definitely a favorite with many people. No doubt this is because of its cute little barks and chattering, as well as its ability to play “hide and seek” by scampering up, down and around tree trunks when people approach it. This animal is playful, and several will often play a game of tag.

Its top fur and bushy tail are mostly gray with white on the underneath parts. Its tail grows extra long fur as cold weather approaches, making a warm blanket to cover its back and head or to curl around its body when inside its nest. Its tail also acts as a rudder, which, together with its strong hind legs, enables it to jump from tree to tree. If the squirrel accidentally falls, its tail immediately spreads out like a parachute. No wonder a squirrel spends so much time grooming it!

These small but tough creatures often show up in parks, making friends with those who feed them, but they can also be annoying. They will climb into a bird feeder and eat only the sunflower seeds, spilling the rest on the ground. They sometimes get into flower beds and eat buds and seeds or bury peanuts and acorns in potted plants, spilling dirt all over. But aside from these annoying activities, many consider them intelligent and comical with their acrobatics and are willing to put up with the problems.

Squirrels are well equipped to shell nuts of any kind or to get inside pine cones with their long, sharp claws and curved teeth. Through summer and fall, they bury nuts for winter food, as well as tuck dried mushrooms in branches of trees. They sometimes forget where the nuts are buried, but with their keen sense of smell, even through a foot of snow, they usually find them or those of another squirrel. The ones they don’t find often take root, and a new little tree shows up the next spring.

The nests of these squirrels are made of twigs and leaves, complete with a rainproof roof and are usually high in trees or may be in a convenient hole in the side of a tree trunk. As many as six little ones are born in the springtime and for several weeks rely on their mother’s milk for growth. But before long they are well covered with fur, have been taught the important things of a squirrel’s life and are on their own.

These active little animals seem to fit in extremely well with the pleasure the Lord had in creating them, as our opening Bible verse says, and He watches over them with tender care. And He assures us in 1 Peter 5:7 that “He [cares] for you” too.

ML-03/23/2014

The Missing Dolphins

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. For six hours straight, the winds blew at speeds of over 120 miles per hour. Several inches of rain poured down. In some places the sudden rise in water level was 40 feet high. It swept inland, flowing over buildings, walls, and just about everything in its path.

Gulfport, Mississippi, has a Marine Life Oceanarium where visitors can see all sorts of sea animals. The favorite part of the Oceanarium for most visitors is the dolphin show. The workers at the Marine Center had been warned about the approaching hurricane. They were able to move some of the dolphins to pools of water farther inland on higher ground where they might be safer. But they ran out of time and had to leave eight dolphins in the large pool to face the hurricane alone.

When the tidal surge swept over the Marine Center, the dolphins were carried away in the flood. The floodwaters were full of broken pieces of buildings, which made swimming dangerous.

After the hurricane passed, the caretakers returned to the center to find the buildings of the Marine Center completely wrecked. And what was even worse, the dolphins were missing! They searched the nearby waterways and beaches but found no sign of them. They didn’t know if the dolphins were dead or alive. They searched by boat in the Gulf waters but still couldn’t find them.

Some of these dolphins had spent their entire lives in captivity. Their meals had been handed to them by their trainers. They had never learned the skills necessary to survive in the wild. The dolphins were great at doing tricks, but it was doubtful they could find their own food in the Gulf waters.

Two weeks after the hurricane hit, the workers at the center rented a helicopter to search the Gulf waters. After only ten minutes of searching from the air, they spotted the group of dolphins. Soon a boat manned by Oceanarium workers was sent to the area. The workers were overjoyed to find the dolphins, and the dolphins seemed happy to see their trainers. All eight dolphins had stayed together through the disaster. Eight dolphins’ heads arose out of the water to greet their well-known trainers. “As soon as we saw them and they saw us, it was like they were asking, ‘Where have you been all this time?’ They were all over us,” one of the trainers said.

Workers from the boat hand fed the dolphins fish taken from a large bucket. In some of these fish, a veterinarian placed a medicine to help heal the cuts, gouges and abrasions they had gotten from swimming through the debris-filled water.

The hard part now was how to get the dolphins back into a safe environment where they could be cared for. Two of the dolphins with the worst injuries were directed to swim up on a floating mat. From the mat they were hoisted onto the boat and transported to safety. It took two more weeks before all eight were eventually recaptured. Their home at Gulfport had been destroyed by the hurricane, so they were sent to different locations along the Atlantic coast. They lived in these temporary homes for two years, until the Marine Center in Gulfport was repaired.

After the work was completed at the Oceanarium, all eight dolphins were returned to their home for a joyful reunion. If you ever visit the area, you can see these same dolphins happily performing their tricks for spectators.

The trainers spent two weeks searching before they found the dolphins. Do you know God is searching for souls who have been lost in sin?

Souls are lost because sin has swept them far away from the God who made and loves them. Our sins have separated us at a great distance from God, who is the source of all goodness. “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you” (Isaiah 59:2). It is a real separation that puts souls in danger of perishing. To perish is a terrible thing. It means passing out of this world into Satan’s hell.

God doesn’t want anyone to perish, so He sent the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life at Calvary. How great is God’s love since He was willing to give the life of His only Son to save sinners like you and me!

When this life is over, He will bring all who trust Him to His wonderful home in heaven. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

This is why He is seeking for you. He wants you to be saved and receive the gift of eternal life. Some day in the future, God will gather all those who have believed on the Lord Jesus to live with Him forever in heaven. What a happy reunion that will be, where the joys of heaven will never end.

The dolphins were found and eventually returned home to their happy life in the Oceanarium. Won’t you believe on the Lord Jesus that you might receive eternal life and live in His happy home in heaven?

MEMORY VERSE: “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you.” Isaiah 59:2

ML-03/30/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Bird With a Big Bill - Part 1

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” Psalm 50:11

Looking at a spoonbill, it is easy to understand how it got its name. In our picture you’ll see that the lower end of its long, bony bill flattens out to look like a spoon.

There are great numbers of these birds in warm climates of the world. Two species, the royal and the yellowbill, live in Australia. Most spoonbills in these southern lands are all white except for yellow crests on their heads. The African is also pure white except for brilliant red legs and a matching red neck band. Another white one is called the common. It has a prominent crest of long feathers at the back of its head that it lifts up in a pretty display on occasion. It lives in parts of Europe, Asia and northern Africa. There are many other varieties, including the roseate, which we will look at next week.

The Creator gave spoonbills their unusual bills for a special purpose. Wading on their long legs in shallow lagoons, they thrust their bills down to the soft bottom and swing them from side to side, searching for food. This food is mostly fish, shrimp, small crabs, other water creatures and water insects. Then, lifting their heads up high, they enjoy their snack as the “catch” slides down their throats. Since they cannot see the food they catch (except for floating creatures) they often hunt at night as well as in the daytime.

Nesting habits are not limited to any particular style of nest. Some are on the ground in marshes and others are in brush or tall grass. But more often the birds form small or large colonies in cypress or mangrove trees where their nests are close together. This provides added protection from enemies. Some of these colonies will build a platform of sticks in low trees or in shrubs with individual nests on it. But whatever type of home they choose to have, we can be sure the Creator has provided the ability to construct it, showing His care over them.

The beautiful feathers of these birds were at one time in great demand to decorate ladies’ hats and clothes. To keep the lovely spoonbill from extinction, they are now protected from this kind of hunting.

These birds are another display of the wonders of God’s creation. We read in the Bible that all things have been created for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11), and it has pleased Him to place all varieties of animals, birds and fish upon the earth. When we have occasion to see any of them, let us remember they are not here just by chance but have all been created and preserved by the Lord God, according to His divine wisdom and pleasure.

(to be continued)

ML-03/30/2014

A Visit to Athens

If you like beautiful old buildings, Athens, which is in the country of Greece, is a good place to visit. But you won’t find skyscrapers designed by architects and engineers, and don’t look for elevators or fancy offices for world-wide businesses. What you will find are beautiful, old stone buildings, built more than two thousand years ago. You’ll see beautiful marble pillars supporting the roofs. Weather and storms over the centuries have battered them, but they still stand, along with marble statues that are still standing too.

The Apostle Paul visited Athens nearly two thousand years ago, but he probably didn’t notice the stone buildings and marble pillars. He was looking for precious souls for whom the Lord Jesus Christ had died on Calvary’s cross. The buildings are still there today, but where are the people who were living then? And where will you be when you are gone from the earth?

Paul went to the marketplace every day, but not to buy anything. His purpose in the marketplace was to spread the good news that Christ Jesus is not dead. He is risen from the dead and offering salvation to the people of Athens and to you right now too. Is that more important to you than a beautiful building? It was to Paul.

He saw lots of strange idols in that city. The whole world is full of idols today, things that are ready to take your time and money in exchange for a few good times. But Paul wasn’t at all interested in those things. Instead, he had a message filling his heart with joy that he wanted to share with the people of Athens. He was anxious to tell them that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, died on Calvary’s cross and is now alive in heaven.

There were very intelligent people, called philosophers, in Athens who never heard such things before. They said: What’s this about the resurrection? We want to hear what this man Paul has to say! So they planned a hearing on Mars’ Hill, just outside the city where there were seats for a big crowd to listen and without the noise of the city interfering. So they asked Paul, What is this strange belief you are talking about?

Paul was glad to tell them about the Saviour who came to save sinners. He began by saying to the crowd, I can see that you are very religious. You have many objects that you worship, including an altar “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD” (Acts 17:23). I’m here to tell you about the God whom you don’t know.

Is God unknown to you too? He is the same God who gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. Our God is a giving God. He gives to all men life and all things, but our life here on earth is not forever. Will you trust Him and His beloved Son Jesus who died for you and is alive today in heaven?

Among all those philosophers and other listeners that day, there were three kinds of answers to the question that we have just asked you:

First, there were mockers who said, This is foolishness!

Second, there were postponers who said, We will hear you some other day.

Third, there were a few who said, Yes, I believe in Jesus who was raised from the dead! Tell us more!

The only correct answer to the question is the third one. Is your answer the correct one?

“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

You may read this story for yourself in Acts 17.

MEMORY VERSE: “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

ML-04/06/2014

Peace and Safety?

The fire was quietly burning in the fireplace. Sparks drifted up the chimney as Sunday dinner was being prepared. With the warmth from the fireplace and the smell of dinner in the oven, no one realized the danger that awaited them and their home.

There is danger ahead for this world too. Peace and safety seem so sure and endless, but God has condemned this world. Everyone—each sinner like you and me—needs a Saviour. There is only one Saviour for sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Four boys happened to be walking down the street. As they came closer to the house, they saw that the roof was on fire. They were spellbound! They sat down across the street to watch the flames!

Inside, the family was enjoying their dinner, unaware that the fire burning in the fireplace had sent a spark up the chimney that had set their roof on fire! The harmless fire in the fireplace had turned their home into a burning torch! The fire on the roof grew larger, unnoticed by the family, while the four boys across the street watched the fire rage. Finally one of the family members sensed something was wrong. He raced out of the house only to discover that their home was engulfed in flames.

Thankfully the family escaped safely and no one was hurt. However, they lost their home and everything they had, while the four boys sat across the street, watching the fire grow into a burning blaze, and never warned the family!

Today there are sinners quietly going on to a lost eternity, not knowing that judgment is coming to this world and everyone lost in sin. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). Right now the Lord Jesus is warning you to escape for your life! He loves you and does not want anyone to die in their sins. He went to Calvary’s cross where He shed His precious blood, died and rose from the dead that we might not die in our sins but have everlasting life. Won’t you accept Him as your Saviour right now? It’s not too late yet, but tomorrow might be.

ML-04/06/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Bird With a Big Bill - Part 2

“Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath.” Deuteronomy 4:39

In our last issue we were introduced to the large and beautiful birds known as spoonbills. Now let’s take a look at the species that lives in the United States and, because of its coloring, is known as the roseate. This one is considered by many to be the prettiest of all varieties. It is found mostly along the Gulf of Mexico, from Florida to Texas, and on islands in the Gulf of Mexico.

The main body of the roseate, including the underside of its wings, is a rosy pink, but the tops of the wings are pink only where connected to its back. Short tail feathers are usually orange, and its legs and feet are rosy pink. The only white on the roseate is on its neck and breast and the lower top-sides of the wings. However, an absolute rule on their coloring cannot be made because several variations show up. But these are just as beautiful, presenting a lovely display the Creator has given us to enjoy.

The reason for so much pink on the roseate, as well as on its relative, the flamingo, is that the diet of both birds includes large quantities of shrimp from the ocean shorelines. The depth of the color depends on how much shrimp they eat.

Roseates most frequently make their nests of sticks in shrubs along the water’s edge, but sometimes they will colonize with others on raised stick platforms. After nest building is completed, both parents take turns incubating five to seven eggs until they hatch in three or four weeks. The parents also take turns guarding and feeding them.

The young feed by inserting their heads into the spoon-like bill and throat of a parent who then produces already digested food for them. When the young are waiting for food, they line up on the side of the nest, whistling and trilling noisily. When a parent arrives, the first one getting to the parent’s bill doesn’t want to leave, so the parent eventually shakes it loose so another one can have a turn.

How do you suppose these birds all learned the same way of life? The answer is they didn’t need to learn, because our Creator God gave these instincts to the very first ones He created, and they have been passed on to each generation ever since.

And when we think of His wonderful ways in creation, how it would please Him to hear each of us repeat and really mean the words that the Apostle Paul wrote: “Of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).

ML-04/06/2014

Marsha's Good Memory

Hello children and grown-ups too!

Every one of us, young or old, has a memory that we are going to use for our whole lifetime. So I’m going to ask you, “How good is your memory?” Marsha, the girl I’m going to tell you about, is very thankful that she has a good memory.

Perhaps there are some things you wish you could forget, while there are other things you wish you could remember. Sometimes you have to study or even memorize to help you remember things for school, at work, and for other needs.

Marsha needed a quiet place to study. She had some important exams coming up in school. Using her memory, she remembered the perfect place where she could study without anybody bothering her.

Picking up her books, she got into her car and drove to a small lake near where she lived. When she arrived, she was very happy to see that she would be alone. She parked her car and walked about 150 feet to the picnic table closest to the lake. She set her books on the table and sat down to study. There was a slight breeze blowing through the trees that were around her. This is a beautiful place, she thought.

Marsha was there only a few minutes when she heard a rustling in the brush not far from where she was sitting. As she looked up to see what it was, she almost fainted! It was a mother bear with her two cubs! That was the end of Marsha’s studying!

Trying to think what she should do, she realized she couldn’t run back to the car. It was too far away! And she thought, That bear can sure outrun me! Then her memory started to work.

A few years back while she was still in grade school, her very wise teacher had given the class some very good instructions. She told them, “If something like this ever happens to you, just sit still! Do not move!” But as she was remembering what her teacher had said, the two cubs were starting to move towards her. But her memory was telling her, “SIT STILL!” And then the two cubs were under the table around her feet! Her memory was still telling her, “SIT STILL!” Meanwhile, Momma bear was over by the trees searching for blueberries. Marsha’s memory still told her, “SIT STILL!”

Suddenly, Momma bear said, “Huff, huff.” The two cubs darted out from under the table and ran to Momma bear, and the three of them ambled off into the brush.

Do you want to know what Marsha did? She picked up her books and raced back to her car. Thankfully it was not locked. She jumped into it and whispered a short prayer of thankfulness and drove home.

Children, thankfully Marsha had a good memory. And thankfully she had a teacher who had a great care for her students in giving instructions on how to escape in a very dangerous situation.

God is also speaking to YOU through His Word, the holy Bible. God loves you and has a great care for your soul. Do you read your Bible every day? Do you try to memorize a verse every week?

Marsha never forgot what her teacher told her— “SIT STILL!” If you want to be in heaven someday, and I am sure you do, then listen to these beautiful words: “ God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Children, don’t wait until you are in deep trouble to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your very own Saviour. Trust Him today!

With love to each one,

Grampa & Gramma

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

ML-04/13/2014

Little Things

Have you ever twisted your ankle? That hurts, doesn’t it?

On a sunny fall evening a few years ago, my dad was cutting hay in the field. I was running around the field, picking up some wisps of hay, when suddenly my foot hit an uneven spot and my ankle twisted. Ouch! I sat down for a few minutes because it really hurt!

A little while later, as my sister and I were sitting there, Jack, the man who owns the field, came over to talk to us. He did something for me that I appreciated. He saw I was facing west, with the setting sun shining in my eyes. He kindly stood in front of me, carefully positioning himself so the sun wouldn’t be in my eyes. We talked for a few minutes about the hay.

What he did was just a little thing, yet it was kind, and I noticed it and it helped. I remember sitting there in the hayfield, looking up at him and thinking how nice that was of him to keep the sun out of my eyes.

Sometimes what we can do for the Lord Jesus does not seem like very much, but He sees it all. And if we do it for Him, He will reward us in heaven for it.

God sees the little things we do for others and writes them down in His book. Matthew 10:42 Says, “Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water ... he shall in no wise lose his reward.”

There are lots of little things boys and girls can do for others that would be pleasing to the Lord Jesus. If you see that somebody has dropped something, you can pick it up for them. Have you ever carried a bag of groceries into the house for your mother? Do you ever take your dog for a walk without being asked? What about raking leaves or filling the bird feeder? Any of these would be helpful, and you can surely think of many other little things. What you do for others would be pleasing to the Lord Jesus too.

ML-04/13/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Our Remarkable Kidneys

“God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.” 1 Corinthians 12:18

Most of us have two kidneys, which are the most important waste-disposal part of the body. Through them our blood is continuously filtered to remove wastes and to help keep the chemical content of the blood in balance.

The Creator wisely gave us two of these important organs, so that if one is severely damaged, the other can carry on the vital filtering. This reminds us again that “His ways [are] past finding out” (Romans 11:33). Life could go on even if the one remaining kidney were also partially damaged, especially if the person’s diet were carefully watched. But the normal, healthy kidneys are wonderful safeguards to our health, helping, among other things, to control our weight and blood pressure. Also, if we unwisely eat too much salt or sugar, the kidneys will get rid of the excess. However, there is a limit to this, so a wise person avoids eating too much of these.

The function of the kidneys is very complicated. Each kidney acts separately, extracting waste products from the blood. The major blood vessel that leads to the kidney is the renal artery. It comes from the liver, and the blood that travels in it contains urea. This substance is derived from proteins in our food. Digestion breaks down the proteins in food, and that which the body does not use is carried by the blood to the liver where it is changed into urea.

Now that the urea has reached the kidneys, a remarkable extraction process takes place in coiled tubes called nephrons. Each kidney has about a million nephrons, which, if stretched end to end in a line, would be about seventy miles long.

As the blood enters the kidneys, it goes into small blood vessels called capillaries where it is filtered. Part of the plasma (fluid part of the blood) enters the nephrons. The nephrons separate out the good substances (such as salts, sugars, amino acids and water) and return them to the blood. This process goes on continuously, and the nephrons are kept busy returning the good substances back into the blood and rejecting the waste substances. This waste part is called urine and passes out of the nephrons into collecting tubes called ureters. Then the urine, about a quart and a half daily, passes on to the bladder and out of the body from time to time.

This complicated but amazingly efficient system contained within the body could only be designed by God. When medical science duplicates the kidneys’ blood-filtering process, it requires complicated, expensive machinery that could not fit inside the body. God alone could create and take care of the kidneys and every other part of our bodies. When we think of the wisdom that designed such an intricate body, we should exclaim like the psalmist, “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works” (Psalm 139:14).

ML-04/13/2014

Orlando, the Faithful Seeing-Eye Dog

Cecil Williams, a 61-year-old man, walked down the long flight of steps leading from the busy New York street to the subway station below. In one hand he held a white slender pole with a red tip. He used the pole to tap the steps and make sure of his footing. In the other hand he held onto the leather harness of his seeing-eye dog, Orlando. The dog, a black Labrador, knew his business. He calmly led his blind master to the platform where they would board a train. The dog had been guiding his owner for several years.

As they approached the edge of the platform, they could hear the clickety-click of the wheels of the approaching train as they ran over the track. Peering down the darkness of the tunnel, the dog could see its headlights growing bigger and brighter.

Suddenly, Orlando felt his master stagger and sway back and forth. The dog tried to guide his master away from the edge of the platform, but his owner didn’t respond. His master was suffering from a diabetic seizure and tottered for a few more seconds. Then, letting go of the harness, he lost his balance and fell off the platform and onto the path of the oncoming train. His head hit the track with a thud.

The dog had been trained to recognize and avoid danger. But no training had ever prepared the dog for this situation. His blind master was lying across the tracks of an oncoming train in a state of semi-consciousness.

Orlando didn’t hesitate. He jumped down from the platform and lay down by the man’s head and licked his face.

If you would like a friend who is faithful and true, I know of one for you. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is sometimes called the “Friend of Sinners” and a very good friend for us too, because we have all had a terrible fall. We each have sinned and fallen onto the path of oncoming judgment. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). The Lord Jesus knew that we had no way to save ourselves from our fall into sin, so He came to this earth and willingly died in the sinner’s place. On the cross He paid the supreme penalty for sins that we might be saved. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

Maybe it was the dog’s long, rough, wet tongue on his cheek that brought Cecil back to awareness. A bystander hurried to the spot where the man and dog lay on the tracks. There wasn’t enough time to jump down and lift them to safety.

“Listen! You need to listen! Roll over to the middle of the tracks and hold still!” the bystander shouted.

The fallen man did as he was told and held tightly to Orlando. As the train rolled into the station, two cars swept over the man and dog. There were just a few inches of clearance between them and certain death by being crushed by the undercarriage of the train.

When the train conductor knew that a man was under the tracks, he stopped the train and shut off the power. One of the bystanders then climbed down and crawled under the train and carefully dragged the fallen man out. Paramedics arrived at the platform moments later. They lifted Cecil onto a stretcher and carried him up the steps to a waiting ambulance. The man spent several days in the hospital where doctors kept an eye on him, and faithful Orlando stayed right by his side most of the time. It turned out that Cecil had received a bad scrape on the side of his head in the fall but otherwise was okay.

Cecil had always appreciated Orlando’s faithfulness, but his appreciation grew by leaps and bounds after his dog jumped down into the path of the onrushing train. Good friends don’t desert one another in trouble, and Orlando proved himself to be a good friend.

When sinners believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, God forgives all their sins. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14). They are pulled from the wreckage of sin and saved from the judgment to come.

The Lord Jesus is loyal and faithful and a good friend above all others. He has promised to never leave those who believe on His name. In His faithfulness, He will safely guide through this life all those who believe, until they arrive in heaven. “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Psalm 73:24).

Each one of us has fallen into sin, and because of our sin, we are on the path of upcoming judgment. If we come to the Lord Jesus in repentance and faith, He will surely save us. And that’s a promise!

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

ML-04/20/2014

Lions!

In early Bible times, lions roamed some of the countrysides. Some of God’s people met up with lions in different ways. But one of the names in our list was, and still is, an enemy of God.

Can you match each name with its description?

David, Benaiah, Satan, Samson, Daniel

If you need help or want to check your answers, look up the references.

———————————

Who tore a lion apart with his bare hands and later ate honey out of the dead lion’s body? (Judges 14:5-6,8-9) ________________

Who is like a roaring lion? (1 Peter 5:8) ________________

Who was placed in a den of lions? (Daniel 6:16) ________________

Who killed a lion with his bare hands? (1 Samuel 17:34-35) ________________

Who killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day? (2 Samuel 23:20) ________________

ML-04/20/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Two Big, Strong Buffalo

“I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm.” Jeremiah 27:5

One of North America’s wild animals is called a buffalo. Actually, it is not a buffalo; it is a bison. The true wild buffalo live in the grasslands, swamps and mountains of South Africa and Asia. Domesticated species live in Egypt, Europe and South America. All range in size from 450 to 1500 pounds and are 3 to 5 feet high at the shoulders. They have short, thick necks, broad heads, long tails, short legs and long, pointed horns curving outward.

All buffalo are good swimmers, and they are never found far from rivers or water holes. They also enjoy neck-deep mud baths, often shared with hippos. They do this to escape the hot sun and relieve the bites of pesky insects. Let’s look at two kinds.

The coal-black Cape buffalo of South Africa is the largest. It is about five feet tall and weighs over half a ton. It is a terrifying experience to have this large animal charge you. It can run at more than thirty miles an hour and fears neither man nor beast. It is not a very attractive animal with its huge, low-slung, ivory-colored, curved horns, which look like a helmet that has been draped from the top of its massive, ugly head.

However, the Cape buffalo does have some friends. Birds called oxpeckers perch on the buffalo’s back and sides, eating their fill of ticks and other insects that they pick from the animal’s hair and skin. These red-beaked birds are equipped by the Creator with special claws on their feet for holding onto the animal’s sides while feeding, just as a woodpecker clings to the side of a tree. Both animal and bird find this a great convenience, and the relationship between the two is another example of how God frequently arranges for two entirely different creatures to help one another.

Another species, the water buffalo of India, is somewhat smaller and has an entirely different character. Given a chance, it seeks marshy places and lies in the water when chewing its cud. Large numbers are tamed and pull carts, drag plows through rice paddies, and carry loads on their backs. Although fierce looking, they do not attack men, and when they are tamed, even little children can handle them easily.

The Lord God has taken delight in creating even these buffalo, some of them serving mankind and others just filling their place in His purposes of creation. The Bible reminds us of this in these verses: “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul [life] of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:9-10).

ML-04/20/2014

That Naughty Bird!

My husband and I were sitting by the windows in a restaurant in sunny Mexico. One level below us, a couple sat at a table outdoors, waiting for their food. The waiter brought out several plates of food and set them on a table underneath our window. Then he took one plate of food at a time to the couple who was sitting a few tables away.

Nearby, we could see a black crow that seemed to be quite interested in those plates of food. He fluttered to a fence and perched there when the waiter came close, but he got bolder and bolder as he watched for a chance to make his move. When the waiter turned his back and walked over to the couple with another plate of food, the two of us watched, hardly believing what was happening. The bird flew to the table where the last plate of food was sitting. It hopped onto the plate and quickly snatched a large tortilla chip off the plate and flew off with it in his beak!

Now a crow is a very large black bird that eats dead animals. They sometimes will land directly on the dead animal and begin pulling the dead flesh off and eating it. In this way, a crow can carry disease and harmful bacteria to anything they land on, like a plate of food.

The waiter, who had seen the bird waiting nearby and did not seem at all interested or alarmed, merely walked over to the table, picked up the plate and served it to the couple!

There’s a saying, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” The waiter may have agreed with this statement and figured it didn’t matter that the crow had landed right on the plate and snatched a chip. The couple didn’t know a crow had landed on their plate of food, and they ate their meal happily.

There are many things in life that we may not be aware of, and so we are not alarmed at what a close call we may have had at some time. But there is one thing in life that you and I must be aware of, and that has to do with where we will spend eternity after we leave this world. We each must make an important decision, and that means every boy and girl, as well as every older person. What you decide will either reserve a place for you in heaven or will send you to Satan’s hell in outer darkness forever.

The Bible tells us in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven ... in flaming fire taking vengeance [punishing] ... them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That is very scary!

Many people go through life thinking only of everyday things, like having a good time. They do not think about God or that someday they will have to meet Him. None of us will live forever. Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

God is our Creator. He made each one of us, and He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Because He loves us so much, Jesus has done the work to clear our debt of sins and make us clean before God.

Will you come to Jesus to be cleansed from your sins? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). That will open the door to heaven for you.

MEMORY VERSE: “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

ML-04/27/2014

The Two Warning Signs

A set of railroad tracks cross a street and a sidewalk near a high school in Illinois. At this crossing two warning signs were erected that literally beg for attention. The signs both read:

PLEASE-PLEASE

STOP!

LOOK!

LISTEN!

If you were to ask why these signs were placed there, you would hear a very sad story.

In March of 1986, a 14-year-old girl was walking to school. The hood of her jacket was snugly drawn around her head, protecting her from the falling rain and the cold. Oblivious of the red lights flashing and warning bells ringing and unaware of the train’s whistle blowing, she walked into the locomotive’s path and was killed instantly.

