Messages of God's Love: 2016

One day, four friends and their moms went skiing. As they drove to the ski lodge, some of the young friends were nervous. They had heard about skiers hitting trees, and they had seen fast skiers doing tricks as they flew down the mountainside.

What if I get going too fast and lose control? thought Robert.

What if we get lost in all of those trees? thought Emily.

Finally they reached the lodge and forgot about all of their worries, as they changed into their ski clothes. Next they walked downstairs to pick up their skis, ski poles, and ski boots. Before long the skiers were ready to go! They snapped on their skis and headed to the ski lift that would take them up the mountain. Peggy and Joe sat on one bench, Robert and Emily sat on another, and the moms sat together on the third bench. It was a beautiful ride up to the top of the lift.

Maybe you are like these four friends. You are enjoying your life. It is busy and exciting, and there are lots of interesting things to do and see. Once in a while there are things that worry you, but it’s easy to push those thoughts aside and get back to the fun stuff.

“Giddy Up” was the name of the trail the friends decided to start out on. With all of the little hills and bumps, they decided it was a good name for the hill! Not too fast, but plenty exciting.

The hours flew by, and the four friends grew more comfortable with each downhill run. The nervousness they had felt at the beginning of the day was long forgotten. Everyone was having a great time. Once again, they got off the lift near “Giddy Up” and decided to try skiing down a trail that went through the trees.

Sometimes our lives go along at an easy pace, and we get to feeling nothing can stop us. We are like these friends who were looking out for a new adventure, not satisfied with the paths they had gotten used to. We forget that what our hearts really need is to be filled with the love of God. “The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought” (Isaiah 58:11).

Suddenly Emily saw that it was getting dark! She asked Peggy what time it was.

“It’s 4:00,” she replied.

“It’s time to get going home!” cried Emily. “The resort is about to close! We better hurry down the mountain!”

As Emily looked around, she saw that there were trees everywhere. It would not be easy to hurry. “Where can we go?” she exclaimed. If only her mom were there with her, she wouldn’t be so afraid! Joe and Robert were far ahead of Emily and Peggy, so they didn’t know the girls were lost.

The two girls carefully picked their way through the trees as darkness settled in. Everything was quiet and still, and only once did they see another skier farther away on another trail. It was easy for Emily to imagine being lost and trapped in the woods all night, shivering in the cold. But Peggy led the way, certain they would eventually end up at the bottom of the mountain. Thankfully both girls knew the Lord Jesus as their very own Saviour and Friend. They remembered that He was right there in the dark woods with them, and they silently prayed for His help to lead them out in time.

Even if we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we can make poor decisions that lead us down a dangerous path. It is important to remember that He is still with us, waiting for us to call out to Him for help. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15).

Finally they saw a glimmer of light! The girls made it through the last section of evergreen trees, and then they saw the resort! There were Joe and Robert, and there were their moms! What a relief to see familiar faces and the warm light of the ski lodge.

Emily and Peggy collapsed onto the snow, laughing and crying at the same time. They thanked the Lord Jesus for watching over them. It was good to feel safe again! “Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe” (Psalm 119:117).

MEMORY VERSE: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15

ML-01/03/2016

"Keep Looking Up"

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

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

Are you ready to go up to heaven when the Lord Jesus comes? Are you “looking up” for His coming? You’re never too young to be saved from your sins so you can be one of those who keep looking up. Do you know the verse, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6)?

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

ML-01/03/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Caterpillars for Dinner

“Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.” 1 Timothy 4:4

How would you like a bowl of fried caterpillars for lunch? Or would you enjoy taking a few along for snacks on your next picnic? “Yuck!” you might announce loudly. “Don’t even suggest such a thing!” But there are people in southern Africa who would tell you that you don’t know what you’re missing until you have tasted this very special food.

These African people don’t mean that every kind of caterpillar should be eaten—just those known as Mopane worms (because they are found mostly on Mopane trees) or a few others like them. These are large caterpillars—about four inches long with fat bodies circled with green and black bands, and some have yellow or red bands. Many Africans eat them either raw or cooked, as a snack or added to other foods in stews.

Children, as well as grown-ups, collect them. When one is removed from a leaf, it is pressed flat to remove the inside part and then either eaten right away or added to others in a basket to take home. Sometimes they are canned for eating later. It is not just the natives in the forests who enjoy them, but many wealthy people buy them in sealed cans or in plastic bags in grocery stores and meat markets. Housewives, fixing lunch bags for workers or for children in school, often include a package to be eaten for dessert—just as most of us would eat a piece of cake or a candy bar. While all this may seem like a bad dream, this food is actually full of vitamins and minerals and helpful for good health.

Visitors who have tried them report they taste like nuts; others compare them with roast beef, while some think they taste more like a breakfast cereal. But all visitors agree that it would take quite a while to really want them included in their meals!

The opening Bible verse tells of the bounties of God’s provision for all He has created. Of course, the verse does not mean that everything can be eaten without first knowing if it is harmless or needs special preparation. It may have been God’s purpose to have it changed into medicines or even as a poison to dispose of dangerous pests or for some other use than eating. But it does remind us that the Creator had a definite purpose for everything He brought into being, and all can be accepted with thanksgiving.

Have you thanked Him for His goodness to you, not only for daily food, but in providing His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be your Saviour? Have you admitted your need of having your sins washed away and accepted Him as your very own Saviour? If not, don’t wait another day!

ML-01/03/2016

Achan's Secret

It’s my secret, Achan said to himself. No one needs to know. And he carefully scraped a hole in the floor of his tent and hid them there—200 shekels of silver, a wedge of gold, and a beautiful, imported garment.

You see, Achan had worn the same clothes for 40 years after the children of Israel left Egypt and crossed the desert on their way to Canaan. Maybe, if he had been a child when the journey began, he had exchanged clothes and sandals with other growing children until he was a man, but nothing was newer than forty years old.

Are you thinking, They had to be tattered and torn old clothes?

No, they weren’t tattered or worn out! Achan did not stop to think about how wonderful his clothes really were. God had kept them fresh, without fading or the need for mending, through all those years of dusty, desert travel. There was nothing like those clothes in the whole world, neither then nor now. So why steal and hide a supposedly better garment when what God had provided was still just like new? And more importantly, God had said “No” about taking anything of the riches of Jericho, the city they had just conquered.

Achan was part of the army which had won a great victory at Jericho. The next city, which was Ai, was just a small city and would be an easy victory. No problem.

But there WAS a problem! God knew about that stuff hidden in Achan’s tent, and God let Israel’s army turn back defeated from the little city of Ai. Joshua, their leader, took this problem at once to the God of Israel. God’s answer was, “Israel [has] sinned”!

We aren’t told how long it was between the hiding and the discovery. Perhaps in our lives it may be a long time, but the discovery of hidden sin is sure to come. Achan had an opportunity to confess his hidden sin before God, but he didn’t confess until he was pointed out as the guilty one.

Do you know that you have an opportunity right now to confess to God that you are a sinner? There is forgiveness for you, because it was for peoples’ sins that Jesus suffered and died. He knows everything you have done. Tell Him now that you are a sinner and need your sins forgiven. Confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. God has promised that you will be eternally saved from the punishment for your sins. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Achan confessed when he was faced with his guilt and told them where to find the things in his tent. Punishment was total. He, his family and all his belongings were destroyed, and a great heap of stones was piled over the whole group.

God tells you and me that “every tongue [shall] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). If you wait until you stand before God as your judge to confess this, then your punishment will be total. But if you will confess from your heart today that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour, you will find that Jesus bore all your punishment on the cross, and forgiveness for you is free! When your life here on earth is over, you will be welcomed to your home in heaven where Jesus is right now.

You may read this story for yourself in the Bible in Joshua, chapter 7.

MEMORY VERSE: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

ML-01/10/2016

Ducks and Chickens

Jenny was a little girl who lived on a farm. Her mother had given her a hen and some eggs to be hatched. Jenny looked forward to the time when she would have some little chicks all her own. However, these eggs were not all the same size—seven of them were hen’s eggs and six were duck’s eggs.

For many days the mother hen patiently sat on the nest. After about three weeks, two different groups of fluffy, yellow baby birds hatched. Jenny was so excited and decided to make a house for the new family.

One morning a few weeks later when she went to the chicken house to feed them, she discovered that all of the young ducklings were gone and only the young chickens were left. She ran and told her mother the sad news.

Her mother laughed and said, “Jenny, go down to the pond in the field and see if you can find them there.”

So Jenny hurried off to the pond. Sure enough, there were the six little ducks having a wonderful time, enjoying their first swim in the water. She tried to get them to come back to the shore, but no, they loved the water and were having too good a time to leave. It was just as natural for them to be in the water as it was for the chicks to be on the land. Even though both the ducks and chicks were hatched in the same nest, the two groups had different natures.

Jenny’s mother saw a little lesson in this. She explained to Jenny that every one of us is born with a nature that is selfish, wants to sin, loves the world and its pleasures, and is against God. But when a person becomes saved, he is “born again,” born of God. He receives a new nature that is holy, that cannot sin, and that loves to obey and please the Lord Jesus. However, that other old nature still remains in the Christian as long as he is alive. A Christian is to keep that old nature in the place of death with the help and power of Christ. But sometimes a Christian lets it become very active.

The old nature can only sin; the new nature cannot sin. May the Lord Jesus help each of us who is saved from our sins to walk in the power of that new nature.

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

ML-01/10/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Lovely Avocet

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

There are four species of the pretty bird called the avocet, and all are quite similar except for coloring. One of these is the American avocet. It migrates north in spring to the Arctic and returns south to Canada and the United States in fall. This long-legged, web-footed, 18-inch resident of marshes and ponds is called a “wader,” because much of its time is spent wading as it hunts for food.

Beautiful color combinations mark the American species. They are black and white above with white below. Smooth feathers of its neck, head and breast are set off with a small, white circle around each dark eye. It has a larger circle at the base of its long, up-curved, slender, black bill. Below the breast the body is pure white, partly covered with black wings. Long, slender, strong legs and extra-large, partially webbed feet complete the picture. In flight, it trails its legs behind like a rudder.

When choosing a mate, the male, while wading in water, entertains a female sitting on the ground. She may encourage him with motions of her head and wings. He struts gracefully through shallow water, stopping now and then to bow to her. Then he spreads his wings wide and shows her how gracefully he can dance. If she responds to all this, they soon begin to build a crude nest on the ground.

The female lays three or four spotted eggs which will hatch in three or four weeks. The male incubates them for a week or more and then turns the rest of the job over to the female. If an enemy threatens her, he is close by and immediately comes to her assistance.

The baby chicks can run around soon after hatching. If the parents warn them to be still, they “freeze” immediately and stay that way, even permitting a person to pick them up.

The Creator has provided these birds with long, flat, up-curved bills to enable them to find food from the marshy areas. They use their bills to scrape along the bottom for shellfish and worms. They also swing their open bills back and forth just above the surface of the water to catch hovering insects.

The opening Bible verse tells of the Creator’s bringing all birds and beasts into the world, and we know He took great pleasure in all He created. More importantly, we are also told of His special love for each one of us. He wants each of us to accept the Lord Jesus as Saviour—the One who died on the cross, providing the only way to heaven.

If you have not yet come to Him, why not come right now? “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-01/10/2016

What Randy Found in the Ditch

As soon as the school bus rumbled into the yard where it was parked for the night, Randy ran into the house to change clothes. He was in a hurry! Soon he was back outside and running along the road. He was looking in the ditches as he ran, because he had spotted something out the bus window on the way home. Suddenly, he saw it!

Down in the ditch a big snow goose was painfully making its way through the dried weeds and loose rocks. Randy guessed hunters had shot and wounded it in the wing. It must have fallen to the ground, calling in distress to its mate and other geese that were flying south for the winter. Frightened by the gunfire, they flew on, leaving the goose helplessly alone.

Then a dark figure was in the ditch coming toward the goose as it waddled along, dragging its injured wing. The goose struggled to get away as Randy’s kind hands closed around him. Then those kind hands lifted the goose gently into his arms and carried the frightened goose home.

Randy locked the goose in the empty chicken house and put fresh water in a pan and mash in another pan where the goose could reach them. For weeks he cared for the goose and would let it go outside into an open pen for sunshine and fresh air each day. Sometimes he sprayed it with a fine mist from the hose. The goose seemed to like that. Randy was a good caretaker, and he loved caring for the injured goose. In fact, he named the goose Dudley.

One day Randy left the gate unhooked while he was getting fresh water and mash for Dudley, and the gate swung open. When he returned, the goose was gone. Dudley had walked out the gate and down to the water trough. He fluttered his wings and found they worked pretty well. The wound was healing nicely. He walked back to his pen honking, and Randy was happy to see he wasn’t trying to escape. Randy never hooked the gate after that.

Boys and girls, have you ever been injured? Maybe some of you know what it’s like to have to wear a cast on your arm or leg, and those injuries take time to heal. But every one of you has been injured by your sins. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But there isn’t anything a doctor can do to help you heal from your sin wounds. Only the Lord Jesus can heal those wounds. He loves you very much and is waiting to remove all your sin wounds, if you will let Him. Because He is God’s sinless Son, He willingly went to Calvary’s cross. There God punished Him for the sins of every boy and girl and man and woman who will admit they are sinners and let Him heal those sin wounds. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). That opens the door to heaven for every person whose sins have been healed by the Lord Jesus.

Spring arrived early that year, and with the warmer weather came flocks of migrating geese. Early one morning and high overhead they heard, “Honk, honk, honk!” Dudley heard the honks too, as a flock of Canadian snow geese continued their long flight north. Randy and his family saw Dudley flapping his wings, and then they watched him lift up and fly over the housetop and join the migrating flock of snow geese.

And one day soon, those of us who have been healed from our sins will hear a shout from our Saviour, the Lord Jesus, who will call us to heaven. Here is that promise: “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:17-18).

The following fall, as the geese were migrating back south for the winter, they saw one of the geese break formation by circling low over the quiet farmyard and house. It flew to the water trough and began to splash and honk loudly. The family heard the honking and then saw Dudley waddling about. He had not forgotten Randy and wanted to say, “Thanks.” He soon flew up and circled the farm several times, calling, and then flew swiftly to catch up with the rest of his flock. That was exciting for Randy to see his healed goose back in the wild and yet remembering him.

Do those of you who have been cleansed from your sins remember to thank the Lord Jesus for His love in healing you from your sin wounds and giving you the promise of a home in heaven?

MEMORY VERSE: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

ML-01/17/2016

Children

Children, they are so sweet!

They always love to have a treat;

Their faces shine, their eyes are bright

And glow and twinkle like a light.

They love to run and laugh and play;

They’re great at art and paint and clay;

They love to feed their dog or cat;

They’re good at sports and up at bat.

But, children also can be bad;

It makes their parents very sad,

When wrong choices have been made,

And punishment for it must trade.

We all have sinned and done our part;

We must ask Jesus to clean our hearts;

Then to heaven one day we’ll go

And see Jesus on the street of gold.

ML-01/17/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Arabian Horse

“Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?” Job 39:19

Compared to other horses, Arabian horses are small. They usually don’t grow taller than 15 hands. Paintings and drawings of Arabians have been found in Arabia, dating back to the time of Noah. This tells us that they have been important in the lives of people for a long time. No doubt they are important to their Creator too, because the Bible tells us that all things were created for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11).

Arabian horses’ hair is usually gray and freckled brown, but they can also be red, painted (white with brown patches), black and any other solid color. No matter what color hair an Arabian horse has, its skin underneath is always black. This helps prevent the horse from getting sunburned.

When Arabians gallop, they can reach speeds up to 35 miles per hour. When they run, they arch their necks with their delicate heads and hold up their tails, which makes them look very elegant.

Many people consider the Arabian horse the most beautiful of all horses. Their prominent eyes, large nostrils, small muzzles and flowing manes set them apart from other horses. They have a broad chest, a strong back and sloped shoulders to give them powerful strides. Did you know that Arabian horses have 17 ribs? Most other horses have 18.

Right now, the United States has the largest Arabian horse population in the world. It was not always so, however. In the early 1700s, Arabian stallions were brought to America to begin a breeding program. This effort came to a halt during the Civil War, and most all of the Arabian horses were wiped out! But being quite hardy, these animals made a comeback later in the 1800s, and they are likely to stay around. They adapt well and have favorable dispositions when treated well by their owners. It is amazing how God created these beautiful and elegant animals, yet so hardy and tough. He has given this breed all that it needs to survive in the desert as well as in colder climates.

Many Arabian people breed and care for purebred Arabian horses. They sometimes bring their horses inside their tents for protection from theft, because they are so valuable to their owners. Although they are great friends, they can also have fiery habits, running and kicking wildly. These horses are eager to please, though, and are quick learners.

God loves and cares for us too. Just as He has provided for the needs of this beautiful animal, He has provided for our need of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has given us His Word, the Bible, along with the faith to believe it and the peace to enjoy it. Being able to pray is another provision God in His love has given us. “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory” (Philippians 4:19).

ML-01/17/2016

Set 2

Cricket in the Deep Snow

Hello again, children!

As Gramma and I looked out the window this morning, we saw lots of snow! It probably snowed all night. But right now it is not snowing, so I want to go out and feed the birds like I do every morning. I’ll have to put on my high boots that I use for walking in deep snow.

All the while, Cricket, our little dog, was watching me with her big brown eyes as I was pulling on my boots. Of course, she wants to go with me! She knows I’m going out to feed the birds, and she loves the morning walk around to all the feeders. But ... today the snow is too deep for her, at least I think so.

As I put my hand on the door handle to open it, she got up and put her nose beside the door. I looked at her and said, “No, Cricket, not today. The snow is too deep.” She knew what I was saying, but she refused to move. I said it again, but she still stood right there, tail wagging, big brown eyes looking up at me as if to say, “PLEASE??” I said, “Okay, you win. Come on with me.”

So out she goes and right down the steps into that deep snow! Then she was leaping around in the snow as if she were a kangaroo! I walked toward the barn where I keep the bird seed, thinking about what God has told us in Genesis 8:22: “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” And then in Job 38:22 He asks, “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?” God has freely given us all these things to preserve the earth and for us to enjoy! He designed it all for us! Amazing!

I went into the barn and picked up two pails of seeds for the birds and then walked outside again, with Cricket closely following me. However, it was very difficult for her as the snow was deep. I walked around to all the feeders, filling them up. As I was filling the last one, I turned around to make sure Cricket was still okay, but she was having a hard time. She was now jumping into my footprints instead of the deep snow! I stopped and looked at her, and she looked up at me with those big brown eyes. You can probably guess what I did next. I set down the empty seed pails and held out my hands, saying, “C’mon up here, old buddy!” So ... up she jumped into my arms and gave me a big lick with her tongue, as if to say, “Thanks, Grampa!” Then I picked up the empty seed pails, and with Cricket in my arms, I walked to the house, up the steps, and then I set her down. She ran a few circles around me, and then into the warm house we went where Gramma was waiting to brush the snow off both of us.

Children, our Father in heaven will take good care of us. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He came to little children. Did He walk past them? Oh, no! He loved them and stopped and said, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God ... . And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:14,16). Just as I picked up Cricket in my arms out of the cold snow and carried her to the nice warm house, even so the Lord Jesus will take you to heaven, if you will trust Him. Are you trusting Him?

Safe am I,

In the hollow of His hand:

Sheltered o’er,

With His love forevermore;

No ill can harm me,

No foe alarm me,

For He keeps both day and night;

Safe am I,

In the hollow of His hand.

With lots of love, Grampa and Gramma

MEMORY VERSE: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:1

ML-01/24/2016

Jessica and the Crayon

Young Jessica went to Sunday school with her parents each Sunday; then they would stay for the meeting to remember the Lord Jesus in His death. Jessica was sitting quietly between her parents coloring a picture and was about to put a small crayon into her mouth. Her mother saw what she was going to do and told her not to. But when her mother’s head was turned, Jessica popped the crayon into her mouth anyway and started to chew on it.

Now the Bible plainly says, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). Jessica had sinned while just sitting quietly, because she had disobeyed her mother.

Later her mother asked, “Jessica, did you put a crayon in your mouth?”

Jessica answered, “No.”

Uh oh, another sin. Now Jessica had told a lie. Perhaps she was too young to understand the verse, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). God gave us that verse as a warning that we will not “get away” with sin. Sometimes our sin is found out right away.

Jessica’s daddy said, “Open your mouth, Jessica.” It was a green color with bits of green crayon inside.

Jessica did not sleep well that night and was crying when it was time to get up the next morning. “Mama, I don’t want to go to hell.” Now Jesus loves Jessica and didn’t want her to go there either. He came to save sinners by taking the punishment on the cross for the sins of any who will believe in Him. He died for us. Just think of that! “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou SHALT be saved” (Romans 10:9).

When I heard this story later, Jessica told me she had confessed to the Lord Jesus that she was a sinner and believed that He washed her sins away. She said that she was going to live with Jesus in heaven. That’s a promise He gives those who believe in Him.

Where will you spend eternity? Be sure it’s with Jesus!

ML-01/24/2016

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

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

How clean and lovely the new snowfall is. Every unsightly place now is hidden under a fresh, white blanket. The above verse is a picture of our sins which have separated us from God. It invites everyone to hear how their sins may be made “white as snow.” Many Bible verses explain this. Here is one: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

It is always snowing somewhere, and about one fourth of the world is permanently covered with snow. Glaciers and icebergs all begin as snow, which builds up and is compressed into ice by its own weight. Some of these glaciers are more than two miles thick! Snowflakes are transparent ice crystals that have formed high in the sky. Their whiteness results from light reflecting from their many facets. Each flake is a wonderful display of God’s delight in making things of beauty for His own enjoyment as well as ours. Ninety-six varieties and shapes of snowflakes have been classified, most being hexagonal (six-sided), and amazingly, no two snowflakes have been found to be identical.

We think of snow as being very cold, but for many animals and insects it is a warm blanket. Insulated under the snow and safely hidden from enemies, animals such as mice, ground squirrels and porcupines, and some birds and other small creatures make snug, warm homes. The little pika not only has comfortable rooms under the snow connected by tunnels, but he also has a runway to a nearby “barn” where he stored a good supply of food during the summer months. Many insects also keep active with hidden runways taking them to feeding grounds underneath the snow. As the snow deepens, it is also helpful to some larger animals. Deer and rabbits are able to reach twigs and buds of trees and shrubs that had been too high to reach from the ground. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord cares for these creatures throughout the year?

One snowflake seems so small, but multiplied by millions, they provide a storehouse of water in hot summer months. This is another provision of the Creator for all life. On the other hand, too much snow can cause a disaster. The habits of every person are like this. At first the habits do not seem like serious matters, but, depending if they are good or bad and repeated over and over, they may become a real benefit or something harmful to ourselves and others.

Being aware of this we can pray, “Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path” (Psalm 27:11). “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). The Lord will gladly answer such prayers.

ML-01/24/2016

Traveling to Outer Space

If it cost 1¢ to go 1,000 miles through space, it would cost $2.39 to go to the moon since the moon is 238,857 miles from the earth. To travel to the sun would cost $930. But to reach the nearest star would cost $260,000,000! So how much do you think it costs to get to heaven? Far, far more than any of us could ever pay. Only the blood of Christ could ever pay our passage there.

We’ve talked about cost; now let’s talk about time. Light travels 186,282 miles per second. If we could travel at the speed of light, it would only take a tiny bit over 1¼ seconds to reach the moon, about 8¼ minutes to travel to the sun, and approximately 4.3 years to reach the nearest star. How long would it take to travel to heaven? The Bible gives us that answer. When the Lord Jesus comes to take His own blood-bought people to heaven, we will be there “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:52)!

Stars look so bright to us on a clear night, but the light from the nearest star has traveled more than 4 years (called light-years) before it comes close enough to the earth so we can see it. There are only about 20 stars within 12 light-years of the earth. And light from other stars takes much longer.

How many stars are there in this vast universe? Only God knows that answer. With stronger telescopes, astronomers are continually discovering more stars that God placed in the sky when He first created them. Psalm 147:4 says, “He [God] telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.” But I know something much sweeter and more personal than that. “He [calls] His own sheep by name, and [leads] them out” (John 10:3). Isn’t it wonderful that God, the One who created the sun, the moon and the stars, loves you and me so much that He sent His Son who became a man so He could die for our sins? How thankful we should be that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [believes] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). And do you know that the God who created this vast universe and named every star is the same God who loves you and knows your name? He sent His Son Christ Jesus to die for you, and now He is waiting for you to accept His Son as your very own Saviour. Will you accept His gift of eternal life, which is far more valuable than the unmeasured universe?

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

MEMORY VERSE: “For 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-01/31/2016

Afloat on an Ice Cake

At last, the first signs of spring! The ice in the LaHave River was finally breaking up!

Peter, age six, was enjoying the fun of jumping the ice cakes near shore. What fun it was to pretend that they were islands, each one a different size, and some almost too small to stay on. He caught sight of another small one. Would he be able to get to it? Finally he decided to try, and he jumped his way over to it.

Now ice cakes are smaller than ice floes. And this one was pretty small, so he sat down on it so he wouldn’t lose his balance. It was floating slowly away from shore, so slowly he was hardly aware of it. Was he really drifting out from shore ... ?

At first it was fun, but soon Peter discovered he had floated too far out to jump back to another ice cake nearer shore. He knew he was in trouble and began to call for help. Do you think he might have remembered learning this verse in Sunday school? “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3).

At home, Peter’s mother heard his cries. She called to her neighbors as she ran to the river. Several followed her. For several moments they watched with rising fear as Peter drifted slowly, slowly away from shore.

Boys and girls, if you haven’t asked the Lord Jesus to save you, you are drifting farther and farther away from Him—the only one who can save you from your sins? And while you drift away from Him, you drift farther into the swift current of sin.

Peter’s mother, a believer in the Lord Jesus, cried to the Lord to help them. She believed the verse, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). How she loved her son!

“We must find a boat,” the neighbors shouted. Another neighbor nearby saw what was happening and quickly pushed his rowboat into the water.

Peter was afraid. He was far out from shore now . . . his floating island was almost in the middle of the river! His mother called to him, “Sit still, Peter; don’t move!” She knew if he moved, he would tumble into the icy water. Peter obeyed what she told him.

How important it is to obey our parents. But to obey God’s voice calling to us to accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as Saviour is even more important. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Don’t put it off; accept Him now before the current of sin takes you far away and you are lost forever.

God’s eye was on Peter, and the rescue boat reached him in time. He was pulled into the boat, and he was safe at last! On shore, his mother rejoiced and thanked the Lord Jesus for His goodness and mercy to Peter. How thankful Peter was to be safe in his mother’s arms.

Wouldn’t you like to be safe in the arms of the Lord Jesus and out of danger?

ML-01/31/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Bufo Relatives

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Ecclesiastes 12:1

No clown ever looked funnier than this little toad, sitting upright with its four legs ready to jump, eyes bright and a big grin across its face as if saying, “Hi there. My name is Bufo Boreas. Want to be friends?”

The bufos hatch from eggs in ponds beside the Los Angeles River in Southern California. But after changing from a tadpole into a toad, they leave their birthplace, climb the bank and go in search of a new home. A golf course or park area will do very nicely for a year or two, but eventually they will return to their original home to join others in producing millions of eggs that will soon hatch into tadpoles.

In these trips across land, many hazards await these toads. Although large numbers are killed each year crossing busy roads or die on sun-baked parking lots, their numbers never seem to decrease.

Nearly 500 miles farther north in high meadows near Yosemite Park, an equally restless cousin to bufo boreas also leaves its home to seek adventure in life. This one is bufo canorus, but because of a rugged lifestyle, it is not as cheerful as its relative.

To escape the killing cold of the high mountains, these little creatures hibernate from October until May or June, when they come out into the warm sunshine to sit and soak up the sun, while at the same time gaining strength and energy for the journey that is before them.

Soon, like those in the south, they start out to find a suitable pond for a summer home and to raise new batches of tadpoles. But they face quite a trip ahead with many snowdrifts to be crossed, and that is not easy for toads that cannot let their bodies get too chilled or they will freeze to death.

However, their Creator has given them remarkable instincts. Coming to a patch of snow too large to go around, they stand up on their hind feet to look it over, and then, with only occasional rests, they tiptoe on their four feet across the patch, keeping their bodies high and dry. They are surprisingly sure-footed on those slippery surfaces. After crossing several such areas, the sought-after pond will be found and provide a summer home. What amazing toads these are!

The opening verse tells us to “remember” the Lord Jesus, and that means not only as Creator but also as the Saviour of sinners. He invites us to live in His home in heaven when our lives here on earth are ended. He has paid the full price for every sinner who comes to Him confessing that he is a sinner and accepting Him as his Saviour. When this is done from the heart, heaven will be his eternal home.

Will heaven be your eternal home?

ML-01/31/2016

Peter's Life Was in Danger!

Part 1 – Rhoda’s Story

I cannot tell you how old Rhoda was, but the Bible calls her a “damsel,” so she probably was a young teenager. She may have been a servant-girl or even a daughter in the house of John Mark. I know she was an active girl and not afraid of the dark, even though it was late at night.

It was shortly after midnight, and there were many gathered together in that house, praying. Peter was in prison and his life was in danger. They were not signing a protest to the government to release him. Instead, they were praying to the God of heaven, the Father who loved them, and to the Lord Jesus who has all power in heaven and earth.

Rhoda was there at the prayer meeting. She knew Peter, for she had often listened to his voice and she knew it well. His words were wonderful, because he told her that she was not redeemed with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ. He told her that Jesus, His own self, bore her sins in His own body on the tree. And he told her that she was a living stone in God’s great spiritual house. Perhaps she had not yet heard of all these wonderful truths, but all this was part of Peter’s message. And since it was God’s Word, it was precious to the hearts of those in John Mark’s house that night. Maybe there were groans and tears as they prayed for Peter in prison and about to lose his life.

Listen! There’s a knock at the gate! It was Rhoda who ran down the passageway in the dark where she heard not only a knock but a voice calling to be let in. She recognized the voice, and she was so surprised and happy that she ran back to those praying with the news, “It’s Peter at the gate!”

But girls can be wrong! Why listen to Rhoda? It couldn’t be true. Didn’t she know that Peter was in prison? They told her she was out of her mind.

But she insisted that it was Peter’s voice and that he was at the gate!

“It is his angel,” they said.

Maybe there has been a time in your life when you knew that the answer was “Yes,” even when everybody around you said “No.” If you trust what God says, you may be sure that His Word is true. Others will see it later. Yes, God is true and His Word is worth trusting no matter what anybody says.

By this time everybody could hear the knocking on the gate, and when they opened it ... there stood Peter—the very man they had been praying for! They were so delighted that they all talked at once, but Peter raised his hand to quiet them.

After they stopped talking, he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. It was a very interesting story that he told them.

Part 2—Peter’s Story

Herod the king wanted to please the people, and since they did not like God’s message, he locked up Peter—God’s messenger—in prison. Herod made very sure that no power on earth could set Peter free. There were 16 soldiers on guard duty that night. As Peter the prisoner lay down to sleep, each of his hands was chained to one of the soldiers guarding him. Besides that, there were prison keepers on guard outside the prison door.

You’ll never guess what God did to set Peter free. And if you don’t know already, you will never guess what God has done to set one poor sinner, like you or me, free forever from the power of Satan. God sent His only Son Jesus to take the sinner’s place in judgment. Neither you nor I could make such an amazing plan. Only God could. I accepted God’s plan of freedom from my sins and Satan’s power. What about you? Have you accepted His plan of freedom from your sins?

In the night, God sent an angel into the prison, and a light shone around Peter. The angel struck him on the side to waken him and helped him up, and his chains fell off from his hands. Then the angel told him to fasten his belt, put on his sandals, put on his coat and follow him. And during this time, not one soldier woke up!

Peter obeyed the angel, thinking it must be a dream. The angel led him past the first and second prison doors, and then the iron gate leading to the city opened for them all by itself! They passed down the street, and suddenly the angel disappeared, leaving Peter standing alone under the stars. Now he knew for sure that it was not a dream but really true that God had sent His angel to set him free!

We who have trusted the Saviour of sinners are ready to tell you the same thing—”Now I know for sure that the Lord Jesus has made me free!” God promised this in John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Guess what Peter did next. He went straight to the prayer meeting at John Mark’s house where Rhoda was and told them how God had set him free. Then he left the city and went to another place where he would be safe.