After this terrible tragedy, the local people requested the railroad company to make the crossing safer. The railroad company responded by erecting these two signs, one on either side of the tracks.

It seems nearly impossible that, with so many warnings, a person could lose her life by walking in front of a train at that crossing. Even far more sad and hard to understand is that with such clear warnings from God’s Word, the Bible, a person should die unsaved and be sent to the lake of fire. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

We fear that many people, careless of God’s warnings, will walk right into a lost eternity. We ask you to seriously listen to God’s warnings about eternal punishment and accept the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Saviour of sinners, and avoid the horrible result of those who die unsaved.

The townspeople cared enough about their friends and neighbors that they asked for warning signs to be erected so no one else would be killed. God not only cares about us, but He loves us so much that He gave us the Bible telling of His love and warning of the danger of ignoring the salvation He has provided for us.

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

ML-04/27/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Woodland Grave Digger

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season.” Psalm 145:15

When you are in a field or camping in a wooded area, do you ever wonder why it’s rare to see a dead animal or dead bird? One reason is that many of them are eaten by other animals and birds. But there is another quite interesting reason why many small dead creatures disappear.

The sexton beetle, also called the burying beetle, is a little undertaker. It is about 1 to 1½ inches long and is black with bright orange markings on its wings. This active little insect’s sensitive antennae detect the odor of a dead mouse, bird, snake or other dead creature. Finding the carcass, it inspects it carefully with its feelers before it begins digging a grave.

It crawls under the carcass first, going back and forth, from front to back, apparently measuring it. Then it leaves and explores the surface of the ground nearby, occasionally returning to look over the carcass. It finds a suitable area and digs several holes, loosening the soil and carrying it off to one side. This is the start of the grave digging.

It returns to the animal and begins heaving and tugging the carcass towards this grave. Having moved it an inch or so, it looks over the carcass again and returns to enlarge the hole. Then it goes back to the carcass and is soon off again to make the hole a little bigger. This process goes on for several hours.

As other sexton beetles are attracted to this activity, he chases away all males. But if a female shows up, he allows her to help him push and pull the carcass towards the hole. After several hours, they get it to the edge, then they push the carcass into the hole and dirt is scraped back in to cover it. This burying process takes about eight hours. They leave one side uncovered where the female beetle lays eggs. While waiting for the eggs to hatch, the parents feed on the carcass.

After the newly hatched grubs appear, the adults feed them from the carcass until they can care for themselves. The parents leave, but they have made tunnels in the soil so the grubs, having matured into beetles, can find their way to the surface.

Isn’t this an interesting way in which the Creator has arranged for the disposal of dead bodies that otherwise would become very unpleasant? It is another example of His wisdom in all that He has created. But He has done something far greater than this. His death on Calvary has atoned for the sins of all who trust in Him, so they can share heaven with Him for eternity.

Are you included in those who have come to Him, admitting you need to be cleansed from your sins and accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour?

ML-04/27/2014

A Jealous Brother

Ephraim was the second son of Joseph, not the first, but God gave him the first place. That was when they were much younger, and now Ephraim had a big family and was rather proud of himself. He seemed to have forgotten that it was God who gave him a more important place than his brother.

One day enemies came to war against Israel, and who would win? God chose Gideon to be the leader of Israel’s soldiers, but it was a very small army. Just three hundred men and they didn’t have even one sword. They only had trumpets to blow, pitchers to smash and lamps to suddenly shine in the dark. However, the enemy fled in terror, and all Israel chased them. Israel had a wonderful victory!

But, Ephraim and his men were not called to be helpers in that battle. This really hurt their importance, and Ephraim and his men were angry. We can almost hear their angry words as they said to Gideon, Why didn’t you call us to battle?

Gideon was careful in his reply. He didn’t want to make their anger any worse, so he said, You did very well. You chased the runaways and you did better than I did. This answer calmed down the angry men of Ephraim and made them feel that they were important fighters after all.

But the problem in the heart of the men of Ephraim was the ugly thing called “jealousy.” If there is jealousy in your heart, don’t let somebody’s polite words push it down under where it will grow like a cancer.

You are very, very important, because Jesus cared enough to give His precious life for you. The more you follow Him, the more you will see how very important you are, and there will be no room for jealousy towards anybody else. Turn your jealousy problem over to God. His way is always right and perfect. “As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler [shield] to all those that trust in Him” (Psalm 18:30).

Trouble came again to Israel, and this time their leader was Jephthah, a man of Gilead, and he had a very successful fight too. But again, Ephraim and his men were not called to help in the battle. Now there was more jealousy. They were so angry that they said to Jephthah, We will come and burn you and your house with fire!

Jephthah did not answer politely as Gideon had done. He accused them of being unwilling to fight, and he gathered all the men of Gilead to fight against Ephraim. This is the worst kind of fighting—not with enemies, but with each other! In fact, it was hard to tell friend from foe. So Jephthah came up with a plan.

When a soldier came to the Jordan River, there was no bridge, but there were shallow places called “fords,” where a man could easily wade across. The men of Gilead stood guard at all the fords where the men of Ephraim would have to cross to escape. So here came a soldier, but is he a foe from Ephraim or a friend from Gilead?

Here was the test to decide if a soldier was friend or foe. Before the soldier could pass, he was forced to say the password, “Shibboleth.” If he were an Ephraimite, he could not pronounce the word correctly and said, “Sibboleth.” The guard knew by his pronunciation that he was from Ephraim, and he was immediately killed. This test really worked, and 42,000 Ephraimites were killed that day.

This is a very sad story, isn’t it? Your life will be a sad story too if you hold jealousy in your heart and leave it there. The Lord Jesus died for sins like that. Will you tell Him about it now? He will forgive and give you power to overcome this ugly fault if you stay close to Him. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

You may read this story for yourself in Judges chapters 7, 8 and 12.

MEMORY VERSE: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

ML-05/04/2014

Bear Attack!

Recently we went through a few of the National Parks in the Canadian and American West and saw beautiful scenery. However, we saw many signs reminding us that it could be dangerous to walk the trails in some areas. Some of these signs said: “BEWARE OF WILD ANIMALS!”, “REMAIN IN YOUR CAR!” and “DO NOT FEED WILD ANIMALS!”

Two days after we visited an area where these signs were posted, we heard that a group of young people who were camping had a terrifying experience. They had been sleeping in tents, feeling quite safe, no doubt, when a grizzly bear came along and found them! He attacked all three of their tents, pouncing them flat, and mauling the campers!

The Bible warns us in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Ephesians 6:13 also warns about the devil and advises us what to do to be ready when he attacks us. “Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.”

How very important it is to be prepared for such an attack as this. You need to tell the Lord Jesus you are a sinner, and let Him wash away your sins right now. He will save you and protect you from Satan’s attacks.

There was no time for these young people to prepare to meet God if the bear had killed them, but thankfully this story had a happy ending. All the young people were rescued, but not before some had been mauled by the bear. The vicious grizzly was put to death, and the injured ones were taken to a hospital.

The Lord Jesus wants to rescue you from your sins. He came into the world to be your Saviour if you will accept His loving offer of mercy. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Will you let Him rescue you from your sins?

ML-05/04/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Persistent Sagebrush

“The Lord’s portion is His people.... He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.” Deuteronomy 32:9-10

This verse speaks of the Lord’s kindness to His people Israel as they went through the wilderness—the same kindness that He shows toward His people today. Not many of us actually live in a wilderness, but some have been through the deserts in the western United States. Seeing the desert we might ask, “Can anything good be said about sagebrush?”

Travelers through the western parts of North America and Mexico are often amazed at the endless miles of land covered by this desert plant. In dry soil where nothing else will grow, under hot summer sun and cold winter snow, these plants are often the only living things to be seen. Many people think they are ugly and worthless.

But we should not be too quick to discount this small gray-green shrub which covers millions of acres. It is part of God’s creation and not as useless as we might think. For one thing, it provides a home for a great number of animals, birds and insects. It is also the main food source for others, such as the beautiful pronghorn antelope and some other species of deer. Many other living creatures are under the cover of the sagebrush and are hidden. If we would sit quietly and watch closely, we would soon discover that it shelters jackrabbits and smaller animals, such as kangaroo rats, gophers and many kinds of mice. Coyotes live in many areas where sagebrush grows, catching the rodents that live in this miniature forest. We might also possibly see a fox.

Sagebrush supplies both food and shelter for grouse, pheasants and many small birds. Snakes and lizards also live here along with many kinds of insects, both above and below ground. Late in summer this plant’s pleasant-smelling, yellow blossoms attract bees, and the honey produced by them has an excellent flavor. Farmers who understand sagebrush know that where it grows big and tall, the soil is good and that there is moisture in the ground, making the location a good place to raise crops.

Although this plant is scorned by many, it actually is another gift of the Creator and is needful for the lives of many of His creatures. As the Bible verse reminds us, “The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth” (Proverbs 3:19). It is only through His wisdom and care that the needs of all living things are provided for.

We ourselves really have no wisdom unless it is given to us by God. Moses, who thought about this and knew a great deal about the foolishness of mankind, exclaimed, “O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” (Deuteronomy 32:29). Have you made sure of your “latter end”—eternity—-by accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?

ML-05/04/2014

Hurricane!

The “hurricane alert” quickly spread over the island soon after it was announced. Already the wind had become so strong that it was bending the palm trees. Hurricane Allen had switched direction: It was now heading right for the island.

The residents were hurrying around, gathering up things to take inside and tying down anything else that could blow away. Out in the harbor, they were also securing their boats as best they could, preparing them to ride out the storm.

Bernie walked around the deck of his boat again, checking for anything that might still be loose. He had not owned this boat very long and hoped to earn a little money sailing tourists around the island. Once the full force of the wind hit, Bernie knew anything loose would tear and be blown away. He realized that he could easily lose the whole boat.

He had turned the boat so its nose faced into the wind, with three sturdy anchors carefully set out. These were tied securely to the boat so that they would not loosen or be damaged by anything rubbing against the strong ropes.

It was hard just waiting for the storm to hit, but already the wind was shrieking at 45 mph and steadily rising. He was glad that at least he was in the harbor with some protection.

This scene is similar to one we see every day. God warns us of judgment that is coming on this world. People are busy trying to prepare themselves to escape. Some are very honest and upright, doing good deeds. Others go regularly to church, give money to the poor, and all of them hope to escape the coming storm of punishment by their good works.

Isaiah 32:2 tells us, “A Man shall be as a hiding place from the wind.” Who is that Man who can hide us from the punishment God requires for sin? It is the Lord Jesus Christ who endured the punishment of God for those who would believe in Him and be saved. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

By now the sky was dark. The air was filled with a choking spray as the waves grew higher and higher. Pieces of buildings, tin roofs and other debris were being whirled through the air. Lightning danced in the clouds and then split the heavens in deafening crashes of thunder. Everything seemed bathed in an eerie, greenish light. The wind was now screaming at 90 to 110 mph! It did not seem like anything could possibly survive!

In his little sailboat, Bernie was having a difficult time. Hour after hour his boat had taken a steady pounding from the seas. The cabin was in shambles, and Bernie was tired and sore from being banged around.

Suddenly there was a wrenching, splintering sound and then a roar. Bernie looked toward the hatch cover overhead which had been torn away. He saw a cresting wave above him! Water poured into the cabin, and he started to bail frantically. Would this terrible storm ever end? Then he became aware of a new motion of the boat. He quit bailing and quickly went to the forward hatch and looked out. One of the anchor lines had broken, but the other two still held the little boat securely.

Hours later after the storm had passed, the islanders began the massive cleanup. Smashed boats littered the beach, and destruction was everywhere. Hurricane Allen had been one of the worst storms ever known. Weary, but relieved, Bernie was glad that his boat had survived the storm.

What careful plans are made by people who try to make peace with God in their own way. Then when the storms of this life smash their efforts, it leaves them in despair. Christ has died to make peace for us—He now is our peace. When we accept Him as our Saviour, we have a hope that is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast (Hebrews 6:19).

If you, too, are weary of the storms and trials of a sinful life, why not come to the harbor of safety? The Lord Jesus Christ will save you from the awful storm of God’s judgment and be an anchor for your soul forever. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

MEMORY VERSE: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

ML-05/11/2014

The Little Lost Goat

One day Jason decided to buy a little goat. He put the goat in a fenced-in yard where it could feed on the tall green grass. He left it there until it was time to put the goat in the barn for the night. But when Jason went to get his little goat, it was gone! The little goat must have slipped through the fence somehow and gotten lost.

Jason and his family looked and looked for the little goat for over two hours before they finally found it. Do you think they would have kept looking if it had taken all night or a week or a month or even a year to find him?

No, I don’t think so. They would have gotten tired of looking and would have given up. But there is a story in the Bible about a Shepherd who kept looking until He found His lost sheep. Even though this Shepherd had one hundred sheep and ninety-nine of them were still with Him, He was unhappy about that one lost sheep. He left the ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness and looked for that one lost sheep until He found it. Then He laid that sheep across His shoulders and carried it home, rejoicing that He had found that one lost sheep.

What a faithful Shepherd He was! Do you know this Shepherd’s name? I’ll tell you; it is the Lord Jesus, and He is still looking for lost sheep. Are you one of them? He would love to be your Shepherd, your Saviour and your very best Friend. And He will be, if you will tell Him that you know you are a lost sinner and that you want Him to wash away all your sins.

“The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This Shepherd loves His sheep so much He will never stop looking for the lost ones, no matter how long it takes.

ML-05/11/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: the Philippine Eagle

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” Isaiah 40:31

The Philippine eagle’s name identifies it with its Pacific homeland. It is among the rarest and most powerful birds in the world. It is critically endangered because of loss of habitat due to massive deforestation. It is also called the monkey-eating eagle and is now protected from hunters. For many years they were killed, because many natives thought they kidnapped babies.

Perhaps this undeserved reputation came about many years ago when one of these eagles was seen carrying a small monkey to its nest, and the native mistakenly thought it was a human baby! Filipinos eventually were convinced that this could not possibly happen. They have learned that this eagle’s food supply is mainly small animals, such as squirrels, snakes, bats, birds, the occasional monkey and even domestic animals.

The Philippine eagle is large and powerful with a crest of bristly brown and white feathers surrounding its rather fierce-looking head. Beneath its piercing eyes is a strong, blue, hooked beak. This hooked beak is part of the Creator’s design to enable it to capture necessary food and to mercifully kill it quickly. Sharp claws on strong feet are also part of this provision.

Its nest is always placed high in the tall kapok trees of the rain forests. Just one egg is laid each year. The female seldom leaves the nest during a two-month incubating period. The male brings food to her, and occasionally he will help in the incubation. After the eaglet hatches, both parents share in feeding it even after it learns to fly. An eaglet is dependent on its parents for a long time.

The feathers of mature eagles form a pretty design when wings are outstretched and tail feathers extended. Behind the white throat and neck feathers and out to the mid-section of the wings they are mottled light brown, edged and flecked with white. The remaining half of the wings is dark brown, but each feather is tipped with ivory white. Long tail feathers are dark except for white tips.

The Bible speaks of eagles in many places, often referring to their strength and to the great heights to which they fly. They are indeed an impressive part of God’s creation. That holy book tells us that “the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). But it is interesting that a promise in writing was given to the young people of Isaiah’s day (which is still a promise today), in which the Bible uses eagles as an example of God’s blessings to those who put their trust in Him (see our opening verse). Without that trust, problems of life can be very troublesome, but God graciously helps His own people to overcome them. Have you put your trust in Him?

ML-05/11/2014

Little Hobo

“Little Hobo” was the name they gave to the lost dog that just would not come off the river ice. The pooch had been wandering aimlessly on the fast-melting ice for more than a week! What the poor dog didn’t know was that it was early spring, and it could soon be trapped on an ice floe or even fall through holes in the ice as more and more of it melted each day.

Not paying attention to helping hands is hard to understand, but you can’t talk common sense to a dog. However, sad to say, people do the same thing and ignore God’s simple plan of salvation. Romans 10:13 says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It is so simple to call, or to pray, telling the Lord Jesus that you are a sinner and would like to receive the forgiveness for your sins that He offers. He promises, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). It is that simple, and there are such great rewards from accepting the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour. You can read about it in the Bible.

At first, some of the people who had been watching the dog thought they could help this lost creature by calling to it. It didn’t work, and it wasn’t a good idea to go out on the melting ice to try to catch Little Hobo. After more than a week on the ice, you would think the dog would be so hungry that it would gladly take any food anybody offered it. That didn’t work either.

Sadly, it was a full two weeks before Little Hobo was finally rescued! By then the dog was so hungry that it couldn’t resist a trap set with some ham inside.

Someone came forward and claimed the dog was their lost pet that they had had for only two days. The nervous dog seemed to be afraid of people, so they thought that perhaps it had been mistreated sometime in its life. But now it was going to have a happy home where it would be loved and cared for, and its name would no longer be Little Hobo.

And that is just what the Lord Jesus is offering to any sinner who will trust in Him. Your sins will be totally forgiven, and He also promises a happy home in heaven with Him when life here on earth is over.

Common sense says, “Don’t be a Little Hobo and ignore the love and forgiveness the Saviour is freely offering you.”

MEMORY VERSE: “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:34

ML-05/18/2014

Stolen Chickens

“Let’s go to the jail to preach the gospel,” said Mr. Chilo.

“Okay, let’s go!” I replied.

We were visiting Christian friends in the Dominican Republic, and Mr. Chilo loved to tell others of the great love of his Saviour, the Lord Jesus. He was an old man with white hair, but he still walked briskly.

Many people in the Dominican Republic are very poor, but Mr. Chilo was not. He had a large farm with many animals and fruit trees, but he was never too busy or too rich to remember poor people or to tell sinners about the Saviour.

When we got to the jail, it was terribly hot. There was not a single tree for shade in the whole prison courtyard. The prisoners slept on iron cots built four cots high, one on top of the other, around the courtyard. The top cot near the ceiling was the hottest of all.

Mr. Chilo and I and some other Christian friends sang hymns and read from the Bible to the prisoners. Then we walked around to talk to the men.

I started to repeat a Bible verse to a man named Juan, “Christ Jesus came into the world...”

“...to save sinners,” he finished!

“If you know that,” I said, “why are you in jail?”

“Stealing,” Juan replied.

“Well, who taught you that verse from the Bible?” I asked.

“That man right there,” Juan replied, pointing to Mr. Chilo.

Later when we left the jail, I asked Mr. Chilo if he remembered Juan.

“Oh yes, I remember him,” he said. “He and his friends used to steal from me. I told them, ‘If you’re hungry, ask me, and I’ll give you a chicken—but don’t steal from me at night.’ But Juan answered me, ‘A stolen chicken tastes better.’”

Since Mr. Chilo was a Christian, he had taught Juan Bible verses and had spoken to him about his need of the Saviour, rather than report him to the police. But later Juan stole from someone else and ended up in jail. And what an awful jail!

Boys and girls, could you learn a lesson from Juan? The Bible says, “The way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). It says, “His own iniquities [sins] shall take [catch] the wicked himself, and he shall be holden [imprisoned] with the cords of his sins” (Proverbs 5:22). Don’t steal even a cookie from the cookie jar! You never know what the devil will lead you to steal next. What Juan needs—and what you need too—is to have his sins washed away. I’m sure that Mr. Chilo had also taught him that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

I cannot tell you if Juan was ever sorry for his sins and turned to the Saviour to have them washed away. But I can tell you that Mr. Chilo is still a happy Christian and still loves to tell people of his wonderful Saviour. Who will you be like? Will you be like Mr. Chilo who is happily waiting to be taken to God’s happy home in heaven—or Juan who was shut up to live in a hot and crowded jail? If Juan never turns to the Lord Jesus to be washed clean from his sins, he will still be sent to another jail forever. This one will be far, far worse, where sinners are bound hand and foot and cast into the lake of fire. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Will you accept Christ’s wonderful gift of eternal life?

ML-05/18/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Anemones-Beautiful but Deadly - Part 1

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

Sea anemones, like the flowers they are named after, are very beautiful in their bright colors. However, these are not flowers; they are marine animals, although they lack most features of animals we are familiar with. Sea anemones can move slowly but usually attach themselves to a rock or other surface on the ocean floor.

The “flower petals” are actually tentacles that usually stand up to make the colorful display, but in some species they hang down or spread out flat. The tentacles grow from the anemone’s main body and wave about gently in the water to attract small fish. These tentacles are pretty, but they contain stinging cells that shoot out tiny poisoned threads that paralyze a fish touching one. The tentacle then drags the victim into the anemone’s mouth.

Descriptive names have been given to many of the anemones. The aggregated anemone is common along the Pacific coast, and large numbers attach close together on bottom rocks. They look like a beautiful garden with their many colors.

Another, the snakelocks, is colored either pinkish brown or apple green. Its snaky tentacles spread out in every direction. Since it prefers shallow water, it is often exposed to the air at low tide.

A deep-water variety is called the dahlia. It has a round, golden base and short, white tentacles, similar to the dahlia flower. Some varieties have a brown base and brilliant red tentacles. Either way, they are very pretty. There are many more varieties, and illustrations of many are available in most libraries.

In spite of the beauty of sea anemones, they remind us of Satan, the enemy of every boy and girl, as well as grown-ups. He takes pleasure in deceiving people with attractive temptations (like the anemone’s beautiful tentacles luring fish), but these only lead those who are deceived by him into sadness and trouble in this world.

The Bible speaks of this danger in many places, as in our opening verse, and warns us that Satan and his followers pretend to speak truth, but they are really false and deceitful. We are warned that at times he can even make himself appear to be “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). To resist Satan, we are instructed in Ephesians 6:11 to “put on the whole armor of God.” The first, most-important part of that armor is “the shield of faith”—faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Protector when we commit our way to Him. The second is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God [the Bible]” (Ephesians 6:17).

When this armor is used, Satan cannot have his way with us. Have you learned to use the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit?

ML-05/18/2014

"Big Bertha"

“Aaaaah, Bertha, you’re always complaining about something! It’s the little things that you should overlook, and stop being such a problem by bothering everyone. We’ve spent millions of dollars on you, so don’t be such a big sourpuss!”

It’s easy to think that about Bertha, but just listen to the rest of the story.

Bertha is the “loving” name that has been given to the world’s largest tunnel-drilling machine. They are using this big machine to work under Seattle, Washington, a city with saltwater on the west and a freshwater lake on the east. There is just a little land in between the two bodies of water to put the main coastal roads through that join Canada with Mexico. Since the existing roadways are already stacked up, the plan was to put a 1.7-mile tunnel under the city.

Imagine the difficulties they are facing—groundwater and unstable sandy soil, and then the risk of hitting old well casings en route. Many of you boys and girls have dug holes in the ground or in sand and know how cave-ins can so easily happen.

Now Bertha was not made to travel backwards, so the first problems had to be handled outside from the front of the machine. They’d dig the sixty feet down in front of Bertha and send divers down to check things out. (I’m wondering what you would say to someone who wanted to dig up your front yard to put a “look-see” hole down for the tunnel. I can imagine that some people would be unhappy about that.) They are also drilling “de-watering “ wells, to relieve pressure on the machine.

Once Bertha hit a large boulder, and the soil around it was too soft to hold her firmly and allow the cutter head to crack the boulder apart. Sometimes they’d have to build a protective wall or a pit to hold back sand and groundwater to take care of the problem.

But today the problem wasn’t the unstable ground. It was just a tiny bit of sandy grit that had gotten into the bearings and shut down the huge, expensive operation. It will take several weeks, and maybe months, to repair Bertha!

Now you and I get bits of grit in our lives. That grit is called sins, and those sins will keep us out of heaven for sure. Either we let Jesus remove our grit of sins or we don’t let Him. He leaves the choice up to us. Come on, boys and girls; let’s get this matter settled before it’s too late! It isn’t hard, and it doesn’t take several weeks to correct the problem. Just tell Jesus in your own words that you are sorry for your sins and that you believe He loves you and died for you. He is waiting right now to hear from you, and He will wash every gritty sin away and make you His child forever.

The Lord Jesus keeps all His promises, because He says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). “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). And what’s so wonderful is that all these promises are from a God who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).

Bertha actually started the digging in October 2013, and the fifty-eight-foot diameter tunnel is scheduled to be completed, hopefully, by the end of 2015. This will create a four-lane route for Highway 99 traffic.

They are solving Bertha’s grit problem, but what about yours? Get rid of that grit, boys and girls!

MEMORY VERSE: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

ML-05/25/2014

You Can't Pay for a Gift

When I was in the seventh grade, I had a classmate named Walter. One day I came to school and saw Walter rubbing something in his hand with sandpaper. I asked what he had, and he showed me a little boat he was carving. He said, “It’s a round-bottomed dory.”

I asked, “How did you learn to make such a nice boat?”

Walter answered, “My father showed me.”

The next day when he came to school, he held the boat out to me and said, “Do you like it?”

The boat was all smooth and finished, and I said, “I love it!”

Then Walter handed me the boat and said, “It’s yours.”

I looked at it with admiration and approval. Then I said something I have regretted ever since: “Let me pay for it.”

Walter snatched it out of my hand and put it into his shirt pocket and said, “It’s not for sale,” and walked away.

I can remember that day at school clearly. I learned that you can never pay for a gift or it isn’t really a gift. As I went home that afternoon, I felt sad with regret.

The next day I went to Walter and said, “Can you tell me how to make a boat like that?”

He said, “Yes,” and told me how to use a gouge and a chisel and sandpaper.

I have been making little boats ever since. I like to show others how to carve little boats and remind them to accept God’s gift. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.” That is what we deserve. But the rest of the verse says, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). You cannot pay for a gift, and you cannot work for it either; you just accept it, and then say, “Thank you.” “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Have you accepted God’s gift for you? You cannot pay for it and you cannot work for it.

ML-05/25/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Anemones-Beautiful but Deadly - Part 2

“Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven [the sky], and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” Psalm 135:6

In the last issue we learned of the beautiful but deadly nature of sea anemones. However, there are some marine creatures that get along very nicely with them and are not harmed.

One of these is the small, pretty clown fish that is immune to the anemone’s poison and lives right within its tentacles, well protected from its enemies. It also seizes its own food by snatching parts of the anemone’s meals right from its mouth!

Another is the anemone shrimp in the waters off Florida. It doesn’t look like the shrimp that we eat: It is transparent with delicate white lines on its back and colored dots over most of its body. Like the clown fish, it lives right in the tentacles of the larger anemones but for different reasons. Protected from attack by its enemies and immune to the anemone’s poison, it attracts passing fish by waving its long, white antennae at them. When a fish spots this, it moves up closer, but out of reach of the anemone. The shrimp then hops on the fish and eats parasites off its body. This also relieves the fish of the pests. Some of the fish open their gills wide so the shrimp can clean them out too, going from one side of the fish to the other.

Its work finished, the shrimp returns to the shelter of the anemone and waits for its next customer. Meanwhile, the cleaned fish swims away, probably feeling much better than when it arrived. Many of the larger fish cleaned this way would quickly gobble up the little shrimp if found anywhere else, but here where it lives among the anemone tentacles it is protected. This is one more example of the Creator’s designing two different creatures to help each other. This is called symbiosis.

One that is even more amazing is the tiny damsel fish, which is always in danger of being devoured by larger fish. When pursued, it swims quickly to a nearby anemone, dives through its mouth and on into its stomach where it is certainly safe from its pursuer. But how does it avoid being poisoned by the tentacles or killed by the digestive juices of the anemone’s stomach? We don’t know! The wise Creator has designed it that way.

These and many other unusual circumstances are examples of the wonders of our Creator. The psalmist exclaimed, “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters” (Psalm 77:19). As wonderful as these provisions are for these little creatures, they do not compare with the eternal safety He has made for those who have accepted Him as their own Lord and Saviour. If your name is written in His Book of Life, that eternal safety is yours.

ML-05/25/2014

Whose Baby Is This?

With all the wonderful discoveries today, we still have problems. The biggest problem in each of our lives is that we have done wrong things. We know they are wrong, and God tells us they are sins. “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23). And more than that, we must meet God about our sins. He has provided an answer to our sin problem, if you and I are willing to say “yes” to His answer.

First, we will tell you a story of a problem that King Solomon faced in Bible times, and nobody could find an answer to settle it.

There were two mothers living together, and each of them had a brand new baby boy. Each mother took her baby in her own bed with her, to nurse her baby and keep him warm.

During the night, one mother rolled over in her sleep, and when she woke up, her baby was dead! Oh, no! What could she do? A wrong thought came into her mind, and she slipped quietly out of bed and exchanged her dead baby for the other mother’s living baby. She carefully laid the dead baby beside the sleeping mother.

When the sleeping mother awoke to nurse her baby, you know what she found—the dead baby! Her heart was broken. But wait a minute ... she saw that it wasn’t her baby! Then she realized that the other mother had stolen her living baby and put the dead baby in her bed.

They argued about it, but the lying mother would not admit what she had done. She insisted, The living baby is mine and the dead one is yours!

They took the problem straight to King Solomon. He would know how to solve this problem, because God had given him wisdom.

When you and I have problems, we can’t go to King Solomon for answers, but we can go to a much higher authority than that! We can go to our God. He not only knows the problem, but He also knows the answer!

Wise King Solomon repeated the exact words the two mothers had said to him. Then he said, Bring me a sword. He had decided what to do: Cut the living baby in two and give each mother one half.

NO! NO! Don’t kill him! cried the real mother.

But the wrong mother knew that the baby was not hers, and why should she care? Divide him, she said.

Then King Solomon had his answer, and so did everybody else who heard it. He knew that the love in the real mother’s heart was too big to keep silent. Give her the living child, he said. She is the real mother!

Did you notice that the wrong mother showed up her own guilt? And everybody else saw that she was guilty too.

When you stand before God, you won’t need to say anything. God’s record of your sins will be plain enough for you and the angels and everybody else to see. And since He loves you, how can He spare you? An impossible problem, isn’t it?

But wait a minute! We’ll tell you what God did. He saw this problem long before you did, and He saw that there was only one answer. He did the hardest thing anybody ever did. He sent His own beloved Son to die for you. There was no other way. If God didn’t love you, He never would have done such a thing. And if you could save yourself and wipe out the record of your own sins, He never would have sent Jesus to suffer that terrible death for sinners.

Jesus didn’t die by the slash of a sword. The story is too long to tell you, but the hardest part for Jesus was not being nailed to the cross. The hardest part was the judgment of God against sin that Jesus bore in those three hours of darkness. This is God’s answer to the problem of your sins. It was God Himself who gave His Son to be your Saviour.

Boys and girls, you are not like a brand new baby; you are old enough to make a choice. Will you have Jesus as your Saviour?

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

You may read this story for yourself in 1 Kings 3:16-28.

MEMORY VERSE: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

ML-06/01/2014

Shining for Jesus

Caleb’s grandparents were visiting, and Caleb and his brothers loved to have them come. They had such good times together when Grandpa and Grandma came. Grandpa heard the children singing, “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.”

Do you know that song? It goes like this...

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,

To shine for Him each day,

In every way try to please Him,

At home, at school, at play.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.

But one day Caleb was unhappy, and that day he was NOT a sunbeam. His Grandpa said, “Caleb, I promised you children a treat, but I can’t give a treat to you when I see you acting that way. I heard you singing, ‘I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.’ But you aren’t a sunbeam today.”

And, boys and girls, the Lord Jesus wants us to be sunbeams to shine for Him every day of our lives. How can we shine for Him? By being kind and loving in the things we do and say, just as He was kind and loving to everyone. How glad we are to see the sunshine when it has been dark and gloomy. It cheers us up, doesn’t it? If you love the Lord Jesus and He has washed your sins away, you can be a sunbeam for Him because you love Him. Do you know why you love Him? The Bible tells us why: “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). And when we think about how much He has done for us, we will want to do all we can for Him and shine for Him.

ML-06/01/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Mink

“God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind ... and it was so ... and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:24-25

The mink is a pretty little animal with thick, glossy, dark-brown fur, but with a white patch on its chin, which often extends over its throat and chest. It is only about twenty-five to thirty-five inches long, including its bushy tail, and weighs less than four pounds. Beady black eyes, a long slender neck and small ears all add to its beauty and give it an alert appearance. Its legs are short and its paws are equipped with razor-sharp claws.

Like its relative the weasel, its food is mostly fish, frogs, mice and other small animals, birds, eggs, muskrats and rabbits. The Creator has equipped the mink with partially webbed hind feet to help in swimming and moving about underwater, as it searches for much of its food.

An excellent swimmer, a mink is equally at home on land or in water. It prefers to make its home close to a stream or pond, sometimes in an abandoned animal burrow, inside a hollow log or under the roots of a tree. If necessary, it will make its own burrow, about ten feet long and usually with two entrances. One entrance may be underwater, but both open to a large den where four to ten kits are raised in the spring.

The mother mink nurses the kits for about five weeks and then adds some solid food for two more weeks, before taking them outside where she teaches them to find their own food. She also teaches them how to protect themselves from owls, fox, lynx and bobcats. The kits playfully chase each other around, have mock battles and slide down banks into streams of water. At other times, they curl up like a ball and float down a stream just for fun.

An adult mink is a tough fighter, lightning-fast on its feet and using its needle-sharp teeth and claws effectively. It also will spray an enemy with a strong, unpleasant-smelling musk, which discourages the most vicious bobcat, fox or lynx foolish enough to attack.

During winter, a mink continues hunting, its webbed feet helping in snow and its sharp ears detecting the noise of mice below the surface. It digs rapidly through the snow to capture the rodents that are otherwise quite safe.

Wild animals have no knowledge of their Creator and His constant care of them. The Bible says, “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness” (Psalm 36:6-7). How important for us to notice that this includes mankind, just as the Bible tells us in many other places of His love and care for us. Have you ever thanked Him for His loving-kindness?

ML-06/01/2014

The Balloon With a Surprise

Dear Children,

November 3, 1969, was a Monday morning, and I was taking our dog out for a walk in the bush. It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was shining, leaves were falling, and as we walked, leaves would crackle under our feet. Just beautiful!

Then I happened to catch sight of a balloon caught in the branch of a tree about fifteen feet off the ground. I said to the dog, “That’s a strange place for someone to hang a balloon!” He looked up at me and barked at that thing hanging there and swaying in the wind. I said to him, “Okay, let’s get it down and inspect it.”

I hunted for a long branch on the ground that would reach it and then pulled it down to where we were standing. What we found was a really big surprise!

“What was it, Grampa, what was it?

Well, there was an envelope tied to the balloon with a short letter inside. This is what the letter said: “Please, whoever finds this balloon with my name and address tied to it, will you please mail it back to me. In our church, we are having a contest to see whose balloon will fly the farthest away.” The boy had signed his name, which was Paul, and included his address. He also wrote that he was eleven years old.

This balloon had been filled with helium gas to make it float up into the air. Paul, along with others in his Sunday school class, had taken their balloons outside and let them go on a Sunday morning. As Paul’s balloon floated up into the sky, it was caught by the wind currents and came all the way from Chicago to where we live in the Niagara area of Canada. That’s a distance of hundreds of miles, and here it was, right in my hands! The dog was quite interested in it as well!

Children, have you ever had the opportunity to speak to someone about the Lord Jesus? Don’t be afraid! Paul, who sent the note in the balloon, was not afraid to write that he was a Christian. And he also wrote his address on the note and asked if the finder of his balloon would please write back and tell him where he had found it.

God can use you to carry a gospel message to anyone. But first, you must know the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour. How old are you? When did you trust Him as your Saviour? I was fourteen when I trusted Him as my Saviour. That is many years ago now. Paul was not ashamed to write to me that he was born again. Are you ashamed to tell your friends? “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).

After the dog and I returned home, Gramma wanted to know, “What on earth is that in your hands?” When I explained to her what it was, she was very surprised!

Yes, I wrote to Paul, telling him where we lived and where we found the balloon. He was overjoyed to read my letter. And yes, he answered my letter and told me his balloon won first prize for traveling the farthest.

Children, God has written to us in His holy Word, the Bible, that unless we are saved, or born again, we will never be in heaven. Are you saved? Don’t be left out! Make that decision today to accept the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour!

Here’s the Bible verse that I was saved through when I was fourteen: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He will do the same for you!

Lots of love,

Grampa

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

ML-06/08/2014

The Hidden Fishhook

Last summer, when I was fourteen, our family spent a week in a little cabin that was close to a beautiful lake. My brothers, sisters and I had a great time swimming in the lake. Unknown to us, however, a fishhook was caught in the rope of the raft that we swam from.

There are attractive places to have fun, just like that raft. Satan likes to lure us there and catch us on one of his hidden hooks of sin. “As the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time” (Ecclesiastes 9:12).

We swam in the lake for several days, climbing on and off the raft, before someone got caught on the fishhook, and that someone was me! At first I tried to shake it off, but all I did was make the barb dig deeper into my ankle. Ouch! Now I was really stuck, and since my leg was underwater, I couldn’t get the fishhook out by myself.

Since I couldn’t help myself, I called to my older sister. She was happy to help out.

When you and I realize that Satan has “caught” us in the trap of sin, we also need to understand that it is a deadly trap and that we cannot help ourselves. But there is always help nearby; the Lord Jesus is waiting to hear our call for help. “Surely [the Lord] shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler” (Psalm 91:3).

It was no problem for my sister to get the fishhook out of my ankle and then throw it away. But when the Lord Jesus came to save us, He had to die on the cross to set us free from our sins. He bore the punishment there for the sins of every person who calls to Him with their need, and He removes those sins out of His sight forever. “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

Would you like to have your “fishhook” of sins removed forever? “Our Lord Jesus Christ...gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galatians 1:3-4). “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

ML-06/08/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Lovely Manakins

“By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible ... . All things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians 1:16

In the forests of Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil and on nearby islands, there are over fifty species of the interesting manakins. These birds are not much larger than swallows but are much more active. The Creator has given them small, strong beaks that are slightly hooked on the ends. They use them to pluck fruit from trees, as well as insects from the air while flying. These items form their main food supply.

The more common manakins include those named long-tailed, swallow-tailed, white-bearded, golden-headed and blue-backed. Their names describe each one’s general appearance. They are also called jewel birds, perhaps because of the brilliant coloring of the males. The females, however, are mostly plain olive-green—a kind provision of the Creator so that they blend in with their surroundings while sitting on their nests or taking care of their young.

Female manakins have an unusual way of choosing mates. Not all follow the same pattern, but many—particularly the white-bearded, golden-headed and blue-backed—put on a remarkable show.

A group of males selects an open area and removes twigs, leaves, grass and pebbles, exposing the bare ground in a large circle. Females are drawn to the area by the loud calls of the males and look on from nearby branches. The leading male first jumps high in the air, hovering there with fluttering wings in front of a female and sometimes flying back and forth near her before dropping back to the ground. Then, one by one, the others jump into the air and perform the same way while making noises that sound like cats meowing. In some groups, each male will make one hundred jumps or more, moving faster and faster each time. The females, in their excitement, hop up and down from perch to perch and then fly to the ground, selecting the males of their choice. Pairs soon fly off to build cup-shaped nests in trees or bushes where two eggs are laid in each nest and incubated for about three weeks. After hatching, the young are cared for by only the mothers for another three or four weeks, until they are able to be on their own.

The Lord God found great pleasure in creating all living things, and we can be sure of His tender thoughts toward these lovely birds as He watches over them. His eyes are lovingly on you too, inviting you to admit your need of having your sins forgiven and accepting Him as your Saviour. Have you done this?

ML-06/08/2014

Left Behind!

Lee and his wife Nicole had just finished exercising at the gym. As they went outside, the howling wind blew snow into their faces. “Wait here; I’ll get the van,” Lee told Nicole.

Pulling the van up to the door, in his rearview mirror Lee could see Nicole cleaning the snow off the back window before opening the door. Hearing the door close, Lee drove off for the warmth of home and a good meal.

A few minutes later, Lee became aware of the quiet. Looking in his rearview mirror, he was shocked to find he had an empty van! Where was Nicole?

Turning the van around, Lee was back at the gym in no time, and he found a very unhappy Nicole! She could not understand how he could have taken off without her! She had put only her gym bag in the back of the van, but Lee had assumed that Nicole had also gotten in the back quickly to get out of the windy, stormy weather.

They laughed about it later, but it made me think of a day when lots of unhappy people will be left behind, and not one of them will be laughing about it later.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of ten young women who were waiting for the bridegroom to come. They all had oil lamps, but only five were wise and had oil for their lamps; the other five were foolish and did not have any oil.

While waiting for the bridegroom to come, the ten women fell asleep. Then at midnight they heard the announcement, The bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet him! And they all got up and trimmed the wicks in their lamps. Then the five women who didn’t have oil in their lamps asked the others to give them some of their oil. The answer was, No, or we might not have enough for ourselves if we give you some of ours!”

So those without oil had to go buy some. And while they were gone, the bridegroom came, and the wise women with oil went inside, and the door was shut.

After buying the oil they needed, the five foolish women came to the door and wanted to go inside for the wedding. But they were told, No, I do not know you, and they were left outside!

It makes us wonder why those five women waited so long to go buy oil. Why didn’t they take care of that matter right away so they would be ready when the bridegroom came?

But wait. Are you doing the very same thing? The Bible tells us that we are all sinners, and we will not be allowed into heaven with our sins. God cannot have even one sin in heaven! So what are you doing about that? And what makes it so urgent is that Jesus is coming again to take to heaven all the people whose sins have been washed away. He doesn’t tell us when that will happen, so we need to be ready right now, because it could be today!

Are you ready? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your very own Saviour? He loves you and died on the cross for you. And if you are truly sorry for your sins and have come to Him to have your sins washed away, the door to heaven will be open for you. You will never be turned away! “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

But for those who will not trust in the blood of Jesus to wash away their sins, they will not be allowed into heaven. The door will be shut for them, and they will be punished for their own sins forever and ever!

Boys, girls and grown-ups, settle the matter right now! Make sure you are not left outside! It would be worse than terrible! God, “who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), has made a way for you to be saved. It is up to you to be truly sorry for your sins and to believe that the Lord Jesus died and shed His blood to wash away your sins. Won’t you believe on the Lord Jesus who loves you so much?

“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).

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

ML-06/15/2014

Is God Only in the Sky?

Aunt Jenny had been painting a picture all morning. It was an oil painting of the barn, lake and woods which she could see from her living room window. The picture was about half finished as she put her brushes away to stop for lunch. As she stood back to study the picture, her little niece Patti came running into the living room.

Patti saw Aunt Jenny looking at the picture. She stopped and looked at it too and said, “That’s a pretty sky, Aunt Jenny. Are you going to put God in it?”

Aunt Jenny did not expect that question, so she asked, “What do you mean, Patti?”

“Well,” answered Patti, “if God lives in the sky, shouldn’t you put Him in your sky picture?”

Patti did not know what King David said about God in Psalm 139. King David said that God is everywhere! He said that God is before me and behind me; He is above me and beneath me. How can I run away from Him? If I rise up to heaven, He is there. If I go to the very deepest, He is there. Even the darkness cannot hide me from Him, because darkness and light are both the same to God.

Yes, King David found out that God is everywhere! He saw Him when he woke up and in everything he did during the day. So King David just talked to God and said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

I hope Aunt Jenny and Patti make the wonderful discovery that King David made. Have you made that discovery too, that God is everywhere? And no matter what you do or where you go, He can see you.

ML-06/15/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: What's With Seeds?

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

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

Over 20 years ago, scientists developed watermelons without seeds. But growers still have to plant a special seed to grow a seedless watermelon plant. You may buy these special seeds if you want to grow your own seedless watermelons.

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

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

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

Seeds never get confused and develop into some new kind of plant. Cucumbers never come from apple seeds, wheat does not come from a kernel of corn, nor does a tulip spring up from a daisy seed. Ever since the Lord God created them, they follow His plan and reproduce “after their kind” (Genesis 1:21).

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

ML-06/15/2014

Caught in a Net

Have you ever seen an animal caught in a trap? How that creature will struggle to get free, until someone comes along and rescues it. Eventually, if not rescued, the animal will die!

It was early summer, and I was upset to find a helpless little bird caught in a net in our garden. We had placed the net above the ground to protect the new, little sprouts coming up from the seeds we had planted. Somehow that little bird had gotten tangled in the net, and it was struggling to get free. He may have been trying to reach a red raspberry close by when somehow his feet got caught in the net.

When I found him, his head, wings and little beak were held very tightly by the net being wrapped around him. He was still very much alive, and the more this little bird struggled to be free, the worse the tangle became. This little fellow needed someone to set him free.

Just like this little bird, there is something that has tangled up each one of us, and there’s no way we can free ourselves from this tangle. It is called sin. The older we become, the tighter the tangle of sin wraps around us. The Bible warns us that our sins are deadly. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). And like the little bird caught in the net, you and I need to be set free, and we can’t do it ourselves—we are helpless.

It was going to take two of us to free our little feathered friend. As we tried to undo the tangle, the bird was frightened and tried to peck us. The next step was to get the scissors and cut the net away. One of us held the net while the other one cut the net away from the bird’s little body. Soon our little feathered friend was free from the net and fell the few inches to the ground! As he sat there for a moment or two, we offered him a raspberry. And he recovered quickly enough to eat the raspberry before flying off to freedom! How happy we were that not only was our little friend free from the net, but he also had eaten a raspberry and seemed to be fully recovered.

Who can free us from our tangle of sins? The Bible says, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Who is this Son who can set us free? The Bible gives us the answer: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). He is God’s beloved Son, and He willingly went to the cross where He suffered and bled and died for us. His shed blood can set us free from our sins. “Unto Him [Jesus] who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

Will you let Him set you free? “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

MEMORY VERSE: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

ML-06/22/2014

A Special Eskimo Word

When Christian missionaries went to work among the Eskimos, they found that the Eskimo language did not have a word for forgiveness. Since forgiveness of sins is the reason Jesus came to earth to live and then to die on the cross, they needed a word for forgiveness. This is the word they came up with: ISSUMAGIJOUJUNGNAINERMIK. Can you pronounce it? It means, “Not to think about it anymore.” Because the Lord Jesus took the punishment for the sins of everyone who has trusted in Him to be their Saviour, their sins are gone—their record is wiped clean! And God doesn’t even think about those sins anymore! He says, “I will forgive their iniquity [sins], and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). True love doesn’t keep a record of wrongs, and God truly loves us.

When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, Peter asked Him, “Lord, how [often] shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? ... seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). Now seven is quite a few times to forgive someone who has hurt you, isn’t it? Peter must have thought so. But the Lord Jesus told him how many times we should forgive—”Until seventy times seven” (vs. 22). Then Jesus told Peter a story.

A certain king had a servant who owed the king more money than he could ever pay. So the king ordered that the man, his wife, his children and everything he owned was to be sold so the payment could be made to the king. When the servant heard the king’s order, he fell down before the king and said, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay everything back. Instead, the king forgave the full amount the servant owed and let him go free!

You and I also have a huge debt that we could never pay ourselves. That debt is our giant load of sins. But the Lord Jesus went to Calvary’s cross and paid the debt for every sin for each person who will receive Him as their Saviour. He is willing to forgive you and me for every single one of our sins! He has already completely paid the price for those sins with His own blood. “We have redemption through [Jesus’] blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7).

God wants us to accept His wonderful, free gift—to be washed completely clean of every sin in the blood of His beloved Son. In this way, by simply believing in the Lord Jesus, we are born into God’s family and become one of his children. Then He wants us to act like His children.

Do you want to be like Jesus? If you do, you must freely forgive others. If we continue to talk about or think about how others have hurt us, we have not really forgiven them. Remember the Eskimo word for forgiveness—ISSUMAGIJOUJUNGNAINERMIK—which means, “Not to think about it anymore.” God tells us in Ephesians 4:32, “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

ML-06/22/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Thrill of a Shooting Star

“Ah Lord God! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power....There is nothing too hard for Thee.” Jeremiah 32:17

It is quite possible that you were hit today by a speck of a star falling from the sky! However, the speck would have been so tiny that you would not have been aware of it. It is estimated that about ten thousand tons of “stardust” from outer space come to the earth every year!

How thrilling to be looking into the night sky and see a bright streak of light falling toward the earth. These are called shooting stars or falling stars. Sometimes showers of these stars are visible.

Actually, most shooting stars are just little pieces of material no larger than a grain of sand. They have traveled millions of miles through space until, attracted by earth’s gravity, they turn toward it. Traveling many times faster than a bullet, they enter our atmosphere. Friction from the air makes them white hot, and they burn up in the flash that you see in just a moment or two. All that remains is a speck of ash or rocky mineral that turns to dust, eventually falling to the ground or into lakes or oceans. It is the goodness of God that provides the earth’s protecting atmosphere so these do not harm us.

These shooting stars are actually meteors, and countless billions of them are believed to be racing through space all the time. Over the centuries, a few larger ones have fallen to the earth without being burned up and destroyed. Those that reach the earth without burning up are called meteorites. One has been found in Africa that has been estimated to weigh 60 tons. In the Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C., another meteorite weighing 31 tons is on display, which is only part of a 200-ton meteorite found in Greenland.

No one really knows where they come from or how they are formed. Some think they may be parts of a comet’s tail, sweeping the sky, or particles that escaped from the Asteroid Belt that travels in a great orbit between Jupiter and Mars.

However, we can be sure that God knows all about meteors and meteorites, and perhaps He directs some of them our way to remind us that our world is just a speck in His vast creation. But what an important speck it is! It was only on this earth that He created and placed man. It was only to this world that He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to provide a way for sinners to be saved now from their sins. It was the death of Jesus on Calvary’s cross that paid the debt of sin for all who accept Him as their Saviour. It is written, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

ML-06/22/2014

A Bundle of Sticks

Why is that man gathering sticks in the pouring rain? Why doesn’t he just stay at home with a roof over his head? The truth is, he has no home. He is soaking wet and cold, and he is not a very young man either.

This man came to that island shore in a ship, but the ship was wrecked and battered in a storm and broken up by the violence of the waves. Maybe he swam to shore or maybe he floated on a broken piece of the ship. But now he is safe, and all the others from the shipwreck have reached the shore safely too.

The island they reached was Malta. None of those from the ship were sure if they would be welcomed or if they would be considered enemies. However, people from the island came down to the shore to help them, so that was a good sign.

The islanders knew how to build a big, roaring bonfire, even in the rain. This man searching for sticks was going to add them to the fire, so they all could dry out and warm up. It was a chilly, wet, winter day.

The man gathering sticks was the Apostle Paul, and he was a prisoner on his way to Rome. A centurion guard was with him all the time. That was his job.

Paul shook his bundle of sticks onto the fire. But ... what’s this? A poisonous snake that had been hiding in the bundle came out and bit him on the hand and hung on! The islanders assumed this was a sign that he must be a bad man. Even if he escaped from drowning, they thought the snake bite would kill him. They watched him closely.

Yes, Paul had been a bad man. He was a sinner who had been very much against God and had tried to get rid of all the Christians. But God had a special plan for Paul’s life. He stopped him in his tracks in such a way that Paul realized he was sinning against Jesus, and he was willing to give up his sinful life to follow Him. Paul met Jesus that day, and his life was turned around!

Have you met Jesus? Have you let Him turn your life around? Jesus suffered and died on the cross, shedding His precious blood to wash sinners clean from their sins. Have you told Jesus that you are a sinner and need Him? He does not save everyone, only because there are many who refuse to trust Him, but He is ready to save you right now. Will you trust Him?

Paul did not die from the snake bite. He shook the snake off into the fire, and the islanders saw that he was as healthy as ever. He must be a god, they said, but they were wrong again. Paul was a saved sinner, and you can be too. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

The islanders had a chief man named Publius, and he kept all the shipwrecked crew and passengers in his house for three days, treating them kindly. For three months they stayed on the island, until a sailing ship came by and took them to Italy. It was a long voyage, and from the seaport, Paul and the centurion guard walked to Rome and to prison.

You may read this story for yourself in Acts 28.

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

ML-06/29/2014

Noah and the Ark

Can you fill in the number after each question? If you want to check your answers or need some help filling in the answers, look up the chapters and verses in Genesis.

1. How many windows did the ark have? ____ (6:16)

2. How many of each kind of animal that God called “clean” came into the ark? ____ (7:2)

3. How many of each kind of animal that God called “not clean” came into the ark? ____ (7:2)

4. How many of each kind of fowl (bird) came into the ark? ____ (7:3)

5. How old was Noah when the flood was covering the earth? ____ (7:6)

6. How many days and nights did it rain? ____ (7:12)

7. How many people went into the ark? ____ (7:13)

8. How many days were the floodwaters on the earth? ____ (7:24)

9. How many times did Noah send the dove out of the ark? ____ (8:8-12)

ML-06/29/2014

Have You Noticed?

Have you noticed that part of the memory verse is in darker type? We’ll explain why.

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

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

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

ML-06/29/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Spectacular Humpback Whale - Part 1

“God created great whales, and every living creature ... which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind.” Genesis 1:21

Some humpback whales are 39-52 feet long and can weigh up to 40 tons. They may be identified by their characteristic hump-like roll of fat on their backs. These whales are extremely strong, with large flippers 12-13 feet long, and huge, flat tails controlling their motions. They can swim 25 miles per hour and at times dive nearly a mile below the surface. They are also considered playful animals, as they are known for breaching (leaping into the air and landing with a great splash) and slapping the water with their tails and flippers.

Although they seem gentle and playful, they can be dangerous too. Anyone closing in on a mother with her calf will find her quite ready to smash their small boat with a slap of her tail.

Looking down on one of these whales from above, its black back is not easy to distinguish from the dark water, and looking up from underneath, its white underparts blend with the sky. These safeguards are provisions of the Creator, helping to protect them from their enemies—mainly whale hunters from above and sharks and killer whales from below.

Of all mammals, whales are most completely at home in water, although they have to come up to the surface for air from time to time. Rising to the surface, they blow out stale air from their lungs through “blowholes” on their backs. These look like waterspouts, shooting up 12 feet or more into the air. Actually, it is their hot, moist breath condensing as it hits the colder air above the water.

Humpbacks are in all oceans, but the greatest numbers are in the Pacific Ocean. Many of these spend winters in the cold waters of Alaska and the Bering Sea where food is plentiful. Their thick coat of blubber keeps them warm in these cold waters. In spring they migrate, some to Mexico and some to Hawaii (distances of about 6000 miles). Both places provide tropical waters where the females give birth to their calves, and shortly thereafter all return north. In the Atlantic Ocean, similar migrations are made from northern Canadian waters to warm, southern areas. These migrations can be seen by people along those shores, just as they can be seen along the West Coast shores.

We may wonder how these large creatures know when it is time to leave for the southern waters and how they find their way over such great distances. Like all creatures that migrate, they follow God-given instincts that guide and instruct them.

How much more important it is for us to know the way to heaven, for we can never get there by our own efforts. The only way is by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Are you trusting in Him?

(to be continued)

ML-06/29/2014

Vandalized!

The location of the cottage was beautiful. It was situated on a small hill above a quiet lake and just a few miles from the nearest town.

Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson built it as a place for young people to come to be together and to learn more about the Bible. Throughout the summer, different groups of 15 to 20 teenagers would come to spend a week there, swimming, hiking, and playing games. And each day they would also sit in front of the big brick fireplace as the Word of God was opened, read and studied. Many happy memories were made there.

Most of the winter the cottage was boarded up, since the only way you could reach it was by snowmobile. One day in the early spring after some of the snow had melted, Mr. Donaldson decided to go to the cottage to cut some firewood. He was alarmed to find the door had been bashed in, and someone had vandalized the place and used it for a party. There was broken glass, and things were strewn everywhere. Cupboards and drawers had been ransacked, and he discovered that some things had been taken. There was no way to find out who had been there, as several weeks had passed before the break-in was discovered.