In the morning, there was not a trace of him anywhere in the city. Of course, Herod the king was very angry, and he added to this wickedness by killing the soldiers who had been on guard duty that night when the angel set Peter free.

King Herod had a miserable death soon after that, and he is gone where unforgiven sinners go. But I am sure that we who have been set free from our sins will meet Rhoda in heaven, because she trusted in the God who sent His Son to die for sinners. And, of course, we will also meet Peter there.

You may read this amazing true story for yourself in the Bible, Acts chapter 12.

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

ML-02/07/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Likable Desert Fox

“The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works.” Psalm 104:31

All foxes are pretty, but the little desert kit fox is the most likable. It is only the size of a large house cat and so gentle and full of curiosity that it sometimes follows people. If seen, it does not run off unless threatened. It makes a lovely picture with its large, furry, triangular ears standing alert, button nose sniffing the air, and its round eyes watching everything that’s going on.

The fur of the desert kit fox is usually gray with patterns of yellow and black. It has a typical fox’s bushy tail, which is about half the length of its 20-inch-long body. Its short legs are muscular, and although it cannot run fast for long distances, it can make quick turns to disappear into brush or behind rocks.

When Jesus was on earth, He said, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). How sad to think that the very Creator of the world was the One who had no place to lay His head at night! But He has provided a safe home for foxes where they can rest and sleep.

Dens of the kit fox are usually made by digging a burrow in firm sand or dirt or under tree roots. Sometimes the fox may move into a den abandoned by another animal. The burrows are usually six or seven feet long with more than one opening for emergencies.

Normally four or five kits are born soon after the den is completed. The father fox brings food to the mother while she stays with the kits. Gradually she acquaints them with the outdoors, teaching them to catch rodents, lizards, insects and even birds and how to protect themselves from enemies.

The Creator has well adapted these desert citizens to their surroundings with coats blending in with the desert. The soles of their feet are covered with fur, but the toes remain bare so they can dig in the ground. Scorpions abound in such places, and their bite is deadly to most foxes, but God has given the desert fox immunity to the poison so it does not affect them. He has also given them keen hearing, vision and sense of smell, all to help them find food and to protect them from their enemies.

The Bible expresses this well: “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). But there is more than this in His love for every person who will respond to Him. Psalm 31:19 says, “Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee.” Have you found this happiness of truly trusting in Him?

ML-02/07/2016

Rescued by Obeying

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dart’s paws were slipping on the ice and he was going to die, until he obeyed. And sinners are on slippery ground, but those who hear Christ calling and come to Him to have their sins washed away can say, “He...heard my cry. He brought me up also...out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock [Christ]” (Psalm 40:1-2).

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

MEMORY VERSE: “What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17

ML-02/14/2016

Grandma's Ducks

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

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

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

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

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

ML-02/14/2016

Creation Puzzle

On what day did God create each of the following wonderful gifts for us? The answers will be found in Genesis, chapter 1, verses 3 through 31. You’ll have to think about some of these and decide what “family” they belong to. Write the number of the day beside each gift.

Day and night _____ Man _____

Grass _____ Cats and dogs _____

Dry land _____ Insects _____

Whales _____ Stars _____

Sun _____ Woman _____

Cows and goats _____ Eagles _____

Fruit trees _____ Seas _____

Moon _____ Heaven _____

ML-02/14/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Horseradish Is Not for Horses

“We remember the ... cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks and the onions, and the garlic.” Numbers 11:5

Horseradish should not be confused with the red and white radishes you sometimes eat whole or in a salad. Horseradish is usually sold as a creamy sauce in a small jar. Beware! It is quite hot and spicy.

The horseradish plant itself is rather pretty and belongs to the mustard family. Its clean, white blossoms give no clue as to the taste that is in its roots, which grow down as much as 14 feet and from which horseradish sauce is made. People who grow this in their home gardens usually make their own sauce by grating the roots to a fine hash and adding vinegar and salt. But the job of grating is rather unpleasant, because horseradish is much worse than onions in bringing tears to the eyes. It also has an unpleasant smell.

A strange thing about horseradish sauce is that most people who taste it the first time are not likely to try it again, because it is so hot. But those who continue to eat it learn to like it and will eat it when it is available.

This is the reason that horseradish has also been given the name “devil root.” An author of an article about it has said, “Certainly horseradish has some characteristics in common with sin: It’s delicious, but there are side effects. And like sin, it’s easy to start”—and, we might add, hard to stop.

What he said is worth thinking about, for any sin once allowed in our lives is hard to turn away from. The Israelites on the way to Canaan, complaining to Moses in our opening Bible verse, were an example of this. The Lord had delivered them from Egypt and the hard life there, promising something much better ahead, but they complained, for they could only think of the food they had left behind in that land.

The Bible warns of this in Proverbs 4:14-15: “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 [go] away.” Proverbs 1:10 gives the warning: “My son, if sinners entice [tempt] thee, consent thou not.”

And so the “devil root” to be concerned about is not really the horseradish that we eat, but that which it reminds us of—Satan himself. The Bible warns us about Satan’s temptations: “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). The “armor of God” means being full of trust and faith in the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and walking according to God’s Word, allowing Him to be our help and guide in everything. Are you doing this?

ML-02/14/2016

Set 3

"Oh, Be Careful, Little Tongue, What You Say"

Perhaps many of you children have sung this song when you were in Sunday school:

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

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

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

There are several other verses in the song about being careful what your eyes see, what your ears hear, what your hands do, and where your feet go, and they are important too. Our story today is going to compare how a forest fire and our tongues can both do great damage. It will remind us of this Bible verse in James 3:5 where God tells us, “The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

Have you ever seen a real forest fire? We were camping beside a lake when we noticed a white plume of smoke rising into the sky. We were curious. We took our boat up to a far neck of the lake and discovered that the smoke we saw was from a raging forest fire that had started at the edge of the lake we were on.

Along with about fifty other boats, we sat out on the water and watched the California Forestry Department battle the flames, sparks and wind. And those firefighters were losing the battle. Fifty- to sixty-foot flames swept across scrubby trees which lit up like torches as the flames raced across the hillside. Airplanes made many trips flying through smoke and dangerously close to the hillsides, dropping chemicals to slow the fire’s progress, but then a gust of wind would cause the flames to shoot up again.

Helicopters arrived and began dropping fifty-gallon buckets of lake water onto the fire. Fire trucks were stationed along the dirt service road, and we could see many yellow-suited firefighters dragging hoses as they tried to stop the advancing flames.

Then a bulldozer came clanking along the service road and made a sharp right turn into the scrubby underbrush. Within five minutes, the bulldozer had cleared a firebreak up a small hill before disappearing over the top.

The “Pedro Fire,” as this forest fire was named, started on July 3 and burned out of control for ten days before it was finally stopped. There were 1,364 firefighters who worked day and night, some coming to Central California from the states of Oregon and Washington. Forty-five fire engines, four helicopters, nine bulldozers, six water trucks and probably a dozen airplanes were used. The fire burned nearly two thousand acres and cost three million dollars!

The fire started out very small. A camper told investigators that the fire started with a spark when he hit a rock with his shovel. Just a spark.

After watching the fire for an hour or two, we returned to our campsite but kept thinking about the fire. We thought about it that night when its red glow lit up the night sky. We thought about it the next morning when our campsite and boat were covered with ash. We thought about it as we were leaving the lake, with smoke continuing to rise behind the hills. We could still see it from miles away.

And then we thought about that verse from the Bible that reminds us that our tongues can start a fire, just like that one spark started that terrible forest fire. Our tongues can start fires of unhappiness. If you and I say something unkind to someone, it hurts. Or if it’s about someone else, it often is repeated to others and is passed on again to even others, and the unhappiness grows. We have a verse that tells us what can happen: “He that [repeats] a matter [separates] ... friends” (Proverbs 17:9). Or if we intentionally say something that is untrue, that is called a lie, and a lie is sin! Just like the destruction we saw which was caused by one little spark, our tongues have the power to destroy, harm and cause suffering for many. Are we starting fires with what we say?

Here is a good reminder from the Bible for every one of us to think about each day: “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile” (Psalm 34:13).

“Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say!”

MEMORY VERSE: “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” Psalm 34:13

ML-02/21/2016

Hungry Caribou

During winter when the snow becomes deep, some of the larger animals that do not sleep through the winter often have difficulty finding enough food to eat. In Canada where this occurs with the caribou herds during most winters, the Canadian Air Force will help by hauling hay for the caribou to eat. Once the herds are located, planes loaded with bales of hay will fly near them and drop these bales for them.

A pilot reported that he was hauling hay to a large herd stranded in deep snow in an area 400 miles north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Many of the caribou were lying down because they were too weak to stand. When the hay was dropped, they could not even get up to eat. As the pilot circled the herd, he saw a strange sight. Several of the stronger caribou walked over to the hay, picked up some in their mouths, and carried it to the weak and dying animals. They laid the hay down close enough so that the caribou that could not get up could reach it.

What a good lesson this is for each of us in being kind to others. God will reward every kind act we do for others, if it is done to please the Lord Jesus. He says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (Matthew 25:40).

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

Have you done something kind to please the Lord Jesus?

ML-02/21/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Plovers

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed ... every fowl of the air.” Genesis 2:19

There are many varieties of compact, ground birds known as plovers. Many are shore birds, darting among the waves as they search for food churned up by the water. They pick out pieces of oysters, clams and other bits of sea life.

Plovers are found around the world. Nine species spend all or part of the year in North America. The most common is the killdeer, quickly identified by its loud, piercing “kill-dee, kill-dee” call as it flies. It can be found in all of the states and in almost every province of Canada.

One feature of God’s remarkable care over plovers is the way He protects their eggs and young. Their nests are scooped out of the sand or gravel and usually hold four eggs. These eggs are spotted and so perfectly camouflaged that they are hard to distinguish from the pebbles around them. When the birds hatch, they are speckled with black and will “freeze” at the mother bird’s command, making them well hidden. The parents are careful never to fly directly to or away from the nest. Instead, they first walk away so anything watching cannot easily tell where the nest is.

Let’s take a closer look at the remarkable lesser golden plovers. They nest in northern Canada and Alaska from spring until fall. In August or September, they fly in great numbers to Labrador. From there they fly nonstop in V formation over 4000 miles to Brazil by way of Bermuda and the Caribbean Sea. In March, they return across the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi Valley, back to their northern breeding grounds.

The Pacific golden plover is a foot-long bird with an even more amazing life. Nesting in northern Alaska and Siberia, it flies to Hawaii in the fall, then on to Malaysia, New Zealand and other Pacific islands.

The beginning of this journey to Hawaii requires a nonstop flight of over 2000 miles! The adult birds take off first, leaving the young ones to follow later. Doesn’t it seem impossible for these young birds to do this since they have never made the journey before, and Hawaii is just a pinpoint in the middle of the ocean? How do they know where to go and how to get there? Once more, the answer is that God has given them instincts that never fail, generation after generation. He tells them when to migrate and sends them safely to their destination.

These birds obey the will of the Lord, their Creator, and are an example of how we should also obey Him. His Word, the Bible, has instructions for us at every age of our lives. If we walk in His way, He will always bless us.

ML-02/21/2016

The Burglar Was Caught!

Often burglars don’t get caught, but a newspaper article reported about a burglar who was caught in quite an unexpected way.

Bill came home from work one evening to find his apartment a total mess! Drawers were dumped out of his dresser, his closet had been ransacked, and most of the things he valued were gone! It must have been an awful feeling to realize, I’ve been robbed! Someone broke in and has robbed my place and walked away with most of the things I’ve worked so hard for!

Bill sat down at his kitchen table still shaken. He was trying to figure out what to do when his eyes focused on Sam, his new parrot. Sam was hopping around in his cage squawking. Suddenly Bill remembered something really important about Sam. Bill had set up a video camera to record while he was away at work. He wanted to see if Sam had been repeating any of the words or phrases that he had been teaching him. Was the video camera still in place?

Yes! Bill quickly discovered that the burglar hadn’t found the video camera, but the video camera had found the burglar! Can you imagine Bill’s amazement when he played back the video and watched the burglar break into his place and then start carrying things out, including all of his small appliances. Then the camera recorded the burglar opening Bill’s refrigerator, taking out food, sitting down at the table and eating before he finally left.

Of course, the police detectives were very interested to watch Bill’s video! And needless to say, it wasn’t long before that burglar was caught and sent to jail where he spent a long time!

This story, especially what the video showed them, reminded me of the Bible verse that says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). Do you believe that the Lord God sees us all the time, just like the video camera? But He knows much, much more about us than just what a six-hour video can show. He personally tells us, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins [conscience], even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:10). Do you know that God knows every thought we think and everything we do, whether it’s right or wrong? That’s a little scary, isn’t it?

Boys and girls, and grown-ups too, God will be your judge someday, and maybe very soon. We are told, “Fear Him, which ... hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him” (Luke 12:5). But the Lord Jesus, who said these words, still loves us so much, even though we are sinners, that He died on the cross to take away our sins and to free us from that punishment of hell that we really deserve. Romans 5:8 tells us this: “God [commends] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The Lord Jesus is the only one who can free us from that punishment. Will you come to Him right now with your sins and let Him take them away? He will give you everlasting life instead. “He that heareth My word, and believeth on [God the Father] that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [that punishment of hell]; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

Are you still facing the terrible punishment for your sins? If you will let Him, Jesus will take away every one of your sins and reserve a place for you in heaven. Have you made that choice yet?

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

ML-02/28/2016

The Dog That Bluffed

There was that dog again, straining at his rope, jumping up and down, snarling and barking at our ponies who were feeding on the other side of the fence. “You think you’re pretty big and strong, don’t you?” I said to the dog one day as I went to get Lightfoot, my pony. But the dog just barked all the louder.

Then one day the gate was left open by mistake, and Lightfoot wandered out of the meadow into the yard next door. When I went over to get him, it was really funny to see how that dog was behaving. He was shaking and trembling as he tried to flatten himself against the back of the house. Lightfoot stood switching his tail and cocking his head from side to side as he inspected the cowering dog.

The dog’s snarling and barking were only a bluff. Now he was scared and wanted to hide.

Boys and girls, sometimes we act pretty big and brave, but things have a way of becoming bigger than we expected. What happens then? Do you have someone you can turn to for help even when your father or mother isn’t around? Is there someone who is able to look after you no matter what happens? Only the Lord Jesus can do that. But is He your friend? Do you know Him well enough that you can trust Him?

Let me tell you something about the Lord Jesus. He loves you and cares about you so much that He died for you on Calvary’s cross. He knows all about your sins and wants to wash them away and make you clean. He wants to be your trustworthy Friend.

Will you let Him be your Friend? You only need to tell Him that you know you are a sinner and want Him to wash you clean from your sins. He will give you the faith to believe and trust Him. “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).

Will you let Jesus be your special Friend whom you can always count on? If you will, this verse can be your very own: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3).

ML-02/28/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Lions of the Sea

“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.... Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof.” 1 Chronicles 16:31-32

A visitor approaching San Miguel Island, 50 miles off the coast of California, might wonder at the noise he hears even when a mile away. He would soon discover the source—a colony of California sea lions, part of the 35,000 sea lions that make the Channel Islands National Park their summer home. Large bulls, six to seven feet long and weighing 650 pounds or more, roar during their waking hours to warn rival males to stay away. Cows join in the noise but with a softer bark. Even the pups add their bleating to the deafening noise. It is no place for a seaside picnic.

There are about 90,000 sea lions in the Pacific Ocean; most live along the California coast, but many also live on the coast of Japan. These sea mammals have streamlined bodies with smooth, round heads and can swim up to 15 miles per hour. The Creator gave them brown, warm fur to insulate them from cold and heat. Their bodies also have thick blubber for two reasons—as added insulation against the cold and as an energy source when food is not available.

In some ways sea lions are similar to walruses, but they don’t have the walruses’ tusks and tough whiskers. They share the same food preferences of shrimp, shellfish, squid and many kinds of fish. They are excellent swimmers and divers and can stay underwater for 30 minutes. In this, too, the Lord God provided for them by giving them ears and nostrils which automatically close when submerged.

Fights between the bulls are frequent as they compete to get and protect territory on the beach. These are frightful to witness as sharp teeth make bloody wounds. However, their thick blubber usually protects them from serious injury.

Pups are born on land. Immediately after birth, the mother and her single pup “talk” constantly to each other. They become so well acquainted with each other’s voice that, in spite of all the bellowing and roaring noise, they can identify one another when they become separated. Pups quickly take to the water where they love to play. In captivity, they can be trained and quickly learn tricks.

Many sea lions living in obscure places are never seen by people, but there is One whose eye is always on them: “He [looks] to the ends of the earth, and [sees] under the whole heaven” (Job 28:24). The Bible also tells us, “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men” (Psalm 11:4). No matter how hidden you might be, the Lord’s eyes always see you. What does He see when His eyes rest on you?

ML-02/28/2016

The Tree Climber

No doubt there were lots of trees growing outside the city of Jericho, but there was one that was very special that day. It was a sycamore tree, but it was not the big leaves or the sweet fruit that made it important. You might have walked down the road and thought the trees all looked the same, so what was so special about that one? Let me tell you the secret of that tree.

A great crowd of people was coming out of Jericho that day. They were crowded around a man named Jesus who could do wonderful things that nobody else could do. But there was one man, just one, who wanted to see Jesus for a different reason. He wanted to see who Jesus was—not what He looked like or what wonderful miracles He could do, but who was this man?

Have you learned who Jesus is? Jesus will never disappoint you if you really want to know. Once when He said, “I AM,” all His enemies fell backward to the ground. But they didn’t really care who He was. They got up again and took Him away to crucify Him. Now, if you really want to know who He is, He will show you.

The man who really wanted to know who Jesus was realized he was just too short to see Jesus above the crowd of people. But that did not stop the man. He ran ahead and climbed up into that sycamore tree and looked down on Jesus from the branches. Now do you see why that tree was so special?

Of course, Jesus knew he was there, just as He knows where you are this very minute. Jesus stood still and called the short man up in the tree by name— “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). Now the secret was out, and the surprised crowd saw Zacchaeus slide quickly down the tree and stand before Jesus. Zacchaeus knew he was a sinner, but he was still joyful at the thought that Jesus was coming to his very own house.

Can’t you just hear the voices of the people crowded around? Their little trip to see Jesus was ended, and I can almost hear their mutterings, “Jesus has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner!” And that was true, but they seemed to forget that they were sinners too, every one of them. And not one of them had received Jesus joyfully as Zacchaeus did. Have you?

Zacchaeus was a rich man, and he was also important where he worked, but he had not been an honest man. It seems that Jesus did not say anything about this, but Zacchaeus was feeling guilty about his dishonesty in the presence of Jesus. He said to Him, “Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation [dishonestly], I restore him fourfold [give back four times as much]” (Luke 19:8).

It is good to make right the wrongs we have done to others, but this does not wipe away the sin. It was Jesus who wiped away all Zacchaeus’s sins that day. This is what Jesus said: “This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9). Jesus was explaining that Abraham was a man who believed God, and Zacchaeus did too. Do you believe Him?

Then the Lord Jesus adds the words that show that this story is for you and me too: “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Can you answer, “Yes, Lord, I’m a lost sinner too”? And will you receive Him joyfully, since He came to seek and to save lost ones like you?

You may read this story for yourself in the Bible in Luke 19:1-10.

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

ML-03/06/2016

The Wrong Direction

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

Suddenly, Bob realized that he had walked a long way on this path, and he was only deeper in the woods. Now he was in bear country—something was very wrong! He quickly turned around and went back to where he had left his backpack, expecting to pick it up later. He got out his map of the area and then realized that he had turned the wrong way!

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

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

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

ML-03/06/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Meerkat

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving- kindness.” Psalm 36:6-7

Meerkats make their homes in southern Africa in two wild areas protected from hunters. One place is called Kruger National Park and the other Kalahari Gemsbok Park (named after the deer-like gemsbok which is the park’s main resident). Sharing these areas are gnus, springboks, hyenas, lions, leopards and ostriches. The Creator has provided them all with abilities to adapt to the red sand dunes and hot, open country with its infrequent watering holes.

These reddish-brown, squirrel-like animals are a member of the mongoose family. They are noted for living in groups of 25 or more. Their lifestyle is rugged, and their major enemies are eagles, hawks and other birds of prey. Another enemy is the cobra, but like the mongoose, meerkats are usually too quick to be caught and even seem to enjoy teasing these vicious snakes into striking without success until they give up.

Meerkats spend much time searching for food, consisting of insects scratched from the sand, as well as mice and lizards. While some are searching for food, others frequently stand upright on their hind feet (much like prairie dogs), in groups of a dozen or more with heads tilted back, on the alert for their enemies overhead. If one is seen, a shrill warning is given, and all immediately dive into their nearby burrows.

A meerkat is not likely to wander off alone, for the group habit of watching out for each other is really the secret of their survival. Those hunting food make a purring sound, enabling the others always to know where they may be. If one wanders to an area where the watchers no longer hear the purr, they call it back.

When food is scarce, they move as a group to another location, usually where ground squirrels have already dug out burrows. The meerkats take over without so much as a “thank you.” Twice a year from two to four kits are born in these individual burrows and kept there for about a month. When allowed outside, they find others to play with and are often joined in their play by older brothers and sisters and sometimes parents, all of whom help in their training.

The clever ways of meerkats in surviving and even thriving in such barren country remind us of the wisdom of the Lord God when He created them and adapted them to such unusual conditions. And He has done this with all His creation, as our beginning Bible verse indicates. But of more importance, He has provided a home in heaven for every man and woman, boy and girl who accepts His loving invitation: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Have you accepted this invitation?

ML-03/06/2016

Phoebe and Tillie

Phoebe and Tillie lived with a family in a town north of Seattle. The two dogs were best friends, and where one went, the other followed.

One evening their master had a big dinner party. Many guests were entering through the front door of the house. When no one noticed, Phoebe and Tillie slipped out the open front door and headed to the nearby woods.

Phoebe was a Basset hound with big floppy ears, a big nose, short stubby legs and a bulky body. Tillie was a sleek Irish setter with long legs and long, red hair.

It was Phoebe’s nose that probably got them in trouble. Basset hounds have a keen sense of smell. Often when they pick up the trail of a scent, they forget about everything else. Their nose is down to the ground, and they follow the trail wherever it goes. Most likely Phoebe was so excited about the scent trail, that she didn’t notice how far away from home and deep into the woods the scent trail led them.

Perhaps Phoebe was so focused on following the scent that she also didn’t see the cistern pit of an abandoned homestead before she tumbled into it. The cistern was once used to hold water. It had been partially filled up with rocks and was about four feet deep. It was actually a big hole in the ground. The sides were made out of concrete. Once Phoebe tumbled into it, she was trapped! With her short legs, there was no way she could jump out of it.

Tillie saw her buddy trapped. She could have just trotted off and forgotten about Phoebe, but not these two buddies. Day and night, she faithfully kept watch by the edge of the cistern.

When the dogs’ master discovered his pets were missing, he did everything possible to find them. He spent lots of time walking through the woods, calling their names, but they had wandered so far away they never heard him. He also put up posters about his lost dogs all over the neighborhood. He even contacted a local organization that assisted pet owners in their search for lost pets.

For seven days, the dogs were missing. During this time, Tillie faithfully watched over Phoebe trapped in the cistern. Then on day seven, Tillie darted off through the woods and ran across the backyard of a house. The owner of the home saw her run like a red flash through his yard and then suddenly turn around and run into the woods again where she disappeared.

The homeowner had heard of the two lost dogs and telephoned the organization that helped find lost pets. They called the dogs’ owner who immediately drove to the address where the red dog had been spotted.

He walked into the woods surrounding the house calling out, “Phoebe! Tillie! Come, girls!” After a short while of walking and shouting, Tillie came bounding towards him, overjoyed at being found. Tillie was found, but where was Phoebe?

He continued searching and calling until he heard the short deep bark of a Basset hound. He ran towards the sound and found Phoebe trapped in the cistern. He climbed down into the cistern and gently lifted her out. The dogs, with their tails wagging, were happy to be reunited with their master. He marveled at how faithful Tillie had been in staying with Phoebe.

Our hearts are refreshed by reading stories of faithfulness and love. Do you know the true story of the Saviour who came down here from heaven? It’s the greatest story of faithfulness and love ever told, and His name is Jesus.

His love for lost sinners was so strong that He came to this earth and willingly gave His life on Calvary’s cross. He knew sinners had fallen into sin, and in their own strength there was no way they could escape the punishment for their sins. In faithfulness to lost sinners, Jesus let Himself be nailed to the cross. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Through His death, all those who come to Him to have their sins forgiven will receive the gift of eternal life.

Phoebe would have eventually died of hunger and thirst if she hadn’t been found in the cistern. Sadly, those who refuse Jesus’ offer and remain in their sins will eventually die in their sins too. They won’t have a happy home in heaven: No, they will be sent away to the place of everlasting punishment called hell. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46).

Do you know that the Lord Jesus is searching for you? “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He is calling to lost sinners to come to Him to be cleansed from their sins. With their sins gone, they are ready to live with Him in heaven when this life on earth is over. Will you answer His call? Will you tell Him that you know you are a sinner and want Him to wash your sins away? He’s waiting to hear from you.

MEMORY VERSE: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3

ML-03/13/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Adaptable Lizard

“These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things ... the chameleon, and the lizard.” Leviticus 11:29-30

Although declared by God as “unclean” and not to be eaten by the Israelites in Old Testament times, the 3000 varieties of lizards are very much a part of God’s creation and care. They are found nearly everywhere in the world except the Antarctic. They usually live in warm, rocky places but sometimes are found in trees or in water.

The chameleon and most other lizards can actually change the color of their leathery skin, even showing stripes like a zebra or showing several colors like an autumn leaf. They can also shed their entire tails when attacked. The wriggling, separated section attracts the enemy’s attention while its owner escapes. Soon a new tail grows back. Every lizard has a long, sticky tongue for catching insects.

Each lizard has been especially designed by the Creator to fit into its surroundings. Those on rocky cliffs have needle-sharp claws and hang onto rocks so tightly that if forced off their claws remain behind. They also have special scales under the tails to help them cling to steep surfaces. Tree-climbing monitors and iguanas, which have special toes for climbing, also use monkey tricks, like climbing and swinging by grasping tree branches with their tails.

Those species that live in the desert are colored like the sand or rocks and often change color as they move about. Burrowing species have wedge-shaped heads, and their ears and nostrils are protected from the sand by shields. They have tough scales on their feet to help dig, and some even have shovel-shaped feet for this purpose. Some of these “swim” through sand as fast as fish swim through water.

Flying lizards glide from tree to tree, having webs of skin like flying squirrels. The flying dragon looks like a colored leaf traveling through the air. The gecko can shed its skin to escape an attacker and also makes long airborne leaps.

Many lizards make short runs at more than 15 miles an hour and sometimes run upright on their hind legs. Several species easily adapt to civilization and often scamper over walls, ceilings and floors of houses.

The abilities of these little creatures are another example of the wonders of God’s creation. However, not one of them is able to think about the Lord God who created it and cares for it “by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).

While the Lord God cares for all His creation, He has said only to man: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). Have you responded to His loving-kindness by letting Him forgive your sins? All you have to do is come in faith and accept Him as your Saviour.

ML-03/13/2016

Set 4

Where to Run for Safety

When I was nine years old, we lived on a cattle ranch in the western part of Texas. There were lots of coyotes on the prairies, so my dad bought a Greyhound dog to protect the calves from the coyotes. Greyhounds are very large dogs with long legs, and they are fast runners. We named him Blackie. When he wasn’t chasing coyotes, he liked to chase rabbits.

It was fun to watch Blackie chase a jackrabbit. The rabbit would lay back both ears and run for its life, with the dog at its heels.

I noticed there were many badger holes, haystacks, granaries and even hollow logs where jackrabbits could have hidden, but they never ran into them for safety. It seemed as if their pride would not let them admit they needed help or protection. Too proud to hide or run into a shelter, they ignored the places of safety. Those jackrabbits depended on the speed of their strong, hind legs—and lost! They were wonderful runners, but they couldn’t outrun a Greyhound!

Do you boys and girls know that you have an enemy chasing you? The Bible tells us about him. His name is Satan—the evil one—and he knows all the tricks to catch you off guard. He’s the one who whispers in your ear to tell a lie, to steal a cookie from the cookie jar, or to take something in a store that doesn’t belong to you. Besides those things, there are lots of other things that your mom and dad have told you not to do, because they are wrong and dishonest. But Satan whispers a lie: “It’s really okay just this once; no one will ever know!”

If you listen to Satan’s lie and do what you know is wrong, you are just like that jackrabbit. The Bible says you aren’t going to get away with it! “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Those wrong and dishonest things are SINS, and God writes down every sin we do in His book beside our names. And He also says there will be punishment for those sins!

Now Blackie didn’t chase just jackrabbits; he liked to chase cottontail rabbits too. One day he noticed a little cottontail in the brush along the river bottom and started to chase it. Cottontails are much smaller than jackrabbits. I thought to myself, Too bad, little rabbit ... you don’t have a chance with Blackie after you!

Suddenly the tone of Blackie’s bark changed. At first I wondered if he was hurt. But when I pushed my way through the brush, I found him howling and scratching at a rock half as big as a house! The little cottontail had run into a hole under an overhanging ledge of this big rock, and that little rabbit was perfectly safe! It could not depend on its own short legs to outrun Blackie, but it knew to run to a place of safety under the rock.

Some of you boys and girls already know that God loves you very much and sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world. Jesus was willing to come down here so He could make a way for sinners to have their sins forgiven and not have to be punished for them. Here is His promise: “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). He went to Calvary’s cross where He paid the price for every sin of every person who would come to Him to be forgiven. That is real love!

Many of you boys and girls have come to Jesus for safety and have had your sins forgiven. You are like the little cottontail rabbit that ran into the hole under the rock for safety. But some of you haven’t come to Jesus to have your sins forgiven. You are trying to be good, but that cannot forgive your sins. You must tell Jesus that you know you are a sinner and want Him to forgive your sins. Then you will be safe and can say, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust” (Psalm 18:2).

Which would you rather be—a jackrabbit and do things Satan’s way and be a loser? or a cottontail and run to Jesus for protection and safety? That should be an easy decision ... but don’t wait. Jesus is waiting right now to hear from you.

MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” Psalm 18:2

ML-03/20/2016

Dress-Up Clothes

Katie was so excited about her upcoming birthday that she could talk of nothing else. She planned her own party—who she would invite, what they would eat and what games they would play.

Finally the day came, and ten little friends arrived at the house. They were all very excited, and each one brought a birthday gift for Katie.

A few minutes after arriving, one of the children saw the big box containing “dress-up” clothes. There were long dresses and skirts and even a very small wedding dress. There were also fancy hats, gloves and some high-heeled shoes.

In a very short time, almost every girl was changed into an entirely different-looking person! They all pretended to be someone else.

Sometimes we like to pretend we are something we are not. Psalm 39:6 says, “Surely every man [walks] in a [proud] show.” Even though we may pretend to be something we aren’t, God sees exactly who we really are. The Word of God says, “The Lord [sees] not as man [sees]; for man [looks] on the outward appearance, but the Lord [looks] on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). God can see right into our hearts and we cannot fool Him.

Boys and girls, what does God see when He looks into your heart? Does He see a child who is trying to please Him, or does He see a child who has naughty, angry or selfish thoughts?

The party was lots of fun, but the best part came at last when they had birthday cake and ice cream. Even though they all looked like little ladies in their dress-up clothes, in the end there were tears when it was time to go home. Then they were just tired, normal, little girls again.

ML-03/20/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: An Unusual Nest Builder

“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

An unusual bird found in Africa and in Europe is the Cape Penduline tit. It is about the size of a sparrow, but with a much longer tail. It is not a colorful bird, but it has a few scarlet and yellow feathers by which it can be identified.

These little acrobats hang upside down on swinging leaves and swaying branches when looking for insects, seeds and berries. They travel in groups of 10 to 20, constantly calling back and forth with low, pretty whistles.

An outstanding feature of this bird is its elongated nest, a bag-like, waterproof nest suspended from a branch. The male usually starts to build the nest, weaving hoops of grass and fibers to form its basic shape. Soon his mate joins him, and sometimes others come to help. After the framework is completed, the bottom, walls and top are finished. Finally, soft, fluffy materials and feathers are woven in for a soft, comfortable lining.