After many hours of cleaning and repairing the damage, the cottage was back to its original condition. But the big question was, Would the vandals come back again? The possibility of that happening was a real concern.

Then Mr. Donaldson had an idea. He got a big piece of plywood and very neatly painted a verse on it from the Bible: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). Then he nailed the sign to the outside wall of the cottage, right beside the area where the vandals had broken in. The verse remained there for many years, and never again did the Donaldsons have anyone breaking into the cottage.

“The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword ... and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The Lord Jesus sees you all the time, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. You cannot hide from Him. What a happy path it is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your very own Saviour and to walk in a way pleasing to Him.

Is the Lord Jesus your Saviour?

MEMORY VERSE: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3

ML-07/06/2014

Stephen's 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 looking for 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? Oh, yes, 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 give thanks in every situation and ask His help for the problems.

ML-07/06/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Spectacular Humpback Whale - Part 2

“Behold, [God] spreadeth His light upon [the world], and covereth the bottom of the sea.” Job 36:30

On both the Atlantic and Pacific seacoasts, great numbers of people gather each year to watch the migrations of the humpback whales. They sometimes see whole schools breaching (leaping into the air and landing with a great splash), as if competing with one another. At other times they are seen lob-tailing (standing on their heads with the rest of their bodies in the air), waving their big flukes (the lobes on their large tails) and making huge splashes when they drop back to the surface. Frequently they lift their tails above the water and smack them down, making tremendous waves. No wonder people gather by the thousands to see these performances!

Playful by nature, like porpoises, some of these giants will play tag with a large boat for an hour or so, coming up on one side, swimming underneath and popping up on the other, to the amusement of all on board.

The 6000-mile migrations end in warm, shallow bays where the calves are born underwater. Some of these new calves are as long as 13 feet. Usually a female “nurse” is on hand and helps the mother push the newborn up to the surface for its first breath of fresh air. Isn’t it amazing that the little one has been given an instinct by the Creator so that it doesn’t inhale water right after birth and drown? After breathing in fresh air for the first time, it drops back under its mother, and, again, a God-given instinct tells it to nurse her warm, rich milk. While nursing, it must return to the surface for air, over and over again, but each time continues its nursing until its hunger is satisfied.

The bull whales have a large number of cows and calves for which they are responsible, but when danger comes, they usually swim away, leaving the cows to take care of themselves and their calves. That’s not very brave of them, is it?

As in the past, humpbacks are still a target for the whaling industry. However, in 1966 a legal suspension of hunting activity was made to protect them. Their numbers have recovered to approximately 80,000 worldwide now.

It is interesting that in the Bible where the ocean is spoken of, it says, “There is that leviathan [whale], whom Thou hast made to play therein” (Psalm 104:26). So we see that the Lord God, the Creator, intended whales to enjoy their playfulness, just as boys and girls do. And He is pleased for children to be happy and playful, as long as they are also obedient, kind and thoughtful of others. True happiness is one of His great gifts and comes from faith in Him and His Word which tells us, “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:20). Is this true of you?

ML-07/06/2014

A Narrow Escape

It was a beautiful, sunny day in July when Chris and Kit set out to do some sightseeing in Wyoming. They were especially interested in seeing the herds of wild buffalo that they had heard about. Since there were no fences in that part of Wyoming, these huge animals roamed over large fields and crossed over the roads.

While driving down a back road, they passed a sign that read,

DANGER!

DO NOT APPROACH WILDLIFE!

That was a serious warning, written for the safety of visitors to the area. Chris and Kit realized later that they should have paid closer attention to the sign’s warning, but they were too busy sightseeing.

Probably many of you pay attention to warning signs and obey them. However, we wonder how many of you pay attention to the warnings that God has placed in His Word, the Bible. God’s warnings are very, very serious, and He hopes you will obey them. He has written, “Flee [run] from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7). He also tells us there is a right way to avoid this wrath: “Enter ye in at the [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). Another warning to those hurrying along this broad road is found in Ezekiel 18:20: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” God isn’t warning people just once. You’ve just now read three warnings, and there are many more. It would be a good idea to pay close attention to His warnings. He loves you and doesn’t want to lose you because you aren’t taking the warnings seriously.

Chris and Kit drove on down the road until they came upon a herd of the wild buffalo. They were eating grass growing on the edge of the road and were so close that Chris and Kit would have been able to almost touch the huge beasts. Driving a little farther, they came upon a large group of tourists who had gotten out of their cars near a historic homestead. It would make a beautiful picture with the majestic Teton Mountains in the background against the blue sky and the green grass with a large herd of wild buffalo grazing. Since many other tourists were out of their cars taking pictures, our two friends decided to take a few more themselves.

After they had taken some pictures, they spotted a baby buffalo grazing with its mother. Without remembering the warning sign they had read, they decided to step a little closer for a better picture. Suddenly they heard a terrifying noise off to one side! A quick look showed a 2,000-pound buffalo thundering right for them! Its head was down, with deadly horns ready to throw or gore the closest people, and it sounded like it was snorting fire!

How scary! Do you suppose everyone just stood there and continued taking pictures? NO! They ran for their lives, even leaving behind shoes, as they ran as fast as they could to the shelter of their cars! Some even left their bicycles behind in their hurry to get away.

The sign had warned them, but they had not paid attention to the warning.

The Bible has warned you, but have you paid attention to the warning?

We hope that all the men, women, boys and girls still on the road that leads to punishment for their sins will turn around and run fast. There is a place of safety to be found and a Man who can shelter us. That Man is God’s own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though every one of us has sinned, there is a way of escape—a way to get off the wide road that leads to destruction and wrath. We need to turn from our sins to Jesus who says, “Come unto Me ... and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). God has provided that way of escape for us.

Thankfully, Chris and Kit and the other people made it to safety, partly because the huge, charging buffalo, at the last minute, made a U-turn back to the herd. For those still in their sins, God does not want you to die facing punishment for all eternity. Please remember, He is a God of love and mercy, and He has made a way of escape for you. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

MEMORY VERSE: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

ML-07/13/2014

Books of the Bible

Without looking in your Bible, can you think of a name of one book beginning with each of the following letters? Some letters have more than one name, but you only need to write down one. We’ve done the first letter for you. Fill in as many as you can, and then for the rest you may look in the front of your Bible where they are all listed in order, and you’ll probably need to check the list for the correct spellings.

You’ll notice that all the letters of the alphabet aren’t used. That’s because B, F, Q, U, V, W, X and Y don’t have a book beginning with each of these letters.

A ______Amos_________ L ____________________

C ____________________ M ____________________

D ____________________ N ____________________

E ____________________ O ____________________

G ____________________ P ____________________

H ____________________ R ____________________

I ____________________ S ____________________

J ____________________ T ____________________

K ____________________ Z ____________________

If any of you boys and girls would like to memorize the books of the Bible, repeat them to a grown-up (your mom or dad or maybe your Sunday school teacher). Ask them to mail your name, age and address to “Books of the Bible,” Bible Truth Publishers (the rest of the address is on the back of all copies of “Messages”). We will mail you a “Books of the Bible” ribbon bookmark for your Bible as a reward. There is no time limit.

ML-07/13/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Purple Martin

“The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come.” Song of Solomon 2:11-12

After having migrated to Central and South America for the winter, martins return each spring to North America. Some have been seen in summer as far north as the Saskatchewan Valley in Canada.

Their forked tails, wide wings and the way they catch their food while flying identify these eight-inch birds as part of the swallow family. There are several species, including the house martin, the sand martin and the purple martin, which is the one we will focus on today.

The males of the purple martin species are a beautiful, dark purplish-blue color all over. The females are much the same, but the undersides of their bodies are light colored. These birds nest in colonies, with each pair raising three to eight young birds.

Because they are great insect eaters, catching insects from the air while in flight (including mosquitoes), purple martins have earned the friendship of farmers and people who live in the suburbs. Some place martin houses on tall supports near their homes or barns to keep these welcome insect-eating “neighbors” nearby. Some of these martin houses allow space for 50 nests or more. There is an interesting trait about the martins living in these “apartment” houses. Most houses have adjoining balconies where the parent birds like to alight and perch before entering their own apartment. The baby birds, not yet able to fly, sometimes hop about on these balconies. After exploring, they forget which hole they came from and often enter a neighbor’s apartment by mistake. Strangely enough, parent martins do not seem to be able to recognize their own chicks, and these “neighborhood chicks” are accepted, fed and cared for as part of the family.

Although martins do not like other birds as close neighbors, house sparrows and European starlings do not share this trait. If there is an opportunity, a sparrow or starling will move into a martin pair’s apartment and chase the true owners away. If this happened in most bird species, they would work together to keep the intruder out. But the martin is not a fighter, so it meekly accepts the loss of its home to the thief.

Our opening verse tells us of the happy season of the year when winter’s cold, dark days are over, flowers are showing their pretty colors, and birds are returning from their migrations. It is similar to the happy time when a boy or girl or grown-up places their trust in the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. The dark times are left behind, and the reality of belonging to the Lord Jesus brings a joy many times happier than even the yearly return of spring. Have you had this experience by accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?

ML-07/13/2014

She Fell Onto the Train Tracks!

As he was heading for the train on his way to work, the first thing Eddie heard was people frantically yelling that a woman had slipped and fallen onto the train tracks and the train was coming! He quickly moved down the platform to where the crowd was gathered and wondering what to do. Some of the people were yelling to the woman, “You gotta get up! You gotta get up!” But she had hit her head, and she was struggling to get up on her feet.

When Eddie saw the headlight of the oncoming train, he made a quick decision. He was wearing an orange sweatshirt and hoped that waving his orange arms would catch the train engineer’s attention. He jumped down onto the tracks and stood between the train and the woman and began waving his arms above his head.

Eddie was in a very dangerous spot. If the engineer didn’t see him, he would get hit by the train and could lose his life and the woman could be killed too. He was taking a great risk in trying to save the woman’s life by putting his own life in danger!

Someone who saves another person’s life is called a saviour. Maybe some of you boys and girls already know about a very special Saviour who willingly died to save people from the oncoming judgment train for their sins. Do you know who He is? This Bible verse tells us: “Our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem [save] us from all iniquity [our sins]” (Titus 2:13-14). Is He your Saviour? He is if you have trusted Him to save you from your sins.

As Eddie waved his arms to get the engineer’s attention, he saw that the train was beginning to slow down. But was the train slowing down because it was coming into the station or because he saw Eddie on the tracks?

To everyone’s relief, the train slowed to a stop about 20 feet in front of Eddie. He turned and saw that the woman had gotten onto her feet and walked back close to the platform where some of the bystanders pulled her up. An ambulance took her to the hospital where they took care of her bleeding head wound.

Eddie was her saviour, and the news reports called him a “hero.” We don’t even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn’t decided to jump down onto the tracks and wave his arms so the engineer would stop the train.

There is another Saviour that we want you to know about if you don’t already know Him. The Lord Jesus Christ and God His Father both love sinners very, very much and want to share heaven with us. But it is our sins that will keep us out of heaven, because God is holy and cannot have any sin in heaven. However, together they made a very costly plan to save sinners.

The Lord Jesus told God His Father that He would willingly be the Saviour for sinners. He knew it was going to cost Him His life. He went to Calvary’s cross and bore the punishment for the sins of any sinner who will believe and place his or her trust in Him as Saviour. He gave up His life so that sinners could be saved from the punishment they deserve for their sins.

Because of His great love for you, Jesus wants to be your Saviour. Will you trust Him?

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

MEMORY VERSE: “Our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity.” Titus 2:13-14

ML-07/20/2014

Endless Mice

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

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

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

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

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

ML-07/20/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Your Faithful Soldiers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Because soldier cells are not always winners of the battles, the uncertainty of life should cause each of us to hear His faithful words: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:7-8). Today is the day to come to the Saviour. Tomorrow may be too late!

ML-07/20/2014

Paul Comes to Italy

Maybe you have visited Italy, and you landed in Rome in an airplane, but Paul did not come that way. Do you remember how he was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, and the whole shipload of 276 people stayed there for three months? When they finally left on another ship, the natives gave them lots of good things for their long, slow voyage to Italy.

The trip was slow because they were on a sailing ship, and it depended on good winds. They stopped for three days at Syracuse and seven days at Puteoli. Long trips by sailing ships were never easy, but they found a happy Christian welcome at Puteoli, and they stayed there a whole week.

Then on they sailed towards Rome. When their ship landed in Italy, there were no cars or buses to meet them and no taxis or commuter trains either. They had to walk all the way from the seaport to Rome, and it was more than 40 miles! Nobody welcomed them, and for the prisoners, the end of their long journey would be a prison.

But suddenly, there were loving, Christian faces smiling at Paul at a place called Appii Forum. Paul had never seen these people before, but when they heard that Paul was on that ship, they decided to walk the 40 miles to go meet him and then walk the 40 miles with him to Rome. Their hearts were full of the love that God gives. Paul was greatly encouraged as they walked with him on that long 40 miles to Rome.

Paul was still a prisoner when the centurion guard handed him over to the captain in Rome, and he was assigned to an ugly prison cell. However, somebody offered to pay for him to have his own hired house with a guard who stayed with him. That was bad enough, because his wrist was chained to the guard day and night. However, he was able to have visitors, and he did.

After three days, he invited the leaders of the Jews to come to the house where he was staying, and he explained to them why he was there. These leaders were puzzled since they had not heard of him before. However, they chose a day and came to hear what Paul had to say. Paul preached to them from morning until evening. He began first with Moses and all the prophets, and they knew these stories well. Then he told them of Jesus who had come exactly as God had promised and as Moses and all the prophets had foretold. Some believed what Paul told them, and some didn’t believe what he said.

You are hearing these stories from the Bible today, and you fit right in there too. You either believe what God wrote in the Bible or you don’t believe what He has written. Either you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour or you have not accepted Him as your Saviour. There is no middle ground. First Timothy 2:5-6 says, “There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all.” And here is a warning if you have not believed what God has said: “How shall [you] escape, if [you] neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). Time is running out.

As Paul watched the Jewish leaders leave, he remembered the words of the prophet Isaiah. He tells God’s messengers to speak, even if the listeners refuse to hear or to see or to love the One who died for them and lives again. The visitors argued among themselves and decided nothing at all. But Paul lived for two years in that house, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. He received everyone who came to him, and nobody stopped him from preaching and teaching.

You may read this story for yourself in Acts 28:11-31.

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

ML-07/27/2014

The Hooked Fish

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

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

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

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

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

Are you still hooked on Satan’s line?

ML-07/27/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Seldom-Seen Lynx

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:18

The pretty lynx, a medium-sized wildcat, that slinks silently through trees, brush and snow for its prey, likes the cold climate of the Yukon, Sweden and Russia. However, many are also in warmer areas of Canada, northern United States and a few Asian countries. They all prefer homes in thickets of trees or brush and usually have two tiny kittens each year.

A full-grown lynx is about three feet long, with a small two-inch tail, and will weigh from 30 to 60 pounds. Its fur is finest in the winter when it is a thick, luxurious light brown that is sometimes marked with dark brown spots. They have white on their chests and underparts. A stubby fur-covered tail and upright ears, having long tufts of black hair on the tips of them, are its most outstanding features.

Their main food in the north is the snowshoe rabbit, but if these are scarce, they will catch small deer or caribou or large birds. The Creator has provided them with large, padded paws, wider in diameter than the palm of a man’s hand, and in winter extra fur grows around the edges to help them walk in snow. They are good climbers and swimmers.

Those farther south also like rabbit meat but include in their diet squirrels, gophers and other small animals and birds. They have keen sight and hearing and stalk their prey silently, until close enough to make a springing leap to catch it. At times they lie on tree branches, waiting to pounce on prey passing below. While the lynx is an enemy to small animals and birds, it is actually quite shy and no threat to people. If possible, it will always vanish before a person can get close.

Do you think the Lord God is aware of these animals as they live out their lives in such remote places? We know He is, for we read in the Bible, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). Verse 10 tells us more: “All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee.”

This looks on to a coming time when God’s punishment of sinful people will be over and He will restore the earth to peace and freedom. During that special time, when Christ reigns for 1000 years, all created things will “praise Him” in their peaceful way, and the tiger, bear, lynx and any other carnivorous animal will no longer kill, but all will live peacefully together. People who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will bless Him more fully than is possible today. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you should be happily praising Him right now, and it will be your privilege to praise Him even more in that future time.

ML-07/27/2014

A Good Hiding Place

Have you ever been in trouble or afraid and tried to hide? Or maybe you hid somewhere just for fun. Sometimes a closet or under a bed makes a good place to hide, but there are times when a more unusual hiding place is needed. A verse in the Bible asks a question we all should really think about: “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24). We know the answer is “no.” We cannot hide from God’s eyes! However, when we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, He is our “hiding place” and our source of safety and shelter in the problems of life. “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust” (Psalm 91:4).

People tell many stories about unusual places to hide during a tornado, and many stories were told after 21 tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma in April and May of 2013. One story is told about 20 people who found a very safe place to hide, and it may have saved their lives.

Several people were in a bank doing business when the tornado siren went off. Very quickly the bank employees and the customers were told to go into the bank vault. Most boys and girls have never been inside a bank vault to know what it’s like. It is a small room in the bank building where bank customers’ valuable things are stored in locked drawers. People usually go into the vault one at a time with a bank officer who has a key to the person’s drawer. The vault in this Oklahoma bank had walls of concrete two feet thick! Once everyone was inside the vault, the thick, heavy door was pulled closed from the inside. Just to make sure it stayed closed, three strong people inside the vault held onto it with all their might.

Even in Bible times, there were those who needed a hiding place that God provided for them. Do you remember the story of Noah and the ark? Noah and his family were in a flood, and the ark was their hiding place. But unlike the people in our story, Noah did not have to hang onto the door. Genesis 7:16 says, “The Lord shut him in,” so Noah knew he and the others inside were safe. Are you safe from God’s punishment against sin? The Lord Jesus says, “I am the door: by Me if any man [woman, boy or girl] enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9).

It is good to know that one person in the vault prayed, crying out to God to protect them. What a scary time they had waiting for the tornado to pass. When they were finally able to come out of their hiding place, they found that the vault was the only part of the large bank building still left standing! By His power, God had kept every person in the bank vault from any serious injury.

The story would have had an even more special ending if everyone had thanked God for saving them. How often do you remember to thank God for helping you, not only in the big difficulties of life, but in the small ones too? “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever” (Psalm 136:1).

MEMORY VERSE: “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust.” Psalm 91:4

ML-08/03/2014

Snowflake the Cat

Snowflake the cat lives in our barn. She not only has a nice, comfortable nest in the rafters where she sleeps at night, but she also has a warm place on my workbench by the window of the barn. On sunny days, Snowflake loves to lie there by the window where she takes catnaps in the warm sunshine.

One spring day the barn door was left open, and a number of birds flew into the barn. Snowflake woke right up at the sound of their chirping. Her eyes and ears became very alert.

The birds must have thought the barn would be a nice shelter where they could build nests for their eggs. What they didn’t realize was that their most-dreaded enemy, a cat, lived in there.

This makes me think of the devil who has put a lot of nice things in front of boys and girls, and men and women too, to keep them from coming to Christ. They don’t realize that these “nice things” are called “the pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) and end in death. “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment” (Ecclesiastes 11:9).

When those birds spotted Snowflake, they were terrified! They started to fly all over the barn, looking for a way out. Finally, all but one found the open doorway to safety. That little bird tried to fly through the closed window right where Snowflake had been sleeping and now was watching them. When it hit the window, Snowflake reached up with her front paw, opened her claws and caught the bird.

Poor little bird. It thought it had found the way out, but it made a bad mistake and paid for it with its life. This reminds me of Proverbs 14:12 which says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

We cannot enjoy the pleasures of sin and refuse to get saved and still expect to be in heaven. No sin will ever be in heaven. “There shall in no wise enter into it [heaven] anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). Just as it was impossible for the little bird to fly through a closed window, so it is impossible for us to be in heaven without coming to Christ, who tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

ML-08/03/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Praying Mantis

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalm 145:9

Late in the fall, the female praying mantis lays a mass of 100 or more eggs, which she glues to a tree or shrub with a sticky substance from her body. This sticky substance covers the eggs and protects them throughout the winter months.

When spring warmth arrives, the eggs hatch and the larvae begin lives of eating insects. Sometimes the stronger ones even eat their weaker brothers and sisters before they get away. Exposed to the air, the larva skin promptly hardens, but as it grows, the skin splits open and drops off. This process, called molting, is repeated several times, until by mid-summer the larva has finished its growth and its wings appear.

The praying mantis prefers to catch its prey alive. Its green or brown color camouflages it to look just like part of the plants on which it rests. It holds its front legs up, making it look like it is praying, and remains perfectly still until some unsuspecting victim comes along. With a head that can turn 180 degrees, it usually doesn’t have to wait long before seeing a beetle, caterpillar, fly, aphid or other insect coming close, which is quickly captured. The front legs of the mantis have sharp hooks, and once the victim has been grasped, it has no chance of escape. God has given it an instinct to bite through the nerve center at the back of the victim’s neck, bringing instant death.

Its ways seem cruel, but since it destroys many harmful insects, it is a friend of every farmer and gardener and should not be harmed by anyone. Since they are so beneficial, egg cases (each with many eggs inside) can be purchased to place in fields and gardens to control many harmful insects.

In observing the ways of this insect, we see another example of the way God has arranged for the care of one more of His creatures and at the same time providing a necessary means of helping to control harmful insects.

As the mantis appears to be praying but is actually waiting to catch its food, its manner of life makes us think of those who do not really know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, yet they appear to be religious. The Lord saw many people like this and on one occasion said, “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing ... and the chief seats in the synagogues, and ... which devour widow’s houses, and for a pretense make long prayers” (Mark 12:38-40).

But to those who sincerely seek the Lord, He promises them, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). He will always hear your prayer when you speak to Him with a true heart.

ML-08/03/2014

A Squirrel in the House

The phone rang, and when I picked it up, an urgent young voice on the other end said, “Grampa, there’s a squirrel in our house, and Janie and I are here alone! Mom and Dad have gone shopping.”

“Are you sure it’s in the house?” I asked.

“Yes! We saw it coming down the stairs, and when it saw us, it ran back up the stairs!” explained a frightened Ellen.

“Well, shut yourselves in a room, and I’ll come right out,” I reassured her.

I drove the eight miles out to my son’s house, and when I got there I was greeted by two wide-eyed granddaughters—Ellen and her younger sister Janie. So we three began our search, going from room to room. We started in the bedrooms and ended in the basement, but there was no squirrel to be found. If there really was a squirrel in the house, it had a very good hiding place.

You know, boys and girls, we have an enemy who is hiding and whose name is Satan. He is a liar and tempter, and he never stops trying to lead us into sin. Jesus, the Son of God, came down from His Father’s side in heaven and became a man to conquer Satan. Jesus had to die and then rise from the dead in order to conquer him. Hebrews 2:14 tell us “that through death He [Jesus] might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Jesus was willing to come to earth for this purpose, because He loves you and wants to free you from being Satan’s captive.

And because I love my granddaughters and they were frightened, I stayed with them until their parents came home. We told them about the “phantom” squirrel.

Later that evening, relatives, including young cousins, arrived for a birthday party. When someone closed the drapes in one of the bedrooms, the “phantom” squirrel suddenly jumped down from its hiding place behind the drapes! What a wild commotion took over! The children screamed, the parents shouted and the squirrel raced down the stairs! Around and around the living room, dining room and kitchen the squirrel raced, with the men right behind it trying to catch it. It even ran across the table, just missing the birthday cake. Whew!

Finally, my son dropped a laundry basket upside down over the squirrel and scooted the basket out the door and set the squirrel free. How frightened that little animal must have been, as it frantically ran away from those who were trying to capture it. The squirrel did not know that those chasing it only wanted to give it freedom.

God is a God of love, and He sent His very own Son down here into this world to go to Calvary’s cross where He suffered and died for us. He rose from the grave, conquering Satan, which opens the way for each one who will trust Jesus to be set free from being Satan’s captive. Jesus said in John 8:32, “[You] shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Just as that squirrel ran away from all efforts to save him, many of us don’t realize we are captives to sin and Satan and on the road to a lost eternity. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Many of us are still running away from God’s efforts to save us from sin and Satan.

Today, Jesus Christ is holding open His arms of love and saying, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor [are captive in your sins] and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Won’t you receive Jesus as your Saviour today and be forever free from your sins?

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

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

ML-08/10/2014

Three Little Girls Singing

Sometimes young children who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour think there is nothing they can do to thank Him for saving them. But I want to tell you a story about three little girls and what they did for the Lord Jesus.

They were happily singing together a song that I think most of you know by heart:

“Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak, but He is strong.”

“Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.”

I expect that most of you children could sing that song right along with the three girls. They were sitting out on the porch while they were singing, and a neighbor man who lived in the next house heard them. He must have heard the words they sang, because he thought, “Those little girls sound so happy. I’d like to be happy like that too.”

Then he had an idea. “I think I have a Bible in my house somewhere.” He went to look for it. Sure enough, there it was on the bookshelf. He knew that Jesus lived back in New Testament Bible times, so he started reading in the Book of Matthew.

He became so interested in what Jesus did and said that he began to read his Bible every day. It wasn’t very long before he realized that he needed to be saved from his sins and that he could be saved if he just asked the Lord Jesus to save him. So he did just that.

Of course, the Lord Jesus always answers a prayer like that, and that neighbor man was saved! It all started because three little girls were singing happily about how the Lord Jesus loved them.

“We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

ML-08/10/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Rabbit-Eared Bandicoot

“All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3

The name bandicoot or Indian mole rat or pig rat seems to suit this strange animal quite well. If you saw one, you would certainly get out your camera, for it is a most interesting small mammal. It is rather cute, with long, silky hair, light gray on its back, red on its sides and white underneath. You can see one in a zoo, but otherwise you will have to go to Australia or the surrounding islands to see one, since that is where they live.

Actually there are 11 species, ranging in size from a small mouse up to the size of a rabbit. They all look similar with long, narrow, pointed heads and enormous ears that stand upright. They have tails that look like those of rats, and their second and third toes are grown together.

Although the bandicoot looks a little strange to us, it is one of God’s creatures with a purpose in His creation. He has given it other helpful features—an extra-long tail, which helps support it when standing erect. It also has legs that, like a kangaroo’s, are short in front but long in back, enabling it to hop as quickly as a jackrabbit. It also has sharp claws to scratch for insects and worms and to dig a burrow for its home.

In fact, these creatures dig extra burrows. In some of them, they store quantities of seeds, rice or other food for use in seasons when food is not available. While the natives do not like the damage bandicoots do to their crops, there are times when they are thankful to find and rob these stores of grain to help out a family’s food supply.

The bandicoot is like a miniature kangaroo in another way. Both are marsupials. This means that the females have pouches on their bellies for carrying and nursing their young. The difference is that the kangaroo’s pouch opens at the top and the bandicoot’s pouch opens at the bottom.

The bandicoot is a nocturnal animal. This means it is most active at night, coming out to hunt for food and hiding during the day in bushes or along creekbeds.

Does God see bandicoots in their life’s activities? We know He does, for the Bible plainly says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest [visible] in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). And that includes you and me too.

What does He see when He looks into your heart and thoughts and your life’s activities? Does He see someone who knows His Son, the Lord Jesus, as Saviour and Lord and tries to please Him? These are important questions that should be settled today.

ML-08/10/2014

Mary's Disappointment Turned Out for Good

Haskell Elementary School was brand new, along with a big, new playground. The leaders of the community decided the new playground would be a good place to hold their yearly Community Days. The schoolchildren watched eagerly every day as the workmen set up the different rides and other activities.

The ride nine-year-old Mary was most interested in looked like a small bus that ran on a narrow, circular track. The windows of the bus were all framed, but there was no glass in them. That would allow the children to call and wave to their friends, as the bus went around the track. It looked like fun and she was excited!

Finally Community Days arrived. Many people were standing in line, waiting to get on the bus. There were no seats in the bus, so the people in charge were telling the riders where to stand. The bus was jammed with people all crowded together.

As Mary finally got to the front of the line for the bus ride, there was one spot left open. But just as she was about to get on the bus, a boy who had been standing behind her scooted in front of her and took that last spot!

Mary was very disappointed and angry with that boy. However, she decided just to stay standing there so she would be the first one in line to get on the bus for the next ride.

But there was no next ride.

As the bus came back and pulled to a stop, it tipped over on its side, and all the people inside fell on top of each other! What screaming and crying! Many of the people who had their arms out the windows had broken bones and other injuries. Now Mary was very thankful that she hadn’t been able to get on the bus.

Mary thought of two Bible verses her mother had taught her: “The angel of the Lord [encamps] round about them that fear Him, and [delivers] them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the [person] that [trusts] in Him” (Psalm 34:7-8). Those verses were a real help for Mary. She could understand that the Lord had purposely kept her from getting on that bus, and now she could thank Him for protecting her.

Boys and girls, are you trusting the Lord Jesus? He loves you and will look after you every day of your life, if you are trusting Him as your Saviour. Nothing will happen “by chance.” Verse 1 of that same psalm will be true of you too: “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).

Can you remember a disappointment in your life that the Lord turned into good?

MEMORY VERSE: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:7-8).

ML-08/17/2014

Travis the Lifeguard

It was a hot summer day and the swimming pool was packed with children. Overhead the sky was clear and there was no wind. Everything looked normal and safe.

And then, almost out of nowhere, a summer storm was brewing. Threatening thunder clouds had gathered, and suddenly they opened up. Rain poured down and thunder rumbled too close for comfort. The lifeguards ordered the pool to be evacuated and quickly whistled for everyone to get out.

All the children began to head for the ladders to climb out, but the storm was moving faster than the children were. Travis, the head lifeguard, saw that those still in the pool were in danger and that something had to be done, and fast! He jumped into the water and began tossing the children out of the pool as fast as he could. Blinding flashes of lightning with deafening cracks of thunder were all around.

The people at the swimming pool had little warning of their danger, but you and I have had God’s warning of danger ahead for our entire lives. The Bible is God’s letter to us, and in it He tells us plainly that we are sinners and that there is judgment ahead for our sins. Just as those children needed help to get away from their danger, you and I cannot get away by ourselves from our sins and the judgment we deserve. We need help! Jesus has done that by putting Himself in the path of the judgment to save us.

Travis threw the last girl out of the pool and then scrambled out himself—just as a lightning bolt struck the water! The bolt momentarily blinded the bystanders who feared that both the lifeguard and the child had been struck in the water. They had made it out of the pool, but Travis lay unconscious on the deck.

After a few moments, Travis regained consciousness. As his mind began to clear, he realized how close a call it had been—the water in the pool was still steaming from the lightning strike. You can be sure that every child and every parent was grateful to Travis for what he had done for them!

Thankfully, Travis was not killed in saving those children, but Jesus had no choice but to die to save us from our sins. Because God loves you and me so much, He sent the Lord Jesus down here to take that punishment on the cross for the sins of every person who will accept Him as his or her Saviour. The girl in the pool could have said to Travis, “I’ll get out by myself!” Instead, she let Travis lift her out of danger. Will you let the Lord Jesus remove you from your danger by letting Him wash away your sins? You can’t do it by yourself. He is the only One who can. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

ML-08/17/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Fishing Fish

“In His hand are the deep places of the earth.... The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95:4-5

One of the unusual creatures in the sea is the angler fish. This fish lies at the bottom of warm seas. There are 16 known species, and most of them are less than a foot long. However, a few are as long as 5 feet.

All species of this fish have wide, frog-like mouths, which is the reason they are sometimes called frog fish. Their mouths are filled with long, fang-like teeth angled inward, and their mouths can also stretch many times their normal size. This enables them to swallow fish almost as large as themselves. These fish are found in a wide variety of shapes, but most have flat heads with bodies tapering down to small tails. One kind partly buries itself in the sandy or muddy bottom of the ocean and looks like the brown rocks surrounding it. Others have leaf-like fins that look just like sea plants. In each case, the Creator has wonderfully camouflaged them to blend in with their surroundings.

The most outstanding feature of these sea residents is that they come equipped with an efficient fishing rod and lure. And they are experts at using them. The “rod” is actually a growth extending from its nose and may be as long as four times the length of the fish. The longest “rods” are usually hinged in the middle to make them more flexible.

A rod without a suitable lure would not catch many fish, but these “rods” are already baited with an appealing-looking lure right at the tip. Depending on the species, this lure may look like a worm, a little fish or a different kind of sea life that will attract a hungry fish.

The well-disguised angler fish unfolds its rod and uses the lure just like a human fisherman does to attract fish. While remaining nearly motionless, the angler wiggles its lure until a curious fish comes to inspect what looks like a good meal. The victim discovers too late that it has been trapped. The angler fish, with strong sucking, draws its victim into its mouth and swallows it. Sometimes the lure is swallowed as well, but this does not matter, because it quickly grows a replacement.

This clever fish is another evidence of the wonders of God’s creation and the care He gives to all. It also reminds us of our enemy Satan who seeks “whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8) and often tempts us with “lures” that are pleasing to our eyes. How wise it is to turn away from him and listen to the loving Lord Jesus. His plan for us is one “of peace, and not of evil” (Jeremiah 29:11). Have you accepted His plan of peace?

ML-08/17/2014

The King's Dream

God speaks to us through the Bible, but before the Bible was written, He often spoke to people through dreams. Here is the story of a great king who was puzzled by his dream.

The king’s name was Nebuchadnezzar. He told his dream to all the astrologers, magicians and soothsayers in his kingdom, but nobody could explain it. Then Daniel came, the man filled with the wisdom of God.

The king said, “I saw in my dream a huge tree, tall, strong and spreading. It had beautiful leaves and fruit, and in its shade were all kinds of animals finding food and rest. Its branches were alive with birds eating and nesting.

“But, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven and ordered the tree to be chopped down, cut off its branches, shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the beasts get away from under it and the birds fly away from its branches.

“Leave the stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and brass in the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven and let the man graze with the beasts of the earth. Let his heart be changed from a man’s heart, and give him a beast’s heart for seven years.

“This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and this sentence is by the word of the holy ones. This is so the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to anyone He chooses.”

Then the king said to Daniel, “I saw this dream and nobody was able to explain it. I’m sure you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel’s answer was silence. He didn’t say a word for a whole hour. Not because he did not know, but because the meaning of the dream was so troubling that he just hated to tell it to the king.

Then the king said, “Don’t let the dream or its meaning trouble you.”

Daniel answered, “Let the dream be to those who hate you, and the meaning to your enemies!

“You saw that great tree. Its height, leaves, fruit, animals and birds—that’s you and your kingdom, O King! You are strong and mighty, and your dominion reaches to the end of the earth. But you saw what happened next. The tree was chopped down, and you’ll be left with the beasts of the field, night and day. This means they will drive you away from people, and you’ll be in the field, eating grass, like the oxen, for seven years ... until you know that the Most High rules.

“Now,” added Daniel, “I have some advice for you. Stop sinning by doing right and showing mercy to the poor. Maybe you will be left longer to rule in peace.”

The king remembered the warning for a whole year, but his heart hadn’t changed. After a year, he began boasting in the royal palace about his great city and all his power and glory.

Before we tell you what happened next, we want to remind you not to do the same thing. Have you won prizes and medals? Do you live in a beautiful house and have great dinners and fancy clothes? Do you boast about these things? Take warning! Thank God for your blessings, and use them for Jesus! It was God who made you. It is Jesus, the Son of God, who died for you. You cannot be the center of your own life and get away with it!

While the king was speaking, a voice came from heaven: “To you it is spoken. The kingdom is departed from you.” Yes, and the whole dream came true. He was driven from among men and ate grass like oxen. His body was wet with dew, till his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. It was seven years until he learned that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men.

King Nebuchadnezzar finally learned, and his kingdom was given back to him after seven years. But it was only an earthly kingdom, and the great king is dead. We have a Saviour who saves forever. The price was His own life given on Calvary for sinners. Will you accept Him as your Saviour? If you turn away from Him, you do not face just seven years of punishment for your sins; you face forever in hell.

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

You may read this story in Daniel, chapter 4.

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

ML-08/24/2014

Teddy

Teddy is a small dog with fluffy hair. His nose is very short, and there is not quite enough room in his mouth to store his little red tongue, so some of it sticks out a bit. Teddy has an illness that makes him very sick at times. There is a remedy for this illness, a medicine I give him by squirting it into his mouth. Soon he is feeling frisky again.

Once when I was giving Teddy this medicine, he bit me and made my hand bleed. Even though the medicine was for his good, he did not want it!

When Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, He did only good, but men did not want Him either! “Crucify Him, crucify Him,” they cried. Pilate asked, “Why, what evil [has] He done?” But they again demanded that He should be crucified. Shortly after, He was nailed to a cross where He suffered, bled and died for the sins of all who will believe in Him. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? Will you accept the gift of eternal life that He wants to give you?

Teddy needed his medicine. You need Jesus, the only remedy for your sin. Then you will be ready for heaven. “Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38-39).

ML-08/24/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Lovely White Tern

“This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, [who] is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.” Isaiah 28:29

The family of birds has many of the Creator’s most beautiful creatures. Peacocks, cardinals, hummingbirds and many others have colorful feathers that are beautiful. But the white tern, sometimes known as a fairy tern, is not among these. It is pure white and has no color except for a dark beak and black feathers around its soft, dark eyes. It is very attractive in the air with outspread wings.

White terns live in Hawaii, Midway and other Pacific islands and do not migrate like most other terns. They are great fishers, gliding smoothly just above the waves to snatch fish without stopping. They continue their fishing while holding each catch crosswise in their beaks, and then they return to land with a dozen or more fish at a time.

These birds attract visitors to their home areas because of a most peculiar manner of laying eggs, incubating them and raising their young. They seem entirely disinterested in making nests, but deposit single eggs on rocky bluffs or balance them on bare branches, pieces of stranded driftwood or almost any convenient, available place. Surprisingly, these eggs, which appear so carelessly placed and look as though they would fall at any moment, rarely fall, and then only because of a strong wind or something meddling with them.

The parents themselves are quite careful about this, incubating the egg by settling very gently on it, covering it with soft underfeathers. Those who have watched this never fail to be surprised at the skill with which both parents take on this incubating responsibility, especially since it takes a month for the egg to hatch.

Again, as the baby bird breaks out of its shell, a watcher would think it surely would fall from its support, and the egg and chick would be smashed below. But no, this hardly ever happens. The little newborn chick has been given a sense of balance that few creatures have so early in life. It has also been provided with strong, long claws to hold securely to its shaky home right from the start.

Both parents care for the chick for about two months, feeding it mostly small fish which it swallows whole. After that time, the instincts given by the Creator and what it has learned by watching its parents enable it to live on its own.

Although it is not likely that the psalmist ever saw the white tern, no doubt he observed other birds caring for their young when he wrote, “He [the Lord God] shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust” (Psalm 91:4). Have you put your trust in Him?

ML-08/24/2014

Little John Disobeyed

“John’s been hit! John’s been hit!” screamed Aaron.

As the driver picked up our little John off the road and laid him in my arms, John went limp and was very quiet. We drove as quickly as we could to the hospital, with John lying motionless in my arms.

John was only three years old, but that’s old enough to have learned to obey your parents. He had been warned many times to not even go near the road, but he did it just the same. He had disobeyed, and as a result, we were terribly anxious and distressed for our little boy.

The Bible says, “Children, obey your parents” (Ephesians 6:1). Boys and girls, do you obey your parents? All the time? If you are really honest, you’ll have to say, “No.” God tells us that disobeying is sin. That makes every person a sinner, and not just John, because we’ve all disobeyed not only our parents and maybe our teachers, but we’ve also disobeyed God.

We hope you are never hit by a car. However, all of us are in a dangerous situation just the same, if we haven’t come to the Lord Jesus to have our sins forgiven. He is the only One who can forgive our sins so that we can go to live in heaven when our time is up here on earth. God loves sinners so very much that He sent His own beloved Son into the world to save us. Jesus willingly went to Calvary’s cross to bear the punishment for the sins of all who will accept Him as their Saviour. He will give you a new life that likes to obey what God says.

Just as we reached the door of the emergency room of the hospital, John whimpered. How relieved we were to hear that little cry! The hospital doctors took charge of John while we waited in another room and prayed for our little boy.

After a long wait, they finally gave us their report. John had a broken collarbone and a damaged shoulder, and he had to have skin grafted onto one side of his head. For many years, he was able to cover that graft with his hair. But now that he is getting older, that graft is very visible; it reminds him that sin often leaves its mark. Only the precious blood of Jesus can wash our sins away, but sometimes the marks of sin will remain with us until we are in heaven.

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

MEMORY VERSE: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).

ML-08/31/2014

A Deadly Game

To hear of someone winning a fight with a shark would be exciting, but I once tangled with a tarp and nearly lost the battle.

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

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

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

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

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

And what then?

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

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

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

Will you talk to Him in prayer and confess to Him you are a sinner and that you want to accept His gift of sins forgiven and eternal life?

ML-08/31/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Amazing Ways of One Wasp

“Seek the Lord and His strength.... Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, [and] His wonders.” 1 Chronicles 16:11-12

The black wasp caterpillar hunter is a most interesting creature. The female has an unusual way of making a nest for her young. First she digs a tunnel several inches deep in hard-packed sand. She carries one load of sand after another between her front legs and chin. Backing out of the tunnel, she flies off and dumps the sand some distance away so there will be no clue there is a nest nearby.

After finishing the tunnel, she hides it by pulling a pebble over the entrance, brushing sand over the pebble to also hide it. However, through God-given ability, she herself always returns to the exact spot. Then she hunts for a caterpillar, pricking it in several places with her stinger. This will not kill the caterpillar but paralyzes it. Where did she learn to do this? When the Creator designed this wasp, He gave her this skill, and it has been passed on to all generations ever since.

Next, she drags the captive caterpillar to her burrow, removes the pebble, pushes the caterpillar down the tunnel, and then replaces the pebble. This process is repeated until there are several caterpillars down in the tunnel, and then she deposits a single egg alongside the paralyzed caterpillars. She then fills the tunnel with sand and tamps it down firmly with a pebble held in her mouth and front feet. Her work is finished, and she flies off and does not return.

But the Creator does not forget about that egg. Soon the warmth of the sand causes the egg to hatch into a larva, which feeds on the caterpillars. It soon turns into a mature wasp and works its way to the surface of the tunnel and flies off.

What are we to learn from these interesting wasps? First, that the Lord God delighted in creating many wonderful things. Second, to observe that all things He created (except mankind) obey the instructions implanted in them and do not try to change their ways. By this we learn that God is pleased with obedience of His creatures. How it must please Him when we voluntarily desire to obey and serve Him. The Bible tells of some people asking, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:28-29). When you truly believe on Him as your Lord and Saviour, you receive a new life and a new nature that is happy only when doing what is pleasing in His sight. Is this true of you?

ML-08/31/2014

Believing in Your Head or in Your Heart?

Do you boys and girls know what the difference is between believing something in your head and believing something in your heart? We have two short stories here that will help you to understand that there is a very important difference.

———————

It was late afternoon, and Mrs. Thomas was working on dinner for her family when the doorbell rang. It was a neighbor lady who said, “I just heard that a student walking home from school got hit by a car. I didn’t hear who it was, but it could be a child we all know.” They chatted a bit about how sad the news was and wondered . . .

Mrs. Thomas believed what the neighbor had said. She believed the news in her head.

Then the doorbell rang again, and a different neighbor brought the urgent news: “Mrs. Thomas, your son Ryan got hit by a car on his way home from school!”

Now the news was not only sad; this was very bad news! Mrs. Thomas quickly went to the phone to call her husband to tell him, before she left to hurry to the hospital.

Now Mrs. Thomas believed the news in her heart! It involved her personally.

——————-

Our second story is about eight-year-old Cathy. She attended Sunday school, and the children had a Bible verse to memorize each week. The verse she had learned this week was Isaiah 53:6— “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity [sins] of us all.”

Cathy lived close enough to Sunday school that she would walk. On her way, she skipped along and repeated her memory verse to the rhythm of her skipping. She knew her verse well.

In her Sunday school class, each child would take his or her turn, repeating the same memory verse. Now it was Cathy’s turn. She repeated it slowly but perfectly. When she finished the last part, “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all,” she started to cry as she said, “He did that for me—He did that for me!”

Now Cathy believed the verse in her heart. Now she understood and believed that Jesus paid the price for her very own sins personally, when He was on the cross!

Her wise Sunday school teacher said, “Let’s thank the Lord Jesus, Cathy, that it was for you.” They knelt down, and after the teacher had thanked the Lord for opening Cathy’s heart to see Jesus as her substitute, Cathy whispered, “Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for me and for taking my punishment.” Then the quiet calm of being accepted by God filled her heart, and she had peace with God.

Boys and girls, do you believe that verse only in your head? Or, like Cathy, do you believe it in your heart, that it was for you personally that Jesus died?

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

ML-09/07/2014

The Deceptive "Frog"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will you let Him save you?

ML-09/07/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Ear-Splitting Howlers

“God Himself ... formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain.” Isaiah 45:18

Equipped with long arms, legs and tails and dark red bodies, red howler monkeys live in the rain forests of Central and South America. Like many other monkeys, they use their long tails as an extra hand, often hanging upside down while finding a meal on the underside of a branch.

These monkeys live high in treetops where they eat leaves, flowers and fruit. The moisture received from these, plus what they get by licking wet leaves, satisfies their thirst so that no other water is needed. This prevents them from having to leave the safety of the trees—another provision of the Creator for this interesting animal.

Red howlers are not peaceful animals and continually fight for leadership. However, they do stay together in small groups and move through the trees at a slow pace to keep together. In fact, this monkey is not known for speed or activity but is quite slow in all its habits. That is why the native people call it flojo, which means lazy.

Unusual vocal cords and large, round mouths allow them to make piercing howls that can be heard for a mile or more. Individuals may howl for no apparent reason. When the whole troop howls together, they make an unforgettable racket! Howling is done almost every dawn, pausing only to listen for answering howls from others. Their howls seem to say, “Don’t cross over into our territory!” They are ready to howl at any time, especially when there is a full moon. They can also purr, grunt and squeal.

When moving from one place to another, a mother first waits for her baby to climb onto her back. The baby has an exciting piggy-back ride as its mother leaps from branch to branch. Interestingly, the young monkeys are more lively than the adults, having mock battles and squealing with pleasure while the parents nap, which is most of the day.

We enjoy watching monkeys and their antics, realizing they have been uniquely created by a wise Creator who also cares for them at all times. But He has not given them a nature like ours. When we think of His special care for humans, we have to agree with the Bible: “Great things doeth He, which we cannot [understand]” (Job 37:5).

Animals know nothing of God’s wonderful love that goes out to every person. God invites each one to come to Him, admitting he is a sinner and believing that God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died on the cross to cleanse him from all sin. When this is done in true faith, God promises, “[I] will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:18). Have you accepted this wonderful invitation?

ML-09/07/2014

Lost and Found

Walking to work one morning, a bulldog came running up to me. He seemed to have come from a country neighbor’s house, so I figured it was their dog. He was friendly so I petted him, and he trotted along with me, often walking in front of me. Still thinking that he belonged to the neighbor, I kept telling him that he really should go home. He completely ignored my command.

This dog appeared to be rather well fed but perhaps not too active, and so, as we walked on, he got tired. As we got closer to work, he wandered off to the other side of the road. I hoped he wouldn’t get hit by any road traffic, but then I saw that he was interested in the dead deer on the shoulder of the road. Then he wandered into the yard of our business neighbor next door and finally came into the yard of the veterinary office where I worked.

I stepped inside and talked to Anna, the vet’s wife. Conner, their dog, was making a big fuss. I told Allen, the vet, and Anna about the dog that followed me, which Conner had seen and was fussing about. I called the neighbor that I assumed owned this dog that had followed me and talked to the lady of the house. She said it wasn’t their dog and that it had just shown up in their yard that morning. So that idea wasn’t any help in figuring out who owned the dog.

I ended up calling the town’s dog warden. He said he’d be out before 5:00 to pick up the dog. There were no tags on the dog’s collar, and he didn’t have a micro chip, so we had no way to identify him. Anna went out and tied him to a tree, and I went out later and gave him some water. He lounged comfortably in the shade for the day. He probably didn’t even know he was lost.

I’m sure that some of you children don’t know that you are lost. In fact, all children have been lost! Some of you might well remember being separated from your mom or dad in a store when you were young, and that was scary. But they quickly found you, and you were happy again. But do you know that each boy and girl and man and woman has been lost but in a different way? The Bible tells us that each one of us has been born lost in sin. When you were lost in a store, you were separated from your mom or dad. Being lost in sin means that you are separated from God who loves you, even more than your mom and dad love you. And He is looking for you just like your mom or dad were looking all over for you in the store. God sent His beloved Son, Jesus, into the world to die for you so that your sins could be washed away. “The Son of Man [Jesus] is come to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11). He is looking for you right now, so that He can save you from your sins.

I’m glad to tell you that someone was looking for the lost dog that had followed me to work. When it was time for me to go home, I walked out to the road and headed home. I hadn’t gone far when I heard a vehicle slow down behind me. It was a man in a pickup truck, and he called, “Have you seen a brown and white dog?”

I was happy to tell him that I had seen his dog, and I could tell him where he was tied up. I told him his dog had followed me to work and told him exactly where to find him. I said he should tell Allen and Anna that he had talked to me and had come to claim his dog. He was very glad to know his dog was safe.

A little later, as I turned into our driveway, I heard a couple blasts from a horn. I turned around to see the same pickup truck go by, this time with a brown and white dog in the passenger seat, and I gave them a happy wave. It was easy to see that the dog and his owner were both happy to be back together again.

Boys and girls, and grown-ups too, this lost dog story has a happy ending, but we want to be sure that your life has a happy ending too. The Lord Jesus came into this world of sin purposely to save sinners. He loves you and died for you, taking the punishment that you deserve for your sins, if you will accept Him as your very own Saviour. He is alive in heaven right now and wants you to live with Him when your time here on earth is finished. Will you accept His loving offer right now and know that someday heaven will be your happy home?

“The Son of Man [Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke19:10).

MEMORY VERSE: “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

ML-09/14/2014

Bible Mothers and Grandmothers

Can you match the name of the mother or grandmother with one of the following statements about her? If you want to check your answers or if you need help, you may look up the references.

ElisabethLois

EuniceRachel

HannahRuth

JochebedSarah

1. __________________made a little coat for her son each year. (1 Samuel 2:19-21)

2. __________________had her first child when she was 90 years old. (Genesis 17:17)

3. __________________was Moses’ birth mother. (Numbers 26:59)

4. __________________was Timothy’s grandmother. (2 Timothy 1:5)

5. __________________was Joseph’s mother. (Genesis 30:25)

6. __________________was King David’s great grandmother. (Matthew 1:5-6)

7. __________________was Timothy’s mother. (2 Timothy 1:5)

8. __________________was the mother of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:57,63)

ML-09/14/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Plants With Strange Appetites

“The Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field.” Genesis 2:4-5

Most of us are pleased to find any kind of wildflower. We enjoy its fragrance and perhaps take a picture of it. Many of them seem so delicate that we are careful not to step on them or handle them roughly. But among these wild plants and flowers are some with very strange ways.

One of them is the three-foot-tall pitcher plant. Sometimes these are sold in garden stores. The top of this plant is open like a pitcher, and a puddle of sweet nectar at the bottom attracts many insects. The insects crawl down to feast on the nectar but soon find they are trapped and unable to escape. They die there and become food absorbed into the plant.

Another is the sundew. This one has sticky flowers on which crawling or flying insects are trapped and gradually absorbed into the plant’s system. There are various species of the sundew, and they can be found growing on every continent except Antarctica.

Bladderwort plants grow in ponds and use a different way of trapping. When a water bug or even a small minnow bumps into one, that part of the plant flies open and the victim is sucked inside where it cannot escape. It then becomes part of the food supply of the captor plant.

Then there is the huntsman’s cap. An insect is attracted by its sweet smell and alights on its top. The insect finds it so slippery that it slides down to the bottom where rainwater has collected. It soon drowns and decomposes, becoming food helpful to the plant.

Other plants don’t eat insects; God has designed them to keep insects away. They produce chemicals that chase the insects off or may even kill them. Among these plants are marigolds, some varieties of mushrooms, and goldenrod that discourage insect visitors by burning holes in their bodies with its chemicals. Even cucumber plants give off odors that send cockroaches scurrying away.

These are exceptions to the general nature of plants. Most plants need insects, such as ants, bees, butterflies and moths, to pollinate their flowers so that seed-bearing pods, fruit or berries will develop. But as we consider the insect-eating plants with ways that are strange to us, we are reminded in our opening Bible verse that they are all among the wonders of God’s creation. Each one serves a real purpose in His order of things.

God has a purpose for your life too. He invites you to come to Him through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus, who gave His life on Calvary to be a Saviour to all who will trust in Him. One happy purpose for those who trust in the Lord Jesus is to serve and honor Him. Do you trust in Jesus?

ML-09/14/2014

Is Seven Old Enough to Be Saved?

Yes, and so is six or five or younger.

Danny was a happy boy. He lived in a large family where there was always activity around him. He was one of the younger children and didn’t have as many job responsibilities as his older brothers and sisters, so life was pretty fun and easy.

His parents faithfully read the Bible together as a family every day and brought their children to Sunday school each week. Danny heard about the Lord Jesus who was a loving Saviour and came down to this earth as a man to die for sinners. He heard that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Many of these verses he had also memorized.

Danny thought about these things and, although he had sometimes been bad, he knew that Jesus loves children. He decided there was nothing for him to worry about, because he was only seven years old and too young for it to matter if he was a sinner. Then one week in Sunday school he listened to the words from a song everyone was singing:

A little child of seven,

Or even three or four,

May enter into heaven

Through Christ the open Door.

All of a sudden, Danny thought, If I am old enough to be saved, that means I am old enough to be lost! He knew that a person who did not accept the Lord Jesus as their very own Saviour would never go to heaven, and, for sure, he did not want to go to hell!

For many days, Danny was very troubled. Finally, one night he left his room and went downstairs to talk to Dad. He had to know if he was really old enough to be saved. When his dad told him, “Yes, you are old enough,” Danny went back upstairs disappointed. He was hoping his dad would say, “No, son, you are too small.”

As he lay in bed, he thought about the many verses in the Bible that told of a man, woman, boy or girl all being sinners, and how Jesus came to die so that we could be saved. Finally, he got down on his knees and asked the Lord Jesus to wash away his sins.

Danny was again a happy boy and has never once regretted his decision—for nearly 50 years now. He believed God’s Word that once he was saved, he could never be lost again.

What about you boys and girls reading or listening to this? Are you saved? And let’s not leave out the grown-ups? Are you saved?

“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).

MEMORY VERSE: “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-09/21/2014

Stranded in a Tree

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lord Jesus loves us and wants to save us from our sins. Revelation 3:20 tells us how badly He wants to save us: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup [eat] with him, and he with Me.” Will you open your heart’s door and let the Saviour rescue you from the danger of the lake of fire?

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

ML-09/21/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Little Goby

“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.” Psalm 107:23-24

Those who live in the islands of the Caribbean Sea and have explored underwater in the bays or along the reefs have seen beautiful and fascinating sights. Among all the colorful sights, they may have observed a small, bright-blue fish known as the goby. This little fish lives a rather unusual life.

Most little fish try to remain hidden, fearing that larger fish will eat them. But the goby remains entirely exposed on a piece of coral where it lives and has a little business going. It has no fear of larger fish; in fact, it seems to try to attract them.

The parrot fish, which has beak-like jaws, is one of the goby’s regular customers. When a parrot fish sees the goby, it will slowly swim over to it, and then turning upright in the water it spreads out its fins. The goby begins cleaning off and eating all of the small parasites that are attached to the body of the parrot fish. Then the parrot fish will open its mouth wide, and the goby swims inside to clean the teeth and the inside of the parrot fish’s mouth. When the cleaning is finished, the goby swims out, the parrot fish swims away, and the goby has had a good meal for its work.