The entrance to this nest is most interesting. Two-thirds of the way up the side, a large opening is made on one side. It looks like an entrance, but it actually leads into an empty chamber, walled off all by itself. However, it serves a purpose.

When the parent bird returns with food, it flies directly into this empty chamber, settles to the bottom, then cautiously looks out to make sure no enemy is around. Satisfied that it is safe, it reaches up with its beak, tugs gently on a concealed section, and another opening appears into which it enters. This is the true entrance that leads down to where the baby birds are housed. The trap door closes by itself after the parent bird enters. A clever use of spider webs and silk from caterpillar nests makes a flexible hinge on this trap door, keeping it shut when not in use. When leaving the nest, the bird goes through the same safety routine, hopping into the big opening before flying off.

When the baby birds grow up, they will also make identical nests and without having any lessons. How have they learned this? You may already know the answer—the Lord God provided these abilities and instincts when He created them. And these are passed on from one generation to another. No lessons are necessary!

Hebrews 4:13 tells us that God watches over them at all times: “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest [visible] in His sight.” And since you are one of His special creatures, He is watching you and knows everything you do and think. How good to make the prayer of David your prayer also: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

ML-03/20/2016

The Stray Cat

Dear Children,

Many of you boys and girls know that Gramma and I live in the country where there are still lots of wild animals and different kinds of birds. Yes, we feed the foxes, coyotes and also other creatures. On top of the wood pile in our small barn, we keep two dishes full of food, mostly for stray cats that come around in the colder weather. And sometimes the raccoons and possums find those dishes of food and help themselves too. That’s okay.

For the past three years, a stray cat has been visiting us pretty much year-round to eat the food that we put out for them. This cat is black and white and looks very much like Mittens, our cat. But this stray will not let me make friends with him! As soon as I open our back door, he’s out of the barn and running!

When I got to thinking about this, I thought about the Lord Jesus Christ who is a friend to all people. How do we know this? Because the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16). That includes you and me too! Yes, God loves all the people of the world—red, yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight! And I really don’t care what color the animals are, I’m going to feed them anyway!

Our son Allan always stops in to see us on his way home from work. One night when he opened the door, his first words were, “Where is Mittens?” Gramma answered that he was down in the basement. Allan asked again, “Are you sure?” Gramma answered, “Yes, I just gave him some food to eat ... but why are you asking about Mittens?” Allan explained: “There’s a cat up beside the highway that’s been hit by a car, and it looks like it’s dead! It looks like Mittens.”

Now that made me sad. I quickly got on my riding lawn mower and drove up to the highway. Sure enough, there was my little black and white stray friend lying dead beside the road! I felt so helpless because I couldn’t help the poor little creature.

I drove back to the house and told Gramma that it was our little stray friend. How sad. We had been feeding this stray cat for a long time, but we could never get to be close friends with it, and I never knew why. We fed it good food and also gave it milk to drink. Gramma and I did all we could to keep it here, but it refused, and now it was gone.

Children, I think about boys and girls who have come to Sunday school for years. They learn all the Bible verses and memorize lots of them. Then we never see them again. Did they ever ask the Lord Jesus to wash away their sins and trust Him as their very own Saviour? Yes, we have heard of a few who have been saved from their sins. But I also think that some are like a man named Felix in the Bible who said, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25). He put off being saved from his sins, and we don’t know if he was ever saved.

As I picked up the poor dead cat to bury it, I thought, I’m glad that we did what we could for it. But what about you? Is your name written down in heaven? We sure hope it is. If it’s not, here’s what will happen when your life is over: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). How tragic! And sadly, it didn’t have to end that way!

Please take your Bible and read John 3:16! Every boy and girl that came to our Sunday school memorized that verse. Are you one of them? Yes, heaven is for “whosoever.” Make sure you are included!

With lots of love,

Grampa and Gramma

MEMORY VERSE: “For 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-03/27/2016

A Rescued Hamster

My daughter Amy has a hamster named Fluffy. Since Fluffy sleeps all day, we have given him the freedom to climb in and out of his cage and run around part of the house in the evening. He didn’t always have this freedom.

It’s most interesting how Fluffy came to live in our home. I briefly visited a lady who lived across the street. I noticed that her young child was very rough with their pet hamster. I wondered how much roughness and pain the little hamster had to take. I felt sorry for the little animal and said something about what the child was doing. The mother stopped her child that time.

Knowing the family was soon moving away, I asked the mother if the hamster would be for sale. She said, “Yes,” and so I bought him right away. I also bought the cage and all that went with it. I took him home where I knew that for the rest of his life he would be gently and lovingly cared for.

In the beginning, Fluffy was afraid of us and would try to hide when we came close. But as we gently held him and stroked his fur when we talked kindly to him, he soon was no longer afraid. He enjoyed our loving care and the freedom to run around.

When I think of Fluffy’s condition before coming to our house, it reminds me of our sinful condition without having the Lord Jesus as our loving, caring Saviour. It is like being a slave to sin, maybe afraid or even hurting. I’m also reminded that the Lord Jesus came into this world to rescue us who are helpless slaves to sin. The Lord Jesus loves us and wants us to come to Him. On the cross He paid for the sins of those who would accept Him as their Saviour. Will you accept His love and let Him set you free? Fluffy needed to be rescued, and we need to be rescued too. The Lord Jesus is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). How can I be rescued? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

ML-03/27/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Lovely Snail-The Conch

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight.” Hebrews 4:13

Perhaps the most beautiful of all sea snail shells is one that is not usually thought of as belonging to a snail; it is the queen conch. You may have one of these prized, heavy shells in your home. It is spiral shaped and beautifully colored in creamy pink with rose and tan. The large end of the shell is worth examining. It has large, star-shaped spikes spiraling with gradually smaller ones until it ends in a point. The fan-like lip of the shell is lovely with its pretty colors. No one but the Lord God, the Creator of all, could design such a beautiful home for such a lowly creature.

Conches live in the world’s shallow seas where they eat plants and grasses that grow in shallow water and algae that grow on rocks. They lie flat on the ocean floor, withdrawn into their shells except when traveling or eating. A conch’s meaty body can move in and out of the shell but remains attached to it. Two, long, antenna-like stalks emerge first, and each of these has an eye on its tip. Its mouth is underneath these two stalks. It uses a claw on its body to move about on the sea bottom. Its shell is made from calcium carbonate which is secreted from a part of the conch’s body.

The queen conch lays many eggs in long strings. About a week later, the young veligers hatch and are already equipped with miniature shells. They swim in the ocean for about three weeks before settling to the bottom to develop mature bodies. Most will grow to be about a foot long and weigh about five pounds.

An interesting feature of the conch’s life is its friendship with the little conch fish that swims right into the conch shell in the daylight and then leaves at night. Another visitor is a small crab that clings to the conch’s lip and remains there, gathering food that floats by.

The Bible tells us, “Thou [the Lord] hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). We can understand His pleasure in these creatures and the beautiful homes He has given them. But did you know that He has taken pleasure in creating you? He tells us this in Proverbs 8:31: “My delights were with the sons [and daughters] of men.”

His pleasure in creating us does not end there. It is also His desire that we find our delight in Him, the One who is so loving to us that He died to save us from our sins. Have you answered this wonderful invitation of God? “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him” (Psalm 37:4-5.)

ML-03/27/2016

Who Tells Fish What to Do?

“I’m going fishing,” said Peter long ago. It was evening and a good time for casting his fishing net into the sea. Peter was a skilled fisherman, and he didn’t fish just for fun. It was how he earned his living. His father was a fisherman too.

Peter was old enough to have many memories stored up in his mind. Some of his were very special memories, because he was alive when Jesus lived on earth. He had been there when Jesus was crucified and buried, and he had seen the empty grave on that wonderful morning when He rose from the dead. He was also one of those who had seen Jesus twice after He rose from the dead.

Now Peter and six others were out under the stars with their dragnet fishing. It should be a good night for catching fish. But it wasn’t. They had fished hopefully during the long night hours, but when the morning light began to glow in the eastern sky, they had caught nothing—not one single fish!

Have you found your life to be like that? All your hard work adds up to nothing, your nets are empty and the future looks empty too? Listen to this story, because it is true. God can command the fish, and He can give you much better than you can ask or hope for. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Those seven fishermen saw a Man standing on the shore. There was no halo around His head; He looked like an ordinary man. This Man called to them and asked them if they had any fish.

“No,” they answered.

Then that Man, who was Jesus, told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat and they would catch some.

How could Jesus know that? How could He tell experienced fishermen how to fish? Do you not know that our Jesus is the Creator of all things, and everything is under His control? Are you remembering that He is the Son of God? They obeyed and cast the net on the right side of the boat, and soon it was so full of fish that they could hardly drag it into the boat!

Now there was one man in the boat who knew for a fact that Jesus loved him, and he said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Peter’s heart answered at once, I want to go to Him! And he put on his fisherman’s coat and jumped into the water to go to Jesus at once. Never mind the fish ... the others could drag them in.

As soon as the boat came to shore, the fishermen saw a nice little fire there, burned down to hot coals, and fish laid on it and bread.

“Bring the fish you have caught,” Jesus said. Peter pulled in the catch. How many fish were there? There were 153, and they were big ones!

We don’t hear any more about those fish. I’m sure they were not wasted, but Jesus Himself was the important One, and those men were important because Jesus loved them.

I wonder if you have learned that you are important because Jesus loves you. Never mind the failures or the successes. Jesus knows how to change the failures and use the successes to make your life what He wants you to be. What is most important is having Him in your life!

They had a wonderful breakfast that morning, because Jesus Himself cooked and served it with His own hands. And they were wounded hands, because He had already been crucified and raised from the dead. His risen body was not hungry, but He knew that they were hungry, and He made the breakfast for them that they liked best.

He still lives to supply our needs. That was a long, lonely, dark, hopeless night before that meal, and perhaps life is like that for you now. Be of good courage. You will see Him in the “morning,” and He will not go away as He did when He went up into heaven and left His followers here.

To be with Jesus in heaven will be far better than the best feast you ever had in your whole life. If He has put some disappointments in your life now, let Him use them for His perfect plans. But keep watching for the “morning” when He will call all those who are cleansed from their sins to His home in heaven. “He that shall come will come, and will not [delay]” (Hebrews 10:37).

But I have a question for you. Have you been cleansed from your sins? If not, don’t wait or you’ll be left behind! “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

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

ML-04/03/2016

Tell Your Classmates

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

I wasn’t at the hockey rink the next day, but I was told that he was standing behind the boards by the ice rink watching a school hockey game. Just as the final whistle blew, one of the players hit the puck at the boards. The puck lifted just high enough to clear the boards, and it struck Leslie in the temple. He fell over backwards—DEAD!

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

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

ML-04/03/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Vicious Wolverine - Part 1

“Every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” Psalm 50:10-11

The mean-tempered wolverine lives in the northern woods of Asia, Europe and North America. It makes its den in a cave, under a fallen tree or under an overhanging rock. The den is lined with leaves, grass and moss.

The wolverine is related to badgers, skunks and otters and looks something like a small bear. It is about 2½ feet long, weighs from 30 to 50 pounds, and has dark, shaggy hair with white markings.

Its broad, round head is armed with a vicious set of tough, razor-sharp teeth. It also has been provided with a heavy build and short, powerful legs. Its four-inch paws have spike-like claws, and in winter, its paws are thickly covered with hair, which act like snowshoes to help it travel over snow.

The wolverine is the scourge of the woods and is considered the most destructive animal. Unusually strong, it is feared by all animals and even avoided by those larger than itself. A meat eater, it will devour almost anything alive or dead and finds much of its food by digging foxes, rabbits and marmots out of their burrows. If these are not available in winter, it looks for deer or elk that are weakened and slowed down by deep snow. Its strong jaws can crush the leg bones of a deer, making it defenseless and easy to kill. A wolverine can drag a dead animal that weighs more than double its own weight for several miles. It is one of the most powerful animals for its size in the world and seems to kill for the love of killing, destroying more animals than it can eat.

This fighter will even challenge a cougar, wolf or bear that is feasting on captured food. If hungry, the wolverine will go right up to these larger and more powerful animals, growl and snarl at them, displaying its sharp teeth and claws. Most of these larger animals could defeat the wolverine if a fight resulted, but to avoid a bad time, they will usually leave the food to this fiery challenger. If a fight does result, the wolverine does not retreat and, as a result, will most likely be killed.

This bad-tempered beast reminds us of the warning given in the Bible: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). It is only by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping close to His care that we can overcome Satan, the evil one.

(to be continued)

ML-04/03/2016

Danny and the Candy Bar

Danny was spending a long afternoon at Grandma’s house. Grandma lived in a neighborhood of mostly older people, so there were no children for him to play with. All the grown-ups were talking in the kitchen, and little Danny didn’t have anything to do.

Suddenly he remembered the pretty glass bowl that Grandma kept on top of the cabinet in the dining room. Yellow candies were usually in the bowl. Danny thought he needed one. He went into the dining room and peered over the top of the cabinet. Yes, there was the glass bowl ... but no candies. Disappointed, Danny rested his chin on the cabinet top, looking at the empty bowl.

Now what could he do? He noticed the cabinet had some drawers. He pulled one open and started looking through it. All he found were napkins and tablecloths. They smelled old, like mothballs. But wait, what was this ... a candy bar! He could tell from the wrapper that it had peanuts and chocolate in it.

As Danny took the candy bar out, he had an uneasy feeling inside. He knew the candy bar was not his. He thought of asking Grandma if he could have it, but then he would have to go into the kitchen and ask, and his mother wouldn’t like him asking for it. Anyway, Grandma had probably forgotten all about it and would be glad to let him have it. Danny decided just to eat the candy bar without telling anyone.

As Danny held the candy bar, his uneasy feeling came from God. He is our Creator, and He has given each man, woman, boy and girl a conscience. That is the feeling that bothers us when we are doing something we know is wrong. It also tells us we are sinners. Sometimes we decide to go right ahead and do what we want, no matter what our conscience tells us—just like Danny was about to do. Then we try to forget about it. But God does not forget. He is holy and cannot let even a little sin slide by without His noticing it. “God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15).

Grandma’s yard had a high hedge around it. Danny found a good place in the hedge to hide with the candy bar. He crouched in the cool, leafy shade of the hedge and unwrapped it. He took a big bite. But, oh my, he spit it out just as quickly! The candy bar was so old it was hard and had an awful taste! It must have been in that drawer for a long, long time. What a disappointment it turned out to be for Danny.

Sin is just like that. It often looks like something we really want—something to make us happy. But it always ends in unhappiness. The Bible tells us that “the wages [payment] of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

If Danny had just asked Grandma about the candy bar, she would have told him it was not good to eat, and she would have given him something better. And if you will come to the Lord Jesus with your sins, He will wash them all away and give you something much better—His gift of eternal life in His happy home with Him in heaven forever.

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-04/10/2016

Tap on the Shoulder

They were a happy family on a holiday drive through the scenic Rocky Mountains. Two little children played in the back seat, until at last they grew tired and both fell asleep.

Presently the winding road brought them to a breathtaking view. An enormous gorge had been cut by a rushing, powerful stream of water that was roaring over a waterfall below.

“This we must see!” the father exclaimed to the mother. “I think we can easily drive down there a ways and take a better look.”

Excited and thrilled, they stopped the car and got out to enjoy the majestic scene. Leaving the children sleeping in the car, they walked spellbound nearer to the edge.

Tap, tap! The father felt it clearly, a distinct tap on his shoulder. Whirling around rather startled, the young father saw to his horror—his own car rapidly gaining speed on its way to the edge of the gorge! The emergency brake had not been set! He raced as fast as he could across the ground and ... yes, thank God, he was able to jump in and stop the car in time! The children were safe and still asleep.

Who tapped that father on the shoulder? When Jesus was here on earth, He spoke once of little children, that “in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). Since no other human being was near, we may safely assume that an angel assigned to the care of these children had done the tapping. How very kind of God; it shows His loving care in action.

Little boy or girl, always remember that God loves you. However, you are growing up and perhaps even now have reached the age where you know that you will have to answer to God for all the wrong things you have thought, said and done. You have all those sins piling up daily. Angels cannot save you from them. Sin will separate you forever from God, and payment must be made for them. Does He stop loving us because of all these naughty sins? No, absolutely not! God’s love was shown at its greatest, finest hour at Calvary’s cross. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). Then we read in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John how that God accepted Jesus’ payment for sin and raised Him from the dead, and He is now gone to the right hand of God in heaven above.

Children, have each of you been saved from the punishment your sins deserve?

ML-04/10/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Vicious Wolverine - Part 2

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually. Remember His marvelous works that He hath done.” 1 Chronicles 16:11-12

When hunting, a wolverine is not fast but determined. If it cannot overtake its prey quickly, it may follow it day after day, until the pursued animal is exhausted and finally caught. Besides animals and birds, a wolverine eats birds’ eggs, wild fruit and honey. Ripping beehives open, it is not concerned with the bees because its long, shaggy hair protects it from stings.

While not challenging people openly, the wolverine seems to delight in stealing bait from traps and devouring animals caught in them. After cleaning out one trap, it usually proceeds along the trap line and tears to shreds other captured animals, making their fur worthless.

The wolverine is usually a night hunter, but if out in daylight, it hides quickly when a human is near. In the absence of humans, it will break into a cabin, tearing bars off doors, ripping shingles or sheet metal from roofs, pulling screens off and smashing windows—anything to get inside. Once inside, the damage continues as it eats available food and destroys what it cannot eat. A mischievous raccoon will occasionally do this too, but the wolverine is worse—smashing lamps, pulling shelves down, tearing clothes apart and ruining other things by spraying its bad-smelling musk. Hasn’t sin made it an awful creature?

Each year in May or June, two or three young cubs are born in a well-hidden, underground den. They are blind at birth and weigh less than a pound. They are carefully protected by the mother who nurses them for several weeks and then teaches them hunting skills. While growing up, their playfulness quickly shows their true nature, for they are rough with each other during mock battles. After a year or more with the mother, they are able to capture game and soon are on their own.

The wolverine is a ruthless destroyer and reminds us of the world’s greatest enemy, Satan. He also is a destroyer, and his object is to capture the hearts of people tempted by him, leading them into a godless and hopeless life. But strength to resist Satan is given in these Bible verses: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).

How good it is, as our beginning verse states, to turn to the Lord Jesus as the One to save us from Satan’s power, cleanse away our sins, and who alone can give strength to resist the attacks of that evil one. If you have not yet done this, turn to Him as your Saviour today.

ML-04/10/2016

Set 5

Colorful, but Deadly

We put it into a plastic sandwich baggie, and then it went into the freezer. We took the frozen deadly snake to Sunday school to show to the older young people. We didn’t show it to the little children, because we didn’t want to scare them.

The snake was really very beautiful, with deep red and bright yellow rings around its body. Because Florida has some of these poisonous snakes, the children in Florida learn a little saying about the different colorful snakes. Some that have other pretty colors are not poisonous, and this helps them know the difference:

Red on black won’t hurt Jack,

But red on yellow—dangerous fellow!

We looked up on the computer about this snake we had killed and discovered it was a deadly Eastern Coral Snake. Its venom or poison was so strong it could kill a person in 12 hours! It had slithered into our yard, unwanted, so we killed it with a shovel before it could harm us.

This dangerous snake reminded us of another snake, or serpent, one that we read about in the Bible. God had created a lovely garden, and it had wonderful fruit trees. He had also created the very first man and woman, Adam and Eve. The three were close friends, enjoying the beautiful garden together.

God had told Adam he could eat and enjoy all the fruit from the trees in the garden, except for one tree, and He told Adam which one it was. But God’s enemy, Satan, saw Adam and Eve’s happiness and wanted to ruin everything. He entered into a snake’s body and talked to Eve, tricking her into eating the fruit from that tree God had told them not to eat. She also gave some to Adam, and he disobeyed God too and ate some of the forbidden fruit. Their disobeying God was sin.

God had warned Adam that their punishment would be death, if they disobeyed. And we still have that warning in the Bible today: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). So, after many years they died, and so has every person that has ever lived.

But what happens to people after they die? The rest of that Bible verse says, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus, God’s Son, when He was living on earth, paid the punishment on Calvary’s cross for the sins of every sinner who will believe and accept Him as their very own Saviour. His precious blood was shed to wash all our dirty sins away and make us ready for heaven. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Now God can offer us the free gift of eternal life. Eternal life means we will live happily forever with the Lord Jesus in heaven after we leave this world. Have you accepted this wonderful gift from the Lord Jesus and thanked Him for dying for you? If not, you can do that right now. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

For those who do not accept Jesus as their Saviour and have their sins washed away, sadly they will be sent into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

MEMORY VERSE: “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15

ML-04/17/2016

The Wrong Way

My children and I were helping my sister Michelle move. We were moving boxes and furniture from one house to another. There was so much to do and many trips to make back and forth.

The first day we needed to make several trips, so Michelle taught me the way to the new house and back. I soon knew it by heart and made the trips on my own.

The second day my other sister, Kathy, joined our moving team at the old house. She said she already knew the way to the new house.

After both our cars were loaded, we started on our way. Kathy’s car was in the lead. I drove right behind her for the 10-minute trip.

After we made several turns, we were on the road leading to Michelle’s new home. But when we were almost there, Kathy drove right past the last turn—she kept going straight ahead! Even though I could see the house and knew she had passed the turn, I drove right past the turn too and followed her...the wrong way.

In that moment when she didn’t make that last turn, I had an instant of doubt, wondering if she knew another way I didn’t know. So I followed her. Boys and girls, have you ever doubted what the Bible tells us is the only way to heaven? Perhaps friends have told you they are going to heaven “another way.” Have you wondered if they might be right? Have you wanted to follow them?

The Lord Jesus tells us in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” There is no other way to heaven than by accepting the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour! God warns those who doubt that this is true by telling them, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death [to hell]” (Proverbs 14:12). God repeats the very same warning again in Proverbs 16:25. And when God tells us something twice, it is very, very important!

Kathy and I soon discovered we were on the wrong road, and we had to find a place to turn around. We had to back up with our heavy loads and retrace our steps until we came back to the right road.

Why make a mistake and waste time by following others who seem very sure that they can get to heaven another way than what the Bible clearly tells us? The only way to heaven is by admitting to God that you are a sinner and letting the Lord Jesus wash your sins away in His blood. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Are you on the right way to heaven?

ML-04/17/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The World's Laziest Animal

“He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.” Proverbs 18:9

The sloth lives in the tropics of Central and South America and is among the strangest of all animals. A full-grown sloth is about two feet long and has almost no tail or ears. Its hair is long and coarse, but its face is bare. It has a blunt nose on a head that doesn’t seem to have any neck. Some species can turn their heads almost completely around without moving their bodies, which suits this sluggish creature just fine since it will sometimes stay in the same spot all day.

No wonder the Bible doesn’t have anything good to say about the sloth. In fact, our opening verse indicates that it is shameful for people to be like these lazy creatures. Another verse cautions, “Slothfulness [casts] into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger” (Proverbs 19:15). Perhaps the Creator allowed the sloth to have its lazy habits to give us an example of what is not pleasing to Him. Instead of being slothful, we are instructed, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

The sloth lives among the trees of the tropics where it hangs upside down most of the time, using its three sharp claws on each foot to securely grip a branch. After sleeping this way, it is quite content to spend its waking hours in the same position, slowly munching leaves, buds and young twigs within its reach. Because it seldom moves, it is well hidden from its enemies. The sloth occasionally comes down to the ground where it moves clumsily about, but very soon it climbs back up the tree to its lazy way of life.

Unlike most other animals, the sloth doesn’t bother to groom itself. As a result, its hair becomes the home of numerous bugs, ticks and moths, and some sloths even have a growth of green algae on their hair. This certainly is not an animal you would want to touch or have for a pet!

This creature is an illustration of how bad habits and laziness are used by Satan to produce the ugly stains of sin that leave their mark on many people. But, thank the Lord, all who come to the Lord Jesus Christ can be washed clean from their sins. In 1 John 1:7,9 we read this wonderful message: “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son [cleanses] us from all sin.... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Certainly the sloth is a sad example of laziness. How much better it is to please the Lord by obeying His request: “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23).

ML-04/17/2016

"Quick! Forget Dinner and Get Your Shoes on!"

Our family sat down to eat dinner, and, as usual, we thanked the Lord for the food. Dad was working late and had our car, so it was just Mom and us seven brothers and sisters. Suddenly the lights went out!

Mom went to the front door. When she opened it, she saw fire on the hill near our house! “QUICK!” she yelled! “FORGET DINNER AND GET YOUR SHOES ON!”

We live in an area in northern California where there had been wildfires in the county for several days. The fires were growing and were threatening more than 9000 homes. They were moving closer and closer to our area, and now the hill near our house was burning! We had to get out and fast!

My six brothers and sisters and I scrambled through the house. My little sister grabbed the cats and I got the dog. That was it! Mom prayed, asking God for His help and protection.

Just then our neighbor’s handyman was driving past. My sister ran down and asked him to stop. Six of us and Mom got in his pickup truck, but I ran to get our neighbor who doesn’t drive, and she got in too. That made five passengers and one dog and two cats in the front part of the truck, plus the handyman who drove, and four passengers in the back of the pickup—ten people in all in the pickup truck plus our three pets. We drove to the next town, and it was stop and go on the highway because of the fire raging on both sides of the road. It was frightening!

This reminds me of sin and how it gets out of control and destroys people, just like a raging fire. We are warned, “Sin, when it is finished, [brings] forth death” (James 1:15). But like the handyman God sent at just the right time and who helped us escape the fire, God has provided an escape from our sins through His Son Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for sinners. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).

About 25 miles away, we stopped at a fork in the road where there were already 400 people. There was a Moose Lodge there, and volunteers came from all over. They cooked food, set up tents and gave out blankets and pillows. We stayed in a tent in that little town for a week.

When we could finally go back to our homes, it was awful! Over 1000 homes were burned. Ours was still there, but sadly, our three neighbors’ homes were not. Our backyard was black, and the fire melted the outside of our windows, but that was all. We could see a fire hose and a pair of fire gloves that the firemen left behind as they raced off to another burning area.

We are so thankful for God’s mercy in caring for our home and the kindness of others during such a frightening time while we were living in tents and not knowing if our homes would still be there. But our God provided for our needs, and we continue to thank Him for our answered prayers and His loving care in so many ways. We are reminded of the verse in Psalm 56:3: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” And also, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

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

ML-04/24/2016

The Loud Alarm Clock

An old preacher told us that when he was a young man, he and his brother moved away from home to each learn a trade. The two brothers found a room to rent in the city. They moved a few things in, including a big alarm clock.

A clock was very necessary, because one of them had to be at work at 6:00 a.m., while the other did not begin work until 9:00 a.m. The preacher telling us the story was the one who started work at 9:00.

The alarm was set for 5:00 a.m., and the old preacher could still remember those first few mornings. The alarm went off with such an awful clang that it nearly scared them out of their wits, and he could not get back to sleep at all. This continued for several mornings, but gradually it became easier for him to get back to sleep. And do you know that by the end of the first month he no longer heard that clanging alarm clock or his brother getting up and getting dressed for work. He slept right through all of it!

Boys and girls, this is exactly what happens when we go to Sunday school and read and hear about Jesus loving us and coming to die for us. We sing, “Hear Christ calling, Come unto Me, I will give you rest,” and we ignore Him, go away and forget about Him. Over and over we are invited to “Come to the Saviour, make no delay.” We read in the Bible that “Whosoever will may come,” and we know a decision must be made, either to come to Christ or to reject Him. God allows us to hear the message often, because He is “long-suffering ... not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). But the truth is, the more often we hear the message and ignore it, the sooner we no longer hear the call at all. Then we finally sing the words and hear the message, but our minds are closed to it.

It’s an awful thing for any who have rejected or ignored the only Saviour of sinners and His gift of eternal life and no longer hear the warning of danger. Yet, still today He stands at your heart’s door, knocking, sometimes gently, but often loudly and urgently. Listen to what He is saying: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man [woman, boy or girl] hear My voice, and open the door, I WILL COME IN to him, and sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

But only you can open the door to let Him in. Will you receive Him today?

ML-04/24/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Mayfly

“All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3

There are over 3000 species of the delicate-looking mayflies, most of which hatch during May or June and some as late as August. With a body little more than an inch long and a long, forked tail, it is a pretty sight, flying about with its four transparent, veined wings.

Life begins for the mayfly as an egg dropped in water. Soon a nymph hatches out and it crawls along the bottom of the lake or stream for about two years, eating food filtered from the water. At the end of two years, it changes from gill-breathing to air-breathing. Rising to the surface, its outer skin splits open and the adult-stage mayfly emerges. After a short exposure to the air, its four wings strengthen, and it flies to a nearby object to rest for a few hours before becoming active.

After this change, its life is very short. The adult-stage mayfly does not eat—it does not have a mouth or a stomach. It spends its time finding a mate. Clouds of males and females perform their courtship dance over the water, rising and falling gracefully through the air. Afterward, the females lay a number of eggs in the water and die, as do the males. Their adult life span lasts only a few hours. Because of this, their Latin name “ephemerida” means “living for only a day.”

Frequently, great numbers of nymphs come to the water’s surface at the same time for their change into mayflies. As they take to the air in large numbers, they cause excitement among fish that leap for them, as well as birds that swoop down and snatch them in midair. If you are driving near a lake or river at this time, you may find your windshield covered with them. Even so, many do escape, so the egg-laying and eventual hatching of a new supply of nymphs goes on year after year.

Do you think God cares about these little insects? He certainly does. They are part of His creation and are part of the balance of His whole creation. We may not always understand His purpose in the things around us, but like the prophet Isaiah, we can say, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, [faints] not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding” (Isaiah 40:28).

But He does want us, as His special creation, to come to Him. We are invited to “seek...the Lord while He may be found” (Isaiah 55:6). He also invites each one to “come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Our lives, like the mayfly’s, may be shorter than we expect. How important it is to accept Him as our Lord and Saviour today!

ML-04/24/2016

Porky and the Thunderstorm

Porky is a strange name for a dog, and sometimes Mr. George, the farmer who owned him, wondered if Porky wasn’t a rather strange dog. When the Georges got Porky as a puppy, he was cute, fat and furry and had a face that reminded them of a pig. That’s how a cute, little puppy ended up with a pig’s name—Porky.

Porky had lots of freedom on the farm where he lived. He roamed the fields and the woods and could even go down to the river to cool off on hot summer days. The family gave him lots of love, fed him well and taught him tricks. Porky, with tail wagging, met almost everyone who came into farmer George’s yard, so he got plenty of attention too.

Often dogs are afraid of thunder. Sometimes they hide under furniture or in their doghouse. Shaking with fear, some will sit close to a person for comfort.

Every time Porky would hear the slightest rumble of thunder off in the distance, he would take off running. He seemed to think he could get away from the thunder this way. Dogs cannot understand that it is God who sends the rain for our good and that He is in control of all the storms. “God ... giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields” (Job 5:8,10).

Porky didn’t run home when thunder scared him. His favorite place to run and hide was the little town about a mile away. The place where he often hid was under the parked boxcars on the railroad track. That would be the first place farmer George would look for him when the storm was over, and Porky was always happy to get a ride home in the pickup truck.

But one night when Porky heard thunder rumbling, as he headed for town on the run, he spotted Mrs. Mel’s garage door open. He ducked in there and hid behind her big freezer.

What a surprise for Mrs. Mel when she went into her garage in the morning! There was a big furry head and two frightened eyes peering at her from behind the freezer. Mrs. Mel recognized Porky. She phoned the Georges’ house to have someone come get him.

As usual, Porky loved his ride home.

Dogs aren’t the only ones that hide. People hide too from God, because they are afraid. Adam and Eve disobeyed God when they ate of the fruit of the tree, because God had told them not to eat from that tree. That was sin. So they tried to hide from God, but it just didn’t work. “The Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (Genesis 3:9). Adam told God that he was afraid, so he had tried to hide from Him.

Jonah tried to run away from God too, and he got himself into a big problem. God had told Jonah to go to Nineveh, a wicked city, and preach to the people there. “But Jonah rose up to flee [run] . . . from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). It didn’t work. God had prepared a great fish to swallow him. Jonah had lots of time then to think about his sin and running away from God, as he spent three days and nights in the belly of that fish.

Are you running away from God? Are you afraid and looking for a place to hide? All of us have done things that are wrong. Like the rest of us, your sins make you guilty before God. But there is no hiding from Him no matter where you go. “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9). “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13).

You don’t need to be afraid and hide any longer, because “GOD IS LOVE” (1 John 4:8). He has provided a way for us to be free of our sins and guilt. He sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on Calvary’s cross to bear the punishment for the sins of everyone who will accept His love and believe. “The Son of Man [Jesus] is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:56).

If you will believe that Jesus loves you and died for your sins and guilt, your fear of Him will disappear.

MEMORY VERSE: “Thou God seest me.” Genesis 16:13

ML-05/01/2016

Little Max Loves the Lord Jesus

Little Max was just four years old when he asked the Lord Jesus to wash his sins away. He was so happy that he called Grandpa and Grandma right away to tell them! That’s how it is when you know your sins are forgiven. You can hardly wait to tell others your good news!

Not long after this, he told his little friends about Jesus too. He said, “If you want to go to heaven, you need to have your sins washed away!” And he was right; the Lord Jesus is the only One who can wash away sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

A few years later, Max and his little sister were staying with Grandpa and Grandma for a week while his parents went on a trip. Each evening after supper, Grandpa read the Bible, followed by questions. Then before bedtime was story time. Grandma would lie on the bed with the children nestled on either side.

The story one evening was from the Bible about Peter and Cornelius. When Grandma finished reading, she explained that Cornelius was a good man who feared God, but when Peter told him about the Lord Jesus, he believed and accepted Him as his very own Saviour.

Then Max said, “Now Cornelius is a saint, and I will see him in heaven! And I will see Moses and Abraham too.” And Grandma added that he would see Peter and Paul and many others too. Then Max added, “But best of all I will see Jesus!”

We hope that this story will reach into the hearts of other boys and girls and that they will ask the Lord Jesus to wash away their sins too. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

ML-05/01/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: God Watches Over Fish Too - Part 1

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

There are more than 20,000 kinds of fish, all designed by the Creator to fit right into the particular part of the ocean, lake or stream where He has placed them. Like birds, animals and humans, they must have oxygen, and they get this from water, which contains a certain amount of dissolved oxygen. Water enters the fish’s mouth, and as it passes over the gills, the oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream. Carbon dioxide is formed during the breathing process and released into the water.

There are two main kinds of fish. Most have bony skeletons supporting their bodies, but others, such as sharks, have no bones (except in their jaws). Instead, their bodies are supported by a covering of tough, gristly, elastic cartilage. Fish are slim and streamlined, but there are interesting exceptions that do not resemble fish as we think of them. These fish may look like seaweed, rocks, the muddy bottom of the ocean, and other things. Thus they are hidden from enemies and also able to surprise unwary sea life that becomes their food. These camouflages were designed by their wise Creator.

Tails and fins are for swimming and guiding through the water. Most tails are vertical, divided into two parts and are a fish’s source of power. But in a few, the tails are flat and solid. Working with the tail are the fins, some behind the gills, some underside or on the backs, and some near the tails. Each species has its own arrangement—some with “dorsal” fins running the full length of the backs and others with very small dorsals.

Then there are the important scales, acting as armor. However, some bullheads and most catfish do not have scales and instead have smooth, slippery skins. Scales usually cover the fish from head to tail, much like shingles over the roof of a house, overlapping in rows. They are hard, made of bony tissue and provide good protection for the flesh underneath. A fish’s age can be determined by counting the yearly rings on a scale, the same as with rings of tree trunks. This accurate method is still widely used today.

For most of us, everything beneath the surface of oceans and deep lakes is mysterious, but nothing is hidden from the Creator God: “Neither is there any creature that is not [visible] in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). This reminds us that not only does the Lord God see every fish, but He also sees each one of us at all times and knows everything about us. How wonderful it is to trust in Him as our very own Saviour and know how real is His watchful, loving care!

(to be continued)

ML-05/01/2016

Daniel's Jealous Enemies

The princes and presidents of the great city of Babylon long ago were working on a scheme. The scheme was this: “How can we get Daniel into trouble?”

There were 120 of those men, and every one of them was jealous because the king had chosen Daniel as Chief President, right over their heads. But there was something special about Daniel that made them hate him more than anything else. Daniel lived in obedience to the God of heaven. This was the real reason for their hatred and the target of their scheme. This is what they said: “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”

And so they put their heads together and came up with this scheme. They knew the king would like this idea because it would make him like a god. They suggested the king make a law that, for 30 days, no one must ask a petition of any God or man except of the king. This, they told him, was agreed upon by all the presidents, governors, princes, counselors and captains. This sounds like a powerful list of important people, but really it was not true. We know the Chief President, Daniel, did not agree.

This great law could not become valid until the king signed it, but there was no problem there. They wrote it up, and the king signed it right away. It seems that he did not give it any serious thought. Not very many business people today would be so careless. But beware! Satan has his wicked schemes today too, and his greatest purpose is to keep you from turning to God for the salvation of your soul. Are you going to let him win?

Daniel knew what had happened, but he didn’t fight it. He would trust God and prove the truth of Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” He simply knelt as he had done before, three times a day with his windows open toward Jerusalem, and he prayed and gave thanks to God. There was no secret about it. His enemies found him praying as usual. Their plan worked. Daniel had broken the new law and now he was in trouble. The punishment for breaking that law was to be thrown into the den of lions. They would soon be rid of him for good!

It did not take them long to report this matter to the king. Great as he was, the king could not back down on his own law. He liked Daniel very much, and he was very upset with himself for signing such a law.

It was too late for the king to change the law. But listen! It is not too late for you to turn to the Lord Jesus and change your “No” to “Yes.” God is still ready and willing to save you. It is wrong and foolish to refuse Him, but although He can never change His promises or break His laws, He can let you change your mind—now!

But what could the poor king do about Daniel, his Chief President? This was a problem too great for him to handle. The law said the punishment must be the den of lions, and he could not change it because he had signed it. He struggled to find a solution all day, but there was no answer. He kept thinking, How can I save Daniel? How can I save Daniel? It was impossible.

Can you think of a way? Well, there might have been one. The king himself could have taken Daniel’s punishment. But it is not surprising that he never thought of that. And yet God—the God who created all things—had a great desire in His loving heart to save sinners from the punishment for their sins. God could not change His holy nature in order to save sinners like you and me, as if sin did not really matter very much. Sin must be punished, and there was no way to save sinners from that punishment. No way but one, and only God could think of such a plan and carry it through.

God sent His only Son to die for sinners. And the Lord Jesus came willingly to the world of wicked men and bore the punishment for anyone who will accept Him as Saviour. You may claim Him as your very own Saviour and say, “He took my punishment and died in my place.”

But the king never thought of such a thing. He struggled all day, and he couldn’t think of a way to save Daniel.

The jealous men came to remind the king that he must keep his promise, and so that’s what he had to do. Just before they put Daniel in the den, the king told him his God would save him. The king had no solution, but he hoped Daniel’s God did. At the king’s command, Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. Then a stone was brought and laid on top of the opening of the den, and the king sealed it with his own seal and the seal of his lords. That made it official and could not be changed.

There Daniel was, down in the den with hungry lions. What do you think happened next?

Read next week’s story and see! If you are unable to read it next week, you may find out what happened by reading Daniel chapter 6 in the Bible.

MEMORY VERSE: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7

ML-05/08/2016

A Camouflaged Lizard

1. I saw a lizard by the pool;

He had been to camouflage school!

He changed the color of his skin,

To the environment he was in.

2. Kids are pressured by their peers;

They conform because of fears;

This is just another test;

You need not be like all the rest.

3. I found another one inside;

He was camouflaged, but he died.

Good choices can be most constructive,

But bad ones can be quite destructive!

4. God made no one else like you,

So honor Him in all you do;

Show your colors and be strong;

Follow Jesus; you won’t go wrong.

ML-05/08/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: God Watches Over Fish Too - Part 2

“Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made ... the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all.” Nehemiah 9:6

The study of fish is very interesting. A particular one, the file fish, feeds on eelgrass, which grows straight up from the ocean bottom. When the file fish is frightened, it stands on its head among these grasses, waving with the current and is perfectly hidden.

Another saltwater fish, the porcupine, blows itself up like a volleyball, and having dangerous-looking spikes all over its body, it scares off its enemy. A large fish of the Nile River, the birchir, has extra-large scales and a large, single tail fanning out wider than its body. The strangest feature is its 12 dorsal fins covering its entire back. It looks like an underwater sailboat.

The archer, a little fish of the East Indies, catches insects by firing well-aimed droplets of water at them, causing them to fall and be devoured. Another, the angler, living in both European and American waters, hides in deep, rocky places. It has a fleshy “wand” on which a piece of its flesh looks like food to others. When something comes to investigate, the angler grabs it in its big mouth and swallows it!

Each year from March through July, in the third or fourth night of a full moon only, grunions swim up on sandy California beaches when tides are highest. They scoop a hole in the sand and lay hundreds of eggs and then wriggle back through the sand to the water. Highest tides don’t come again until the eggs are ready to hatch. When they do come, the water-soaked eggs pop open, and tiny, new grunions are carried out to sea to start their lives and repeat what their parents have done before them. Now who do you think arranged this schedule?

The well-named toadfish is a very ugly fish with a large, thick head, teeth sticking out from its wide mouth, and vicious-looking, extra-large fins running the whole length of its back and under its stomach, plus other shield-like fins sticking out of its neck. One look at this one is enough to frighten anyone!

When pursued, flying fish leap great distances into the air, as much as six feet above the surface, and they sometimes land on boat decks. These fish make nests in seaweed, and their eggs look like parts of these plants, making them quite safe from predators.

Not one of these fish, nor any one of the millions of others, is forgotten by its Creator, as the above verse tells us and of whom the Bible also says, “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters” (Psalm 77:19).

Wherever we look, we always see some wonder of God’s creation. Do you tell Him your appreciation?

ML-05/08/2016

Set 6

More About Daniel

Do you remember how last week’s story ended? We left Daniel thrown into the den of hungry lions, with a stone laid across the opening and sealed. Daniel’s jealous enemies thought that was the end of him. You may read how this all came about in Daniel chapter 6, in the Bible.

The king went back to his palace. I’m sure he had a beautiful palace with more beautiful things than any of us have ever seen. He had soldiers to guard him and servants to supply whatever snacks or music might comfort him, but he did not want any of these things that night. He did not sleep a wink because he was so upset about Daniel, who was such a good and honest president, and about the plot that ended up with Daniel thrown into the den of lions.

Now which would you rather be—Daniel in the dark pit with a bunch of hungry lions, or the king in his great palace with every service at his command? If you really have come to know God through the Lord Jesus, you know that nothing is as good as having Him with you wherever you are, and nothing is as nice to think about as knowing that whatever happens, you will be with Him forever. Daniel, who had God with him in that den of lions, had more reason to be happy that night than the king, who spent a miserable night. And right now there are many miserable people who lie on soft, fancy pillows—people who haven’t accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and face the punishment for their own sins.

At the first streak of dawn, the king was up and hurried to the den of lions. As soon as he came near, he called with a fearful voice, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20).

What a question: Is God able? Of course He is able! He was able to prevent Daniel from being thrown in there in the first place, but sometimes He chooses to allow trouble to come to us. He often delivers us in remarkable ways, but even if death comes, our God has power over death. Yes, our God is able!

The king did not have to wait long for Daniel’s answer. He answered the king at once, not with anger at his enemies or the king, but with the joy of victory in how God had protected him. He said, “My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me” (Daniel 6:22).

Then the king was very glad, and at his command Daniel was taken up out of the den. They looked him over to see if the lions had hurt him, but there wasn’t a single mark on him, “because he believed in his God” (Daniel 6:23).

That was Daniel’s safety, and it can be yours too—”he believed in his God.” You also can claim that great and all-powerful God as your own, if you come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ who loves you and died for you. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man [comes] unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

And now, what about the men who had made the plot against Daniel? They probably had a good sleep that night, but it was their last. You cannot sin against God and get away with it, even though things may be okay for a while. At the king’s command, those men were cast into the den of lions. God did not shut the lions’ mouths this time. Those men died in the den of lions without a Saviour.

Oh, don’t die without a Saviour, because after death comes the judgment. “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). Is Christ your Saviour? Or will you have to bear the judgment for your sins?

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

ML-05/15/2016

Jake and Snowflake

Jake the dog and Snowflake the cat lived on a small farm. Jake had a nice, warm dog house. His job was to bark or give warning to his master when strangers came near the house. Snowflake, who was pure white, lived in the barn in a nice nest of straw up in the rafters. Her job was to keep out the mice who liked to eat the covering on electric wires in the barn, which could then cause a fire.

Jake and Snowflake did not get along together at all. They both lived outside winter and summer, so they knew each other’s habits.

One day the barn door was left open while Snowflake was down on the barn floor. Jake spotted her, and that could only mean trouble! Snowflake knew it was dangerous to come down during the day, because Jake was always loose.

Boys and girls, this reminds us of Satan. The Bible warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 to be very careful and watchful because our enemy Satan, or the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to destroy. The verse reads like this: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, [walks] about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Jake made a dash for Snowflake, but Snowflake spotted a ladder that was leaning against the wall of the barn, and she made a run for it. Whew! She just made it! Cats are not noted for climbing ladders, but Snowflake sure learned in a hurry that day. As she started to climb, Jake leaped up at her and just missed her tail.

When Snowflake got to the top of the ladder, she jumped over to her nest and looked down at Jake and gave a long meeeeoooow. Jake looked up at her and growled as if to say, “I’ll get you the next time!”

Boys and girls, the Lord Jesus Christ is the “ladder to heaven” for you and me! Satan would love to have us, but Christ has made the way to heaven for us through His own precious blood. “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold ... but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Will you trust Him today? He is the only safe and sure way to heaven.

ML-05/15/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Osprey and Its Prey

“[Does] the hawk fly by thy wisdom? ... [Does] the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?” Job 39:26-27

The osprey, also called fish hawk, with a five- to six-foot wingspread, is a bird of prey in the hawk family. It is shiny brown above, but parts of its head and neck have enough white to resemble the bald eagle. The underparts of its body are plain white, including its heavily feathered legs. It is very impressive with its erect head and sharply hooked beak.

These birds are found on all continents except Antarctica. In North America they spend summers from Labrador to Florida and Alaska to California. Most of them winter from the southern United States to northern Argentina and Paraguay.

Ospreys do not have songs; they have high-pitched whistles. They feed only on fish, which is why they live near both fresh and salt water.

Their huge nests are a mass of sticks, usually lined with grass or seaweed. They use the same nest year after year, always adding to it until it may reach three feet high and three feet wide. Before so many forests were cut down, tops of trees were a favorite nesting place. From high branches they could look down into the water and choose their fish targets. But now many build their nests on telephone poles, posts in water, roofs of barns and ledges. Helping to solve this problem, naturalists build platforms 30 feet or more above the water, and the ospreys find these good substitutes.

Other ospreys build nests on rocks as high as 300 feet. It is quite a spectacle to watch one take off from this height, hovering over the water, then diving feet first, hitting the water with a great splash and often going completely under, to snatch a fish in its strong talons. It carries the fish back home in its talons, perhaps eating a few mouthfuls on the way.

The male migrates north again in early spring, soon followed by his lifetime mate. Returning to the same nest, they clean it and add to it. Soon they have three or four young chicks to care for. The mother stays with the young at all times, and the father provides all the food. The little ones eat so much they become heavier than the parents but return to a smaller size before learning to fly.

The Bible tells us that on the fifth day of creation, “God created ... every winged fowl after his kind” (Genesis 1:21). And in Psalm 145:15 we are told, “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat [food] in due season.” Another Bible verse says, “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:21). Is that comforting to you? Or does it trouble you?

ML-05/15/2016

Cougar Tracks!

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

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

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

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

But here’s something for you to think about. Every one of us ought to be even more scared of sin. It’s the biggest killer there is! And it will get every one of us, if we haven’t trusted the Lord Jesus to wash us clean of our sins in His precious blood. I was thinking some pretty serious thoughts that night as I walked along that dark trail. And each of us needs to think serious thoughts about life and death as we walk through this dark world. There is no way we can get safely to heaven unless we come to the Lord Jesus and tell Him we’re sorry we’ve been so sinful, and accept His forgiveness. First John 1:7 tells us that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

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

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

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

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

Are you willing to get down on your knees and talk it over with God right now? This is the best time to get it settled. Don’t put it off!

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

ML-05/22/2016

Bible Relatives

We all have relatives, and some have more than others. The Bible tells us about some relatives that you probably have read about. Most of the ones in this puzzle are well- known. See if you can match these names with their relatives. If you have some that seem hard, just look up the answers in the Bible references at the end of each question.

Cain Elisabeth Esau Hannah Jonathan Lois Abraham Mary

What is the name of Isaac’s father? (Genesis 25:19) __________________________

What is the name of Samuel’s mother? (1 Samuel 1:20)_______________________

What is the name of Timothy’s grandmother? (2 Timothy 1:5)___________________

What is the name of Martha’s sister? (John 11:1)_____________________________

What is the name of Abel’s older brother? (Genesis 4:1-2)______________________

What is the name of Jacob’s twin brother? (Genesis 25:24-26)__________________

What is the name of Mary’s (Jesus’ mother’s) cousin? (Luke 1:36)________________

What is the name of David’s uncle? (1 Chronicles 27:32)_______________________

ML-05/22/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Beware the Shark!

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

In this Bible verse, Satan is described as a lion prowling through the earth. A similar example could be a vicious shark in the ocean. About 350 varieties of sharks are found throughout the world. The smallest is the 10-inch dwarf; the largest is the 40-foot whale shark, weighing 15 tons or more. In spite of their frightening looks, most sharks are harmless, living on fish, squid and shellfish. Two huge species, the basking shark and the whale shark, have such small teeth that they can only eat tiny drifting sea life and small fish.

The hammerhead is the most unusual-looking shark with its head extending out two feet or more on each side of the body. A large eye is on each end, and its mouth is underneath on the body. The ugliest shark is the horn or pig shark, with its jaws and teeth at the front of its pig-like snout.

The blue shark is actually a beautiful creature, with its dark bluish tint on top and light blue underneath. Its huge eyes and a small mouth give it a smiling appearance, and it shows only curiosity towards swimmers. Thresher sharks, which often work in pairs, beat the water with their tails. This causes small fish to group together, and then the threshers move in for the kill.

The most dangerous of all sharks is the great white shark with its huge jaws and dagger-like teeth. It can be 21 to 26 feet long and weigh more than 7,000 pounds. This one will sometimes attack swimmers. The injuries from their bites are severe, often resulting in death. The tiger shark is also vicious and sometimes will attack people. It is 10 to 14 feet long and can weigh up to 1,400 pounds. It has rows of long, sharp teeth.

In spite of the shark’s bad reputation, God has a place for them in His creation. As scavengers, they help keep the ocean clean. They are useful to man directly in that valuable medicines and vitamins are extracted from various parts of their bodies, and shark meat is an excellent food.

Although most sharks are harmless, few of us would trust these unpredictable creatures. People can also be just as unpredictable. How careful we should be in any relationship with people who are not God-fearing, for many of them are used by Satan to lead others to do evil deeds. The Bible gives good advice: “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established” (Proverbs 4:26). “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). “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). This is excellent advice to follow.

ML-05/22/2016

Red Means Stop and Green Means Go

Most everybody knows that a red traffic light means you have to stop, and once the light changes to green, that means you can go. Those same colors elsewhere usually mean the very same thing, that you stop on red and you can go on green. If you are in a boat on a lake or river, color markers in the water give you directions. A red marker means, “Stop; don’t come this way,” and a green marker means, “Okay to go this way.” It’s always good to obey traffic lights and water markers. You will be safe if you obey them.

One time we were boating on a lake in a provincial park in Canada. The lake divided into two arms of water, and we were boating down the one arm. We were watching for the red and green markers. A red marker was a warning of shoals, which is shallow water with sandbars and/or rocks in the water that you can’t see. We had to keep to the left of the red markers and stay on the right of the green markers. It reminded us of what we came to while boating another time.

We saw a boat stuck on one of the shoals. The driver had made a big mistake by going on the wrong side of the red marker, and that mistake had destroyed the boat’s propeller. It had hit some rocks. The green marker was two hundred meters (about 650 feet) away, but we guess he just didn’t see it. It was getting dark at the time.

Now the driver didn’t expect to smash his boat into the rocks. It makes an awful racket when the boat or engine screeches across the unseen rocks in the water. They were in trouble because they had taken the wrong way around the red marker. Perhaps the driver had his own idea of what was right, but he had taken the wrong way. He learned that too late.

There is a right way marked out for us in the Bible. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). That’s the green marker way. Of course, many people think they know another way which is better, but it ends up being the red marker way, and this is what happens: “There is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12)! The driver of the boat learned too late that he was on the wrong side of the red marker. Children and grown-ups need to follow the green marker in the Bible. It will take them safely to heaven to live with Jesus in His home.

We decided to help the people stuck on the rocks. Our boat moved very, very carefully towards their boat. We had a sonar screen on our boat which we used to guide us around the rocks. When we got close enough, we tossed them a rope so we could pull them off the rock they were stuck on. There were two older couples in the boat, and they were glad for the rescue and the tow back to the dock.

We can be sure that the driver of that boat with the broken propeller realized too late that he had not followed the green marker. It would have shown him the right way around the underwater rocks. He’ll never make that mistake again.

But when it comes to taking the right and only way to reach heaven, there are no second chances if you follow your own idea. It’s a red marker that ends in disaster in the lake of fire forever! Jesus is the only way; He is the green marker. Do you know Him as your Saviour and your Guide?

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

ML-05/29/2016

The Stolen Rose

Seven-year-old Carla lived in an old apartment building in the city. The area around the building was mostly cement except for the small yard right behind the building. There weren’t any flowers or bushes in the yard, but at least it was a yard where she could play.

One day as Carla and her friend Elaine were coming home from school, they saw some beautiful roses growing on a trellis on the side of a house.

As the two girls stopped to smell the flowers, Elaine said, “I don’t think the people who live here would care if we took just one rose. They are so pretty.”

Carla was a Christian, but she didn’t think the owners would care either. The two of them tiptoed up to the trellis, and each girl picked off a rose. Then they hurried away, hoping the owners did not see them.

Carla began to feel very guilty as she walked home. The rose was so pretty and she loved its smell, but she knew she had sinned, and she knew God had seen her steal. Just before she reached home, she put the rose in her jacket pocket so that her mother wouldn’t ask her questions about it.

Yes, God had seen the girls steal. We read in the Bible, “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13).

A few days later when her mother was brushing off Carla’s jacket, she noticed the wilted rose in her pocket. “Where did this come from?” she asked. “We don’t have any red roses around here.”

Poor Carla started to cry, and then she told her mother how she had picked the rose. Her mother had to punish her for stealing, but I am sure that Carla learned her lesson. She got down on her knees and told the Lord Jesus what she had done.

The Bible tells us, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Although we are all sinners, God has a message for each one of us. The message of the gospel is that God loves us and has provided a way that any sinner who comes to Him may have his or her sins washed away. This is possible through the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. The precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, can cleanse us from all sin. Will you accept Him now as your very own Saviour?

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

ML-05/29/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: "Spiky Pig" The Porcupine

“Who [teaches] us more than the beasts of the earth, and [makes] us wiser than the fowls of heaven?” Job 35:11

A three-foot-long porcupine suddenly appears in a quiet wooded area, moving noisily through dry leaves and underbrush. It apparently is unconcerned about the noise it is making, for it has little to worry about. The 12- to 35-pound porcupine is safer from attack than almost any other animal, even though it is slow. It is even safe from attack by a bear. Only pumas seem able to attack porcupines successfully.

The porcupine is in the rodent family and is the third-largest, behind the capybara and the beaver. This rodent is covered on its back, sides and tail with hundreds of strong, stiff quills. These sharp quills are two to three inches long and come out easily, sticking into an attacker’s flesh. Sometimes the quills rattle as it walks, but it cannot shoot them at its attacker.

If a porcupine senses danger, it turns its back, flares its quills, and greets the attacker with a hard slap of its tail, leaving many barbed quills in the attacker’s face and body. These quills can only be pulled out from dogs and cats by people. When an animal tries to remove them with its paws, the quills go in deeper. If the quills are in the face or mouth, they usually cause the animal’s death in the end, either from infection or starvation.

Porcupines live in hollow logs, stumps, trees and rock slides. Their main food is green vegetation and tree bark, but they also eat roots, fruits and berries. Always hungry for salt, they sometimes break into cabins and eat any salty food they can find. They become troublesome by gnawing paddle and axe handles, leather or anything stained with salty perspiration.

The female porcupine gives birth to a single offspring in the spring. The baby arrives with a full supply of quills, which are soft and flexible at birth but soon harden. The mother raises her baby alone. Interestingly, she can push or help the little one climb a tree without getting herself stuck by its quills.

These unusual animals are another example of how the Creator gives certain creatures a quiet and peaceful life, but with good means of protection against any who would harm them. In many ways, this is an example of His love and care over us as well. The Bible encourages us to “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:2). It is good to follow this instruction.

But instead of wanting to “get even” with those who oppose us, as the porcupine does, we should tell them of God’s love and let them know that God wants them to be saved from their sins by coming to Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you try this, you may be happily rewarded.

ML-05/29/2016

How to Catch a Groundhog

Something was eating the lettuce and carrots in our garden! We had worked hard early in the spring to prepare the ground and plant the seeds. The new little plants had come up nicely, and now an animal was eating in the garden. We watched closely and found that a groundhog was the guilty one. We didn’t mind a groundhog having a little breakfast now and then, but we did not like him eating all his meals day after day in the garden in which we had worked so hard.

Finally, we decided to call the Humane Society to see if they could give us any suggestions on how to catch a groundhog. “Sure,” they replied. “We’ll lend you a trap.”

That very day they brought a trap to our house. This trap would catch an animal but would not harm it. The man was very helpful and told us, “Just put a little corn in the trap and you’ll catch the groundhog.” Before going to bed that night, we set the trap in our garden with corn inside and looked forward to the end of our problems.

The next morning we looked out the window and saw an animal was in the trap. I went out to see, and imagine my surprise when I saw that it wasn’t the groundhog! Inside the trap was our neighbor’s cat! Our family especially likes cats, so I immediately said, “Poor kitty cat!” and went to set the cat free.

As I got close, the cat hissed at me. I moved closer to the cage, and it snarled at me. As I reached for the trap door, it swatted its claws at my hand. That cat! I was trying to open the door and it was fighting me! That cat thought I was trying to harm it when I was really trying to set it free.

It reminded me of how our loving God is offering to set boys and girls and men and women free from their sins, and many are either afraid or angry. Some refuse to go to a Bible study to listen to God’s Word, because they do not know that the Bible says, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Others get very angry if someone even offers them a simple gospel tract that tells of God’s love. Others know very well that they are sinners and need to be saved, but they turn down God’s offer of salvation because they don’t want to live like a Christian. But everything that God wants to give you is for your good and blessing. Believe and trust in the goodness of God today! “Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee” (Psalm 31:19).

I was finally able to free the frightened cat, but we still wanted to catch that groundhog! So we set the trap out the second night, and the next morning there was another animal in the cage. When we went out to see this animal, we could hardly believe it. This time we had caught a raccoon! The poor old raccoon really wanted out of that cage. He must have worked all night long trying to escape. He had stuck a paw out the sides of the cage to try to dig his way out. He had clawed and clawed in the dirt and had dug quite a deep hole on each side of the cage. But, of course, he could never dig his way out! He had only filled the trap with dirt!

This was an example to me of folks who know they are “trapped” in their sins. The Bible says plainly, “His own iniquities [sins] shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins” (Proverbs 5:22). Many try hard, just like this raccoon did, to free themselves from sin. They try to be good or do the best they can. Some even do many kind and good works. But the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus has already finished the work for our salvation. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). He bore the punishment for sin, and now He offers a free salvation, because—He paid the price! “Not by works of righteousness [good works] which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

We opened the door and let the poor raccoon out of the trap. And so we waited for night to come again to put more corn inside the trap, because that groundhog was still eating our carrots and lettuce.

But the third morning the trap was empty. So we tried again, and the fourth morning it was empty again.

We were getting a bit discouraged, so we phoned the Humane Society again. “It just isn’t working,” we told them. “We caught a cat and a raccoon, but the groundhog pays no attention to the corn in the trap and eats our garden instead.”

They gave us another suggestion. “Try putting a little butter on the corn.” Butter! We had not even thought of trying that. But since this was our last hope, we tried one more time. When we set the trap that fifth night, we put out buttered corn.

The next morning when we woke up, we found that it had worked! There was an animal in the trap! We had caught our groundhog at last. It had ignored plain corn for four nights in a row, but it couldn’t resist buttered corn!

We must warn you that Satan also has his “traps” set for boys and girls. He will offer you many attractions and entertainments to lead you away from God. You may tell yourself that you will be careful and never get very far from God. Beware! If “plain corn” won’t tempt you, Satan also has “buttered corn.” He will make a trap so inviting that you will not be able to resist it unless you have the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and you call to Him for help. Receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour now while you are young. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

MEMORY VERSE: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Ecclesiastes 12:1

ML-06/05/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Water Hyacinth - Both Loved and Hated

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come.” Song of Solomon 2:12

Beautiful flowers with sweet smells are usually enjoyed by everyone. However, there are a few exceptions, and the water hyacinth is one. It’s true that it has a cluster of beautiful lavender flowers growing on a strong stem with green, curly leaves, but this beauty of a flower is the cause of a big problem.

Originally a native of South America, travelers found the water hyacinth so attractive that many carried plants back to their homes in countries all over the world. They could easily carry it since it is a floating plant and its roots need no soil. No doubt they were extremely pleased to see how quickly the plants multiplied in their garden pools...until they discovered they had a real problem on their hands.

The water hyacinth is one of the fastest growing plants known. It grows and multiplies so quickly that it soon takes over a garden pool, choking out other water plants. In less than a year, just ten of these plants will multiply into thousands, until the surface of the water is completely covered. And if the pool is connected to a stream, some of the hyacinths will drift into the stream and start new groupings along the way, with some drifting on into a lake. If not soon destroyed, even a large lake can become completed covered so that a boat cannot get through. Then these plants have to be pulled out and hauled away at great cost.

In spite of this problem, the plant does have a benefit that interests certain industries. The roots of water hyacinths live on the impurities in water—impurities like chemicals and other harmful matter that dissolve in water and make it unfit for drinking or for use in swimming pools or in manufacturing. When this bad water reaches the plants, the impurities are taken out by the roots. This saves some of the expense of getting rid of the impurities some other way. However, removing the plants costs lots of money too, for workers have to continually go into these pools or lakes on rafts or boats to thin them out. But still the hyacinths and their problems are less costly than other water-purifying methods.

These lovely-looking plants which can cause so much trouble make us think of bad habits that at first may seem harmless, but which can lead to serious trouble if they are not stopped. A Bible verse tells us: “Happy is the man that feareth [honors the Lord] always; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief” (Proverbs 28:14). The Lord Jesus wants us to confess our sins to Him right away, and when we sincerely do this and trust in Him, He will forgive us. Be sure to remember this.

ML-06/05/2016

Set 7

Emily's Unexpected Trip to France

When Emily the cat disappeared from home a few months ago, her owners looked everywhere for her, with no success. Finally, they looked for their wandering pet where she had ended up before—the local animal shelter. They learned that Emily was not there, and they were very disappointed, especially Nick, the 9-year-old son of the cat’s owners.

You see, Emily was a very curious cat and often wandered off. But this time, unknown to her owners, she went on a long trip. The family put the pieces of the “puzzle” together later, after they had her safely back home.

They live quite near a paper warehouse, and curious Emily must have been prowling around the warehouse and crawled into a cargo container of paper bales that was ready for shipment. This container, with Emily inside, traveled by truck from Appleton, Wisconsin, to Chicago. Then it was loaded onto a ship that traveled through the Great Lakes and across the Atlantic Ocean to Belgium. After more ship travel, the cat was found at a laminating company in France near the German border.

Workers discovered the frightened and very thin cat at the company where the container was delivered. She was still alive and in fair condition. They checked the tag she was wearing around her neck and contacted the phone number on her tag.