Other species of fish, such as the surgeon fish and the vicious bar jack, are also cleaned by the goby. Both of these could easily swallow the little goby whole.

How is it that a little fish could overcome natural fear of larger fish that could so easily eat it? What makes the otherwise vicious killers come peacefully to this little fish, even letting it swim into their jaws without harming it? Here we have another wonder of God’s creation, displaying that “with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). It also shows His wisdom in providing a working relationship between creatures who would normally be enemies, that they might help each other through this arrangement.

Let us remember that the Lord God is the Creator of all things and is also the Provider for them. His eye is always on even the smallest and strangest of His creatures, and all form a part of His wise purposes. Of most importance, it is “the Lord God [who] formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). The little goby and the big fish do not have this, but God’s Word tells us that He has loved you and me with an everlasting love and would draw us to Himself through Christ the Saviour. Do not turn away from Him, but accept His love today.

ML-09/21/2014

What Happened First?

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This earth that you are standing on right now had its very beginning when God created it.

Created means that God started with nothing, and He made the whole world out of nothing at all. That’s impossible, isn’t it? But do you remember this verse from the Bible? “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). God just spoke, and it was done!

You may have a very good teacher in school who tells you about evolution, but God is far more skillful than that. God comes first. God knows, and when He speaks, nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it!

God created the heavens and the earth, and you may be quite sure that Satan did not like this at all. He could not create anything.

God prepared the earth for His creatures. He chose to do it one day at a time, and every little bit shows that He loves His creatures. The first day God said, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Nobody but God could do that. And God called the light “day,” and He called the darkness “night.” There was no sun or moon, but, of course, God can make light or darkness anywhere, because He is God.

On the second day, God made the fresh air come between the clouds and the seas. Aren’t you glad He did that? That was the second day.

On the third day, God made the dry land come up from the ocean, so that we could have a place to live and walk. And He made grass and trees with fruit and seeds to grow more and more. We can study all this, but we couldn’t make it happen. Only God could.

Then on the fourth day, God made two great lights and put them in the sky. And I know you are glad they are there! That was 6,000 years ago, and the sun and moon are still shining, one during the day and one during the night. And there’s been no change, because God planned it right the first time. He made the stars also.

Stars? There are millions of them, all sizes and distances from the earth. God made them by speaking a word, just like that! All the telescopes in the world have never found the end of the stars. And besides that, He gave every star a name! What a Creator God we have!

On the fifth day, God created all kinds of birds and fish, flying or swimming, all shapes and sizes and colors. And every single one was just right for where God placed it to live. And God blessed them in a way that He never blessed grass and trees.

Then came that wonderful sixth day. God made beasts and creeping things and cattle, but there was one more creation He wanted—the very highest of all. God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). That puts you and me in a very high place in God’s perfect plan. We are to have dominion over fish, birds, cattle and creeping things.

So God created man in His own image, male and female, and spoke to them, which He had not done with any of the others. He told them, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), and that’s why we have babies growing up to be men and women. God also said we were to have control over all the rest of creation.

We hope you will read this account in Genesis 1 and remember that God is very much wiser than anybody He ever created.

MEMORY VERSE: “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

ML-09/28/2014

A Strange Hiding Place

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The little orphan chick found a safe place, but have you?

“Flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7).

ML-09/28/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pond-Loving Jacana

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

Approaching a pond in among the trees of a tropical forest, a person might think his eyes were deceiving him when he sees a group of large birds walking on top of the water. But coming closer, he would find they were actually walking on lily pads. These are jacana birds, which are sometimes called lily-trotters or banana coots. They are found around the world, but only in tropical zones.

Of the eight varieties, two live in North, Central and South America. Some of these pretty birds have dark red faces with yellow beaks. Their bodies are mostly black or dark blue, with the outer half of their wings a solid white. They are about the size of a chicken and have long, thin, scaly legs and three very long toes, enabling them to spread their weight over enough area of a lily pad so they can walk on it without even getting their toes wet. Jerking their tails and taking high steps across the floating pads, they pick up seeds, insects and small fish. At times they will lift the edge of a lily pad, looking for food on the bottom side. Flies are snatched out of the air and swallowed immediately. Bees are also favorites, but before swallowing one, they hold it under water so it cannot use its stinger. Now isn’t that clever! Who do you think taught them to do this?

Family life is left up to the father jacana, who first builds a floating nest on the water. When the nest is finished, the mother shows up and lays six eggs, but she flies away again. The father takes over from then on, incubating the eggs for about three weeks.

The newly hatched babies are helpless and have just a thin, moist covering of down. The father pushes them under his wings to dry out, keeping them sheltered for about three days. Soon feathers appear, and then the young ones are big enough to follow their parent across the lily pads in search of food. From then on their lives are on the water, and there is no need ever to go ashore. When in danger, young and old all dive underwater for safety, but they normally spend the entire day walking across the lily pads, gathering food. The young birds never see their mother. Isn’t it unusual and amazing how the father bird takes over these responsibilities?

Jacanas are part of the Creator’s wonderful works, as the Bible states: “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made ... the earth, and all things that are therein” (Nehemiah 9:6).

His love extends to each of us in a very special way. He wants us to trust in the Lord Jesus who came into the world to save us from our sins. Is He your Saviour?

ML-09/28/2014

The Fight

Tony was a “good boy,” or at least that’s what most of us would call him. He didn’t fight, smoke, swear or damage other people’s property. But there was a gang of “bad boys” in his neighborhood who did all of those things. Tony thought he was better than they were, and he led his group of friends in making fun of the bad boys. He wasn’t paying attention to Proverbs 4:14-15. Those verses tell us, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” These two verses plainly say not to even go near evil people, but to avoid them completely! Tony’s story will show us why this is so important!

Tony was being raised in a Christian home where these verses from the Bible were taught. In fact, Tony had accepted the Lord Jesus as his very own Saviour when he was 5, and now at 13 he should have known better than to make fun of the bad boys.

One day, Tony and his group of good boys got so interested in trying to teach the bad boys not to be bad that a fight started. Now, does it work to teach someone not to be bad by being just as bad as they are? No, of course not! The bad boys tore up a fence to use in the fight, and soon someone called the police.

The police came, but Tony had already run away. He knew that wasn’t the right place to be, but it was too late for Tony. Someone had recognized him, and they told the police that he had been in the fight. And that person also said that he had torn apart the fence, which was not true.

A few days later, Tony was outside when a police officer showed up at his house. The officer asked if Tony Smith was there. Wishing he could run away, he had to admit, “Yeah, I’m Tony.” The officer wanted to hear Tony’s side of the story about the fight. Sadly, Tony had to admit he had been involved. In disobeying the Word of God, he had gone near evil and had done wrong. Now he was in trouble.

After hearing Tony’s side of the story, the office said, “Yeah, we know about those guys, but fighting’s illegal. You need to stay away from them. We believe your story, but you still did wrong in fighting.”

Tony had thought he was good, but actually he was trying to hurt the gang by calling them names and then fighting with them. In a painful way, he found out that he was also bad! Actually, he had been the cause of the fence being pulled down, because he had led his friends in making the gang of other boys mad.

Boys and girls, we are never smarter than what God tells us in the Bible. It warns us not to even go near evil people. We should avoid them and get out of there! Disobeying this warning leads to problems, as Tony found out that day.

The Lord Jesus always has the best, happiest and safest plans for those who belong to Him and want to obey Him. He wants to keep you happy, but He can only do that if you obey what He says in the Bible. Psalm 119:63 says, “I am a companion of all them that fear [respect] thee, and of them that keep thy precepts [rules].” He is telling us what kinds of friends are good to have—friends who respect and follow His rules. Friends who obey what God tells us in the Bible are the safest and best kinds of friends to have.

Boys and girls, choose your friends wisely.

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

ML-10/05/2014

A Lot or a Little

Our two daughters left the house too late and missed their flight by almost an hour. Then there was Jim, a friend of ours, who had a flat tire on his way to the airport and arrived just in time to see his plane taxiing down the runway. Though he was only minutes late, he still missed his flight just the same.

When I was a young girl, I took part in a day of sports and races. I came in second in the younger girls’ race, and my friend Nancy came in almost last. However, neither of us won the race.

There are children who are often mean to their brothers and sisters or disobey their parents and don’t even care. Being mean and disobedient is sin. But maybe you are a child who really wants to do what’s right and who tries hard to be obedient. That’s very good, but if you told me you have never been even a little bit grumpy when you were told to do something you didn’t want to do, I’d have to wonder if you were telling a lie. Lying is also sin. So God tells us that “there is no difference: for all have sinned” (Romans 3:22-23).

Whether we miss the plane or lose the race by just a little or by a whole lot doesn’t really matter too much, does it? Neither Jim nor our daughters caught their flights, and neither Nancy nor I won the race. And whether we’re naughty just a little bit or a whole lot, we have all sinned and desperately need to be washed clean from our sins. Not one single sin, great or small, will be allowed to enter heaven. But the wonderful news is that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners [like you and me]” (1 Timothy 1:15). Christ died for us and His precious blood was poured out so you and I could be washed perfectly clean from every stain of sin. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Don’t miss heaven. The door of salvation is open for you whether you have sinned a lot or just a little bit. The Lord Jesus loves you and wants to cleanse you from your sins right now. Won’t you come to Him and let Him wash your sins away?

ML-10/05/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Exceedingly Wise Ant

“The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer.” Proverbs 30:25

Ants are found in all parts of the world except Antarctica and a few remote islands. Like people, ants do not live alone; they live and work with other ants in colonies .These colonies may have only a few dozen ants or as many as millions of ants.

The ant’s life begins as an egg, which hatches into a larva. The larva cannot move and has to be fed by adult ants. Eventually the larva spins a cocoon. Adult ants are very protective of these cocoons, taking them to a “nursery room” where they watch over them constantly. If the colony decides to move or if they fear an attack from an enemy, the cocoons are carried to a new home. You may have seen this in a disturbed ant nest and thought they were carrying white eggs. Actually, the eggs are so small they can hardly be seen. Later, when the pupae break out of their cocoons, they are fully developed ants, ready to take their place in the colony.

Most ants have compound eyes with many, many facets, each acting as a separate eye. However, it is the antennae’s sense of smell that directs them in finding food. They are also helped by a sensitive touch through the antennae on their heads.

Ants cannot eat solid food. It may look like they are eating bits of food, but they are actually covering it with digestive juices. These juices break down the solids into liquids which they can lap with their tongues. The species called fungus ants chew leaves into pulp, which they place in their nests. Fungi live on this moist material, and the ants eat these fungi as their only source of food. Because they need a constant supply, they tend the fungi beds just as a gardener tends his garden.

How have all their abilities and habits come about? God has given them these outstanding qualities, and we may be sure He watches over and cares for them. Do you think He would like us to find an object lesson in their busy and industrious lives? I think so, since He does not look with favor on idleness and has told us, “If any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Ants don’t loaf.

Another Scripture says, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27). We should never tire of well-doing, and always remember the pattern of the Lord Jesus who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). But it is a serious thought that your best efforts to do good are of no use if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour, “for without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Hebrews 11:6).

Next week we will read about one of the ant’s enemies.

ML-10/05/2014

Selfish Birds

Dear Boys and Girls,

We have seven feeding stations for all the birds, and it takes me a little while to make the rounds every day to refill them. We have many different colored birds that return to the feeders every morning, through the day and every evening. We feed them twice a day. At this time of year, we also put out corn for the wild geese and ducks, which arrived back in March from their long flights from warmer climates where they spent the winter. So Gramma and I have a wonderful time watching and feeding these beautiful birds that our God in heaven has created for all of us to enjoy.

It was 6:30 in the morning, and I had just come back from putting food in all our bird feeding stations. I watched for a moment or two as a red-winged blackbird was enjoying his breakfast. As the blackbird moved around the feeder to get a better place for more seed, he bumped into a northern oriole that also was eating seeds. So guess what . . . they started to fight with each other over the food! Wow!

Were they greedy? Were they not satisfied with their positions on the feeder? I don’t know. I’m guessing they were only thinking about themselves and not willing to share! Hmmmm, I’ve known boys and girls who’ve acted like that too, and there are grown-ups who’ve also acted that way. That’s called being selfish, and being selfish can lead to other sins.

In the Bible we read about two people who owned a piece of property they wanted to sell. They made a promise to God that they would give Him all the money they sold the property for. But when they were asked how much they sold it for, they lied! These two people not only were selfish, but even worse, they lied. They must have forgotten what God had told Moses to write in Leviticus 19:11: “[You] shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.” They also forgot that “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). These two people died immediately for their sin of lying. You can read this story in Acts 5:1-10.

Children, when the Lord Jesus was hanging on the cross, He was doing it for you and me, because we are sinners and He loves us. And when those hours of darkness were over, He cried with a loud voice, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He had just won a mighty victory over sin. And He did that for you and me! It is through His precious blood that can wash away our sins that the door to heaven can be open for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He gave up His life to pay for the sins of any sinner who will believe in Him. Can you say from your heart, “Jesus died for me”?

Lots of love,

Grampa and Gramma

MEMORY VERSE: “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.” Leviticus 19:11

ML-10/12/2014

Eddie's Heart

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock.

All was quiet in the big country house. Even the grown-ups had all gone to bed. No sound of any kind could be heard anywhere, except the steady tick, tock, tick, tock of the old grandfather clock downstairs.

Eddie sat up in bed and looked around him. I don’t like this quiet, he thought. It feels like there is no one else in the whole world but me.

Suddenly Eddie heard a little different noise downstairs.

What’s that? he wondered.

Tick, tock, then more slowly, tick..........tock, then tick...tick...tick. This was followed by a whirrrrrr, a thud, and then...silence!

For a few moments Eddie did not move a muscle. What had happened? He could feel the silence. That friendly tick tock of the grandfather clock that he had heard his whole life had stopped!

Through the stillness there seemed to come to Eddie another sound—regularly it beat, tick, tick, tick, tick. This held his attention and he strained his ears to listen. Then he became aware of a little thump going on inside of himself, and he put his hand over his chest.

“It’s in my chest!” he said out loud. “It’s my own heart beating, and it sounds just like a clock!” Eddie lay down again and began to think.

Has that grandfather clock got a heart too? I wonder ... it ticks just like mine does, only louder, because it’s bigger than I am. It has ticked for seven years ... Daddy told me ... and now it has stopped. My heart must have ticked for seven years too. Will my heart stop ticking? What will happen if it does? I guess I’ll die. What will happen then?

Quite suddenly Eddie began to think about sin. He knew that he had never asked the Lord Jesus to wash his heart clean from sin and make it white as snow. He knew that sometimes he disobeyed and did things that were wrong. And he also knew that the Lord Jesus had said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). He seemed to hear a still, small voice saying, “Eddie, if you want to know that someday when your heart stops beating you will come to live with Me in heaven, you must come to Me now and confess that you are a sinner. I love you and will forgive you and wash your sins away.”

Without waiting another moment, Eddie got out of bed, and in the quiet stillness of the night, kneeling beside his bed, he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his very own Saviour.

From that happy moment on, he never doubted that when his heart would stop beating, he would enter heaven, which the Lord Jesus has waiting for all who trust in Him.

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

What will happen to you when your heart stops beating?

ML-10/12/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Anteater

“The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.” Psalm 50:1

The anteater, a very unusual animal, lives in the damp, tropical forests of Mexico and Central and South America. There are a number of species, ranging in size from just seven inches long to the giant anteater which can grow to six feet long. You might be frightened if you happened on one of these in the wild, with its tube-shaped head, coarse, gray hair striped with white and long bushy tail. Actually, they do no harm unless they are attacked. Anteaters live in burrows, in hollow logs or sometimes in trees. They are mostly active at night or at dusk. Some live for 25 to 30 years.

This animal has been designed by the Lord God to serve a very special purpose. God has given it features that look unusual to us, but they are exactly right for what He designed it to do. As its name indicates, the anteater searches for and eats large numbers of ants and termites, serving a useful purpose by controlling the populations of these insects. They sometimes also eat spiders.

The anteater’s head, with its tiny ears and long, tapered snout, are its most outstanding features. It has no teeth, but that long snout holds a foot-long, sticky tongue that whips out with lightning speed and reaches deep into the winding tunnels of ant nests for its dinner. It also uses its tongue to lick up any ants on the surface of the ground. It has dense, long fur that protects it from ant or termite bites. Since some anteaters live in trees, they also have prehensile tails, much like a monkey’s that can wrap around a branch.

Equipped with strong legs and sharp claws, the anteater defends itself well, and most animals know better than to attack it. However, the strong, front claws are used primarily for ripping open ant and termite nests, where it soon wipes out the colony. Strong leg muscles also help it to roll over rocks where ants hide.

The anteater is not aware of it, but it depends upon God to direct it to its food. “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season” (Psalm 145:15). Are you aware that this is also true of you? “In [God’s] hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10).

How important it is to remember our dependence upon God. He not only has provided the way of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, but He also prepares the hearts and souls of those who will trust in Him. Can you say, “We are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20)?

ML-10/12/2014

Three Mighty Men

Mighty men do mighty things. They are winners, and their names are in the headlines of news reports. But this story is not about being strong and winning medals, which you must leave behind when you die. Would you like to know what the Bible says about these three mighty men in our story? First, I will tell you that the Bible doesn’t tell us their names, but the story is still true even if we don’t know their names.

David was God’s choice to rule over Israel, but he was hunted like a deer in deer hunting season. King Saul hated David, and his most important plan was to kill him. However, nobody can kill God’s choice! Right through King Saul’s bad words, javelin attacks and evil plots that didn’t work, God’s choice lived on, until King Saul died in battle. Then David was crowned king. God’s plans can never be broken!

This story from the Bible is thousands of years old, but God recorded it because He wants you to know something important. God’s Man is the Lord Jesus Christ, and nobody can or ever will change this. One day very soon, Jesus will be crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. What does He mean to you today—right now?

The three mighty men were close to David, so close that they heard not only his commands but his wishes. Jesus wants you to be close to Him too. But are you clean enough to be there? If the precious blood of Jesus has washed away your sins, you certainly are clean, and He wants your close company!

When David was a boy, he lived in Bethlehem, and, as a man, he remembered the well of water right beside the gate to the city. But now David was in a cave, hiding from King Saul. His three mighty men, who also were in hiding with David in the cave, heard David say that he longed for a drink of clear water from that well at Bethlehem. But there was a problem—the Philistine enemies were guarding that well! However, if David wanted a drink of water from that well, those three men decided they would find a way to get it for him. They were about to put into action what James 1:22 tells us: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

Never mind the enemy guarding the well; those three mighty men were true-hearted to David. They broke through the enemy camp and found the well. Somehow they drew the water up from the well and ran back with it to David—the very water that he longed for. They received no medal of honor for their success. If David was pleased, that was enough of a thank-you.

Is it enough for you and me to please Jesus, even if nobody else knows? I don’t know your name, but Jesus does, and He will never forget what you do for Him.

David was only a man, and when he received that water from his three mighty men, it was just too valuable for him to drink. He knew those three men had risked their lives to bring him that water from the well at Bethlehem, and he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out on the ground as an offering before the Lord.

Were the three men disappointed? I don’t think so. They didn’t bring that water to David for the honor it might bring them; they brought it for the pleasure it would give David. And they saw how much David valued it.

David had many mighty men, but none of them accomplished what these three men did for David that day. And we don’t even know their names!

You may read this story for yourself in 1 Chronicles 11:15-19.

MEMORY VERSE: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” James 1:22

ML-10/19/2014

The Garden of Weeds

Dave was a wise man. He loved the Lord Jesus and asked Him for help and guidance each day. He was a hard-working black man with a large family. Besides being a gospel preacher, Dave had to do a little farming to make ends meet, and his wife preserved much of the food for their family’s needs.

One day when I visited Dave, he took me out to show me his garden, which he enjoyed and cared for. The rows were neat and orderly, the weeds were pulled, and the vegetables were large and healthy. But right in the middle of the garden was a patch that had been planted in a hodgepodge manner. The weeds were bigger and more abundant than the vegetable plants, and the fruit was stunted.

I asked Dave about this patch of weedy garden. He told me that he planted this patch to remind himself how not to raise his children. He said, “Some folks tell me, ‘Just let the children be; don’t be too concerned; everything will be all right.” Dave explained that raising children, or doing anything right in life, requires proper care and attention. “First,” he said, “you must know the Lord Jesus yourself. You must accept Him as Lord and Master of your life. But you know,” he continued, “we have something far more valuable than a garden when we have a family and children. How important it is to read the Word of God and pray with them; how important it is to correct them with love and wisdom from the Bible. That’s like planting well and pulling the weeds.”

Fathers and mothers, do you have your life in order? Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? Your children are like a garden. Are you reading God’s Word, the Bible, to them and praying with them every day? Are you bringing them up the way Ephesians 6:4 instructs? “Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

Boys and girls, do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? “He that abideth in Me, and I in him ... bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Let us use much care and wisdom, that our lives and the lives of our families may never become a garden of weeds!

ML-10/19/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Scheming Antbird - Part 1

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

There are more than 200 species of antbirds in different parts of the world, but they are particularly numerous in Central and South America’s tropical forests. They are small birds, most about the size of a sparrow, having no particular melody but making whistles, chirps and trills that are pleasant to hear.

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

A pair will build a nest that is either suspended from a branch or supported on a stump or mound on the ground. Usually two eggs are laid. Both parents share incubation and feeding the young birds.

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

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

The antbirds know it is only these big ants that can expose the hidden food and do not waste time following any of the many other smaller varieties found in those tropical areas, except when food is scarce. Then they will eat the smaller ants to relieve their hunger.

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

Isn’t it remarkable how the Creator has given these birds such a variety of ways and ability to find their food day by day?

Every person who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour is given an even better promise, as the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:19: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

(to be continued)

ML-10/19/2014

Rocky Goes Astray

Have you memorized Isaiah 53:6? “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Let’s think about the word “astray” in the verse. Do you know what it means? Astray is to go off in the wrong direction. Have you ever gone astray? Our verse tells us that we have all gone astray and turned to our own way. But the Lord Jesus died for the sins of any boy or girl or grown-up who has accepted Him as Saviour. Have you accepted Him as your very own Saviour? If so, have you thanked Him for taking the punishment for your sins?

Let’s meet Rocky. He was a sheep that lived on a large sheep ranch in New Zealand, where there were many, many sheep. Every year the sheep on the ranch were rounded up and sheared. That means the fleece, or wool, was removed by cutting it off with sharp shears and clippers. Somehow, Rocky went astray and missed the yearly shearing for six years! He was eventually found living in a cave that was in high, rugged country, in a far away area of the ranch. The person who found Rocky did not recognize him as a sheep but called him a “shapeless bundle of legs.”

Rocky was a good example of what happens not only when sheep go astray, but also when any one of us goes astray and is weighed down with sins. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, He tells us in John 10:14 that He is the good shepherd and knows His sheep. So when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we are one of His sheep. Even though Rocky’s shepherd may have known him before he went astray, I wonder if he would have recognized him after he was found.

Read the little story in Luke 15:4-7, and you will see how much the Lord Jesus loves you. Even though the shepherd had 100 sheep, when just one was lost, he searched until he found that one. What a good picture of how much the Lord Jesus loves sinners!

After Rocky was found, he had to be carried down the mountain, because he was so heavy and unsteady he could not walk. Normally, Rocky’s fleece would weigh about 10 pounds each year, but now he had about 60 pounds of fleece to carry around. What a heavy load! Rocky was sheared fairly quickly to relieve him of all that extra weight. He had to be turned upside down for the shearing so he would stay still, because it took a long time to cut off so much fleece.

Rocky really did not know he had gone astray, but what about you? In Ezekiel 33:10, there is a question to think about. “If our transgressions and our sins [like Rocky’s heavy fleece] be upon us, and we pine away in them [feel sad], how should we then live?” How good that there are answers to that question! Psalm 103:12 tells us that “as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He [the Lord Jesus] removed our [sins] from us.” Just as Rocky was relieved of his heavy weight of fleece by shearing, the Lord Jesus can relieve you of your weight of sin. He died for you and wants to free you from the weight of your sins. Have you asked Him to do that for you?

Rocky lived for several years after being found in the cave, and each year his coat of fleece was sheared. He would have had another heavy load of fleece again if it had been left to grow without shearing. How different with our sins! “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28). Once we have accepted the Lord Jesus as Saviour, our sins are gone and they are gone forever! And the Lord Jesus says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).

MEMORY VERSE: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28

ML-10/26/2014

The Wounded Soldier's Prayer

A badly wounded young soldier was brought into the hospital. The doctors and nurses connected him up to several life-saving machines, but still they weren’t sure that he would live.

When the doctors had left, the soldier turned to the roommate in the next bed and asked, “Do you know anything about religion?”

“Sorry, buddy, I don’t,” was his reply, “but there’s a lady who comes here every Thursday, and she passes out religious tracts. She’ll be able to tell you what you want to know.”

“I might be dead by then,” said the soldier.

“Come to think of it,” said his roommate, “when I was little, our Sunday school teacher taught us this Bible verse: ‘Suffer little children to come unto Me’” (Luke 18:16).

“Could I come in on that?” asked the wounded man.

“You can try,” said the roommate encouragingly.

The dying soldier pulled the sheet up over his face and began to pray, and he ended with these words: “Suffer ... the children ... to come.”

The sheet did not come down. After repeating these words spoken by the Son of God, he died.

Later, the chaplain told of the incident at an officers’ mess hall. One of the officers asked him privately, “Tell me, chaplain, do you think that dying soldier had a chance?”

“No,” replied the chaplain, “he didn’t have a chance; he had a CERTAINTY! He came by faith to the One who said, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no [way] cast out’” (John 6:37).

The Lord Jesus said, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no [way] enter therein” (Luke 18:17).

Have you come to Jesus in simple faith, just as a little child would?

ML-10/26/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Scheming Antbird - Part 2

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” Luke 9:58

The many species of antbirds have been given a variety of names. Some are called antwren, antshrike, antvireo, ant-thrush, fire-eye, and many more, but all are closely related.

Most are rather drab looking, with plain black and white or brown coloring. However, there are exceptions. For instance, the male of one species, called bicolored, has dark feathers on its wings and over its back, but is pure white underneath, making a sharp and pleasant contrast. The female is usually light brown above and white below. Another, called the ocellated (which means “spotted”), has a variety of pretty color patches over its entire body.

Yet another outstanding one goes by the name white-fronted. This one has a silky, white-feathered crest over its head, matched by a white beard under its beak. When in the air, these white ornaments blow back against its body, making it look like a flying arrow, but when still, they stand out and are pretty.

Antbirds make cup-shaped nests composed of leaves or fibers in forks of trees or the branches of shrubs. But they’re not committed to any particular spots; some prefer nesting in a hollow tree, while others just make their nests right on the ground. Whatever the choice may be, the male and female work together on the nest, as well as in all their activities, and stay together for life. It surely is nice to see this faithfulness to each other.

Immediately after nest building, two or three eggs are laid. Once again, the parents share in incubating and watching over them—the male taking his turn in the daytime and the female at night. In about two weeks the little ones hatch out and remain in the nest for about two more weeks. Then it is time for the parents to gently but firmly push them out, so they will learn to fly and care for themselves. However, different from many birds, it is not unusual for some of the young to resist these necessary lessons, and the parents are patient with them, sometimes continuing to feed them for many weeks before they will venture away on their own.

In the above opening Bible verse, the Lord Jesus contrasted the birds—all of which have nests of one kind or another—with Himself when He was on earth and did not even have a home of His own. Another verse (2 Corinthians 8:9) tells us “though He was rich [in heaven], yet for your sakes He became poor [on earth], that ye through His poverty might be rich.” The riches He desires to give every one of us are those of everlasting life in heaven, through knowing Him as our Saviour. Do you have these wonderful riches?

ML-10/26/2014

The Stolen Wallet

Have you ever wished that you had just a little more money than you already have? That’s exactly how eight-year-old Maddie felt. She wasn’t exactly looking for a way to get more money, but one day the opportunity was right in front of her, and she was tempted.

Maddie’s cousins had come for a visit, and all the children were happily playing in the backyard. Maddie’s parents had a garden full of vegetables ready to harvest, and Richard, one of the cousins, was bent over pulling up a few carrots. Maddie saw that his wallet was sticking out of his back pocket a few inches. She hadn’t really planned to ever steal anything, and she had been taught that the Bible says, “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). However, the thought came to her that she could reach out and take Richard’s wallet, and no one would ever know.

Most everyone reading this story has learned that stealing is wrong—it is sin. And many of you have memorized Romans 3:23: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That is why Jesus had to come down here to earth and die on the cross. He took the punishment for those who will believe that He died for them and that His blood will wash them clean from every sin they’ve ever committed.

Maddie wasn’t thinking that sneaking Richard’s wallet would be a sin. She looked around and saw the other children busy playing, so she just reached over and very carefully slipped Richard’s wallet out of his back pocket. He was still pulling up carrots and didn’t even notice! Maddie tucked the wallet safely into the pocket of her jacket. No one had seen anything, and so she was happy.

A quick peek inside Richard’s wallet showed her that she was going to have lots of money to get some of the things she had really been wanting. While she went on playing with the other children, her little hand would keep slipping inside her jacket pocket to make sure the wallet was still there. She kept thinking about how much fun it was going to be to go to the store. Soon she could have that pretty bracelet she had wished for and the soft, cuddly stuffed dog she had seen in the store.

In fact, her mind was so busy thinking of how she would spend the money in the wallet that Maddie never even thought about the bad results of stealing. And many of us are just the same. We may not have stolen money, but we have done something else we knew was wrong, and we never thought that it was a sin and that God had written it down beside our names in His book.

It wasn’t too long before Richard discovered his wallet was gone. Everyone searched through the garden and yard and wherever else Richard had been, but no wallet was found. Richard went home very sad. He had spent many hours doing chores to earn that money. It was a big loss. He just couldn’t figure out how his wallet could disappear like that.

Maddie’s father was a wise man and knew his children well. Later that evening, he sat them down and asked each child if they had taken Richard’s wallet. One by one the children said “no” and shook their heads, including Mattie. She not only had stolen the wallet, but now she had lied about it. And that is what happens with sin—it grows bigger.

Her father handled the situation well, and before long Maddie confessed in tears that she had taken the wallet. There were several life-long lessons Maddie learned from this unhappy experience, one of which was she had to return the wallet to Richard and tell him she was sorry she had stolen it. She never wanted to do something like that again.

Maybe some of you boys and girls have sadly learned the truth of this verse the hard way, like Maddie did: “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

MEMORY VERSE: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23

ML-11/02/2014

The Twelve Disciples

See if you can unscramble the letters of the names of the first twelve disciples. If you need help remembering their names or how to spell them, turn in your Bible to Luke 6:14-16 where they are listed. We have given you the first letter of each name.

REDWAN A______________________________________

BATHMEWOOLR B______________________________________

SEMAJ J______________________________________

JSAEM J______________________________________

NOJH J______________________________________

DUSAJ J______________________________________

ADUSJ CARISTOI J________________ I____________________

WEHTTAM M______________________________________

RETEP P______________________________________

LIPHIP P______________________________________

MONIS S______________________________________

HOMAST T______________________________________

ML-11/02/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: How the Aye-Aye Got Its Name

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat [food] in due season.” Psalm 145:15

The little squirrel-like animal called the aye-aye is about 15 inches long plus a two-foot-long tail. It is found mainly on the island of Madagascar, off the coast of southeast Africa, and this year (2014) it has been listed as an endangered species. Its distinctive cry of “I-I” caused the natives to make that its name, which we now spell in English “aye-aye.” It is a member of the lemur family.

A nighttime feeder, it is rarely seen because it spends most of the daylight hours curled up in a ball-shaped nest in the hidden fork of a large tree. Sometimes it grooms itself with its long fingers during the day.

Its appearance is rather unusual. It has a pale-brown smooth face and white chin, sharp red eyes and alert black ears. The rest of its body is covered with long, silky, rust-colored or grayish-black hair. Its head is broad at the top, but tapers to a narrow point at its small mouth and chin. Because of its rather spooky-looking eyes, the natives have long thought that it has an evil spirit, and they avoid touching it. However, that is only superstition; the aye-aye will not harm anyone.

An interesting feature is the long, narrow third finger of each front paw. Armed with a long, sharp nail and hinged in the middle, this finger is used for catching much of the aye-aye’s food.

Its sensitive ears pick up the sound of an almost-silent grub or insect inside a tree trunk. With its strong teeth it immediately chews a hole in the wood. Then this long finger is used to pull the grub out of its tunnel. It quickly eats the grub and reaches in again and again, until no more grubs remain. These slender fingers are also helpful in removing bark to expose tidbits, as well as scooping out the insides of fallen coconuts, and they are even used as a toothpick! The aye-aye’s food is not just insects. It also likes fruit and their juices, often dangling by its legs from the branches to get at ripe, juicy treats, like mangos, sugar cane, lychees and eggs from villages and plantations.

The aye-aye is another example of the Creator’s marvelous works, some of which are never seen by human eyes, but which, as our opening verse tells us, are always under His watchful care, whether in the darkness of night or light of day.

People sometimes think their activities are hidden from God, but the Bible tells us: “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:21). True happiness is only found in knowing the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and Friend and trusting in Him every day for every event of our lives.

ML-11/02/2014

Rescued From a Hard Master

Andres and his family lived in a little shack by the river in Lima, Peru. They were very poor, but it was not because Andres did not have a job. He had a good job with the Navy as a mechanic. He was known to be a very good mechanic and could even fix difficult parts of an engine without proper tools. Sad to say, Andres and his family were poor because Andres was a slave to alcohol. When he got his pay on Fridays, he could not resist the calls of his friends to drink with them in the local bar. The Word of God warns us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15).

Andres had four small children, and his sinful habit was causing a good deal of misery to the family. He did love his family, but he simply could not stop drinking. He needed to be set free from the power of Satan by the only One who can break that power—God.

One Friday when there was nothing at all in the little shack to eat, his wife was anxiously waiting for Andres to come home. It was payday and she needed money to buy food. She guessed why Andres was late. No doubt he was drinking with his friends again, just like he did every payday. When he did arrive home, she was still waiting.

“Your pay, Andres?” she asked, trying to hide her concern.

“Right here,” he said, reaching into his shirt pocket. But his shirt pocket was empty. So were all his other pockets. Someone had stolen the rest of his money in the bar!

Andres really did love his little family in spite of his slavery to alcohol, and now they were in real trouble. They had nothing to eat in the house, and there would not be another cent until the next payday.

Poor Andres was finding out that Satan is a hard master. His poor children were hungry, and it was all his fault. Andres went to bed that night hungry and miserable. But that was not all.

All night long he dreamed. In his dreams he searched for his money and found it by the road. He closed his hand on it and woke up immediately—with empty hands. Then he went to sleep again and dreamed he found his money on a table in the bar. Just as he picked it up, he woke up clutching nothing in his trembling hand. Over and over again he dreamed that he found his money, but he woke up each time empty-handed.

Andres could not forget that terrible night. He could see that God was using it to show him that he was serving Satan. Oh how he wanted to be free from his drinking habit and was sorry for the sadness and hunger he was causing in his family.

But God in His tender love was watching the little family. He first showed them His goodness in sending some food. His wife’s mother arrived the next day from the country with a bag of potatoes. Those potatoes and a little food borrowed from the neighbors kept them from starving until the next payday.

But God’s goodness did not stop there. When those who serve the devil are in trouble, they find that this awful master does not help or comfort them. But God’s love is just the opposite! His love is so great that He helps those in trouble even while they are still His enemies! “Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8).

God in His kindness allowed Andres to hear the good news that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Andres knew that he was one of the sinners that Jesus came to save. He simply believed in the Lord Jesus and received the forgiveness of his sins. “By Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:39).

God not only forgave Andres’s sins, but He also delivered him from the power of alcohol. He could now provide food and clothing for his dear wife and children instead of spending his money in the bar. How happy his wife and children were to see their father at home, singing hymns of thanksgiving to the Lord. “Giving thanks unto the Father ... who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [changed] us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:12-13).

Boys and girls, you too are a slave to sin if you have never come to the loving Saviour to be forgiven. Be like Andres and change masters today!

MEMORY VERSE: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15

ML-11/09/2014

What Are You Thankful for?

It was a beautiful day at Red Fish Lake, years ago, where Grandma was camping with several of her children and their families. Those were such happy times together.

As the evening shadows were growing longer, we were sitting around a crackling campfire, just visiting and relaxing. Someone suggested we go around the circle and tell what we were thankful for. What a good idea!

Soon it was little three-year-old Kathy’s turn. We all watched, as the little girl was comfortably settled on her daddy’s lap. Then she lifted her happy little face up to his ear for a whispered moment and quickly looked down again, with a smug little smile on her face. Since she’s a quiet little girl, we couldn’t hear a word of what she had said, so we asked her daddy what she had said she was thankful for. He didn’t say anything. So someone asked again, “What was Kathy thankful for?” Finally her daddy could trust himself to speak and said that she had whispered, “YOU.” How that must have thrilled that dear daddy’s heart.

Did you know that when we belong to the Lord Jesus, we are the children of our heavenly Father, no matter how old we are? Yes, it’s true. And our dear Father in heaven would love to hear from us about how much we love Him. Let’s warm His heart too by thanking Him often.

“Giving thanks unto the Father” (Colossians 1:12).

ML-11/09/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Hitchhiking Birds

“He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.” Psalm 147:9

The energy needed by birds demands a plentiful supply of food, and usually much time is spent finding it. Some, like the kingfisher, dive into the water for theirs. Others, such as robins, search in the soil for worms and insects. Swallows are one kind that captures insects in the air. Others use an easier way.

The small, graceful, white-plumed cattle egrets ride on the backs of wild and tame animals. As the animals graze in grassy areas, they disturb insects in the grass, which are caught by these hitchhikers. Even crows will ride on the backs of pigs while they are rooting in the ground, swooping down to snatch the grubs and worms that are turned up. Cowbirds ride on the backs of grazing cattle and catch the insects stirred up by the cows’ hooves.

The oxpecker, with its red bill and orange and black feathers, frequently perches on the neck of an impala to remove ticks from the impala’s ears. Sometimes it clings to the sides of rhinos, water buffalo or hippos, eating parasites out of their loose folds of skin. Certain starlings, as well as the tickbird, also ride on the backs of these big animals.

Other unusual birds include the phaleropes in the Arctic and the carmine bee-eater of South Africa. Both gray and red phaleropes will perch on the exposed fin of a killer whale and feast on parasites. The bee-eater rides atop another bird—the big hori bustard. As the bustard walks through meadows, it stirs up food for itself as well as its little passenger.

In the British Isles, the pied wagtail perches on the head of a fallow deer and catches the pesky flies that bother the animal’s eyes and sometimes cause blindness. Often this bird’s young ones also ride on the deer’s back while the mother is busy up front collecting flies to bring back to them.

All of these birds, and many others, help their hosts by catching the annoying insects and parasites that bother them. The birds are very welcome as riders, and if the animals could talk, they would probably thank them for the relief and comfort their service provides.

It has been the joy of the Creator to give these birds and animals a companionship which benefits each other. It is another example of how “the Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9).

But as wonderful as God’s care is over all living things, His care and love for you is much greater. That love has provided His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. On Calvary’s cross He was punished for the sins of all who will admit they are sinners and accept Him as their Saviour. Then God delights to call these His own sons and daughters. Have you accepted and thanked Him for that love?

ML-11/09/2014

"Give Me This Mountain"

A mountain is lovely to see, and it’s fun to climb. It can be enjoyable to live on one too, if it’s not so high that it’s above the timberline where trees and other green things will not grow. A very high mountain is also not very good for older people who grow tired of climbing or people who have difficulty breathing the high mountain air that has less oxygen.

It was a man named Caleb who said, “Give me this mountain” (Joshua 14:12). He was 85 years old, but he was as strong as he was 45 years earlier when he was not afraid of anything.

Not afraid of anything? Yes, and do you know why? Because he trusted God. If God said, “Go,” he went! Nothing can stop God’s plans, and if Caleb followed what God told him to do, he knew victory was ahead!

This is still true. There’s a song with words that say, “My sins were as high as a mountain.” If Jesus really wants you and me with Him in heaven, nothing can stop Him, not even the mountain of my sins or your sins that can never be allowed in heaven. This is what Jesus did for me: He took my awful load of sins on Himself and paid the penalty for them when He suffered on the cross. And this is what He told me: “[Your] sins and [your] iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). They are gone forever! He won that victory for me, and He invites me to follow Him. Did He pay the penalty for your sins too? Yes, He did, if you confess to Him that you are a sinner and are sorry for your sins and want to be washed clean from every hell-deserving sin. Will you do that?

Even when Caleb was an old man, his muscles and his eyesight were like he was still a young man. I wonder if you know that this can be true of you too, if the Lord Jesus is the One you are following. You can see Him by faith, even without glasses or without any eyesight at all. And you can be strong in faith, giving glory to God, even if you are unable to walk.

“Give me this mountain,” said Caleb. He knew giants were living on that mountain—big, strong men who would not give up that mountain without a fight. But a whole army of giants can’t stand in the way of someone who is following God. God had given that mountain to Caleb, and he drove the giants out by the strength of God. Nothing can stop God’s promises.

Neither can many, many, many past sins stand in the way of Jesus’ promises to save you. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). If you are trusting God’s Word, not all the devil’s clever lies can turn God’s promises into nothing.

Yes, Caleb got his mountain, and he lived there and all his family. And if his children trusted the same God as their father did, they were on the winning side too. Are you?

Caleb had been through a long, weary, desert journey before he got his mountain. For 40 years, all he could see was desert sand and desert storms. But God gave all the children of Israel a daily supply of food and water when they needed it, including sturdy, wear-ever clothes. But Caleb was not a complainer. He knew God had something better ahead for him.

We Christians do too. We are on the way home to heaven where Jesus lives. Are you coming too?

You may read this story for yourself in Joshua 14:6-14.

MEMORY VERSE: “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 8:12

ML-11/16/2014

The Lightning Bolt

It was Thursday, and Josh was having a discussion with his mother about the Bible. The teenager did not believe there was a God. He was speaking like a fool! God tells us plainly in Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” To show his disbelief in God, Josh finished the discussion with his mother by saying, “May God strike me down with lightning!”

The next day, Friday, Josh and his brother were in the city when a thunderstorm came up. They ran to a park which was close by. The two teenage brothers knew full well that standing under or near a tree in a thunderstorm is a very dangerous thing to do. Josh’s brother ran into the washroom to stay out of the rain, but Josh, in defiance of God, stood by a tree!

The lightning flashed! The thunder was deafening! A bolt of lightning that was very close followed instantly by a crash of thunder made Josh’s brother run outside to see if his brother was okay. He found Josh lying on the ground!

Boys and girls, it is very serious not to pay attention to the warnings of our parents. Josh’s mother had tried to warn her son not to tempt God, but he would not listen. God has warned each of us, “Beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee” (Job 36:18).

God was very kind and merciful to this young man. When struck by the lightning, Josh was only knocked unconscious. He was taken to a hospital, checked over and then released. He does have a burn hole in his hat and a bald spot on his head where the lightning struck him. And he has changed his mind about not believing there is a God. Now Josh needs to believe that God loves him and sent His Son Jesus to die for him.

Boys and girls, how many times have you picked up a Sunday school paper and read it and said to yourself, “I know I should be saved, but not today.” Then you set the paper aside. God says, “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou SHALT be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Will you believe God’s warnings?

ML-11/16/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Roots Are Important

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him; rooted and built up in Him.” Colossians 2:6-7

“Yum, yum! This peach is so good—sweet and juicy. I’d like another one.” Did you ever say something like this? How do you suppose all that flavor and juiciness gets into a peach? Someone might answer, “Through the sunshine.” That’s partly right, because all plants need light. But there is something else that is important, and that is the roots. Hidden down in the soil, they give life to the parts of the plant that we see aboveground. Roots are an important wonder of God’s creation in providing for our needs.

We read in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man of the dust [soil] of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” When God chose rich soil to form the first man, we may be sure He was planning ahead to care for his needs as well as for all of us. Adam’s body, created with the important minerals, nutrients and moisture of that very soil, could continue to live. His hunger would be satisfied from plants. Fruits, vegetables, seeds and plants themselves would supply these important items from the soil—by way of the roots.

This is why our title reads, “Roots Are Important.” It is through the hidden roots that these important minerals and nutrients are taken from the soil and passed on to the parts of plants that we eat.

Not all food grows aboveground. Instead of sending all minerals and nutrients into the parts of the plant aboveground, some roots store them. Many of these roots are good to eat—carrots, radishes, beets, potatoes and others.

God’s creation, of course, has many growing plants not meant for eating. Even a little blade of grass depends on a root, as do huge redwood and sequoia trees that grow as high as 300 feet aboveground. If you could dig all the dirt away from the base of most large trees, you would find the roots spread out from the trunk at least as far as the overhead branches extend. You have probably noticed how strong roots of shade trees often crack and raise pieces of cement sidewalks several inches. Even small roots will sometimes break stones apart.

In Psalm 1, a man who delights in the Word of the Lord is “like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” Just as tree roots get needed water from the river, so we get our spiritual food from God’s Word, the Bible. In Ephesians 3:17 we learn that when Christ lives in our hearts by faith, we are “rooted and grounded in love.” Is your life rooted in the love of the Lord Jesus? Are you getting your daily food from His Word?

ML-11/16/2014

Ace Saved a Life

In the attic of a house, small sparks were jumping from two electrical wires that were connected wrong. Spark, spark, spark . . . they jumped many times. They were tiny sparks and were hidden out of sight, but even tiny sparks can start a fire.

Jimmy McLear came home after school. He had just turned 13 and was finishing up the seventh grade. Because he was 13, his parents now trusted him to be at home by himself with no one to look after him. This was a bigger deal for Jimmy than it was for most 13-year-olds, because he was legally deaf. His hearing was so poor that without his hearing aids he couldn’t hear loud noises, even when they were made right next to him.

Jimmy opened the front door and was greeted by Ace, the family pet, a pit bull terrier with short brown hair. Ace was so happy to have Jimmy home that he whipped his tail back and forth, like a windshield wiper at high speed. Jimmy gave the dog a scratch on the head to say “Hi, Ace.” Then he went into the kitchen and made a sandwich for an after-school snack.

After eating his snack, he went to his bedroom and flopped down on the bed. He was tired and wanted a nap. He tried to get comfortable with his head on the pillow, but then he remembered he still had his hearing aids in both ears. He took them out and placed them carefully on the nightstand, then quickly fell sound asleep.

While he was sleeping, the sparks in the attic caught fire. The fire grew and spread into the garage and then into the kitchen and living areas of the house. Smoke filled the living room and then set off the fire alarm at the center of the house. The fire alarm was also equipped with flashing lights for Jimmy’s benefit, but being sound asleep, he neither saw the lights nor heard the alarm. Every minute the fire grew larger and came closer to the bedroom where Jimmy slept, unaware that his life was in great danger.

There are other dangers in life that we aren’t always aware of. The most serious is the danger of your sins. The Bible says, “The soul that [sins], it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). Yes, because we are all sinners, we will all leave this earth at some point. The danger is that if any of us leave this earth with our sins unforgiven, we will spend eternity in “outer darkness [where] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30). But this doesn’t have to be your future, because there is a faithful, loving Saviour who died for you and will forgive all your sins, if you let Him.

Because of a faithful, loving dog, there was hope for Jimmy in his burning house.

Ace grew agitated with the alarm, the heat, and the smoke. He paced nervously back and forth, whining louder all the time. At last he jumped up onto the bed where Jimmy was sleeping. Jumping on furniture was strictly forbidden, but Ace did it anyway. Jimmy still didn’t wake up. The dog shimmied up to Jimmy’s face and with his long tongue licked the boy’s face. This woke Jimmy out of his sleep.

“Huh, huh, what’s going on?” he said as he opened his eyes and saw Ace inches away from his face. Then he felt the heat and saw the smoke and realized the house was on fire.

At school he had learned two steps to take if you were ever caught in a fire. The first step was to find a piece of cloth and cover your mouth and nose so you wouldn’t breathe in so much heat and smoke. This Jimmy quickly did, tying a shirt around his face. The second and most important step was to stay as close to the floor as possible and get away from the fire as fast as possible. Crawling with Ace by his side, he made his way through the smoke- filled hallway and living room and went out the front door. When he got out into the fresh air, he took a deep breath. Only seconds later a fire truck with sirens blaring raced up to the front of the house. The firemen checked to see if Jimmy was ok and if anyone else was in the house. Then they quickly got to work, putting out the flames with their hoses. The house was completely destroyed by the fire, but Jimmy had been saved by his dog Ace.

Later, a news reporter interviewed the fire chief who said, “The boy most likely owes his life to his dog. When the alarm and flashing lights didn’t waken him, the dog licking his face did. He probably would have died or been badly burned if it had not been for the dog.”

Without Ace, Jimmy might not have awakened in time to escape the fire. It was by the dog’s help that he saw his need. Have you awakened to your need of a Saviour because of your sins? This Saviour who loves you and died for you is Christ Jesus. The Bible tells us that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Sin might seem like a small matter, but how great a fire a little spark may start. Jesus, the Son of God, who had never sinned, gave His life at Calvary for our sakes. On the cross He paid the awful price of our sins. Because He suffered, bled and died, sinners who deserve death and judgment can instead have forgiveness and eternal life. This promise is given in John 3:15: “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Don’t be in the number that refuses the good news to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, hear His warning and accept His loving offer. Open your heart to Him today and accept Him as your Saviour. Jesus promises, “I will forgive [your] iniquity, and I will remember [your] sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Jimmy followed the two steps he had learned at school in case he was caught in a fire. Will you follow the two steps to have Jesus forgive your sins? Believe that you are a sinner and accept Jesus as your very own Saviour.

MEMORY VERSE: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4

ML-11/23/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Moths-Good and Bad

“The moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool.” Isaiah 51:8

Moths can be very destructive while in the caterpillar (larva) stage. Some species eat holes in fabric, fur and other things, while others damage food crops and other plants. However, a fully developed moth no longer harms things; some actually are helpful. A few of them never eat at all, and others have new appetites, eating only nectar from flowers. Flitting from one flower to another to gather the nectar, they carry pollen that helps pollinate flowers. Also, lovely silk thread is made from the cocoon of the silkworm moth, which is native to China and now is also found in Korea, Japan, India and the West.

How can we tell the difference between moths and butterflies? Moths usually have thicker bodies and smaller wings than butterflies. Moths fly mostly at night while butterflies fly in daylight. When resting, butterflies’ wings are upright; moths’ wings are flat, like an airplane’s, or tight against their bodies.

The birth and development of moths follow the exact pattern established by the Creator when He first created them. There has been no change since that day, and His instruction that each generation must reproduce “after his kind” has always been followed. In springtime they hatch as caterpillars from eggs deposited on trees and bushes. They do not remain as caterpillars very long. Soon they spin a cocoon, often inside curled leaves or under the bark of a tree. One of the wonders of God’s creation is the way a caterpillar changes inside its cocoon. In a few weeks’ time, it has fully developed into a moth, complete with markings and wings, and is able to fly.

There are countless varieties of these interesting insects. The largest is called the atlas of India, which measures as much as 12 inches across—from wingtip to wingtip. In North America, the largest is the royal moth. It begins as a jet-black caterpillar, eating pine and hemlock needles. It eventually emerges from its cocoon as a pretty, six-to-seven-inch moth.

Even though moths are interesting, the caterpillar’s bad habits cannot be overlooked. These habits remind us of Satan who brings evil thoughts and actions into people’s lives before they are aware of the danger. That is why the Bible urges us to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20). Is that where your treasures are?

If we have faith in the Lord Jesus and really want to please Him, we don’t need to listen to Satan. It is helpful to remember a good verse to add to our prayers: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

ML-11/23/2014

Cricket's Hard Lesson

Dear Children,

Winter is just about here. The leaves have fallen off the trees, the ducks and geese have flown south, and the days are cold and windy. And maybe some of you have had some snow already. Most of you boys and girls are probably wearing warm clothes and your winter jackets to school. Gramma and I are sitting beside our fireplace where we have a cozy, warm fire burning. Yes, summer is gone, but we have pictures of Gramma’s pretty flower beds that we like to look at and remember. And that reminds me of a story I want to tell you about Cricket, the little dog we have now. She’s a Yorkshire terrier and cute as a button. She just loves to be with us wherever we are, but she sure can make a lot of noise when she hears or sees something unusual. And the day I’m going to tell you about was one of those times.

It was this past summer, and Gramma and I were sitting outside in the shade at the front of our house where she always has lots of flowers blooming. The butterflies just love those flowers ... and so do the honeybees! Cricket was sitting there with us in the shade when she saw a honeybee playing around in those flowers. The bee would fly to this flower and then to that one, like it was tasting each flower. Cricket was up on her feet watching that bee very closely. She did not understand that a bee can sting you very quickly if you come too close to it. We told her, “No, no, Cricket! Don’t touch it! Leave it alone!”

Yes, we were giving Cricket good instructions. Don’t you think so? God has told us in the holy Bible that “the sting of death is sin.” We read those words in 1 Corinthians 15:56. We also read in Mark 10:19, “[You know] the commandments.” And we also read that it is a sin when we break just one commandment! How many commandments have you broken? One? Two? Ten? So then each commandment we break is a sin—WOW! We each have an awful lot of sins that need to be forgiven, and only God can forgive our sins. We each need to listen and follow His instructions.

Did Cricket listen to us? Did she obey? NO! She caught that honeybee in her mouth, and boy-oh-boy, did she dance around ... under the table, under the chair, under the lawn swing! She was learning a very painful lesson.

Poor Cricket. There was nothing we could do to help her. She finally got the bee out of her mouth. Yes, it was dead, but the bee sting gave her a very sore mouth for some time.

I’m sure you’d like to ask, “Grampa, is Cricket okay now?”

Yes. I’m happy to report that she is fine, but it was a hard way for her to learn a lesson, just because she didn’t listen to us.

Children, we have all sinned. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But it is a wonderful thing to know that our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son who loves us, paid the heavy price for the sins of each person who will come to Him in prayer for forgiveness. He promises, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

Boys and girls, are you listening? Have you come to Jesus to have your sins forgiven? Gramma and I sure hope so.

We love you very much,

Grampa and Gramma

MEMORY VERSE: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

ML-11/30/2014

Stuck!

It was a cold day! Down by a river in Toronto, a man struggled to get out of the mud which had held him captive for four hours. He was up to his waist in the thick slime and was getting so cold that he was in danger of dying. It seemed that there was no one around to help.

On that day, Danny, Jeremy and Robert went biking together down by that river. Suddenly, they saw this man who had fallen over a ledge into the mud by the side of the river. They could see that he was sinking deeper and deeper!

The three boys knew that however they tried to get him out, it would probably get them stuck in the mud too. They made a wise decision. Robert went on his bike for help while the other two stayed to talk to the man, who was slipping into unconsciousness.

All of us are born with a sinful nature, and so we come into the world trapped in sin. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. In fact, anything we try only makes us sink deeper. Other people can’t help us either, but there is Someone who can. “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7).

After about 30 minutes, a rescue squad came with the needed equipment and with rescuers who were trained to save people in these situations. It took them two hours to pull the man out of the mud!

Jesus is the only One who can save us from our sins. Because He loves you and me so very much, He died on Calvary’s cross for us. He took on Himself God’s punishment for the sins of every person who will come to Him for forgiveness. He is the one this Bible verse is telling us about: “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). We are saved from our sins forever!