By this time, Emily’s owners thought they would never see their pet again, since it had been many weeks that she had been missing. When the phone call came, it was a complete and happy surprise, especially to Nick.

Boys and girls, and grown-ups too, no matter what you do or where you go, you can’t hide from God and try to live without Him. He knows all about you and loves you very much. He knows where you live, He knows your phone number, and He also knows every sin you’ve ever committed. If you leave Him out of your life, the end of your life will be tragic, and there will be no rescue for you.

A Bible verse warns us, “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12). And you can do this right now by believing and accepting the work that God’s Son Jesus did on the cross for you. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). He died on the cross and shed His blood to wash away your sins. But He will only remove your sins if you will admit to Him that you are a sinner and want to be saved from the terrible penalty for your sins. You can do that right now ... you don’t have to wait.

The family learned that Emily could be returned by airplane, but it would cost a lot of money. They wanted to have their Emily back, so they were willing to pay the cost. However, when Continental Airlines heard the story of Emily’s unexpected trip to France, they paid the cost of her business class seat on a flight to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The excited family was at the airport to pick her up, and a cargo agent handed her over to a very happy Nick.

Emily received a wonderful welcome from her family who loved her. And you can have a wonderful welcome into heaven when your life on earth is over, but only if your sins have been cleansed away by Jesus, the Son of God. He loves you and is waiting to hear from you, whether you are young, old or in between. And He has this promise for you: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:28).

MEMORY VERSE: “Prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12

ML-06/12/2016

The First Step

It was a warm summer evening, and Mr. Hughes felt like taking a walk before turning in for the night. Down the street he met Mr. Ripley, a neighbor who was also out for a walk.

“Hello, Mr. Ripley,” said Mr. Hughes.

“Good evening,” answered the old man, and they both stopped to talk.

Now Mr. Hughes was a Christian. He loved his Saviour, and he loved to tell others the way to heaven. So after they had talked about the nice weather, Mr. Hughes brought the conversation around to the more important and eternal things. He asked Mr. Ripley if he knew Jesus Christ as his Saviour and was on the road to heaven.

“You know, that’s the very thing I’ve been thinking about lately,” confessed Mr. Ripley. He wanted to come to Jesus and be saved, but he didn’t know how.

“Mr. Ripley,” said his friend, “do you remember when you were just a little fellow, how your mother set you alone on your feet in the middle of the room, and kneeling down several feet away with her arms reaching out to you, she said, ‘Come on, Tommy’?”

Old Mr. Ripley replied that he was too young back then to remember, but that’s probably how it went.

So Mr. Hughes went on: “For a few moments you stood there on your little feet, wobbly and afraid, but your mother encouraged you saying, ‘Come here, Tommy, come over here to Mommy.’ Then suddenly you stepped out and the next moment you were safe in your mother’s arms.”

The old man was deeply impressed. The memory of childhood days brought tears to his eyes. Was the way of salvation as simple as that? Could someone as old as he come to Jesus as simply as a child would? Yes, Jesus had died to put his sins away, and now He called him to come and trust Him as his Saviour. Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).

He saw it all so clearly now. That night on their street, out under the starlit sky, old Mr. Ripley took that step of faith. He came to Jesus and found himself in those everlasting arms of love that would never let him go.

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

ML-06/12/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Slave-Maker Ants

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

In the deserts of Arizona, there are ants known as the western slave-maker ants. Unlike other ants, these are not capable of hunting food for themselves or for their young, and they could not live without other ants doing this for them.

Because of this inability, slave-maker ants make raids on another species of ants known as the formicas, and here’s what takes place. Several times a year the leaders in the nest send out scouts to find formica nests. When the scouts find these nests, they come back and somehow tell the others the “good news.” Then a huge army of several thousand takes off behind their scouts, following them to the unsuspecting victims.

With no warning, the slave-makers march right into the formicas’ nest, but they don’t attempt to fight them. Instead, they spray the entire area with a chemical from their bodies. This chemical does not bother the raiders, but it is so unpleasant to the formicas that the queen and all her workers get out as fast as possible. However, they cannot take with them the thousands of their babies, known as pupae, which have not yet hatched.

That is exactly what the raiders want to happen. Each raider grabs one pupa and carries it back to its own nest. Thousands are carried back where some are eaten by the hungry raiders. Most are carefully looked after and in a short time develop into full-sized formica ants. These captives are taught how to go after food to bring back for themselves and for their captors. Of course, these newly hatched ants can’t remember anything about their former home and fit right into this pattern, apparently accepting the fact that finding food for the others is their job.

The cruel and selfish ways of the slave-makers bring to mind our opening Bible verse, telling us to beware of Satan who is always wanting to devour us. Another verse in 2 Timothy 2:26 talks of people who are caught in “the snare of the devil...taken captive by him at his will.” Just like the slave-making ants, the devil wants to make us his slaves and make us serve him. Every person in the world is often tempted by him, although many do not realize Satan is their cruel master.

But for those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, there are many other Bible verses to help us resist the evil one. “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). James 4:7-8 tells where to turn for help: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw [near] to God, and He will draw [near] to you.” We are invited to turn to God in every trouble, and we can be sure of His loving help.

ML-06/12/2016

The Pirates and the Bed

It was a nice little white bed like some of you children sleep on every night. However, this bed was a little different because it had an iron framework over the top. Mosquito netting could be hung from this iron framework. You see, this bed belonged to a missionary in South China many years ago.

Along with the bed there was a mattress too. It was not a nice, soft mattress like we have today. This one was stuffed with bamboo shavings.

The missionary had bought the bed and mattress at a department store in the city of Hong Kong. It was carefully wrapped for the long trip back to the missionary’s home 200 miles away. But how would a person get a bed and mattress to their house that far away when there were no moving or delivery trucks?

He was able to find a small boat, called a “sailing junk,” which was going up the river, delivering goods to the city where he lived. He made all the arrangements to have his bed and mattress delivered to the sailing junk, and then the missionary left for home.

When the missionary got home, he told his family about the new bed he had bought. He knew it would take about three weeks for the sailing junk to make the long trip up the river with the new bed.

Three weeks passed, but the bed did not arrive. What was wrong? Had the sailing junk sunk in the river or had the bed been stolen by pirates?

After about six weeks, the missionary got word that, “Yes, the bed was stolen.” The pirates who had stolen it were now trying to sell it back to him. Would the missionary pay to get his bed back?

“No,” said the missionary, “I will not do business with robbers! I will not pay a cent to those who stole it!”

The missionary thought he would never see his bed again. He and his family often laughed, thinking about the pirate chief comfortably stretched out on the little white bed, enjoying the comfort of a mattress, which he probably had never felt before.

Although he was disappointed, the missionary accepted the loss of his new bed. He knew that, like the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3, he might suffer “the loss of all things ... that I may win Christ.” He told the Lord all about it and left it for Him to work out.

Not too many days later, a friend rushed in all excited and exclaimed, “The bed is coming—I mean, the junk is coming!”

Yes, soldiers had captured the pirates and had recovered the junk with all its goods. His friend didn’t know how it happened—all he knew was that the junk was on its way to their city.

A few days passed and then along came the bed. Chinese workers carried it to his house. The missionary and his family hurried out to see what the pirate chief had done to the bed. And what did they find? Neither the bed nor the mattress had even been unwrapped! Maybe the pirate chief didn’t know what it was. If so, he certainly never knew the comfort he had missed.

When the missionary asked if there were additional charges for recovering and delivering his bed, he was told there were none. Duty, freight, soldiers’ charges and delivery charges had all been paid.

The merchant who was with the delivery workers said, “The junk and all the goods came back because of your bed. It must have been your God taking care of your bed or else we would never have seen our things again!”

If God watches over things like beds, can’t we trust everything to Him? Best of all, we can trust Him with our soul’s salvation. “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

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

ML-06/19/2016

We Almost Killed It!

Last night we heard something rattling around just outside our bedroom window. We were surprised to discover an interesting snake we had never seen before. It was caught between the broken window screen and the glass. Immediately, we wanted to go out and kill it, but we decided to look it up on the computer first.

The markings on its skin were reddish-brown blotches, with a tan brown background. On its head, the markings made a triangular shape. It looked similar to a few poisonous snakes we’ve seen, but we concluded that it was a red rat snake or corn snake. This was a good snake that eats rodents and other garden pests. Some children even keep them as pets. We had almost killed an innocent, helpful creature!

Boys and girls, today in this sad world, there are some wicked people who are hurting and killing innocent people, in the name of their god or religion. One of the results is that some people now believe that religion or anything to do with God is evil and should be avoided. Satan is behind all this because he is a liar. In the Bible, he is called, “That old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan” (Revelation 20:2). Don’t listen to him!

Instead, listen to the Lord Jesus who loves you so much that He gave up His life to save you from going to hell where the devil will be sent. ”The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Do you believe that?

Although the devil is too strong for any of us to deal with on our own, the Lord tells us, “Greater is He that is in you [the Lord Jesus], than he that is in the world [Satan]” (1 John 4:4). We do not need to be afraid of the devil, because after we accept the Lord Jesus into our hearts, He lives inside us. He is much stronger than Satan or anyone else, and He loves us.

We were glad to let that good snake loose from where it was caught. Now it is a helpful creature in our backyard, probably for a short time before it goes to another backyard to be a helper there. We hope nobody kills it.

MEMORY VERSE: “The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

ML-06/19/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Familiar Cow

“He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man.” Psalm 104:14

As those who live in the country know, there are many kinds of cows on farms, and they are the most familiar of the large animals. Only the female is called a cow, and the male is called a bull. It’s unusual for a cow to charge a person, but it’s always good to keep a fence between yourself and a bull!

The Bible mentions cows. Genesis 1:25 says that “God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind.” This shows that God made a distinction between wild animals and domestic animals. The domestic animals could be used “for the service of man,” and certainly the cow is an animal of great service to man.

A cow’s stomach has four compartments. As a cow grazes, each bite is swallowed after a little chewing. This passes along to the first and second parts of the stomach where it combines with liquids to form a “cud.” Later when resting, the cow brings this cud back into its mouth and chews it more completely before finally swallowing it. This time the grass ends up in the third and fourth stomach compartments where it is further digested.

Milk is produced and collects in the bag-like underpart of the cow’s body known as the udder. When a calf is born, it instinctively knows that this is the place to go to satisfy its hunger. After the calf has grown enough to eat solid foods such as grass, hay and grain, the cow continues to supply milk for the dairyman. This milk will be shipped to market where it will be converted into butter, cheese and other dairy products. We should thank the Lord often for these foods. What would we do without them?

Besides milk and meat, cows and bulls are a main source of hides from which leather is made. Glue, soap, some medicines and other products are also produced from their body parts.

In early Bible days, God instructed His people how to distinguish between a “clean” and an “unclean” animal. A “clean” animal, which they could use for food, chewed the cud and had divided hoofs. The cow meets both of these requirements, as do sheep, goats, deer and several other animals.

There are lessons for us in all that the Bible teaches. A “clean” animal chewing its cud speaks of one who loves the Lord Jesus and spends some time reading and searching the Bible—not just glancing quickly at a portion of it. The divided hoof tells us He wants His people to divide (separate) themselves from the sinful world and live for Him. “Wherefore come out from among them [unbelievers], and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Do you fit these examples?

ML-06/19/2016

The Poolside Story

It was far more important than an ordinary swimming pool. It was a pool in Jerusalem, and if you had been there you might have heard the bleating of sheep because there was a sheep market nearby.

Around this pool you would not find deck chairs and sunbathers; you would find sick people. The pool had five porches full of blind, diseased, crippled and paralyzed people. Some had friends with them, and some were alone. Some were sitting, and some were lying on bedrolls. All of them were waiting ... waiting in their misery and their hope.

What were they waiting for?

God cared about their misery, and at a certain time of year He sent an angel to stir up the water. When that happened, there was great excitement among the sick and crippled who waited in hope. How they struggled to get into the pool! They knew that only the first one who stepped into the pool would be healed of whatever disease that person had.

How we pity those poor people! If you had been there, perhaps you would have been a helper, but, of course, that would not be possible if you were crippled too. I wonder if you have ever faced the problem that you are crippled with sin—sin that you can never erase and bad habits that you cannot break. Being tied up with sins, it is impossible to make your own way to God’s home of holiness and joy in heaven. Because of your sins, you are on your way to a lost eternity in hell.

Did you notice that it was an angel that stirred up the water, and that it was only the first person into the pool who was healed? But God has not sent an angel to set you free from your sins. God has sent His only begotten Son! And the promise is not to only the first who comes—it is to everyone who comes! Better still, the promise is not for the healing of the body for those who eventually will die anyway. No, this promise is for everlasting life—forever as a child of God in the Father’s house. How could anyone say, “I don’t care”?

Jesus, the Son of God, was by the pool one day. He saw a man there who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus said to the sick man, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Today we would say, “Would you like to be healed?”

You would think that the man would say, “Yes!” But he didn’t! Instead, he began to explain about the pool and the stirring up of the water and that he had nobody to help him get into the pool. Did he not know who was talking to him?

Then Jesus spoke with His authority and power and said, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” (John 5:8). Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his bedroll and walked!

The day on which this happened was the Sabbath, Saturday, the day which God had given to Israel as a day of rest. This quickly started an argument. It was against the Jews’ religion to carry anything on the Sabbath, and the healed man had carried his bedroll! They were right about this. God had promised six days of blessing and success if they were obedient, and then they were to have a day of rest. But Jesus came to a land of disobedience and misery, and He cared so much for their sorrows that He healed even on the Sabbath day. They had lost their success and their rest because of sin. But they cared more about their religion than about the loving Saviour who came to set them free.

Who told you to carry your bed? They asked. But all the poor man could say was, I don’t know.

Is that your answer too? Don’t you care to know Jesus? He is the One who came into the world to save sinners. Your health comes from Him now, and an eternal life in heaven can never come from anyone but Jesus.

Jesus had slipped away among the crowd, and the healed man did not seem to care. But Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).

It seems that with a healthy body, the man had not faced the problem of his sins. Have you? Do you know that sin is more serious than 38 years of sickness, because sin can cause you to spend eternity in hell, and eternity means forever! Hell is the end of the road if you have no Saviour.

The healed man left Jesus and then told those who had asked him that it was Jesus who had healed him. They quickly made a plan to kill Jesus.

There we leave the man who was healed in the company of the haters of Jesus. This story is in John 5, but it says no more about the man. What is your company now? for eternity? Is it Jesus the Saviour of sinners, or is it the haters of Him? You may choose Him right now. It may be too late to make a choice tomorrow.

“Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

MEMORY VERSE: “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17

ML-06/26/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Birds of Paradise - Part 1

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

There are more than 40 species of birds of paradise. Each is so outstandingly beautiful that when the explorer Magellan first took some back to Spain, the people said they were so dazzling that these birds could only have come from paradise. And so that’s how they got their name.

It takes the male five or six years to get his mature plumage, but once he has it, the use of his feathers in courting a female companion is very important to him. The female does not have the beautiful colors. This is a wise provision of the Creator, because in her dull colors she is not easily spotted by enemies that would like to catch her or her eggs.

Birds of paradise live from sea level up to 6000 feet above sea level in New Guinea, Australia and a few South Sea islands. The males have the most brilliant and extraordinary plumage of any bird in the world. Usually these birds nest in trees, often near the very top, and generally lay one to three spotted, white eggs. When these hatch out, they become the full responsibility of the female, as by then the male bird has flown away to find another companion. Only on rare occasions does a male help a little in feeding the young ones. This behavior might seem disappointing to many of us since we appreciate it when both parents share responsibilities and are loyal to each other.

The diet of these birds includes fruit, berries, seeds, insects, frogs and reptiles. These birds have stout bodies and are heavy-billed, and without the long plumes and “wires,” they vary from the size of a robin to that of a crow.

Noted for their loud, clear calls that can be heard for quite a distance, as well as their beautiful coloring, the different species have been given a wide variety of plumage. Some have a pair of wire-like tendrils anchored to their backs and extend out in unusual ways two or three feet past their tails. Also, beneath the wings of some are long, delicate plumes in contrasting colors or sometimes in pure white. These can be raised and spread out like a cape over their bodies.

All plainly show the pleasure of the Lord God in creating so many beautiful varieties of these birds, as well as uncountable others that have obeyed His command and multiplied throughout the entire earth. There are many of these birds that have never been seen by man, but the eye of their Creator is always on them. Some of those that are known will be described in the next article.

(to be continued)

ML-06/26/2016

It Wasn't a Fish She Hooked

When our oldest granddaughter, Barb, was ten years old, we decided that since she had grown up in a big city, she needed to see some of the Wild West. So we took off for the West in our truck camper. We visited the Black Hills, Devils Tower National Monument, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

All of this was new and exciting for a young girl. For the first time she saw moose, deer, bears, pronghorn antelope and mountain goats. She hiked mountain trails and swam in very cold lakes that were fed by melting snow.

One evening while we were eating supper in Devils Tower Campground, Barb suddenly asked, “What’s that sound, Grampy?” We could hear cattle bawling and men’s voices shouting. I told her, “It’s cowboys driving a herd of cattle.” She said, “Oh, Grampy, they don’t do that anymore!” The next minute her eyes widened, as out of a grove of cottonwood trees came a herd of cattle being driven by real cowboys on horseback with ropes, wide-brim hats and chaps.

One afternoon when we were camping at Custer State Park in the Black Hills, I heard Barb cry out in pain, “Grampy!” She had been playing with my fishing rod, and somehow she had hooked herself in the nose between her nostrils with a barbed fishhook! She was frightened and wouldn’t let me touch the hook. The only thing we could do was cut the fishing line and take her to the nearest doctor, several miles away.

When she walked into the waiting room with the hook in her nose, she said she knew how a fish felt. The doctor cut the hook and pulled it out and then gave her a tetanus shot. When we got back to the campground, I took her swimming, and she felt much better since she was free from the fishhook. I called her my “Little Squaw Hook-in-the-Nose.”

When the Lord Jesus was living here on earth, nets were used instead of fishhooks to catch fish. In Luke 5, when Peter, James and John had fished all night and hadn’t caught a single fish, the Lord Jesus appeared and told them to go back and let down their nets. Peter thought it was useless but obeyed the Lord. It was then that the Lord Jesus, as Creator, filled the nets so full with fish that the nets broke. Today the joyful gospel net is going out, bringing in souls who are willing to be saved from their sins. Soon it will be full, and He will take those saved souls home to be with Him in heaven for eternity.

Our enemy Satan also has a net—an evil net: “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, when it [falls] suddenly upon them” (Ecclesiastes 9:12). Those who are refusing or ignoring the salvation that God is offering through the death of His Son are caught in Satan’s evil net. They will spend eternity in that awful place of judgment for sinners who are still in their sins. But God’s beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, will set anyone free from that evil net who will call to Him to be saved: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Are you still caught in Satan’s evil net? or do you have the truth of God in your heart? “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free....If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:32,36).

MEMORY VERSE: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

ML-07/03/2016

A Narrow Escape

Little Johnny was having fun with his toy truck. He was pulling it along behind him and enjoying the noise it made as it went bumpity-bump across the railroad tracks. Suddenly Johnny stopped. His truck was hard to pull across the tracks and at the same time he had noticed something scary. A train was coming down the tracks toward him. He knew he should run, but he did not want to leave his truck behind, so he hung onto the string and pulled harder. The train came closer and closer, and still Johnny stayed on the tracks, tugging on his truck.

Johnny was in real danger, and you may be in worse danger than that! A freight train is not about to run over you, but unless your sins have been washed away in the blood of Jesus, you are in danger of everlasting punishment. The Bible warns us that “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Johnny certainly would have been killed if no one had been there to rescue him, but someone did see Johnny on the tracks. Mr. Kelly had stopped his truck at the tracks to wait for the train to go by, and he quickly saw Johnny’s danger. He realized that Johnny needed someone bigger and stronger than himself to save him! Leaping from his truck, Mr. Kelly risked his own life to save Johnny. Johnny was snatched off the tracks just in time, while the freight train rushed by, smashing his little truck to pieces.

Are you being more foolish than Johnny was? He was not old enough to understand that his life was more valuable than a toy truck. Are you risking living forever in heaven with the Lord Jesus because you are afraid of what your friends will think or because you’ll have to give up something? You are old enough to understand that being saved from your sins is much more important than having a few friends or a little fun right now. Heaven or hell is forever!

Mr. Kelly risked his life to save Johnny, but the Lord Jesus gave up His life to save us from our sins. “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Won’t you accept Him as your Saviour right now? “Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-07/03/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Birds of Paradise - Part 2

“I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works.” Psalm 9:1

In the last article we commented on the beautifully colored feathers, plumes and unusual features of the various species of birds of paradise. The most outstanding feature that most have are two slender wires crossing each other as they extend beyond their tails. Sometimes these curl to form a pair of circles or other shapes. On some birds there are 6 of these wires and on others 12. These larger numbers of wires usually form small coils, resting snugly against the tails and not extending beyond. Let’s look at a few of them.

One called Count Raggi’s has 12 wires. He is bright yellow all over except for red feet and a bright green balloon-like head. He is unusually active in winning a mate. First he dances about on a tree limb to attract a female’s attention, then spreads his wings upward, and finally turns nearly upside down to make his feathers flash more brilliantly than ever. If the female doesn’t respond, he repeats the performance for another one when he has the opportunity.

The king is also outstanding. He is brilliant red over his head and throat with a green band over his chest, dividing the red from a white underbody. From his short, purple tail, two long wires extend with small balls of purple feathers on their ends.

Another has the name King of Saxony and looks almost like a robin—with dark top feathers and an orange breast. His distinctive feature is a pair of long, glossy plumes—one blue and the other brown—extending from the back of his head beyond his tail by a distance of more than twice the length of his body. The Creator has given him these pretty features rather than the wires most others display.

The superb has a different arrangement. An olive-green body and wide-spreading tail contrast with his bright blue chest and short wings of the same color. He has no wires extending behind him.

The white-plumed lacks the brilliant colors of the others but has a prominent display of long, fluffy, white plumes extending from his back. He can raise these over his body to look like a most beautiful cape.

The beautiful feathers of these birds, as well as a wide variety of other birds, are possibly one of the greatest displays of God’s visible handiwork. However, He has other beautiful designs in fish and animal groupings. In contrast, it is often the ordinary-colored creatures that have the greatest skills and the most amazing ways of life. They are all part of God’s creation, and we should think of Him and His wisdom when we have occasion to observe any of them.

ML-07/03/2016

Set 8

Cricket and the Possum

Dear Children,

Gramma and I were lying in bed, enjoying the peace and quiet of our house in the early morning. The clock said 6:30 a.m., and then Cricket, our little dog, jumped up beside us to let us know, “It’s time to get up!” So I played with her a little, and then we got up to start the new day.

I like to take her outside before we eat breakfast so she can have a little run and check out what animals came around in the yard during the night. I always make sure that there is no wildlife around before I take her out, because Cricket is a small dog—she only weighs ten pounds—an easy catch for a coyote or wolf.

So we headed down the steps. She is much faster than I, and she runs here and there. She likes to run over into the evergreen trees where I can’t see her. But that’s okay. I have a good fence there to keep out the wildlife. But sometimes the raccoons, possums and foxes squeeze in under the fence.

Suddenly I heard Cricket barking furiously! I said, “Uh-oh.” So I quickly walked over to see what she was so excited about. When I saw the reason, I said, WOW! And I said it out loud! Cricket was running circles around a possum, barking and growling. And the possum was making growling noises and snarling at Cricket. I wondered what I should do now.

Boys and girls, stop here for a minute and think about what you would do ... .

And now I’ll tell you what I did, and this is always wise to do right away. First of all, I asked the Lord Jesus to show me how I could help these two animals without getting into trouble myself! Then He sent a verse from the Bible right into my mind! Here is what the verse says: “Be careful [or anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer ... let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). What a good verse to help me!

And then the Lord sent another verse into my mind as I was standing there watching these two animals snarl and growl at each other: “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13)! At that very moment, Cricket and the possum stopped snarling and barking at each other! Yes, they continued growling, but no barking.

I softly called, “Cricket, come here!” I was standing about five feet away from them. Cricket did not move, so I softly called again, “Cricket, come here.” She started to walk towards me, but she was still watching the possum. Then she stopped. “Over here!” I said. Then she came right up beside me. I bent over and gently picked her up, and then I walked back around the evergreen trees, holding Cricket in my arms. All the while, the possum never made a move!

Then we were safe from trouble! I stopped, bowed my head, closed my eyes and gave thanks to the Lord for His excellent care in helping me solve a big problem between these two animals so neither of them got hurt!

Children, and grown-ups too, there is a wall between you and God. It is called SIN! He cannot save you unless you come to Him just as you are. He says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden [with sins], and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Lord Jesus picked up the little children in His arms and said, “[Let] the little children ... come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

Boys and girls, I was able to pick up Cricket in my arms and carry her to the safe and happy shelter of our home. Will you let the Lord Jesus do the same for you? He has a safe and happy home in heaven waiting for you, if you will let Him save you.

We love you very much,

Grampa and Gramma

MEMORY VERSE: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:2

ML-07/10/2016

The Straw Pile

As a boy I grew up in a Christian home where the family read the Bible together. All of us children learned the verse, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). We knew what the verse meant, but we didn’t always do what it said.

One hot July day, the threshing crew came to our farm to thresh out the oats with a big threshing machine. The oat bundles were picked up by a team of horses pulling a hayrack and brought to the machine. Then the bundles were put into the front of the threshing machine. The grains of oats came out of an auger on the side into a wagon, and the straw was blown through a tube into a big pile.

A neighbor boy and I were chasing each other up and down the straw pile, having a good time. All of a sudden I fell into a hole over my head with the straw falling in on top of me! I shouted for help as loud as I could! At once I saw a hand reaching down for me to grab onto. It was as if it was the hand of God!

What do you think I did? There was no time to waste, and I quickly grabbed that hand and was pulled out.

Dad had warned me not to play in the straw pile because of holes in it. But I didn’t listen to him and played in it anyway. I had disobeyed my Dad, and disobeying is sin.

God used that lesson to make me understand that I was a sinner and needed to have my sins washed away by the blood of Jesus. As a result of that lesson, I accepted the Lord Jesus as my very own Saviour.

What about you? I hope you don’t have to have a scary lesson like I did to understand that you are a sinner and need the Saviour to wash your sins away. Won’t you come to Jesus with your sin problem today? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-07/10/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: From Microbes to Elephants

“Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth.” 1 Chronicles 16:12

Do you ever stop to consider the wonders of the world around us—close up and far away? How a clear, starry night amazes us with its vastness, or the beauty of a delicate flower, the waves of the ocean thundering against a rocky cliff, the flight of a bird, an elephant or monkey in a zoo, or a horse, cow or pig in a barnyard. The beauty of an oak or redwood tree and the delicate frond of a maidenhair fern should make us think about the very wonder of their existence.

How does a tiny seed, falling to the ground, take root and become a buttercup, a lily, a violet or other plant in a meadow or deep forest? What makes cacti and other desert plants store enough water for a coming dry season when, on rare occasions, they are pelted with heavy rainstorms? How does a pigeon, carried to a distant, strange locality, know how to fly straight back home?

What causes a compass to point northward? Who provided gravity to enable animals and people to stand upright, to walk or run without falling, or to keep loose objects from flying off into space? Who thought of storing snow on mountain peaks in winter and keeping it from melting until moisture is needed at lower levels? Why don’t the oceans overflow with all the rivers continuously pouring such huge quantities of water into them?

With all the stars and other planets in the skies, how did the earth get placed at the most perfect position in relation to the sun and moon? Who set it spinning at just the right tilt and proper speed to give all living things just the amount of heat and cold, darkness and sunshine required in the various parts of the world in which they are placed?

Did you really ever stop to wonder how these and millions of other things have taken place? They are all examples of the wonders of God’s creation and should make us think very seriously about our relationship with Him!

A Bible verse makes it very personal: “Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?” (Job 31:4). Yes He does, and He wants every person to know Him, not only as Creator, but as Saviour God. He invites each one to come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave His life on Calvary’s cross to take away the sins of all who will trust in Him. If we admit to Him that we are sinners and look to Him as our Saviour, His Word promises: “If we confess [admit] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Have you done this?

ML-07/10/2016

The Bike Race

Mark’s bike was in top condition, of course, and nothing on his bike was left unchecked the day of the race. Mark was in top physical condition too. It would be great to come in first, but it was a difficult racecourse, and so his real goal was just to cross the finish line, no matter how long it took.

The racecourse was full of steep hills, twists and turns, bumps and other surprises. But when the biker had only the finish line in mind, those pedals and wheels had no choice but to keep up to the biker’s speed.

I wonder if Mark remembered what God says about racing. God tells us that the Apostle Paul was in a race too, and he kept his mind on the goal. It certainly was an uphill and downhill course, with surprises that were far from smooth and easy. But Paul didn’t concentrate on the roughness of the course; he concentrated on the goal before him—his Saviour whom he would meet at the finish line.

Paul really did have a difficult course. It included a horrible prison cell, beatings and stoning, hunger and shipwreck. But he never said, “This is too difficult! I’m giving up.” His poor body must have been scarred and crippled, but Jesus was the goal, the motive, the power and the whole direction of his life. When Paul was near the end of the course, he said, “I have fought [the] good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7). He was not saying that he had done well, but that the struggle had been worth it. He had no regrets.

Mark was pushing hard on his bike. Somewhere at top speed, he heard that little “poof—hiss,” the sound of a punctured tire. He kept going. He wasn’t going to be hindered by a flat tire. But it didn’t work. He jumped off and ran alongside, pushing the disabled bike. “Good work, Mark! Keep going!”

Some of us face things like that on our bad days, don’t we? But if you are a Christian, don’t let trouble hinder you. You can still follow Jesus on the bad days! If you are “looking unto Jesus,” He will keep you on the road to the finish line, even if you must carry burdens that others do not carry. Our Saviour understands. Follow Him.

But the flat tire flapped loose from the rim, making it impossible to push the bike. Determined, Mark picked up the bike and carried it. And running as fast as he could, he crossed the finish line!

Christian, are you disabled in a wheelchair or in a bed? Are you unable to function on your own? Let the Lord Jesus carry you in His willing arms right to the finish line, and you will find that you have missed nothing.

There was plenty of applause as the runner crossed the finish line, carrying his bike. And perhaps you may finish the race in helplessness too, but you will have a wonderful welcome at those heavenly gates. You will be eternally saved, and the praise will go to Jesus, the One who saved you and carried you.

Are you looking unto Jesus? He is the One who endured the cross for you and is seated now at the right hand of God. If He is not your Saviour, troubles and death will surely come to you, and you will spend not only this life, but all eternity without a Saviour.

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

MEMORY VERSE: “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2

ML-07/17/2016

John's Fish

The little fish was so pretty, as it dangled in the sunlight on the end of John’s fishing line. Its white underside was very white, and its back glistened with a silvery sparkle. This was the second fish John had ever caught and the first one that Dad had said was big enough to keep and eat. He proudly took it around to show everyone at the campsite.

The only thing spoiling the beauty of the little fish was the silvery hook through its mouth and coming out of its gill. The little fish was caught in such a way that there was no getting away. It was captured, just as each of us has been captured by sin. The end of this little fish appeared to be the campfire come suppertime. The end of you and me would be eternal punishment, except for one reason—a Deliverer has come and offered to free us from our sins. The little fish had no power to free itself from the hook, and we don’t have the power to free ourselves from sin.

Shortly after the fun of showing off his newly caught fish, a quieter little boy than he had been earlier crept by my side to tell me that the little fish was free. It was fun to have caught the fish, but it was no fun for this tenderhearted boy to keep one of God’s creatures on a fishing line. John had let him go. The little fish was free to swim again ... but maybe it was free only to be caught by another fisherman.

It was not so easy for the Lord Jesus Christ to set us free. “Our Lord Jesus Christ...gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us” (Galatians 1:3-4). It was the hardest work that was ever done or will ever be done. He gave His holy, spotless life, and His blood was spilt to free us from our sins. His work on Calvary’s cross will last forever.

But what about John’s fish? John had no power to see to it that no other fisherman would catch his little prize. But when the Lord Jesus Christ took our place and broke the bonds of sin that held us, the work was so wonderfully complete that we are His own prize forever. No one can take us from Him! He will never let us go! We are His forever! “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36).

Maybe you have never come to the Lord Jesus as a sinner, admitting you need to be freed from your sins. If not, why are you waiting? He will never turn away a boy or girl or man or woman who comes to Him. In the quietness of your heart, just tell Him that you are a sinner and want Him to be your Saviour.

If you have already let Him save you, just thank Him for the wonderful freedom He has given you and the gift of everlasting life. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

ML-07/17/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Graceful Springbok

“O Lord ...Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11

Springboks are one of the most graceful members of the antelope family. They live on the prairies of Africa where they share the friendly company of zebras, giraffes, wildebeests and many others. However, they are sometimes victims of hungry lions that capture them by creeping up unseen and then making a sudden leap before there is opportunity to escape. Wild dogs are also among their enemies, but the dogs usually pick out the sick, old, or very young that has wandered away from the herd.

Springboks are well named, for one of the features that helps identify them is their practice of suddenly springing high in the air. They appear to do this often just for the fun of it. They seem to be one of the Creator’s “happy to be alive” animals. It is a lovely sight to see them leaping this way on their long and thin but strong legs.

Springboks are delicately colored animals, appearing to wear a tan cape over their backs and down the outsides of their legs. The remainder of their bodies is pure white. Crowning their heads is a pair of horns. These horns extend for about 18 inches from their heads and gently curve forward at the top. Springboks have appealing white faces with stripes between the eyes and nose, as if skillfully drawn with soft crayons, large deer-like eyes and long, erect ears.

These animals, which do not search out shade while browsing, seem to prefer the open country with its extremely hot sunshine. Their usual food is the wild grasses of the prairie, but when these are hard to find, they will substitute leaves and tender parts of shrubs and will even eat roots dug out of the ground with their sharp horns.

In times of drought and when food runs low, thousands together make long migrations to greener pastures. We might ask, “How do they know where to go and how do they know when to return?” Those who have studied their ways cannot answer these questions, but to us who know of the Creator’s care over all living things, it is not difficult to realize that He is the One who directs them to go and gives them the sense when it is time to return to their native land.

Several Bible verses declare this care so well: “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season. That Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good” (Psalm 104:27-28). Have you thanked Him that His same loving hand is stretched out for you too? He invites every boy and girl to trust in Him and know Him as their loving and very own Saviour.

ML-07/17/2016

Another Pool Story

The blind man sat by the dusty wayside, begging. He had been born blind and could only beg for a living. As Jesus and His disciples passed the man, the disciples wondered why anyone should have such a birth defect. So they asked Jesus about it. And Jesus is the right person to ask.

Jesus told them He had a blessing for that man, and He has a blessing for you too, which is yours for the taking. Have you seen it and accepted it? Don’t turn it down!

Jesus then spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and put it on the blind man’s eyes. Jesus is the holy Son of God, and everything that came from His mouth was holy too. Then Jesus said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (John 9:7).

The blind man obeyed without asking questions, and when he washed in the pool of Siloam his eyes were healed and he could see! What a miracle!

Then he came back, and first he met the neighbors. Were they glad that he was no longer blind? No, they found it hard to believe him. But the man told them exactly what had happened. And he gave all the credit to “a Man that is called Jesus.”

“Where is He?” they asked. But all he could answer was that he didn’t know. He had never seen Jesus, but he had obeyed His voice. Have you obeyed His voice? That is the way to receive God’s blessing—obey that voice. In John 5:24, Jesus tells us, “He that [hears] My Word, and [believes] on Him that sent Me [has] everlasting life.” You can do what the blind man did. He listened to Jesus and believed Him. The words of Jesus are recorded in the Bible for you to read and believe and obey.

Next the man met the religious leaders. They were very strict about the Sabbath day (the seventh day, Saturday). They argued that Jesus was not of God because He healed the man on the Sabbath day. The man did not know very much, but he knew one thing, and no arguments could change his mind. He told the religious leaders, “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

Even his parents did not stand with him. But the man with his marvelous new eyesight was ready to answer anyone in the world. And the more they talked against Jesus, the more he insisted that Jesus was of God. He told them, “If this Man were not of God, He could do nothing.”

The religious leaders didn’t like what he said, and they threw him out of the synagogue.

How discouraging! Family and friends gone. An outcast with no possibility of begging anymore. Who will help him now?

Jesus found him! He said to him, “[Do you] believe on the Son of God?”

The man answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?”

Jesus said, “Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that [talks] with thee.”

“And he said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped Him.”

That is where we leave the man who had been blind—at the feet of Jesus. And he will be with Jesus for all eternity.

That was God’s blessing for him, and that blessing is for you too. Did you notice how he got it? It was the Son of God who healed him, and the arguments of others did not turn him away from Jesus. And when Jesus found him, he listened and believed. You can do that too. Right now. Will you believe? “He that believeth on the Son [has] everlasting life” (John 3:36).

You may read this wonderful story for yourself in the Bible in the Book of John, chapter 9.

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 upon Him.” John 3:36

ML-07/24/2016

You Choose

“Which kitten would you like?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-07/24/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Awkward Manatee

“He [looks] to the ends of the earth, and [sees] under the whole heaven.... And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:24,28

Few people have ever seen a manatee, mainly because this large water animal lives only in tropical waters off the coast of Florida and along the coasts of the West Indies, South America and Africa. This mammal spends its life underwater, in both freshwater and saltwater, coming up to breathe with only the nostrils at the top of its snout breaking the surface. The manatee may weigh as much as 1,300 pounds.

The skin on these 8- to 13-foot-long creatures is grayish black and without fur. They are quite gentle and affectionate toward each other, often swimming side by side and sharing any available food supply. Because they are clumsy and slow moving, they are unable to come out on land to enjoy the sun’s warmth, like a hippopotamus can. They are actually helpless on land.

A manatee looks somewhat like a seal, all the way from its large, bristly mustached mouth to its huge, flat, rounded tail. Because of its appetite for underwater grass and plants, it is sometimes called a sea cow. Heavy and bulky, it is supported by an extremely large muscle along the whole length of its body, as well as by a framework of strong, heavy ribs. Having no hind legs, movement through water is achieved by its large tail and hind quarters, assisted by paddle-shaped front legs. These front legs are also necessary to maintain balance as well as to dig plants from the ocean bottom.

The Creator has given manatees everything needed for their unusual way of life, including the replacement of teeth so vital to them. As their front teeth wear away from constant cutting and chewing of sea grasses, they drop out. Promptly, all those behind move forward, and additional new ones soon fill in at the back of the mouth. Isn’t that a very interesting part of God’s wonderful provision for them?

A female will have just one calf a year, born underwater and immediately taken to the surface for its first breath of air. The mother will often assist in this until the calf learns to swim up for air without help. She also brings the calf to the surface for nursing, keeping its head above water until finished.

Does God care about manatees? Yes, He does. They have been under His watchful care ever since the time of their creation. You also are always in His care. The psalmist was thinking of this when he wrote, “Happy is he ... whose hope is in the Lord his God; which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is” (Psalm 146:5-6). Are you one of these happy people whose hope and trust are in the Lord?

ML-07/24/2016

Jack's Interrupted Sleep

Jack was glad to get checked into a nice hotel room on the fifth floor. He was extremely tired from the trip to Pittsburgh and his busy day. The bed looked very inviting to him, and he wasted no time in heading there for a good night’s sleep.

No more than two hours had passed when smoke alarms awakened him out of a sound sleep. As Jack stirred, he wondered, Where am I? Maybe this is only a dream. But he quickly knew this was for real when a voice over the loudspeaker announced, “EVERYONE SHOULD LEAVE THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY! PLEASE BE CALM AND EVERYONE WILL BE OKAY. THANK YOU.”

Jack jumped out of bed; he wasn’t dreaming! It was the real thing! He quickly decided he wasn’t going to go outside dressed in his pajamas! Maybe I can come to the Lord Jesus “Just as I Am,” as a favorite song of mine says, Jack thought, but it would be embarrassing to be seen without tidying myself at least a little. As Jack quickly put on his day clothes and ran a comb through his hair, he had the nagging thought that he should get going, especially since he was on the fifth floor and the smoke smell was getting worse. Grabbing his shoes in the darkness, Jack was out the door!

He was one of the last to arrive downstairs where everyone was waiting in the hotel lobby. Smiling to himself as he looked around, he thought, Man, I’m sure glad I don’t look like these people—crazy hair, funny-looking pajamas—I’m sure they wouldn’t look this way in public if they had a choice. As the people stared back at Jack, however, a disturbing thought swept over him: I never looked in the mirror ... what if they are thinking the same thing about me?

It didn’t take long before Jack was relieved to hear that the smoke was, in fact, a result of food being left too long in a microwave oven in one of the rooms. Everything was now under control.

Back in his room, Jack got ready for bed a second time. But first, looking in the mirror, he noticed that the front of his button-down shirt looked a little lopsided—he had missed the top button. Then he saw his feet with shoes on from two different pairs. Now he was sure that others must have thought he looked funny too! As Jack dozed off to sleep, he thought of the many other people in the lobby just like him. They all had the same problem.

The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and that God must one day judge sinners. Yet, just like Jack thought he could tidy himself to look better in front of everyone in the hotel lobby, many people think that they can do good things to look better before God. In the end, Jack discovered that he didn’t look any better than the other hotel guests after all.

Everyone who thinks they can “tidy” themselves before God by doing good things will soon find that they are wrong! The Bible says, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Another verse in the Bible really straightens out that matter: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to [God’s] mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

Only by believing on Jesus, God’s Son, who already came to earth and took the punishment for every sinner who will believe on Him, confessing their sin to God, can sinners escape punishment in the lake of fire and go to heaven. We are thankful that in Jack’s case the fire was not real, but the fire of hell is real!

If the hotel fire had been real, Jack could have lost his life by waiting too long to escape from the building. More importantly, as Jack would want you to know, every sinner who waits too long to accept Jesus as his or her Saviour will be lost forever in the lake of fire.

Have you trusted in Jesus, thereby escaping the fire and judgment for your sins? Is Jesus your Saviour? Or are you waiting like Jack did, trying to make yourself look better? If you wait any longer, you may be too late!

MEMORY VERSE: “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6

ML-07/31/2016

Which Will You Choose-Rich in Heaven or Poor in Hell?

There were two men who knew each other;

One was rich, the other a beggar;

The rich wore clothes of pretty purple;

The poor wore dirty rags, quite awful.

The man of wealth feasted on good food;

The hungry beggar, a crumb he chewed;

Brothers and friends partied with the rich;

The beggar’s friends were dogs from a ditch.

The man with money, healthy and strong;

The beggar, sick and sore all day long;

Suddenly one day both lives ended!

Now where do you think their souls landed?

Poor Lazarus home to heaven went!

Not because he was poor, but God sent

His dear Son, Jesus, to die for sins;

His precious blood made him clean within.

The rich one, well, I’m sorry to tell

His money couldn’t save him from hell;

On earth he showed he didn’t believe:

He’s stuck now forever—He can’t leave!

But you and I are still free to choose;

Accept Jesus as Lord—you can’t lose!

He’s calling your name with loving voice;

Hell is an endless, very sad choice.

(You may read this true story in Luke 16:19-26.)

ML-07/31/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Trees of the Desert

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-07/31/2016

Set 9

Face to Face With a … Skunk!

School was out for the summer, and like many families the Youngs liked to go camping. This time they decided to travel through the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire on their way to visit friends in Ontario.

By late afternoon, they arrived at a campground overlooking a scenic river and set up their tent trailer for the night. After supper, the family drove into a nearby town to shop for a few things.

“Daddy, can we get some donuts?” the children pleaded as they walked past a bakery. The smell of freshly baked donuts was wonderful! “Let’s buy a dozen apple fritters, and we’ll have them for breakfast,” suggested Dad. Everyone liked that idea.

It was nearly dark by the time the family arrived back at the campground. So that there would be enough room for everyone to sleep comfortably in the tent trailer, they decided to store some camping supplies, including the apple fritters, under the trailer.

During the night it began to rain. Dad awoke and zipped the windows closed so no one would get wet. He also decided to take a flashlight outside to check if the van windows were closed. It was then he heard a rustling noise. Peering under the trailer with the flashlight, he was suddenly face to face with a skunk! By then over half of the apple fritters had been eaten, and Mr. Skunk didn’t want to leave until he had finished the rest of his midnight snack.

Although no one wants to tangle with a skunk, Christian boys and girls (and grown-ups too) face a far more dangerous enemy every day. Satan is sneaky and tries to steal our fellowship and enjoyment of the Lord Jesus by tempting us to disobey God’s Word. He’ll whisper to us that it’s all right to steal something we think we should have or to speak unkindly to someone, maybe even our parents! But the Bible says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw [near] to God, and He will draw [near] to you” (James 4:7-8).

Dad shone the flashlight on the unwelcome thief. After what seemed like five minutes, but was really only about 15 seconds, Mr. Skunk began to back away. Off he waddled into the darkness, leaving his unfinished snack behind.

In the morning, Dad explained his nighttime adventure to the rest of the family. Everyone was disappointed about the stolen apple fritters, but another trip to the bakery soon produced a fresh supply. At breakfast Mom said, “Maybe God had Mr. Skunk steal our apple fritters to teach us something. When Dad shone the light in his eyes, he went away, and when we meet Satan with the light of Scripture, he’ll leave in a hurry too!”

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).”Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

MEMORY VERSE: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

ML-08/07/2016

The Small Light

My friend Jack and I were driving back to school after spending the weekend at Jack’s parents’ home. We had stayed there longer than we should have, and now it was past midnight.

We were moving right along on the almost-deserted, two-lane road when I saw a small white light up ahead. Is it a flashlight? I wondered. Suddenly a wave of terror swept over me, and I slammed on the brakes! We screeched to a halt only feet away from two cars that had had a head-on collision. The small light turned out to be the dome light inside one of the cars. It had been our only warning!

If it had not been for that small light, our car would have been added to the wrecks already on the road. However, God in His goodness had allowed that little light to keep burning to warn us of danger ahead. And God has His little lights burning in this dark world, warning people of danger ahead. His warning lights are people who belong to Him. They are warning people everywhere of the danger of dying in their sins. The Bible says that your sins will keep you out of heaven and take you to destruction. “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).

All three of the people in that collision died. I don’t know if they were ready to die or not. Jack and I stayed there with our car headlights shining on the wreck and our red blinkers flashing until the police and ambulance arrived. Meanwhile, several other cars came down the road, but stopped in time. They were safe because they had seen our lights.

If God has saved you from your sins, you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, “[You] are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

It is not God’s will that anyone should perish, but that everyone should repent and be saved from their sins by trusting in the precious blood Christ shed for the cleansing from sin. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). The Bible also warns us that “the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ...should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Jesus loves you, and He longs for you to be saved so He can bring you into His light. “While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of light” (John 12:36).

Are you one of His lights in this dark, dark world?

ML-08/07/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 1

“Even the winds and the sea obey Him!” Matthew 8:27

As we arrive at the seashore, the salt air is so refreshing! Someone asks the question, “How many things here remind us of God’s creation? For instance, where did all this sand come from?”

Here is the answer: A microscope would reveal that sand is made up of tiny particles of rock, seashells, bits of minerals and even material from underwater volcanoes. All of this, tossed up by the waves, continually adds to the freshness and beauty of what was placed here when the world was made by the Creator. The sandy beach is also a barrier to keep the ocean from washing away the adjoining soil. Someone remembers the verse, “Here shall thy proud waves be stayed” (Job 38:11).

We have arrived at the beach at low tide, and the water is way out. As we walk across the sand, someone exclaims, “Look at all the pretty stones I found!” Soon everyone is searching for pretty stones. Where did they come from? The action of waves pounding rocky beaches and inflowing streams break and carry chunks of rock into the water. These are tumbled over and over by the waves, smoothly polishing them. Finally some of them tumble close to shore where they can be seen. Someone asks, “Isn’t there a verse that says, ‘For Thy pleasure they are and were created’?”

“Yes, in the very last verse of Revelation 4. Think what pleasure God must have as He sees all the beautiful stones He has created on beaches throughout the world.”

Oh, look—seashells—all kinds of them—round, oval, spiral, ribbed and smooth. Many have beautiful colors! Each one used to be a home for a live shellfish, and after it died, the shell washed ashore.

Someone rolls over a large stone, and we see little crabs and other creatures scurrying away to find another hiding place. Some of these creatures are sand hoppers. They dig furiously to escape, while aggravated sand fleas hop about. Look, there goes a sea worm, and right behind it is a centipede. Do all rocks on the seashore hide these different kinds of life? Most do. It is a small display of the many creatures God has made that live on ocean shores.

The shells also remind us that death follows life. For these creatures of the sand and sea there is nothing after death, but every human being has a soul that never dies. During his life on earth, he is the only one of God’s creation who has the opportunity to find God’s way of preparing for the more important life that is yet to come. God’s Word says, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Have you accepted this wonderful gift?

Next week we will continue our walk across the beach to the ocean.

ML-08/07/2016

Poisonous Grass!

Oh, no! Young Dougie’s bare feet were wet with bug poison! Suddenly he thought, What if the poison goes through my skin and into my blood and kills me! Frightened, he dashed into the house yelling, “Mom, I’m going to die! I’m going to die!”

After his mother discovered why he thought he was going to die, she asked him, “Well, Dougie, will you go to heaven to be with Jesus then?”

Four-year-old Dougie hung his head, and with tears running down his face, he cried, “No, Mom! I haven’t asked Jesus into my heart yet.”

Dougie’s bare feet were wet with bug poison, and his little heart was filled with the poison of sin.

Dad had warned the children that morning that he was going to spray the grass to kill the bugs. He didn’t want anyone coming outside! Dougie hadn’t paid much attention, and without remembering his father’s orders, he had disobeyed and run barefoot through the grass that was wet with insecticide that would kill the bugs. Now his feet were covered with the poison!

Dougie is no different from every boy and girl in this world. The Bible tells us, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That little word “all” not only includes boys and girls, but grown-ups too. We all have many sins in our hearts! And our sins are like a poison that will keep us out of heaven forever. The Bible also warns us that ”the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

But we have good news for children and grown-ups too. Jesus’ precious blood that He shed on the cross for sinners is the only remedy for our sin problem: ”In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Dougie’s mother led him in prayer to the Lord Jesus, asking Him to wash all his sins away, and Dougie accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. He was so relieved and happy to know that his sins were gone, and now he was ready for heaven!

Dougie’s bare feet that were covered with the grass poison were quickly washed, and now they were clean, just as his little heart was now clean from sin.

The Lord Jesus loves Dougie, and He loves you too. Have you asked Him to wash your sins away?

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-08/14/2016

The Raiding Raccoon

Artists often draw pictures of raccoons with masks on their faces. In children’s animal stories, they are usually the villain or thief. In real life they are very, very clever animals, but often they are also a problem and can be very destructive. This is the reason why they are described as the thief in stories.

Mr. Linden had been bothered by a raccoon that had become a real problem. It was killing his chickens, one at a time, until he had lost 20 in all. But when his neighbor lost some ducks and 30 chickens all in one night, the coon was now killing just for the sake of killing. Something had to be done about this destructive raccoon!

Soon after, Mr. Linden’s dog alerted him that something was wrong outside. He went out to see what was going on. There in the shed was a large, fat raccoon eating the bag of dog food. It just turned its head, looked at Mr. Linden and went back to eating the dog food. Mr. Linden took a step toward the coon, so it decided to go somewhere else where it wouldn’t be bothered. Mr. Linden’s dog, a very large dog, was let out to guard things after that.

Not long after, a fight took place outside, which brought Mr. Linden out with a flashlight in one hand and a gun in the other. The bold raccoon was cornered in the shed, but stood its ground against the dog. The corner of the dog’s mouth was bleeding, the result of the raccoon’s sharp claws or a bite. Mr. Linden now had no choice. He held the flashlight with one hand while he fired the gun with the other. The coon fell dead.

When I visited Mr. Linden, there was the coonskin stretched out on a board to dry. The killing of ducks and chickens had stopped. It made me think of how sin and Satan go on and on in this world. There is so much heartache, unhappiness, confusion, killing and destruction because of it. “Evil men and seducers . . . [grow] worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). Wicked men, when not punished, become bolder and bolder, just like the raccoon in our story.

Yes, because of sin, God must act in judgment. He must step in and bring it to a stop. God must punish sin, but He loves the sinner and wants to forgive him.

The Bible tells us God sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, down into this sin-filled world to save you. Jesus died, bearing God’s punishment for sin and shed His blood on Calvary’s cross to wash away your sins, if you will believe and accept Him. He gives a new life and a new nature to any boy or girl or grown-up who will accept Him as his or her Saviour.

The raccoon could not receive a new nature, so it had to be destroyed. Those who will not accept the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will have to be punished for their sins. The Lord Jesus said, “He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him . . . the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). But “he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into [judgment]; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). Have you believed on the Lord Jesus? Oh, how He loves you and wants to save you and bless you! Won’t you trust Him now?

ML-08/14/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 2

“Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them.” Psalm 89:9

Last week we began a visit to a saltwater beach. We were interested in finding things that remind us of God’s creation. We can plainly hear the roar of the waves as we walk toward the water. A little squirt of water pops up at our feet, signaling a clam down in the wet sand. How does it breathe and eat while buried down there? God has designed it for this life with a long, tube-like neck called a siphon. It extends to the surface to keep its breathing and eating vent open. When waves come, water flows down the clam’s siphon bringing food with it. Does God see the clam buried in the sand? Yes, because the Bible says, “The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee” (Psalm 139:12).

We hear the cries of flying sea gulls. One drops down for food its sharp eyes have spotted. Notice how fast the sandpipers run, chasing receding waves for bits of food left behind on the sand. Suddenly, they all take off. How gracefully they fly, all turning together as though following a given signal. Along the shore there are also avocets. Their curved bills pecking at the sand are finding food that we cannot even see! Someone reminds us that the Lord cares for each creature and remembers Psalm 145:9, which says, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

We cross a rocky area where we inspect pools left behind when the tide went out. Some of these pools have colorful sea anemones showing a display of delicate tentacles as tiny fish swim around them. Periwinkles cling to the bottom and sides of their tide-pool prison. In some pools there are pretty shells, starfish, snails, barnacles, mussels, sea urchins, crabs and even small octopuses. We think it must delight the Creator to look into these pools and see all these living creatures that are under His care.

Leaving the tide pools, we have to step around piles of brown and red seaweed left on the beach. They tell of storms which have torn them loose from the sea bottom and washed them ashore. Mixed in among them are sand dollars, stranded jellyfish and sometimes a dead fish.

How interesting to look at all these strange things and realize they are part of the wonderful creation of “The Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is His name; great in counsel, and mighty in work” (Jeremiah 32:18-19). Did you know that in the Bible He has invited you to be one of His children by believing in the work of His beloved Son on Calvary’s cross? “By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law” (Acts 13:39).

Next week we will finish our visit to the ocean.

ML-08/14/2016

The Story of a Big Man

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whose side are you on?

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

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

ML-08/21/2016

The Split Rock Light

The Split Rock Lighthouse is located above Minnesota’s scenic North Shore Drive east of Duluth. Built on a cliff, the lighthouse sends out its warning light over Lake Superior. Below the lighthouse is a large formation of rocks that extends far out into the lake.

In the early days of navigation on Lake Superior, many ships crashed on these rocks and sank. Navigators knew about these rocks and tried to avoid them, but ships and lives were lost in spite of their best efforts. Why couldn’t they stay away from this area?

It was finally determined that the lake bottom in that area was made up of iron ore. This ore deflected compasses several degrees. This error, unseen by the navigators, caused them to steer in a wrong course that ended on the rocks. Finally, the boat companies united to get a lighthouse in that area so boats could steer by the light instead of by an unreliable compass.

Many younger and older people are steering their lives by an unreliable compass. If we are relying on anything other than God’s Word, the Bible, it is unreliable! God’s Word is “a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). We are directed by it to the One who said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

The Word of God is true, accurate and not affected by the most powerful forces of this world. It always points to the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way” (John 14:6), and as the living compass for our lives, it also says, “This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).

When the light of life is received, the compass of God’s Word continues to guide safely and accurately by its wonderful truths. If as Christians we follow the Bible, it will help us to steer clear of the rocks and shoals in our journey. Obeying that compass assures a safe journey that leads to heaven, regardless of the waves and strong winds. The One who has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5), is on board. And until that soon-coming time when we will be in the happy land to which He leads us, the safe harbor of heaven, He says, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

ML-08/21/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 3

“God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above.” Genesis 1:7

In the first two parts of our visit to the seashore, we were so busy that we did not notice the tide coming in. Suddenly the water has almost reached our feet. What fun it is to run and splash in it!

What makes the tide go in and out? We know that it is under the control of our Creator. King David said long ago, “He [gathers] the waters of the sea together as a heap: He [lays] up the depth in storehouses” (Psalm 33:7).

This is one of the very important things the Creator designed for the needs of the world. If there were no tides, the ocean would long ago have become a stagnant pool with no life in it. The tides, together with the action of the waves, stir up these great bodies of water, mixing them thoroughly and aerating them with life-giving oxygen. This movement helps to maintain just the right conditions for fish, plants and all marine life. This is also important to man and all life on earth, since sea products are vital to us.

To give tides their motion, God set the sun, the earth and the moon in exactly the right relationship to each other. The sun aids in setting the tides, but it is mainly the moon with its pull of gravity, like a huge magnet, that pulls the water up along the ocean shorelines. At the same time, the opposite side of the earth has low tide. It takes the moon 24 hours and 51 minutes to make its circle, providing two high tides each day. This action is so regular that tide tables for any part of the world can be prepared far in advance. Only divine power could maintain such a system! No wonder the psalmist said, “Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places” (Psalm 135:5-6).

Waves add a great display to the tidal force as they roll in, rise to a crest, break and spill over with a crash. The action of the wind on the surface of the ocean is the main contributor to the size of the waves. Some waves travel hundreds of miles before reaching shore.

The Creator’s wisdom is also seen in the waves. Moving through the ocean in a rolling action, waves do not push water ahead, but transmit their energy to the adjoining water, which passes it on the same way. Otherwise, the water would pile up to tremendous heights and flood the land with great destruction resulting.

Have you placed the Creator above everything else in your life, by knowing His love and accepting Him as your Saviour and Lord? “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

ML-08/21/2016

A Long Night Adrift on Lake Michigan

Leslie didn’t panic right away when her 9-year-old son Tommy, his Aunt Alison and Cousin Zach didn’t return as quickly as expected. They had left hours ago on a kayaking outing on Lake Michigan.

The three kayakers had gone out in two kayaks from Door County, Wisconsin, for what was supposed to be a short trip. But the wind speed picked up, and they were unable to paddle the kayaks back to shore against the wind. As a result, the winds pushed them miles off course.

As the hours passed and it began to get dark, Leslie became quite worried about the three kayakers. All three were wearing snug-fitting life jackets, but they had no way to call for help or to signal their location. She called the U.S. Coast Guard to alert them that the two kayaks had not returned. What Leslie didn’t know was the kayaks had been pushed nearly 10 miles by strong 15 mph offshore winds. Alison and the two boys weren’t able to paddle back to shore against those winds. It was very scary!

How many of you children have memorized this verse: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee [God]” (Psalm 56:3)? We don’t know if Tommy or Zach or Alison had ever learned this Bible verse, but if they had, I think it would have reminded them to ask God for rescue from their scary time out on the windy lake. And here’s another verse that would have helped them as they shivered in the cold night air, far from any shore: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). But if they didn’t know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, they might not have even thought to pray. Is the Lord Jesus Christ your Saviour? If so, and if you had been in one of those kayaks, would you have asked Him for His help so you would be rescued? I’m sure you would have.

The Coast Guard crew in a rescue helicopter could not locate the kayaks in the growing darkness. However, the Aviators from the Royal Canadian Air Force had picked up the radio reports of the lost kayaks on Lake Michigan and joined the search. And local authorities also searched for them by boat.

Alison had tied the two kayaks together so they wouldn’t get separated in the choppy water. They spent the cold night drifting in the wind.

Early the next morning, the kayaks were spotted about 5:30, even though from the air they were just two small specks on the water. The three very cold kayakers waved to the Coast Guard helicopter as it zeroed in on their location. The helicopter dropped down so the three could be hoisted up into the helicopter, one at a time in a basket, with help from a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. From there they were flown to a hospital in Menominee, Michigan, where they were found to be in fairly good condition with only mild hypothermia.

The next day, after they were back home in Illinois and fully recovered, they thanked the U.S. Coast Guard rescue crew of three who had flown over from their base in Traverse City, Michigan. The two families met them at the Wheeling, Illinois, airport and served them pizza and cupcakes as a thank-you for rescuing them.

Those of you boys and girls, and grown-ups too, who have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Rescuer from the penalty for your sins, have you thanked Him? He loves you very much and paid a great price—His very life—to save you.

Here is a good verse for each of you to memorize: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust” (Psalm 18:2).

MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” Psalm 18:2

ML-08/28/2016

The Bird Feeder

Do you have a bird feeder near your window? Have you noticed the birds only feed at certain times? Our neighbor has a feeder that we can see from our dining room, and we notice that the birds usually come to feed at our mealtimes.

Chickadees come zipping in from all directions. But when two large pigeons arrive, the chickadees and other little birds disappear. The pigeons, which are large birds, have learned how to get the food by balancing themselves on the swinging feeder. One perches on one side and the other perches on the opposite side. By flapping their wings, they can hang on and get some food.

Last year our own feeder was hanging on a branch of a tree near our window. We noticed that the birds didn’t come to feed like they used to, and we wondered why. One day we found cat tracks in the snow below the feeder, and another day we saw a long, slinky, furry body hanging from the tree and reaching into the feeder. It was a gray squirrel. No wonder the birds wouldn’t come! Two enemies had found the feeder! One was looking for birds to catch, and the other was looking for favorite seeds to eat and dumped most of the food on the ground.

You know, boys and girls, there is sometimes more than one reason why we don’t feed on the Word of God. Satan, our enemy, doesn’t want us to read the Bible. He wants us to feed on other things so we lose our appetite for the Word of God. It’s easy to make time for those other things, but we need to make time to read and pray every day to make us healthy Christians. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). “O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:8).

Children and older ones too, do you read your Bible every day?

ML-08/28/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Noisy Cicada

“[God does] great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number.” Job 5:9

The periodical cicadas, also called locusts, have the longest life cycle of all insects and are seen just once every 13 or 17 years, depending on their species. They appear in late May or early June, mostly in the northeastern United States, but some show up in the Midwest and northern California as well. The ones appearing this year will have emerged in parts of Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Most people become aware of them in early summer when they come out of the ground, sometimes millions of them, climbing tree trunks or anything upright and shedding their skins. In the next few hours, their bodies harden as their large wings unfold, growing stronger and becoming colorful. They can then fly short distances into trees.

Males make an ear-piercing buzzing song to attract females. The shrill notes are not made with their mouths but are produced by vibrating drum-like membranes on the undersides of their bodies. Sometimes males will group together, producing a chorus of song. At times they will suddenly become totally silent for several seconds—as if by signal—and then all begin their shrill buzzing again.

These one-and-a-half-inch- to two-inch-long insects with bulging eyes are harmless to people but do serious damage to tree branches. The females make deep slits on the undersides of twigs and branches for depositing their eggs. These twigs are so badly injured by these slits that the tips usually die. A few weeks after the eggs are laid, the outdoors gradually becomes quiet again as the adult life cycle is over and they begin to die. Their work of producing a new generation has been completed.

In a few weeks, the eggs hatch and the little nymphs appear and drop to the ground. They immediately burrow into the soil, not to be seen for another 13 or 17 years, unless someone uncovers a few when digging in the soil. What do they live on in the soil all those years? As far as scientists can tell, they feed on tree roots. This does not seem to hurt the trees.

There are other species of cicadas which have a shorter life span, staying underground for one year and others for two to five years. These are called dog-day cicadas. Because different groups develop at different times, some adults appear each year, and their buzzing songs are heard in late July or early August.

The more we discover and investigate the great variety of animals, birds, fish and insects the Creator has placed on the earth, the more we are impressed with His wisdom in not only creating them, but in caring for them as well. We should say like King David did many years ago, “I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works” (Psalm 9:1).