The next day, Danny, Jeremy and Robert were mentioned in the newspaper. They hadn’t really rescued the man, but they had gone for help since the man could not help himself. We cannot help ourselves trapped in our sins, but we can make a wise decision and turn to the Saviour of sinners this very minute. Jesus is waiting to hear our call and will save us right now. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-11/30/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Attractive Barbets

“He sendeth the springs into the valleys.... By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.” Psalm 104:10-12

There are about seventy-five species of barbets. All of these birds have colorful and strong bills, which make them look like miniature toucans. In relation to their size, these birds have large heads and short tails. The smallest variety is about 3 inches long, and the largest is close to 12 inches. They are tropical birds and do not migrate. They live in the forests of Africa, Central and South America and parts of the South Pacific.

All barbets are brightly colored with some white and dark, and many bird watchers consider them the most beautiful of all birds. Each species bears a descriptive name, and we will look at two. One is called the crimson-fronted and lives in Asia. It is strictly a fruit eater and is especially fond of wild figs. It nests in a tree hole, laying 2-4 eggs. Another is called the red and yellow, an African barbet. Males have red and yellow plumage with a black and white striped tail. Females and young ones are less brightly colored. These barbets nest and roost in tunnels. All other barbets are equally colorful and interesting.

The Creator has provided barbets with strong legs and feet having sharp claws, enabling them to climb and hold securely to the side of a tree, while feeding or digging a nest out of a decaying area of the trunk. Males and females work together, their large beaks pulling out the decayed wood. They make a nest with a small opening, but it is large enough inside for both them and their young, which usually number four. They are tidy housekeepers and promptly discard all unusable material from the nest.

The lives of most barbets are spent in the trees, and they seldom go to the ground. Resting after searching for insects, lizards, rodents and fruit, all of which they eat, they often sit on a branch for hours without moving. There they call back and forth to one another in sharp, ringing tones that have no real melody. It is amusing to hear their happy but discordant notes when a pair sits cozily side by side.

These lovely birds remind us of the Lord’s pleasure in His creation. Psalm 111:4 says, “He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” That gracious compassion is extended toward everything He has created, but it is especially extended to all the people of the earth. Jeremiah, one of the Bible prophets, wrote, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is [His] faithfulness.... Therefore will I hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

Are you aware of the Lord’s loving compassion to you? And have you received Him as your Saviour by faith?

ML-11/30/2014

God Made Our Eyes

Why do we have two eyes placed just where they are? A fly has compound eyes. That why it’s hard to catch him by surprise. And a rabbit has an eye on each side of his head so that he can see the fox creeping up behind him. What kind of eyes does your dog or cat have?

Our two eyes look straight ahead. God made us that way, and God has control of our eyes. Here’s a story about that, and since it’s one of God’s stories, we know it’s true.

The prophet Elisha and his young servant were in a town of Israel called Dothan. Benhadad, king of Syria, was making war against Israel. He did not like Elisha, because all his secret plans became known to the king of Israel. Elisha was the servant of God, and God had told him what Benhadad’s war plans were, and then Elisha told them to the king of Israel. When Benhadad learned that Elisha was the one telling his plans to the king of Israel, he made plans to capture Elisha.

Elisha also knew Benhadad’s secret plans to catch him, and this made Benhadad angry. He sent horses and chariots at night and surrounded the whole town of Dothan so that Elisha had no way to escape. He probably thought, For sure he will be caught now!

Elisha’s young servant got up early and looked out and saw the enemy surrounding the city, and he was terrified! Alas, master! What shall we do?

But Elisha knew what God could do. And perhaps you and I know better still what God has done! We know that God sent His beloved Son to die for us. And if the devil with all his angels tries to take us from God’s hand, it is impossible! “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 see how safe believers are? And Elisha’s young servant was about to see God’s plan of safety.

Elisha prayed, Lord, open the young man’s eyes that he may see! And the Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. That’s mighty safe, don’t you think?

Then Elisha asked the Lord to strike the Syrians with blindness. Now a blind soldier can’t fight, so he must be led. Elisha said he would lead them to the man they were looking for, and he led them to the city of Samaria. It was a long journey on foot, but they had no choice but to follow, growing hungrier and thirstier by the minute. When they arrived, Elisha asked the Lord to open their eyes. They discovered they were helpless, right in the middle of the enemy city of Samaria where the king of Israel lived.

The king of Israel saw his chance. Shall I kill them?

No, said Elisha. Feed them and send them home. By this kind treatment of Israel’s enemy, Elisha overcame evil with good. And the Syrians planned no more raids on the land of Israel.

Those soldiers went home fed and rested, but it didn’t change their hearts. And perhaps all the good things God has given you have not changed your heart either. Will you let God open your eyes to see His beloved Son Jesus who died for you? He offers salvation because He loves you, but if you say “no,” He will be your judge one day. His offer of salvation is open right now, but it will not be open forever. Will you come to Him now and not wait for some other day? “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

You may read this story for yourself in 2 Kings 6:8-23.

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

ML-12/07/2014

The Baby Pheasants

One summer, a mother pheasant was sitting on a nest in the field where Dad was cutting alfalfa to make hay. Dad didn’t see her until it was too late, and sadly she died. He told Mom and she asked him to gather the pheasant eggs from the nest so she could tuck them in under a mother hen that was sitting on her own eggs in their henhouse. So that’s what they did. Mother hen sat on the pheasant eggs along with her own eggs, without even knowing it.

Only two of the pheasant eggs hatched. The mother hen raised them, one male and one female, right along with her own chicks, which had hatched about the same time. She didn’t seem to notice that two of her chicks looked different.

Boys and girls, do any of you sit beside or near another classmate in school that might be a little different? Maybe their clothes or shoes look old and are torn. Or maybe their skin is a different color than yours. And maybe one or two don’t speak English very well, especially if they are from another country. We hope you don’t laugh at them or make fun of how they look or talk. That would make them feel sad and lonely. Put yourself in their shoes and think how you would feel. Then be a friend to that boy or girl. The Lord Jesus tells us, “Be ye kind one to another” (Ephesians 4:32). And He also says, “As ye would that [others] should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).

And so the two little pheasants grew bigger and soon had pretty pheasant feathers. When Mom felt they were big enough, she took them out into the field to set them free. We children went along and enjoyed watching them fly and then hide in the tall grass. She told me she saw them come back to the henhouse a couple of times before they joined the wild.

Mom was kind and caring to those two pheasants. And that’s exactly how we should be to others, just like Jesus said.

ML-12/07/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: How an Enemy of Trees Is Stopped

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11

As beautiful, tall and strong as a tree may appear, it has enemies quite capable of killing it. Some of these enemies are very small insects. One persistent little enemy is the bark beetle. It is one of the worst pests of spruce and pine trees in North America.

Usually these beetles come in swarms, boring through cracks in the bark and eventually boring their way into the sapwood. In a healthy tree, these beetles often become submerged in the resin that oozes out of the hole, and then they die. But in weakened and drought-affected trees, there is not enough resin to trap them. Once the beetles reach the vital sapwood, they lay their eggs in their bored tunnels. When the eggs hatch, the larvae continue to feed in the tree.

If there were no way to stop these persistent little insects, there would eventually be no pine or spruce trees left. God has provided protection for these trees by using another insect known as the checkered beetle which can catch the bark beetles in flight and eat them. Not only do checkered beetles kill the bark beetles, but they also go into the tunnels the bark beetles have already made. The checkered beetles lay their eggs alongside those of the bark beetles, and when the larvae hatch, they attack and kill the newly hatched bark beetle larvae.

God has also given another friend to the trees—the braconid wasp. In some unknown way, it locates the bark beetle larvae, even though they might be under an inch of bark. This wasp injects its own eggs into the larvae of the bark beetle. The eggs soon hatch, and these larvae immediately feed on their hosts, which kill the bark beetle larvae.

Recently, an enemy of ash trees has been killing many, many of these large hard-wood trees. It is a small, bright-green beetle called the Emerald Ash Borer. These can kill an ash tree in just two years. Presently, no natural enemy is known.

The killer beetles remind us of the enemy Satan, who “as a roaring lion, [walks] about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). His attacks are often in some small manner that we may even be aware of, but we say, “That doesn’t amount to much; I’m not concerned about it.” But what prayerful care we need so that Satan does not get the edge on us.

The only way we can apply the armor of Ephesians 6:11 or withstand Satan’s attacks is by turning to the Lord Jesus in every testing. “Finally ... be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). With Him taking our place before our enemy, we can say, “Thanks be to God, which [gives] us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

ML-12/07/2014

Trooper's Deadly Fight

Fifteen-year-old Michael and his dad were walking through the forest looking for dead trees they could chop up for firewood. They needed the firewood because they cooked their food in their cabin on a wood stove. On chilly nights, which didn’t happen too often in central Florida, the wood stove also gave them heat.

Sniffing the ground behind them walked their three-legged dog named Trooper. His fur was black and short and he had a wiry build. He was really good at scaring up birds and then bringing them back after they were shot. The dog had lost one of his back legs when he stepped into a steel bear trap. After the accident, Trooper learned how to run, jump and play on just three legs. He was a lively dog and still tried to do everything he did before he lost his leg, and he did it all well.

Michael carried an axe to chop the wood, and his dad carried his rifle. The rifle might come in handy because they never knew when they might spot a deer, bear, turkey or other game animal that could provide meat for their table.

As they walked along searching for dead trees, Michael suddenly froze in mid-step as a wave of fear swept over him. There in the narrow footpath, only a short step away, a huge rattlesnake lay partly coiled up. The eyes of the rattler were those of a cold-hearted killer and stared directly at him. The brown color of the rattlesnake and the patterns on its back had made it difficult to spot until he was almost on top of it. Its body was as thick as a man’s arm. There was no telling how long the snake was, because it was coiled up, but Michael saw right away that it was BIG!

Instantly the snake drew back its head to strike. Before Michael had time to run, Trooper, on his three legs, leaped in close and snapped at the snake. This distracted the snake from Michael. The snake bared its fangs and struck at the dog. It was fast, but not fast enough! Trooper leaped backwards out of its range, and the snake closed its jaws on thin air. This gave Michael enough time to jump backwards out of danger. He gasped for breath, realizing that he had been only a step away from certain death.

His dad raised his rifle to shoot the rattler and sighted down the long barrel, but the dog jumping in and out of the line of fire made it too risky to pull the trigger. He didn’t want to accidently hit Trooper instead of the snake. After a few seconds, he gave up and lowered the rifle, deciding just to watch the fight.

Time after time, Trooper rushed in towards the snake as if to attack. But before the snake could deliver a fatal bite, the dog would jump backwards out of reach! These feints and counterattacks continued at lightning speed. The dad and son could only watch this fight . . . to the finish.

Do you know there’s a fight going on for your life? This fight is between Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, and Satan, the enemy of your soul. Jesus loves you and wants to save you from Satan, who wants to drag you deeper into sin and then into the lake of fire. But it’s you who must decide who the winner will be. “The Son of Man [Jesus] is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:56).

Soon the snake began to slow down—a sure sign it was tiring. That was what Trooper was waiting for. After lunging for the dog once more, the snake lowered its head to the ground, and in a lightning flash, the dog pounced on the snake, sinking its teeth into the neck of the snake just behind its head. Then the dog lifted the snake off the ground and shook his head violently back and forth. CRACK! went the snake’s spine, killing it instantly.

How thankful Michael was to have a brave dog like Trooper! He had saved his master’s life when he jumped in and battled the deadly snake. Trooper didn’t give up until he had killed the snake.

On Calvary’s cross, the Lord Jesus defeated all the power of Satan. Because of Calvary, Satan, the enemy of our souls, is a defeated enemy. He was defeated at Calvary when the Son of God willingly gave up His life for sinners. In His death, He made a way that undeserving sinners, like you and me, may receive the gift of everlasting life.

Everlasting life is more than just a happy life in heaven that will never end; it also is the kind of life that finds its deepest joys, delights and happiness in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you want that wonderful life that will never end? Then you must believe by faith that Jesus Christ loves you and took the punishment for your sins on the cross. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Won’t you come to Jesus by faith so that you might share in His great victory over sin, death and hell, and receive the wonderful gift of everlasting life? “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

MEMORY VERSE: “The Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56)

ML-12/14/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Magnificent Elk - Part 1

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13

In Europe the animal called an elk belongs to the same species as the American moose. The American elk is smaller and differs in other ways. Because of these differences, those in North America are technically known as wapiti but are usually referred to as elk.

Being part of the deer family, the American elk is second only to the moose in size. A bull elk may stand as high as five feet at the slight hump behind his shoulders and weigh 700 to 1000 pounds. A cow elk is smaller and has no antlers.

There are two varieties of native elk. Most of them live in national parks or protected reservations in the United States and southern Canada. One is the Rocky Mountain elk, living in those high mountains, mainly at Yellowstone Park and nearby Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The other, living at lower levels and staying year-round in grassy meadows, is the Tule elk. Many of these are found in California, Idaho, Washington and Alaska. One difference between them is their feet—the Rocky Mountain elk has feet almost as wide as they are long, while the Tule’s feet are nearly twice as long as they are wide. This difference is a provision of the Creator, giving the Rocky Mountain elk feet that help them in deep snow, while the long and narrow feet of the Tule elk are more suited to meadows and adjacent dry hills where they live.

Considering their size, all elk have small heads with mule-like ears, but their antlers may spread more than five feet and have as many as twelve points. Their legs are slender but strong. Coarse hair forms a shaggy mane, and they are covered with mostly reddish-brown fur. Their tan tail is just a stub, surrounded by a large yellowish patch of fur that helps identify them. In winter months a temporary warm undercoat and heavy outer coat change to grayish-brown until they return to lighter fur in spring.

Elk are majestic animals, holding their heads high with eyes and ears alert. All their grazing is done during the day, with one or two of each herd maintaining a lookout while the others eat. If danger threatens, they scatter in every direction.

Elk are sometimes hunted for their meat, which is leaner and higher in protein than beef or chicken.

Their manner of life in harsh surroundings impresses upon us how wisely the Lord God, their Creator, has provided instincts for all living things. As the Bible verse states, “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth . . . and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [are preserved]” (Colossians 1:16-17).

(to be continued)

ML-12/14/2014

Timmy's Confession

Timmy couldn’t wait! He was going to play his favorite Bible game with his two older brothers. This was not like running a race with them or playing ball! They always beat him in those games, because they had longer arms and legs. This game was different; you didn’t need long arms or legs to win. All you had to do was flick a spinner with your finger, and the number the arrow pointed to when it stopped (1 to 12) told you how many moves on the board you could take toward “The Promised Land.”

Steve and David took their turns first, and both of them got a high number. This bothered Timmy some. But now it was his turn, and he was going to flick that spinner as hard as he could. He felt sure a hard flick would give him a good number.

Round and round the spinner went, gradually slowing down past the 3, 4, 5 ... until it crept slowly toward the 11. Timmy’s eyes were wide with anticipation. He might even get the12! Instead, very weakly it passed the 12 ... and stopped at number 1.

What a letdown. It was hard for Timmy to look up at his brothers for fear that they might laugh at him. But when he did, he discovered that something happening in the family just then had taken their attention entirely away from the game. They had not even seen him take his turn! It was then that a wrong thought came into Timmy’s mind.

Now we all know about temptations like that, don’t we? But we are still responsible to turn away from them and do the right thing. However, Timmy had to make a quick decision, and this time it was the wrong one! He would quickly take his turn over again, and they would never know the difference. When we act in a hurry though, we often forget that God is ALWAYS watching. “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13). Besides, what Timmy did not realize was that his mother was also watching.

As he hoped, Timmy’s dishonest turn gave him 11 moves. Excitedly he drew a card from the pile on the table that would give him further directions. He read it over to himself. Suddenly his face changed from an expression of glee to one of deep concern. Would you like to know why? Here is what the card said: “Israel hath sinned; go back to Rephidim!”

Do you suppose that just “happened”? No way! A very kind and loving God up in heaven had that very card EXACTLY placed to defeat Satan in his attempt to begin a serious practice of sin in young Timmy’s life. You know, if we sin once and do not confess it, it becomes much easier to sin the second and third and fourth times, until soon our hearts get used to it and we don’t even think it’s so bad. For this reason, God usually makes sure we get “caught” early. His Word, the Bible, says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

But there is a bright side to this story. God says, “Whoso confesseth AND forsaketh them [his sins] shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). And that is what Timmy did. He was so impressed with the fact that God had not only seen what he did, but also had seen right into his heart, that he told his whole family what had happened. Timmy lost the game that day, but he came away with a clear conscience and was kept from falling into the devil’s trap.

Is there something in your heart and life that you have not confessed? God has already forgiven all the sins of those who believe that Christ paid for their sins on the cross. But in order to have happy fellowship with Him (and with our parents), we must confess daily whatever sin we have allowed to come between us and God. Some things we only have to confess to God, but when they are against others, we must confess to them also—and even sometimes repay them. It’s very hard to do but SO worth it! Would you trade a happy, victorious life for being miserable with one sin that will only lead to many more? God wants us to be able to look everyone in the eye with a good conscience so that He can bless us and make us a blessing to many others.

There are many other people also reading this story who know how hard it is to confess wrong-doing. They are praying for you to follow through. The moment you do, you can join them in prayer for others who are still struggling. Remember, God is able to deliver you from Satan’s trap just as He did Timmy. Confessing that sin is the key to freedom. Why not act now? God will be happy and so will you!

MEMORY VERSE: “Thou God seest me.” (Genesis 16:13)

ML-12/21/2014

Jesus Loves Me

I was visiting in a foreign country, far away from my home and my family. I was feeling lonely that day, wishing I could see my wife and children. A short while later I heard a voice singing, and I stopped to listen. What do you think I heard? I looked over to the house next door to the one where I was staying. There, on the front porch sitting in a little rocking chair, was a little girl. As she rocked back and forth, she sang,

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak, but He is strong.

I cannot tell you how much this cheered me. I am sure the Lord Jesus was using that little girl to shine for Him and to tell others, anyone who would listen, about His love for them.

Do you know that Jesus loves you? He loves you so much that He died on the cruel cross of Calvary for you. He wants you to know that He loves you, and He wants you to trust in Him and let Him wash away your sins in His precious blood.

Just tell Him that you are a sinner and that you want Him to wash your sins away—and He will! Then you will have peace and be able to sing from your heart, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

“The Son of God [Jesus] ... loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

ML-12/21/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Magnificent Elk - Part 2

“Wherefore, let them ... commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:19

Antlers are important to the life of the bull elks and are shed each year. On a mature bull, they grow as much as four feet above the head and may spread more than five feet, adding beauty and majesty to his appearance. The antlers grow during the summer and are shed in late winter.

When their antlers begin to form in early May, they are just short stubs growing on the top of the head, but they grow quickly. When full size they are still covered with a velvety skin which soon begins to shed in pieces. The elk help this shedding process by rubbing their antlers against tree trunks, stumps and rocks. When all the skin is finally removed and the antlers are polished from the rubbing, they become hard and sharp.

The bull is well aware of his new rack of antlers when he is trying to attract the females (cows). He soon finds other bulls with the same idea of challenging him. Soon there is fighting going on in the herd. Antlers are the main weapons in these contests, although they use their sharp hooves as well. They also bugle, which is a series of loud calls that establishes dominance over other males and attracts females. The older, tougher bulls usually hold their own in pushing and wrestling matches, but sooner or later they find themselves defeated by younger ones stronger than themselves. The herd then belongs to the victor.

After the herd leadership has been established, those of the Rocky Mountain species realize that winter is over, and it is time to migrate to the mountain meadows, rich in luscious grasses, plants, leaves and bark. In these travels, bulls group separately from the cows and their calves, but join again later. The trips may be relatively short or as long as 30 or 40 miles. They travel slowly, eating their way to the higher elevations where they spend the summer. In the fall they descend to lower meadows again, and in places where winters are severe and where they are officially protected, some of their food is often provided by friendly people.

Like all of God’s creatures always under His watchful care, the elk are not aware of it. But the care is very real, as it is for each of us, but in a much greater degree. The care God gives us is blessed with the rich love of His heart, which includes His supreme gift, the Lord Jesus Christ as a Saviour to all who will place their trust in Him. Have you accepted this precious gift and thanked Him for it? “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

ML-12/21/2014

Is Your Name on the List?

Do you know what the letters RSVP mean? If you have ever received a written or printed invitation, you may have seen these letters at the bottom. The letters mean, “Please Reply.” When you reply that you plan to attend the party or wedding, your name will then be added to the list of those who have accepted the invitation.

When Jesus lived on the earth, He said many important things, and boys and girls and everybody else should pay attention to His words. One time He said to His followers, “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Did you know that God has a book in heaven called the “book of life”? If your name is written down in that book, you will be welcomed into heaven when you die. Here is the loving invitation that Jesus has sent to you: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden [in your sins], and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Now it is your responsibility to accept His invitation by replying to Him. Here is a true story that will help you understand how important it is to reply to Jesus’ invitation to COME to Him to have your sins forgiven and have your name written down in the “book of life.”

A lady received a beautiful invitation to an important wedding. Many well-known people would be attending. Because this lady had a beautiful singing voice, the bride asked her to sing at her wedding. The lady told the bride that she would be honored to sing at her wedding, and she began practicing for the special event.

The great day arrived. The wedding and all the plans went smoothly, and everyone enjoyed the lady’s beautiful singing. Then it was time to attend the reception, which is often a very special dinner. The singer and her husband joined the line leading into the dining room. And like everyone else, they stopped at the head of the line where a waiter checked off the names on the list of guests who had accepted the dinner invitation by replying to the RSVP on the invitation. He read down the list of names and then checked it a second time. Looking at them, he said, “Your names are not on the list.”

The lady said to the waiter, “But I was the singer at the wedding today, and the bride personally invited me!”

The waiter said, “I’m sorry, but my instructions are to admit only those people whose names are on this list, and your names are not here.”

So the invited singer and her husband, with great embarrassment and disbelief, were turned away. “What happened?” her husband asked on the way home. Sadly the lady said, “I never sent my answer to the RSVP. I just thought I didn’t need to bother, so I ignored it.” So this special lady and her husband, instead of attending the joyous wedding feast, went home to make their own meal.

Boys and girls, now do you see how important it is to reply to the Saviour’s invitation that says, “Him [or her] that [comes] to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37)? His invitation is still good, and He’s waiting for a reply from you. The Bible talks sadly of those whose names are not written in the “book of life” when they die: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You can give the Lord Jesus your “yes” by thanking Him in prayer that He invited you, confessing that you are a sinner, and telling Him that you accept His wonderful offer of forgiveness for your sins. When you do this, your name will be written down on the list in the “book of life.” Then you will have no fear of being turned away when He checks that important list of names in heaven. Your name will be there!

Will you make sure your name is added to that special “book of life” today? It’s much too important to forget!

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

ML-12/28/2014

Who Likes to Go Fishing?

Many children, as well as some grown-ups, always like to go fishing. Some of you boys and girls might even have your own fishing rod.

For hundreds of years, fishing has been a paying job for many men, even back to the times when Jesus lived here on earth. The Bible tells us about four fishermen, two sets of brothers, who used nets to catch fish. They would empty their nets full of fish into their boats and then take the fish to the marketplace and sell them. But one day, Jesus called these four fishermen to be His disciples. All four of them immediately left their fishing nets and boats behind and followed Jesus from then on.

Do you know the names of these four fishermen whom Jesus called to be His disciples? Write them down if you can. We have given you the first letter of each of their names.

P_____________________ A_____________________

J______________________ J_____________________

If you can’t remember their names or want to check your answers, you may look them up in your Bible in Matthew 4:18-22.

ML-12/28/2014

The Wonders of God's Creation: Mangroves-Unloved but Useful

“Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.” Genesis 21:33

We are not told what kind of trees Abraham planted, but how encouraging to learn of his honoring God by planting trees. However, it is certain these trees were not mangroves, because they would not grow in Israel. Mangroves require the salty, sandy shore waters of the Florida Everglades, or similar places throughout the southern oceans of the world, to thrive. Although there are restoration efforts, over half of the world’s mangroves have been removed in recent times.

Once mangroves take root, they anchor themselves in mud and rotting vegetation with the upper parts of their roots arching up and spreading out in a great mat. These are so tightly pressed together that only small animals, birds, crabs, snakes and insects can penetrate them. The trunk and foliage is lifted 50 to 75 feet high off the ground by these matted and tangled roots. These arching roots continue to grow from the base of the tree as it grows.

Salt water will kill almost any other kind of tree. Mangroves are helped by growing where fresh water from rain and streams dilutes the salt water. Also, God gave these trees filtering systems that remove much of the salt drawn up from the water, and they grow rapidly on what comes through the filters.

Of what use is this kind of forest? It provides homes for many creatures. Certain crabs find this a safe place to live. Lobsters and many shellfish welcome the opportunity to hide in the mass of roots. Dropping and decaying leaves provide rich food for many sea residents, including fish, bivalves and a great variety of worms, sea slugs and insects.

Birds such as herons, spoonbills, egrets and other water-waders find an abundance of food here. Shrimp, migrating many miles to such protected spots, grow fat and healthy before returning to deep water. Crocodiles and water snakes come to these places too. As the groves of these trees spread, ponds are formed within them, providing welcome resting places for migrating birds.

Mangroves growing in great numbers also protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surges (especially during hurricanes) and tsunamis. As they spread, the land gradually builds up behind them, in contrast to many places where storms eat into the land, washing sand and soil away.

The more God’s wonderful creation is studied, the more we see that everything has its proper place in His plan. The Bible refers to a tree to tell us something wonderful: “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river” (Jeremiah 17:7-8). Can this be said of you?

ML-12/28/2014

Messages of God's Love: 2014

Table of Contents

Let's Go Visit the White House!

Detour From Death

The Wonders of God's Creation: Treasures of the Snow

I Can't Stop!

The Rattlesnake

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Tough Grizzly

Grandpa and Johnny Rescue a Deer

The Sons of Israel (Jacob)

The Wonders of God's Creation: No Love for Fire Ants

A Howling Blizzard

Monsters

The Wonders of God's Creation: North America's Flying Squirrels - Part 1

Dumb Duck!

Tony's Trouble

The Wonders of God's Creation: North America's Flying Squirrels - Part 2

The Story of Naaman the Leper

Sharing

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Almond Tree

Windy Runs Wild and Free

The Hailstorm and Tom's Prayer

The Wonders of God's Creation: Multi-Colored Kingfishers

The Ungrateful Ducklings

Sid the Fireman

The Wonders of God's Creation: Water and the Balance of Nature

Just in Time!

Something More Than Gold

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Ever-Present Cockroach

A Visit to Ephesus

A Mother Bird's Care

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Scary Crocodile

Lost Keys … Again!

Setting a Fire

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Amazing Heart

Brevin Saves His Family

"Help Me!"

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Busy Gray Squirrel

The Missing Dolphins

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Bird With a Big Bill - Part 1

A Visit to Athens

Peace and Safety?

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Bird With a Big Bill - Part 2

Marsha's Good Memory

Little Things

The Wonders of God's Creation: Our Remarkable Kidneys

Orlando, the Faithful Seeing-Eye Dog

Lions!

The Wonders of God's Creation: Two Big, Strong Buffalo

That Naughty Bird!

The Two Warning Signs

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Woodland Grave Digger

A Jealous Brother

Bear Attack!

The Wonders of God's Creation: Persistent Sagebrush

Hurricane!

The Little Lost Goat

The Wonders of God's Creation: the Philippine Eagle

Little Hobo

Stolen Chickens

The Wonders of God's Creation: Anemones-Beautiful but Deadly - Part 1

"Big Bertha"

You Can't Pay for a Gift

The Wonders of God's Creation: Anemones-Beautiful but Deadly - Part 2

Whose Baby Is This?

Shining for Jesus

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Mink

The Balloon With a Surprise

The Hidden Fishhook

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Lovely Manakins

Left Behind!

Is God Only in the Sky?

The Wonders of God's Creation: What's With Seeds?

Caught in a Net

A Special Eskimo Word

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Thrill of a Shooting Star

A Bundle of Sticks

Noah and the Ark

Have You Noticed?

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Spectacular Humpback Whale - Part 1