ML-08/28/2016

Set 10

Two Expensive Rescues

Her name was Daisy, and she had been missing for a week. The friendly dog was two years old and weighed 45 pounds. She had first been spotted by a traffic helicopter flying over a slate quarry. The brown and white dog was curled up on a small ledge, but she would get up and walk around on the ledge. There was nowhere else she could go.

The traffic copter wondered how the dog could have gotten onto the ledge. Realizing rescuing the dog would be very difficult, he reported the dog to the Humane Society.

Owners of the quarry said it would be too dangerous to lower a person down to rescue the dog because the walls of the quarry were not stable. So they called together the police chief, firefighters and Humane Society officials to try to figure out a way to reach the dog.

Being rescued from any dangerous place is usually difficult. When God looked down from heaven and saw all the lost sinners on earth, He loved them so much He decided on a plan to rescue them from their sins. But it was a very expensive plan. When God talked to His Son Jesus about the plan, He asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then Jesus said, “Here am I; send Me” (Isaiah 6:8). Jesus was willing to leave heaven and come down to this earth to rescue sinners from their sins. He was willing to pay the cost. Amazing!

Those people who were trying to come up with a plan to rescue Daisy ran into a problem. They first lowered a cage with food inside onto the ledge, hoping the dog would walk inside. Then they would lift the cage out of the quarry with a crane. Daisy checked out the cage but never went inside. That left only one way to save the dog, which was for a rescuer to be lowered down to the ledge from the extended ladder of a fire truck. The owners of the quarry finally decided to allow rescuers to give it a try.

A fireman volunteered to be lowered to the ledge to put a safety harness on the dog. First they gave the fireman one of the owner’s T-shirts. As soon as the dog sniffed that T-shirt, she was right up against the fireman and ready to go home. Then he was able to put a safety harness on her so she could be lifted off the ledge.

Poor Daisy was very thirsty after being lifted to safety. She sank her muzzle into a mud puddle and drank until clean water was brought for her. And then there was the happy reunion with her owner. They never did figure out how she got down on that ledge.

When Jesus came down to live on this earth, He knew God’s plan to save sinners was

going to cost Him His life! But He came willingly because He loved us so much. It meant He was going to be nailed to a cross and suffer God’s punishment against sin. He followed His Father’s plan so sinners could be cleansed from their sins and have a home in heaven.

If you will come to Jesus, telling Him you are a sinner and want to be cleansed from your sins, He will wash you clean from every sin on your record now and any future sins. That’s the reason He came: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

How great is His love for you that He died for you! He has already paid the great price for your rescue. Will you let Him save you?

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

ML-09/04/2016

What Happened to Them?

Since July 2015, the story of two boys, who were both 14 years old, has been reported in the national news. Late one hot summer morning in south Florida, they went fishing for dolphins in an 18’2” Sea Craft boat. A video of them leaving the inlet and heading out to the ocean can be viewed by anyone.

The parents who owned the boat had told their son he was not allowed to take it out of the Intracoastal Waterway. Sometimes children and teens get tired of grown-ups telling them what they can or cannot do. It seems to them that grown-ups just want to ruin their fun.

At 1:30 that afternoon, a storm hit with winds up to 40 miles per hour. Sadly, the boys have been missing ever since, even after a lengthy search by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Someday soon, many, many people will also be missing, not just from their homes, but from this earth. In I Thessalonians 4:16-17, you may read that the Lord Jesus is coming back to rescue all those who have accepted Him as their Saviour and take them to heaven.

New evidence of the boys was discovered recently when their boat was found stranded 100 miles off the coast of Bermuda. An IPhone was found that had been submerged in saltwater for over eight months now. Our hearts are saddened for the parents who are desperately searching for the answer to what happened to their sons.

When the Lord Jesus comes and takes home to heaven all of His believers, the people left in this sad world will know what happened to us if they read the Bible. Are you ready to go to heaven when Jesus returns? Luke 12:40 tells us, “Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

The Lord Jesus will only allow boys, girls, and grown-ups into heaven whose sinful hearts have been washed clean by His blood. He died on the cross to pay the punishment for our sins. His precious blood paid the price to God, so God can forgive us. If you aren’t saved yet, Jesus is patiently waiting for you to come to Him and accept Him into your heart. Don’t wait any longer, because Jesus might come today!

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

ML-09/04/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Lightning Is Scary

“As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:27

Every day around the world there are countless flashes of lightning that strike with breathtaking speed and power. Sometimes it is a single streak, and sometimes it breaks into several branches or forks. This is called forked, zigzag or chain lightning.

When lightning is present, it is best to go inside a house or building. Don’t stand near a fireplace or open window, and don’t touch plumbing fixtures, electric wiring or landline telephones. One of the safest places is inside a car. If you’re caught out in the open, lie down flat, even though it may be raining. (You can dry off later.) Never stand under a tree, near a telephone pole or alongside a tall building; lightning often strikes and travels down tall objects, striking whatever is beside them. If you’re swimming, get out of the water as fast as you can. Not all lightning flashes reach the earth; some jump from cloud to cloud. But you can’t count on that.

Sudden heat from these flashes causes the air to expand violently. This process starts a great air wave that results in thunder. Lightning travels at a speed of 1000 miles a second on its way to the earth. Some lightning will travel as far as 20 miles between clouds. A stroke between a cloud and the earth may measure up to 8 miles long.

Lightning is actually beneficial. Air is 78% nitrogen, which is a necessary chemical element for all plants with roots in the ground. You might ask, “How does nitrogen in the air become available to the roots of plants?” The Creator provided for this when He made the world. Lightning combines nitrogen with oxygen as it flashes through the air and changes some of it into tiny particles. Rain carries this usable nitrogen to earth and washes it into the soil.

Our opening Bible verse says, “So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” This refers to the time when the Lord Jesus comes to bring judgment on the world for its sinful ways and refusal to walk in God’s way. But before that time, He will come in a happy way, as the Bible also tells us: “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout ... and the dead in Christ [those who have known Him as their Saviour, but have died] shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain [those who love the Lord and know Him as their Saviour] shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Will you be included in that happy crowd? We hope so.

ML-09/04/2016

Alan Gets Lost

Late one afternoon Alan went on a hike across the fields with some of his friends. He found lots of interesting things to stop to look at along the way. He was so busy that he didn’t realize he had left his friends. He was all alone.

He called to his friends, but there was no answer. As he wandered around, he was getting scared. He wasn’t sure just where he was, and he could tell it was getting late. Soon the sky began to get dark. He was really afraid now because he was lost and he knew it. Where should he go? It was an awful feeling!

Suddenly Alan saw a light glimmering off in the distance. That meant one thing to him—people! He headed for the light as fast as he could. But in the growing darkness he didn’t see a row of bushes as high as his waist until they were right in front of him. I can’t stop, he thought, I won’t stop—I’ll have to jump as high as I can and go over them. Alan didn’t know there was a muddy creek on the other side of that row of bushes!

Backing up for a running start, he jumped and cleared the bushes, but he landed right in the middle of that muddy creek! He cried out, “I can’t swim!” Frantically he managed to scramble out of that wet blackness, and then he started to run again.

He made his way toward the light, puffing and panting. But as he ran he was thinking, I wish it was someone’s job to always look for lost kids and find them!

Someone really is looking for lost people, and He really does care about lost boys and girls. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ, and He came to find and save those who are lost in their sins. “The Son of Man [the Lord Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

Finally, poor Alan reached the light. It was a house. He stood on the porch, cold, wet and crying, and pounded on the door.

Soon someone opened the door and saw at once that Alan was lost and scared. The kind people took him inside and called his father and mother. Then they cleaned him up and gave him something to drink. Oh, how wonderful Alan felt when he knew he was no longer lost, but safe!

Jesus said, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee” (Psalm 50:15). And He will wash you clean of your sins so that you will be whiter than snow. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). He also promises to give you the water of everlasting life so that you will never be thirsty again. “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Those kind people not only helped Alan by taking him in and caring for him until his parents came, but they also told him about Jesus and His love. They explained that He was seeking the lost to save them and take them to heaven too.

Alan remembered that awful experience of being lost and how those kind people befriended him. He also realized that he was lost in another way—in his sins. He soon came to the Lord Jesus to be washed from his sins and to drink of that water that gave him everlasting life. Alan is now a grown-up, and he often thanks the Lord Jesus for dying on the cross for his sins. Alan knows he can never be lost again, for Jesus is an “all-the-way-home” Saviour. And if you will turn to Him, you too will have a Saviour who will love you and keep you forever.

MEMORY VERSE: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

ML-09/11/2016

A Bible Riddle

He was like none of us.

He was like some of us.

He was like all of us.

What is his name?

Hint 1: He is a man we read about in the New Testament.

Hint 2: Most of you have heard about him.

Hint 3: There is a Sunday school song about him that children enjoy singing.

Hint 4: Part of the riddle says that he was like “none of us.” He was a tax collector for the Romans, and I’m sure there is no one reading this who is a tax collector for the Roman government.

Hint 5: The riddle also says he was like “some of us.” He was short.

Hint 6: Finally, he was like “all of us.” Because he was a sinner.

Unscramble the letters to find out his name: SECACHUZ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

How kind Jesus was to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Jesus knew what had happened. He had seen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ running along the road and then climb up into a tree. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wanted to see Jesus. That was good. But even better, Jesus saw _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and wanted to save him from his sins. So when the crowd reached the spot where _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ had climbed up into the tree, he heard Jesus say, “_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5).

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ did just what Jesus asked him to do and received Him happily. Jesus had reached his heart and conscience.

Jesus is calling your name right now because He wants you to be saved from your sins. Be like _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and answer immediately and accept Him as your very own Saviour. Then Jesus can also say to you, “This day is salvation come to [your] house....For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:9-10).

ML-09/11/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Open-Billed Stork

“The stork in the heaven [knows] her appointed times; and the turtle [dove] and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming.” Jeremiah 8:7

Except for people living in Florida and Central and South America, few Americans have seen a stork living in the wild. However, many live in Europe, Africa, India and some other lands. They are large birds with long beaks and legs and partially webbed feet. It is a pretty sight to see them soaring through the air, big wings spread out, long necks extended and legs stretched out behind them.

The open-billed stork is different from other storks in several ways. One difference is that it makes its rough nest of sticks near marshes, whereas most storks prefer dry, hotter places. But the main difference is that this one lives almost entirely on snails, and other storks don’t eat them at all.

Here’s how the open-billed got its name. The Creator has given it a special bill because of the way it gets its food. Other storks have smooth bills, but this bill is grooved all along the edges. Also, the upper part of the bill curves down and the lower part curves up, so that when the tips are together there is a spot left open in the middle—open-billed. This along with the grooves helps it to hold the slippery snail shells securely until it has a chance to insert the pointed tip of its bill into the shell, cutting the snail loose and eating it. Certainly, this specially designed bill is a provision of the Creator, enabling this stork to capture the great number of snails it eats daily.

Open-bills will ride on the backs of hippos wading in the same marshy feeding area. The hippo pulls up its own grassy food and exposes snails, which are quickly snatched by the stork.

When stork eggs hatch, the little ones are naked, but before long they grow a soft coat of down followed a little later by feathers. Both parents take care of them, shading them from the hot sun by stretching out their wings over them and also regurgitating food which they have brought for them. The greedy youngsters eat more than their stomachs can hold, but the Creator has provided for this too. Instead of making them sick, the extra food goes into a pouch in their throats until their stomachs are ready for it.

These interesting birds provide another example of the way God cares for every creature, large or small, as a Bible verse tells us: “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing” (Job 12:10). We are told in other Bible verses how much more He loves and cares for every boy and girl in the world. Have you ever thanked Him for His loving care over you?

ML-09/11/2016

Big Sister

It is a very important duty to be a big sister, especially when you have a secret like Miriam had. It doesn’t matter if I tell you her secret now, but it mattered a lot then.

Her secret was that there was a new baby brother in her home, and everybody knew that King Pharaoh had ordered that all Hebrew baby boys should be thrown into the Nile River. The Hebrews were the king’s slaves, and he was afraid the Hebrew boys would grow up to be too strong for him. He was afraid there would be so many of them that they would fight against him and win their freedom.

People without God and without Christ are often afraid and try all sorts of ways to make sure that nobody and nothing will be too strong for them. But it was Isaiah who said, “The Lord... is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2). I’m sure the king did not know anything about the Lord or he would not have made such a wicked command because he was afraid.

The Hebrew midwives, who helped the mothers having new babies, knew the king’s command, but they didn’t listen to him; they saved the baby boys alive. That was brave, wasn’t it?

After three months, Miriam’s baby brother must have become rather noisy, and so his mother did a very surprising thing. She put him in the Nile River herself, but not the way the king intended. She took a big basket made of bulrushes and waterproofed it with tar. Then she carefully laid her baby boy in it, covered him up and set the basket afloat among the tall weeds by the river. Big sister Miriam watched from a distance to see what would happen to him.

That was the time that King Pharaoh’s daughter, the princess, came down to the river to bathe, and her servants walked along by the riverbank. When she saw the basket among the weeds, she sent her maid to get it. When the princess opened the basket, the baby cried, and his cries melted her heart.

“This is one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. She knew her father’s command about the Hebrew baby boys, but she felt sorry for the little crying baby and decided she wanted that baby for herself. But she was going to have a problem very soon—how would she feed the baby?

Before she had time to wonder, Miriam ran to the princess and asked if she should call a Hebrew nurse to feed the baby for her. “Go,” said the princess. Miriam probably ran all the way home and burst into the house to tell her mother the good news. Mother was ready to run faster than Miriam did and to hold out her arms gladly to her very own baby.

“Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages,” said the princess.

The princess may not have known who the nurse really was, but there was no need to hide the baby anymore. This Hebrew baby boy lived because the princess had saved him, and nobody could argue with that.

We don’t know what name his parents gave the baby, but the princess called him “Moses.” And that was his name from then on, and he lived for 120 years.

When Moses was old enough to walk by himself, that brave mother took him to the palace of the princess and left him there. It was a hard thing to do, but do you know something? It is more important to belong to God because the Lord Jesus has saved you than it is to belong to anybody on earth. His mother went home and put away his little things, but she knew that little Moses was God’s good gift, and God never changes His mind about gifts. Both of his parents were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

As Moses grew up, he was given a good education, and he could talk about important matters with anybody. But he never forgot that he was a Hebrew, and it showed up in his life. Perhaps we’ll tell you about it at another time.

Today’s story about the baby Moses is a story of doing what God says, no matter what anybody else says. You can find what God wants you to do by reading His book, the Bible. And if you aren’t brave enough to do what God says, ask Him for the courage, and He will give it to you. It takes courage to obey Him even today!

“We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

You can read this story for yourself in Exodus chapter 2.

MEMORY VERSE: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

ML-09/18/2016

Two Young Girls

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

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

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

Can you say that?

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

ML-09/18/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Always-Hungry Shrew

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field.” Genesis 2:19

There are more than 200 kinds of shrews throughout the world, with 30 kinds in North America. They are among the smallest known mammals—the tiniest is so small it could be hidden in a man’s closed fist and weighs less than a dime. The largest American shrew is about six inches long, including its tail. But in spite of their small size, they will attack, and with their very sharp teeth, they will kill animals more than twice their size.

The reason for such fierceness is that they are always hungry and must eat almost continually during the day, eating about three times their weight daily in order to stay alive. A boy or girl weighing 50 pounds would have to eat about 600 hamburgers a day to keep up with a shrew! Do you think you could do that?

Most shrews look like a mouse with a pointed nose. Because much of their food consists of worms, grubs and insects in the soil, the Creator has given shrews long, slender snouts to explore small holes and crevices for food.

Actually, a shrew will eat almost any living creature it can handle, including small birds and snakes, mice, frogs and chipmunks. Because their tremendous appetites cause them to eat so many mice and insects, farmers are usually glad to have them around.

Most shrews are good swimmers, but one known as the water shrew outdoes them all. It can stay underwater a long time, devouring fish, frogs and crabs. If its food gives out, it will die of hunger in less than a day’s time, so it also eats some land creatures.

Most shrews make grassy nests in the side of a bank or in short burrows, where half a dozen or more babies are born in the spring. The mother takes care of them, nursing them for a short time and then training them to search for solid food. In just a few weeks, she leaves them entirely on their own.

Do you think God cares about shrews? Yes He does, for the Bible tells us, “In [His] hand is the soul of every living thing” (Job 12:10). He watches over all His creation, even though sin has spoiled so much of it.

We admire these little creatures but cannot help but think how they remind us of Satan who “[walks] about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is very real, and we can only be kept from his tempting us into evil things if we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Then we can come to Him in earnest prayer for help, since He “is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Is He your Saviour? Is He a refuge and strength to you?

ML-09/18/2016

Amazing Workhorses

One of the best memories from my boyhood was the building of a new highway near our house. This was many years ago, long before anyone thought of super highways like the Interstate highway system we have today. It was also before heavy, road-building equipment was made, such as bulldozers and large earth movers. Because there were more and more cars on the roads, there was a need for a coast-to-coast highway across the United States. This was the highway that was being built near our house.

You may wonder how all the dirt was moved in building a highway back then. I’ll tell you. They used a horse-drawn scoop called a fresno. This heavy, metal tool looked like a huge shovel with high sides and was pulled by a team of two or more horses or mules. Handles, much like those on a wheel barrow, were attached to its sides. A man walked behind, tilting the scoop up just enough so it would dig out dirt and fill the fresno. Once it was full, the operator would lower the handles so the scoop would slide along the ground without picking up more dirt. The team driver, called a “mule skinner,” would direct the team of horses to where the dirt was needed and then quickly pick up on the handles to dump that load and go back for more. Can you imagine how slowly road building went in those days?

But what I was most interested in was seeing the strength and beauty of those big workhorses, rather than the actual road being built. I loved to watch those beautiful, strong horses moving great loads of dirt. It was amazing how they could work hour after hour all day long, moving such heavy loads. The company who owned those hard-working horses took very good care of them. They were valuable horses!

The Bible tells us of people who are more interested in the value and beauty of what they have and see, rather than in what is really important—their eternal salvation. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” This includes everyone and makes having our sins washed away far more important than the enjoyment of what we have or what we do. Those were valuable horses, but your soul is even more valuable to the Lord Jesus who died to save your soul.

We had to wait a long time for the highway to be completed, but you do not have to wait to settle the important matter of accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. Boys and girls, the way is open right now for you to come to Him to receive the full forgiveness for all your sins. On the cross the Lord Jesus said, “It is finished.” This means that he did EVERYTHING God required to remove every single one of your sins. He took the punishment in His own body on the cross for the sins of everyone who would accept Him as Saviour. He is saying to you, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He also says, “Him that [comes] to Me, I will in no [way] cast out” (John 6:37).

Will you settle the matter of your sins right now? Jesus loves you so very much, and He is waiting right now to remove your sins forever. “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).

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-09/25/2016

"Planting Seeds"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Even Mike?” asked Rob.

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

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

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

ML-09/25/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Fish Family From the South

“Speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.” Job 12:8

In South America there are many kinds of fish, ranging in size from tiny to huge. One of these, a three-inch resident of the Amazon River, has a name that is almost as long as it is—Aequidens curviceps. It is brightly colored—blue on top, green underneath, yellow fins and tail, and a red band running around its middle.

A pair of these fish spends much time looking for a place on the bottom of the river to produce their young. Once they have chosen a spot, both clean away the dirt and pebbles. When their nest is ready, the female swims slowly over it, laying hundreds of eggs in neat orderly rows. The male follows closely behind her, covering the eggs with a fertilizing substance called “milt.”

Most fish lay their eggs and then forget about them, but not these parents. One of them always stays close by, constantly fanning the eggs with its fins and occasionally taking an egg in its lips to clean it.

Just four days before the baby fish are going to hatch, the adults scoop saucer-like depressions in another place in the river bottom. When the babies hatch, the parents divide them into groups and lead them away from their birthplace to these new spots. There they are hidden from the eyes of bigger fish which would find them to be good eating.

The newly born fish are nourished for several days by absorbing their egg sacs. This soon disappears, and the babies have to find their own food. The tiny fish begin swimming away from the nest, perhaps not aware their parents have not yet left. If the babies wander too far away, one of the parents goes after them, picks them up in its mouth and brings them back to home base where it spits them out. Eventually they are strong enough and experienced enough to take care of themselves.

What a great variety exists among all of God’s creatures! The Bible tells us that “Thou [the Lord] hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). It seems He has taken great delight in bringing so many kinds of fish into the world. Through the centuries, every fish throughout the world has obeyed God’s command to “bring forth...after his kind” (Genesis 1:24), and they will continue to do so in the future.

The Scriptures speak wisely: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). Rather than accepting man’s ideas, it is wise to trust and believe what God says about creation.

ML-09/25/2016

Set 11

The Warning

Rain had been falling for the past several days, but now it seemed even heavier. Traffic was light on the British Columbia highway that went around Howe Sound. The north-south highway made its way over bridges that crossed small creeks and scenic gorges far below. But today the tall evergreens were partially hidden in mist, and clouds blocked the canyons. By now the rains had become so heavy that the normally small creeks had become raging torrents, and the canyons were funneling mud and debris into the water below. One lone car traveled the highway through the heavy rain, its windshield wipers sweeping against the constant downpour, with the driver, no doubt, wishing he were at home.

Soon, in his rearview mirror, he saw another car overtaking him, and with a flying splash of spray it went on by. He watched it for a moment, and then it disappeared ... . DISAPPEARED? . . . WAIT A MINUTE!

He suddenly realized if that car had dropped out of sight, then that must mean the bridge ahead was out! Quickly his foot hit the brake, which sent his car into a skid! His car was sliding sideways as he fought for control, but he had to stop! It seemed like forever until it finally did stop, and his suspicion was confirmed. The bridge had washed away!

For a moment he felt weak with relief and thankfulness. Then a thought struck him—He must warn others of the danger! Quickly he jumped out of the car and ran back through the rain.

When he saw another car coming, he began to wave his arms and shouted, “STOP! STOP! THE BRIDGE IS OUT!” Without even slowing down, the car went on around him and off into the mist.

Surely the next car would stop, so on he ran, waving his arms and shouting again, “STOP! STOP! STOP!” In total disbelief, he watched as, with horn blaring, the car went on around him and disappeared!

We are told that “He [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained” ( Acts 17:31). Men, women and children are being warned to flee the wrath of God. Are you listening to that warning? or are you speeding on to everlasting judgment? God offers you safety and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ, by that great work on Calvary’s cross where He shed His blood for any who believe in Him. STOP! and seriously think it over. Eternity is forever!

As another car came into view, the man increased his frantic efforts. By now he was soaked to the skin, but he hardly knew it; he was so intent on trying to stop another car from plunging into the canyon. This time his efforts were rewarded. The car stopped, and the two cars quickly set up a roadblock.

“The Lord is . . . long-suffering . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). We have no guarantee on our life here. Not one of us can be sure we will be here for another year, another day, another hour or even the next minute. The cross of Christ is the roadblock between time and eternity.

STOP! Do not go another step without Christ as your Saviour, for without Him you face the blackness of darkness forever!

MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

ML-10/02/2016

The Stubborn Chicken

Our family lives on a one-acre property on a mountain just outside the city limits. We have some fruit trees and some chickens. Our chickens live in a large pen with a chicken coop on one side where the chickens lay their eggs and sleep at night. Sometimes in the evening I go and check up on them to make sure they are all sleeping inside the coop where it is safe.

One night as I was counting the sleepy chickens, I noticed two were missing. I walked around the property but could not find the missing hens. I wondered if a fox or coyote had caught them since one time we had spotted coyotes in our yard.

Then as I double checked the chicken coop, I heard faint cooing sounds above. I looked up in the tree in the chicken yard and spotted one of the missing hens perched on a branch high above the ground. We wondered how she had gotten up that high. She was too high to just reach up to catch her, so we got a ladder and brought it to the tree. She must have thought she was safe up there.

I climbed the ladder and tried lifting the chicken off the branch, but she wouldn’t budge. She held on tighter with her claws and flapped her wings at me. No matter what I tried, that hen did not want to be taken off that branch!

This reminded me that sometimes people who belong to the Lord Jesus are the same way. They stray from His side and think they can find something better. They don’t realize the danger of the world, which only brings sadness, destruction and sometimes death. The Lord Jesus tries bringing them back to His fold, but they want their own way. Just like the stubborn chicken, they don’t want to turn away from their sinful ways. The chicken thought she was safe up in the tree, but she could have fallen off the branch or even a raccoon could have easily climbed the tree and caught her. Raccoons like chicken dinners.

We eventually got the chicken out of the tree and found the other missing chicken in a bush nearby. We carried them into the coop where they both were safe for the night along with the other chickens.

And that’s how the Lord Jesus wants to care for you. He knows what’s best for you. Will you follow Him? “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

ML-10/02/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Amazing Honeybee

“How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103

Without the work of the honeybee, the world would soon starve. Its work in pollinating blossoms is essential to the development of many kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains and other plant foods and also the reproduction of many other flowering plants.

The hive of the honeybee is a marvelous example of community living. As many as 50,000 bees will work together in unity, building a hive of honeycombs made up of hexagonal cells. In one square inch, there are exactly 4.83 cells. How do they make such an exact measurement? No one knows other than God who has created them and given them their unusual skills.

Whether building honeycombs in a hive provided by a beekeeper or in a hollow tree or in any other location, the work always follows the same pattern. Young worker bees produce beeswax in special glands in their bodies. This wax is attached to the ceiling. Then, working down, the cells are built one by one all the way to the base. Several groups of bees begin building from different parts of the ceiling, gradually all coming together to make a complete comb. Where the sections join together, the result is still the same—all adjoining cells measure exactly 4.83 to the square inch!

Thousands of bees are busy right now, each adding its tiny bit to what others have started. The walls of the waxen cells, only two or three thousandths of an inch thick, are so fragile that you could easily crush them in your fingers, yet strong enough to support the weight of the comb as well as the weight of the bees working on it.

Once the comb is completed, the workers then turn their attention to making honey, which they use as food. The bee fills a special pouch inside its body with nectar from several blossoms. In the pouch, the sugar and nectar are broken down into two simple sugars. After the nectar is deposited in the hive, most of the water in the nectar evaporates and the liquid becomes thick.

Surely we need not ask where these busy workers get the wisdom needed to build these complex homes, nor how they work together in such unity. God, “which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number” (Job 5:9), is the One who has set their ways and kept them in the same pattern since the day He first created them.

As King David thought on God’s ways which provide so many benefits to man, he said, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8). His greatest work of all was on the cross where He became the Saviour of sinners. Is He your Saviour?

ML-10/02/2016

Free!

When I was nine years old, somebody gave me a cage with a pretty bird inside. I didn’t like to see that poor little bird in a prison like that, so I decided to let her go free. But I soon found out it was not that easy. You see, that little bird was born in a cage, and all her life was spent in one. Even with the cage’s door open, she refused to escape! I even took her out of it, but when night came, I found her sleeping on the top of the cage. She could not accept her freedom because she was born a captive.

You and I are also born captives. Do you know why?

When God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, they were perfectly free from sin. But it wasn’t long before they disobeyed God and brought sin into the world. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Since then every person is born a sinner, a captive to sin, and this includes you and me. Fear, unhappiness, illness and death are some of the terrible results of sin.

One morning we were surprised to find another bird beside the cage, a male of the same kind. I put him inside the cage with the female and, after a few days, decided to set him free. Impossible! To my surprise, he always came back. It seemed like the love he had for the other bird was bringing him back.

Perhaps you have tried to escape from sin by yourself and, like a bird born a captive, found it impossible. But there is One, the Lord Jesus, who came down from heaven to die for you on the cross and to save you from your sins. He knew what it was to be hungry and thirsty, and He suffered much pain and then death. He understands your feelings, and He loves you. His love for you is so great that He willingly went to Calvary’s cross. There God made Him sin for us. There Jesus suffered the judgment from God towards sin—our sin—so we could be set free from it.

Since the male bird would not leave for the love he had for the one that was born in captivity, I decided to take both birds out of the cage. It was wonderful to watch! After a few flying turns over the backyard, the two birds flew away together, and I never saw them again. The same love that made the male bird come down to the female’s cage took her out of it forever. Since that day, the cage stands empty.

Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. He went up to heaven and wants to set you free from your captivity of sin and take you to His home in heaven. He tells you in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved [you] with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn [you].” He is waiting for you to accept His loving offer to set you free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Will you let Him set you free?

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

ML-10/09/2016

Lynn's Story

Our family often went on picnics to a park about 15 miles from town. There was a lovely swimming pool there. The children usually enjoyed a good swim as well as the hot dogs, chips and cold drinks. It was especially fun for the children when they could invite their friends to share these happy times. One of these friends was Lynn, the little neighbor girl who lived across the street. She was the same age as our youngest son. They were in the first grade together and were best friends.

On one warm day, we invited Lynn to go with us to the park. Everyone was having a good time. The children were splashing and yelling and having fun in the pool. Mother was watching from a lawn chair in the shade of a tree, enjoying seeing the children’s fun. Into this happy scene, near tragedy came. Our 12-year-old daughter Jenny stumbled over Lynn’s little body on the bottom of the pool!

Boys and girls, this shows just how quickly happy times can change in a moment. The Bible says, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). Who would have thought that in the middle of the children’s happy play one of them could get into trouble with the mother carefully watching? Can anyone know what will happen in their life the next day or even in the next minute?

Because we cannot see into the future, we must be sure we are ready for serious changes like Lynn’s. We can be ready for any event in life if we accept the Lord Jesus as our own Saviour. He becomes our Saviour when we believe on Him as the Son of God who “died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

Jenny was able to quickly get Lynn’s unconscious body to the edge of the pool. There were willing hands to go to work to save her life. A young fireman was one of those who helped. He had just finished his training in life-saving skills. He quickly gave Lynn mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Through the mercy of the Lord, this young man was able to get our little friend breathing again.

The happy ending of that near-tragic event is a picture of how the Lord Jesus came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” Little Lynn was helpless; her life depended on her rescuers. And, boys and girls, there is nothing you can do to save yourself from your sins. The saving of your soul depends on the Lord Jesus. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). It is your sins that will take you to the bottom, but the Lord Jesus loves you and died on the cross to pay the full punishment of your sins. Jenny was able to get Lynn to the edge of the pool, and your parents may bring you to Sunday school. But like Lynn, you must have the work of another for you that you might have life. “He that . . . believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life” (John 5:24).

The Lord Jesus is waiting to save you. Will you let Him?

ML-10/09/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Big-Billed Pelicans

“The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. . . . He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered.” Psalm 111:2, 4

Pelicans are the world’s largest web-footed birds. Both white and brown pelicans live in North America, with other species in other parts of the world. Large colonies nest on ocean islands; others prefer ocean bays and beaches or inland lakes. Four white-plumaged species tend to nest on the ground, and four brown or gray-plumaged species nest mainly in trees.

The white pelican can be as large as 5 feet long with a 10-foot wingspan and weigh 16 pounds; the brown pelican is somewhat smaller. A pelican’s heavy body is supported by strong, short legs and large, webbed feet. It has a long neck and a big head with a long, flat bill. The upper part of the bill has a sharp hook at the tip; the lower part has an elastic pouch which stretches out to form a big scoop. After scooping up a fish, water and all, the pouch is contracted, squeezing out the water before the fish is swallowed.

Spotting a fish from the air, this big bird plunges into the water, scoops the fish into its pouch, and then swallows it whole. At other times, a dozen or more pelicans work together. Swimming together in a line on the deep-water side of a school of fish, the pelicans beat the water with their strong wings, driving the fish to the shallow shoreline where they are easily caught. Who taught them this clever trick? No one but God, their Creator, who also provided them with air pockets under their skin and hollow bones so they are never in danger of sinking. How wonderfully He adapts every creature to its manner of life!

These almost voiceless birds aren’t too particular about their nests. Ground nesters, they build them from mud, gravel and sand, with twigs placed loosely on top. The female lays 1 to 4 dull-white eggs. The hatchlings have bare, pink skin but are soon covered with down. The parents carefully protect them from the hot sun when they are first hatched, always standing over them to keep them in the shade of their large bodies.

Once in the air, this otherwise awkward bird becomes a graceful flier and can fly for hours, covering long distances. When several fly together, they fly in V-formation and flap their wings in unison. The Creator has given them this instinct, because flying in this manner produces air currents which make flying easier.

Pelicans may seem like strange birds, but they are part of “the works of the Lord” stated in our opening verse. When we see these birds, as well as every other creature, we should consider how God, their Creator, not only made them, but watches over them with loving care, just as He watches over you and me.

ML-10/09/2016

Which Way Should I Go?

Everybody was very, very busy among the campers that day. They were pulling up tent pegs, folding tents, packing food and clothing. Everyone knew that it was time to move on.

How did they know? There were probably about a million people in the camp of the children of Israel that day, but they all knew the signal that told them it was time to move. In the center of the camp was the tabernacle, and over that wonderful place was the pillar of cloud, which gave them nice, cool shade all day in the scorching heat. It also gave them cozy light at night. This was God’s plan for the children of Israel—His people.

When the cloud lifted up off the tabernacle and the priests blew their silver trumpets, then it was time to move on. They had been a long time in one place, but the moving signal made it plain. It was time to move, and there was no arguing about it.

Did you know that moving-time is coming for you too? Everybody knows that we are not in this world to stay. You may follow what “everybody says” and find yourself alone in the dark. There is one book, and only one, that will tell you how to reach the happy home in heaven where God our Father will welcome you forever. That book is the Bible. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man [comes] unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Our Jesus is the only One who died that we might live.

There were boys and girls in the camp that day, and maybe they asked questions as children do. “Where are we going, Dad?” And Dad would answer, “I don’t know, son. We’ll just follow the cloud.” Would you be satisfied with that answer? If you trusted in God, you certainly would be!

If there were a million people, who would be the first in line? God decided that. He said that the tribe of Judah would go first. And so the people of Judah raised their banner high, and all those who belonged to Judah got in line behind their banner.

The Lord has a banner too, and His banner is LOVE. We can’t see it on a pole, but we can certainly see it in the way real Christians act. If you really belong to Jesus, take your place following Him. Not just when others watch, but all the time. God will see you and others will see you too and know who you are following.

Maybe sometimes Judah did not like the way the cloud was going, but he had no choice but to follow it, or stay in the dark and get lost. It took them 40 years, but God’s way was perfect every step of the way, and He brought them to the Promised Land. God always keeps His promises. But if you try to fight against Him, even as a true Christian, you will find that He loves you and knows how to teach you. Rebelling is a very hard path.

All the other tribes followed too, in their God-given order, and right in the center was the golden ark. This was before Jesus died on the cross, and God watched it all from His home in heaven. But now Jesus has become a Man. He knows your footsteps through this world, and He cares enough even to send painful times so that we will learn to follow and trust in Him. “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2).

MEMORY VERSE: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid.” Isaiah 12:2

ML-10/16/2016

Having a Good Time

Having left New York’s shivering cold, it felt so good to step out into the warm sunshine of tropical Barbados. Since we had been sitting on the airplane for four hours already and had a little time before the plane took off again, we were ready for a walk.

In the front of the airport is a walkway planted with tropical plants. It was interesting for us to see the palm trees and flowering shrubs. Enjoying the fresh air and scenery, we wandered down to the end of the area.

There are many people today who are having what they call “a good time.” They do not know that what they are doing is sinful and that God is watching them. If they do know it, they don’t care. Yet our sins will take us down to hell, unless we trust in the Lord Jesus to cleanse us from our sins. Maybe as you read this you are still one of those people the Bible describes as “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4).

We were having a good time, but someone was watching us. A security guard stopped us and asked, “What were you doing way down there?”

“Oh, just enjoying the warm sunshine and flowers, sir.”

“Well, you don’t belong down there!”

“But there were no signs to tell us it was off limits.”

After checking our boarding passes, he very sternly said, “Your gate is number 12,” and he pointed where we should go. We quickly moved on toward gate 12.

God has not left us without warnings. We cannot say to God, “There is nothing to tell us,” because He has given us His Word, the Bible. It plainly tells us, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). He also tells us, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

We could argue with the guard that there was no warning. But any who stand before God as their judge will be speechless; they will have nothing to say!

The security guard did not arrest us. He told us what to do, and we did it.

God does more than warn. In love He tells of a way to escape those wages of sin. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Yes, God Himself has given His own Son to die and pay those wages so that sinners who believe are free.

Are you wondering how you can be free from your sins? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-10/16/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Four-Legged Battering Rams

“The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.” Psalm 104:18

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are majestic, sharp-sighted animals that are often seen standing atop a boulder or at the edge of a steep precipice in the mountains. Their beautiful horns curve backward from their foreheads, down and then forward and sometimes measure four feet along the front curves and spread 31 inches apart. Both rams and ewes have thick, brown wool, white muzzles and a patch of white around their stubby tails. Rams often weigh up to 400 pounds.

Living above the timberline throughout the year, bighorns only head down to lower grassy slopes when food is scarce. The Creator designed them to live where other animals cannot survive (except the little coney). An advantage of the high, sub-zero climate is that strong winds sweep the snow away from the high meadows, leaving grass and shrubs exposed. The bighorns’ God-given digestive systems were designed to handle this frozen, but nourishing, food.

Familiar with every foot of the highest parts of the mountains and rocky slopes and cliffs, these surefooted animals can jump and climb easily in the most dangerous places. They escape from wolves, coyotes and mountain lions by racing to the heights far above them. They are just as sure-footed when they plunge at great speed down steep slopes. Lambs two or three weeks old can go wherever their mothers go. For this exciting life, the Lord God provided them with insulated coats, shock-proof legs and hooves that hold firmly to the rocky ledges.

The rams live peacefully except when seeking mates among the ewes. At that time, they batter each other without mercy. Two rams, standing several feet apart, will suddenly rise on their hind legs, then dropping down, dash forward at a terrific speed and ram their horns and heads together in crashes that can be heard a mile away! This stuns them for a few moments, but soon they go at it again, until one finally leaves. Serious injury seldom results, for the Creator has provided them with an inch-thick, honeycomb “sandwich” in their two-layered skulls, plus an inch of tough outer skin—all of which helps to absorb these shocks.

These animals give the appearance of pride in their majestic beauty. However, the Bible warns that it is not right for boys and girls, or grown-ups either, to have pride. It says, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Proverbs 29:23). Instead of pride, Colossians 3:12 tells us to have “kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness.” However, this attitude, so pleasing to the Lord, can only fully show itself when we have accepted the Lord Jesus as our very own Saviour and are depending on His strength to walk in ways pleasing to Him.

ML-10/16/2016

Caught!

“Who wants to go to the grocery store with me?” Mom called to David and Gracie in the other room.

“I do!” called 12-year-old David, jumping up from his chair.

“And me too!” called 8-year-old Gracie, pulling on her shoes.

The children loved to go shopping with Mom. They liked to find some of the items on her shopping list. And sometimes she let them each pick out a treat.

Inside the store, Mom took the shopping list out of her purse and said, “Gracie, would you go get two cartons of milk for me, please? And, David, you can get the bread.”

“Okay!” they both said and hurried off in different directions.

Soon Gracie came back with the two cartons of milk. “Where’s David?” she asked.

“I guess he’s still getting the bread. . . . Here he comes now,” said Mom, but she saw his hands were empty. “David, where’s the bread?”

Instead of answering her question, David blurted out, “Mom, I saw a man steal . . . and he’s still in here!”

Mom quickly said to David, “Tell a salesclerk, David . . . quickly!”

“Okay, I will. Come on, Gracie, let’s go!”

They ran up to a saleslady who worked in the store. “Excuse me, but I saw a man take something and hide it in his jacket!” exclaimed David. The saleslady thanked him for reporting it and asked him what the man looked like.

“He has a black jacket on and blue pants, and he had a Band-Aid on his forehead. Look! He just came around that corner over there!” And David pointed him out.

The saleslady turned and told two of the salesclerks about the shoplifter.

“What are they going to do?” Gracie asked her anxiously.

“They’re going to wait by the doors, and when the man goes out, they will take him to the back room to see what he took. If he really took something and was leaving without paying for it, they will have to call the police!”

David and Gracie watched the salesclerks standing by the doors.

Mom came over to the children and asked, “What did the saleslady say?”

“They’re going to wait for him by the doors and take him to the back room!” said Gracie, breathlessly.

And that’s exactly what happened. A man that matched David’s description went out the door where the two salesclerks were waiting. They each quickly took hold of one of his arms and led him to the back of the store. The thief was caught!

God knows what that man did. Even if David had not seen him steal, God still would know about it. Proverbs 15:3 tells us, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” People cannot get away with sin, because God sees it all and He has it written down beside our names. And this includes little people as well as big people.

Sometimes we think that the little sins we do aren’t as bad as somebody else’s big sins. But whether we call them “big” or “little” makes no difference. All sin must be punished: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Someone will be punished for your sins—either you or a substitute (someone who takes your place).

There is Someone who loves you so very much that He has offered to be your substitute, if you will let Him. The last half of Romans 6:23 tells us who it is: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus went to Calvary’s cross and bore the punishment for the sins of every person who will accept Him as their substitute. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Do you have Jesus as your substitute? Or are you going to have to bear the punishment for your own sins in that awful place where the devil and his angels will be sent? The Bible calls it hell, and that will be forever!

That should be an easy decision for you to make. But don’t wait! Talk to Jesus about your sins right now! He is willing to forgive them, if you will trust Him as your Saviour.

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

ML-10/23/2016

Animals in the Bible

Unscramble the following names of animals found in the Bible.

You may look up the references if you cannot unscramble them.

lafc (Genesis 18:7)_____________ 7. noil (Isaiah 11:6)_________________

yenco (Leviticus 11:5)___________ 8. blam (Isaiah 53:7)________________

gato (Deuteronomy 14:4)_________ 9. drapoel (Jeremiah 5:6)_____________

melu (Psalm 32:9)______________ 10. malec (Matthew 19:24)_____________

ogd (Psalm 59:6)________________ 11. lotc (Matthew 21:2)________________

esroh (Proverbs 21:31)___________ 12. pehes (Matthew 25:32)_____________

ML-10/23/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Beware of the Piranha!

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

There is a particular kind of fish in some of the freshwater lakes and streams of South America that has perhaps frightened more people than the fiercest sharks; it is the piranha. The fear of this fish is easy to understand, because so many true stories have been told about large animals and people being attacked and eaten by a large school of these bloodthirsty fish. Although they are only 4 to 18 inches long, some scientists consider these fierce little fish to be more dangerous than sharks, due to their sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Piranhas have one of the strongest bites in bony fishes. It’s not unusual for a school of a thousand or more to attack as a group, using their razor-sharp teeth to strip all flesh from an animal or a human being in minutes. Sometimes one will sneak up on another fish, nipping off a fin or scale without otherwise attacking it. The fin soon grows back, and no serious damage has been done.

There are about 30 species of piranhas, but one thing they all have is razor-sharp teeth. These teeth are quickly replaced when the old ones become dull or damaged. Piranhas can open and close their toothy jaws faster than the blink of an eye. Some closely related species eat plants, nuts, fruits, lizards, frogs and snakes.

One species, the red-bellied piranha, is only about 7 inches long but is well equipped for its size with razor-sharp teeth in a thick skull. It is actually brownish purple on its back, but it has a bright red stomach. While all are fierce looking, some are noted for their beauty, and the red-bellied is among these. Another is covered with scales that are olive flecked with gold; others are deep purple.

Their young hatch from eggs laid in nests prepared by both the male and the female. Once the female has deposited her eggs, the male quickly takes over, guarding them and not letting his mate or any other creature even approach until they have hatched.

Some natives catch and eat piranhas as part of their daily food supply, in addition to selling quantities in fish markets. They apparently make a tasty meal.

These unusual fish are just another example of the millions of creatures living in water which the Creator took a delight in placing there. When we consider His power, wisdom and love to boys and girls all over the earth, we all should respond to the Bible verse which tells us to “remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). No one is ever too old to remember our Creator, and no one is ever too young or too old to accept Him as his or her Lord and Saviour.

ML-10/23/2016

Set 12

Katie and the Piglets

One day after school was out in the spring, Katie went to visit her aunt and uncle who lived on a farm. They had just gotten a lot of baby pigs. Katie decided her favorite piglet was the white one with some black markings on it. When it was time to go home, she had a box with two little piglets in it. One was her favorite white and black piglet and the other was a rust colored one.

Her father set up a low, electric fence to keep the two piglets near their nice new house. Katie washed and brushed the piglets often. She set a little stool in their play yard and sat and talked to her pets. They soon got to know her voice and would come when she called them. She found that they liked toys, because when she gave them a couple of balls, they tossed and shoved them around with their noses. One of the balls was a pigskin football, and she would warn the piglets, “That is what happens to little pigs that do not behave. . . . They are turned into pigskin footballs!”

Grandma and Grandpa lived just down the road from Katie’s house. One day some friends came to visit Grandma and Grandpa. They soon heard all about Katie’s piglets and wanted to go see them.

When Grandma called Katie on the phone to tell her they were coming to see her piglets, she quickly washed and brushed them and tied ribbons around their necks. They looked so clean and all dressed up.

By the time Grandma and Grandpa and their friends had finished dinner and walked over to see Katie’s piglets, those little pigs didn’t look quite the same. They had rolled in the mud where Katie had dumped their wash water and had gotten themselves and their pretty ribbons all muddy! The piglets didn’t know they had done anything wrong. They just snorted and sniffed and ran back and forth squealing when they saw Katie coming. They were so glad to see her, but Katie was very disappointed when she saw them. She got out her pig brush and started brushing the dried mud off them.

Will they always stay as cute little pigs? No. They will continue to eat and eat and grow and grow, until they weigh about 100 pounds. Then they will have to go back to Katie’s uncle who will keep them until they weigh about 220 pounds. Then he will take them to market and sell them there with his other grown-up pigs.

Katie knows all about this. Last year she raised 12 baby geese. They followed her everywhere and would even sit looking in the window, waiting for her to come outside. The pet geese finally had to go to market too.

You can tell that Katie is a very loving person and takes good care of animals. However, she knows that an animal does not have a spirit. She goes to Sunday school and has learned that the Bible says that God gave a soul and a spirit that exists forever only to people. “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).

Katie will be sorry to see her pet piglets go back to her uncle’s farm, and she was sad to see her geese leave last year too. But she knows she will probably have something else next year to love and care for. Maybe she will have some rabbits, or maybe a baby calf, or even a few baby goats. These creatures are of the earth and cannot go to heaven. Only people have souls that exist forever—either in heaven or in hell. When we wash our pets here on earth, they will get dirty again; it is their nature. But when we are washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, we are washed clean of all our sins—past, present and future— forever! Then we are ready to live with the Lord Jesus in heaven for eternity.

Katie has been washed clean of her sins, because she has told the Lord Jesus that she is a sinner and asked Him to wash her sins away, so she could be with Him in heaven forever. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36). “Unto Him [the Lord Jesus] that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

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

ML-10/30/2016

Presents

Benjy and his dad were on their way to Sunday school. It was a beautiful sunny day, and they were enjoying their drive past the pretty golf course.

“Look at those golf carts, Benjy!” exclaimed his dad. “They are really fancy! Did you ever see golf carts with such pretty canopies over them? How would you like to have one of those for your birthday?”

“They’re really nice,” answered Benjy. “It sure would be fun to have one of those to ride around in!” Benjy didn’t say anything more for a few minutes as they drove past the golf course and the golf carts with their brightly colored tops rippling in the breeze. Then he said, “You know, Dad, the Lord Jesus has lots better presents for me in heaven than those golf carts. And it’s going to take me all eternity to unwrap them too.”

Even though Benjy was only a boy, he was already looking forward to heaven and what the Lord Jesus would have waiting for him up there. He knew the Lord Jesus was going to include him, because his sins were gone forever. He had confessed to Jesus that he was a sinner and had believed that He had died for all his sins. Now they were gone forever, and Benjy knew for sure that someday he would be in heaven.

Do you know for sure that you will be there? You can. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

ML-10/30/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Food From Afar

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!” Psalm 36:6-7

Shortly after Columbus discovered America, explorers in Peru, South America, came across an important food they had never seen before. They were pleasantly surprised to find that these round or oval, hard tubers were good to eat after being boiled, baked or fried. The explorers took some home to the British Isles. They grew well there and had such good food value that they soon became a chief food.

What was it they had discovered? Potatoes! Soon so many potatoes were raised in Ireland that they got the name Irish potatoes. However, they should have been called Peruvian potatoes, since that is where they were first found. Even now, it is one of the world’s most valued and most widely grown vegetables, and new varieties are being developed. Just take a look at how many different kinds there are in the store where you shop.

Being a main food for so many of us, let’s look at the food value of a potato. It is about 80% water and 20% solid matter. Starch makes up about 85% of the potato’s solid matter, and protein makes up about 10%. It also contains important vitamins as well as the elements calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. And good news for people who count calories, a medium-size potato contains only about 70 calories. But that number quickly rises if butter is added or if it is eaten as potato chips or French-fried potatoes.

Potatoes are a close relative of tomatoes, red peppers and eggplants. However, they are not related to sweet potatoes or yams. Potatoes must be replanted each year since the plants die when the tubers mature or when frost kills the plant. The tubers develop on the underground parts of the plant and range in size from that of a pea to more than 6 inches long. Usually 2 to 3 potatoes develop per plant, but some varieties may grow 10 to 20 per plant.

Potatoes are grown in every state of the continental United States, but most are grown on large farms in northern states where growing conditions are best. Russia actually grows more potatoes than any other country. Other leading growers are China, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Great Britain, France and Spain.

When the Lord God provided necessities for all His creatures, it was throughout the entire world. On the third day of creation He declared, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb [plants] yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth” (Genesis 1:11).

The more we learn of the great varieties of that wonderful provision in so many parts of the world, the more we should thank Him for His wisdom and loving care over all His creation and particularly for the way this benefits each one of us.

ML-10/30/2016

Scruffy's Rescue

“Scritchy, scritchy, scratch, scratch, scritchy, clatter.”

I wonder what that noise is? thought Mr. Mackey, glancing at the print shop door. It was evening, and no one was working in the print shop. He was the only person in that part of the building, and he was in the lunchroom sitting at a table doing some paperwork. The noise stopped, so he went back to his work.

“Scritchy, scratch, scritchy, scratch, clatter.”

There it is again. Someone must have left one of the machines running in the print shop. Again the noise stopped, so he went back to his work.

A few minutes later Mrs. Kelly came though the lunchroom on her way back to the print shop to pick up some newly printed booklets. Stopping at the print shop door to chat with Mr. Mackey, she also heard the noise.

“Scritchy, scratchy, scritch, scratch, clatter.”

Opening the door, she flipped on the light switch and immediately saw what was making the scritchy, scratchy sounds. There at her feet was the cutest, tiny, gray mouse, but she saw that his right hind foot was caught in a mousetrap!

“Scritchy, scritchy, scritchy, scratchy, scratch, clatter.” Now the little mouse was really frightened and was trying to get away from her. But he couldn’t make any headway. He could use only three of his feet, and the trap was too heavy for him to drag more than a few inches. He was trying so hard to run away, using his three feet that were free. But they would only skid on the smooth floor, and the trap barely moved. Let’s name him Scruffy.

I know some of you children like mice. Maybe some of you have even had a mouse for a pet. They are fun to watch and hold. However, not very many grown-ups like mice. Ladies especially don’t like them. They get into the kitchen cupboards and chew boxes open, eating cereal and other things and leaving a dirty mess behind.

When God first made mice, they didn’t ruin boxes of cereal. Sin had not come into the world, and everything was good. They had enough food in the Garden and were content where they lived. Adam and Eve both liked them then. But Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin, and when they sinned, that ruined everything! Mice and rats couldn’t find enough food to eat after that, and soon they were sneaking into kitchens and pantries to find food.

Scruffy had probably come into the print shop a few days earlier to get out of the rain. And he could have been heading for the lunchroom to see if he could find some dinner. Instead, he got himself caught in a mousetrap! Poor hungry Scruffy.

Let’s find out what happened.

Mrs. Kelly felt so sorry for Scruffy. She called to Mr. Mackey to come see what she had found.

When he saw poor little Scruffy struggling to get away, he felt sorry for him too. Mrs. Kelly said she’d like to open the trap and let him go free. Then Mr. Mackey said maybe Scruffy should be let go outside. That was a better idea, and so that’s just what he did. He carried the trap outside and opened it, and quickly Scruffy scampered away.

Mrs. Kelly felt much better because she likes mice best when they are outside, and she felt so sorry for Scruffy. Now, can you keep a secret? I think Mr. Mackey likes mice too. But we have to keep it a secret, because if Mrs. Mackey doesn’t like mice, she might not be very happy to know that he likes them. You see, Mr. Mackey could have quickly killed Scruffy right there in the print shop, but instead he was kind and carried Scruffy and the trap outside to set him free.

Now I have something to tell you that isn’t a secret. God loves you and me even though we are sinners and have done many things that are wrong. And He loves us so much that He made a plan so we could be set free from our sins. He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on the cross and bear the punishment for sin. And the Lord Jesus will gladly set you free from your sins if you will just ask Him. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

You know, if Mrs. Kelly had been alone when she found Scruffy, she probably would have opened the trap and let him go free right there in the print shop. And can you guess what might have happened next? After his foot felt better, Scruffy would have headed back to the lunchroom for that dinner he was looking for. But our story wouldn’t have had a happy ending then, because there are other mousetraps set in the print shop and in the lunchroom. And can you guess what kind of bait is in those mousetraps? I’ll tell you—cheese and peanut butter—Scruffy’s favorite foods! The next trap might have done lots more harm to Scruffy than just catching his foot. It might have caught his head . . . and that would have been the end of poor, little, hungry Scruffy.

So aren’t you glad Mr. Mackey set Scruffy free outside where he wouldn’t get caught again? I am.

And I’m also very glad that when the Lord Jesus sets us free from our sins, He gives us eternal life and promises that we are safe. “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” (John 10:28-30). “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Are you free from your sins? Or are you still caught in Satan’s trap?

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

ML-11/06/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Lively Kinkajou

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

If you like pets, you would find a tamed kinkajou (also called honey bear) a playful one, but in the wild it is tough and fierce. This six-to seven-pound member of the raccoon family lives in the forests of southern Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. When fully grown, it is two feet long, or slightly smaller, plus a slender tail of the same length. It is sometimes mistaken for a monkey or a ferret, but it is not closely related to either one.

Like some monkeys, kinkajous use their tails to grasp onto branches as they travel through the trees. Sometimes they hang head-downward with their tails grasping a branch. This tail also helps in keeping their balance when jumping from one branch to another.

They have yellow-brown dense fur with some faint darker colors and a white stomach. Heads are round with pointed noses, cup-shaped ears and large, innocent-looking eyes adding to their beauty. The Creator has also provided them with sharp claws on their front feet to help in climbing. They also will hold a piece of fruit or other food in one hand while breaking off pieces with the other for eating, just like we do.

Being nocturnal, during the day they hide in tree holes or nap in crotches of trees with their tails wrapped snugly around them. They become lively at night and feed mostly on fruit and insects. Long tongues are a help in probing crevices for insects. At times they will use their long tails to reach into insect nests, then pull them out and lick off any insects stuck to them.

Usually just one baby is born to the parents each year. It looks like a cute little kitten with its soft tan fur and tightly shut eyes, which will open in about four weeks. Even before its eyes open, its tail can get a tight grip on things it encounters. When only three months old, it might be found playfully hanging head-downward with its tail securely wrapped about a small limb. In a year’s time it is fully grown. Many have long lives for so little an animal—some in captivity living nearly 20 years.

These cuddly animals are examples of the Creator’s care for all living things, even in the wild, tropical forests. But His thoughts toward every boy and girl are far better, for He invites you to live with Him in heaven when your life on earth is over. In great love, the Lord Jesus made this possible by bearing on Calvary’s cross the sins of all who admit they are sinners and believe that He died for them. Will you be among the happy ones in heaven who will be with Him for all eternity?

ML-11/06/2016

I Lost the Axe Head!

It was not a very happy surprise. A woodchopper cannot do much if he suddenly finds that he has put all his energy into a mighty swing, and the iron axe head has suddenly flown off into the air all by itself. He is left holding only the handle. That is not a happy surprise!

Here is how it happened. There was a group of young men, sons of the prophets, living together in the land of Israel. They decided that their living quarters were too small, so they must find a good location and build a new place.

They found the right spot by the Jordan River, and they had a supply of axes for the job. But there was one more thing to think about. Did they want Elisha to go with them? Elisha was a man of God.

When you make a plan like that, do you want a man of God to go with you? It might be hard today to find a man of God available to go with you, not to bless the job when you are done, but to be there for your every move and conversation. But you can take a Bible with you and read it daily. And you can pray about each little problem as it comes up and be thankful for all that Jesus has done for you. Is that the way you face your projects? God is willing. Are you?

The men asked Elisha to go with them, and he said, “Yes.” So they set to work. One man had no axe, so he borrowed one and helped with the work as they began to cut down trees for the log building. The axes were swinging and the chips flying. Suddenly one worker held only the wooden handle! His axe head had flown off and landed with a splash in the river!

Now this workman had a problem, but he knew exactly where to turn.

When you face a problem, do you know where to turn? Don’t say bad words. Don’t show impatience or anger. Tell God about it. He is right there, and He has the answer. He cares about your problem, because He loves you.

Elisha was right there, and the workman cried out, “Alas, master! for it was borrowed!” This doubled the problem. How could he return a borrowed axe if the axe head was lost?

I wonder if you know that your life does not belong to you. It belongs to God who gave you a beating heart before you were born. And the problem of your borrowed life is doubled if you are a lost sinner. But we are here to tell you that God has the answer, because He loves you and sent His Son to die for you.

“Where did the axe head fall?” asked Elisha.

The workman showed him the place, but the problem was still there. The iron axe head was still at the bottom of the river. Prayer would not bring it up. Iron is heavier than water, and there it lay, out of sight, in the mud at the bottom of the Jordan River. Elisha could not raise it.

I wonder if you know that God Himself cannot save you without the death of His only begotten Son. Maybe you cry about your sins every day, but God cannot save you without the precious blood of Christ to wash away your sins. The lost remains lost, including the ax head.

Then Elisha cut down a stick and threw it into the water. The water had no power over the stick because it was not heavy, so it did not sink.

And did you know that death had no power over the Lord Jesus when He died on the cross? We die because we have no choice, but Jesus gave up His life! He is “the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

When that stick hit the water, behold a miracle! The axe head swam! It was the very same old axe head that was lost, and yet it had a new power. It did not float; it swam! There was God-given power now, which was above the power of gravity to make it sink.

Do you want this God-given power? Only God can give it to you. The same boy or girl who was lost can now be given victory over sin and death by the power of God. And this power must be used if you want to live for Jesus. He is an all-the-way-home Saviour. Will you trust Him now?

Elisha told the workman to pick up the axe head out of the water, and the workman reached out his hand and picked up the axe head! And that is where we leave the story. We are not told any more about that axe head, perhaps because God wants you to finish the story yourself.

What will you do with the new life God has given you? Will you use it for Him, with the wonderful new power that He gives? It is wonderful beyond words to know that we belong to Him now and that someday He will change our bodies into new and glorified bodies where death has no power at all.

“The gospel of Christ...is the power of God unto salvation to every one that [believes]” (Romans 1:16).

You may read this story for yourself in 2 Kings 6:1-7.

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-11/13/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Preparing for Winter - Part 1

“He [God] saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth. . . . Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.” Job 37:6-8

Many of God’s creatures live in areas that have cold winters, and He has provided them with special ways to survive. Some migrate to warmer places, but an amazing number live year-round in the areas which the Creator has provided for them. It is, of course, His provision for their special needs in the freezing temperatures that enables them to survive through the winter months. These creatures include a great variety of birds, animals, insects, fish, seals, whales, dolphins and others.

Often a rocky cave in a hillside, soon to be buried in deep snow, is used by bears year after year, and other creatures know well enough not to try to occupy it. In fact, in many areas all bears go into hibernation on the same day, with their spots selected well in advance.

How do they know to prepare for winter? It is all through God-given instincts, including not only preparing a place beforehand, but also, of even more importance, by eating extra quantities of food in the fall. The increase in weight is mostly fat and helps to keep them warm as well as nourishing their bodies while they are hibernating.

Surprisingly, it is during hibernation in the darkness of a cave that a mother bear usually gives birth to two little cubs. In spite of the darkness, they promptly find a ready milk supply from their sleepy mother who goes right back to sleep after she nurses them. These cubs are no bigger than small kittens. It is one of the marvels of God’s creation that they can survive in the darkness. They know just where to feed when they are hungry and then snuggle up to their mother’s warm body until the next feeding time.

Deer, elk and caribou do not hibernate, even in extremely cold places. In the fall months they build themselves up with heavy eating, which not only provides fat for warmth but also causes their specially insulated hair to grow thick to provide a heavy overcoat for cold weather. They search daily for grass, leaves and other vegetation, even in snowstorms. They have to paw through the snow with their sharp, strong hoofs to uncover much of what they eat.

These are typical examples of the Creator’s care. Psalm 36:6-7 tells us: “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”

Have you thanked Him for His loving-kindness to you, and have you placed your trust in Him? Always remember that “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).

(to be continued)

ML-11/13/2016

Cricket Got Lost!

Dear Boys and Girls,

Where we live we have lots and lots of birds that we feed every day. They always sing for us to let us know that they are very happy for the food that we provide for them. We also feed the wild ducks, geese and other water-loving birds that live along the creek and come into our backyard. We always enjoy the birds that visit us, and they are welcome.

We also have a very long, wire fence on the east side of our property that keeps the wild animals from coming into our backyard. This fence is 500 feet long! It stops the raccoons, foxes, coyotes, possums, rabbits and other animals from coming in close to our house. They are not welcome.

“Grampa, is there a gate or door in your fence?”

No, because gates and doors seem to have a way of being left open! You know, I forget to close a door sometimes. Have you ever done that? If there were a door in the fence, why I might forget to close it, and that would be an invitation for the animals to come right into our backyard. Then Cricket and Mittens, our cat, wouldn’t be safe.

Do you boys and girls know that there’s a door into heaven that is open right now for anyone who will go in? The Lord Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man [woman, boy or girl] enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). Those are wonderful words from the Bible! But there is a time coming when the door to heaven will be closed, and that time could be very soon. The Lord Jesus will be coming back to take all of us to heaven who have had our sins washed away. Then the door to heaven will be closed! Be sure your sins have been washed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

One morning, Cricket, our little dog, was wandering around like she does and found her way down and around the end of the fence to the other side of it. How she got that far away is a mystery to us. We don’t let her go that far away. I opened the door and called her to come in, but no Cricket came running. She always comes when we call her. So then Gramma started calling her. Still no Cricket. Uh, oh. She must be someplace where she is not supposed to be, and she is lost!

Have you ever had that feeling, “I’m lost”? It’s not a nice feeling. And for Cricket, it means she’s on dangerous ground! She has lots of enemies wherever she is! So Gramma and I decided to pray, asking our Father in heaven to help us find her. He sees all, knows all and hears all, so He can help us find her.

So I got in my car and drove slowly along the road with the windows rolled down, and I kept calling, “CRICKET, CRICKET!” I stopped every little bit and listened for her bark ... I heard nothing. So I prayed again, and then I searched some more. Finally I turned the car around to go back home.

Just before I reached our driveway, I suddenly saw Cricket running down to the end of the fence, across our neighbor’s front lawn, then up our driveway, and into Gramma’s waiting arms! Gramma and I stopped right then and there and gave thanks to God for bringing Cricket safely home!

Jesus is looking and waiting for boys and girls to come to Him to have their sins washed away. His loving arms are open wide for any who will come to Him, just like Gramma’s waiting arms scooped up Cricket to take her safely into the house. Will you let Jesus wash your sins away so you will have a safe home in heaven waiting for you?

MEMORY VERSE: “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” John 10:9

ML-11/20/2016

Saved Just in Time

Violet Jessop escaped death just by minutes as she got into one of the last lifeboats sent out from the sinking Titanic. When she was interviewed years later, she recalled the total indifference of everyone aboard the sinking ship. Known as “The Unsinkable Ship,” passengers and crew of the Titanic could not think otherwise. Even Violet herself hardly saw the need of getting into the lifeboat.

Violet, a stewardess, was urged for the second time by a male steward named Stanley to get into the lifeboat. She was fulfilling her duties when Stanley, his face white with fear, urged her for the second time to go quickly. She remembers the band was playing music to keep the passengers from panic.

As she looked at the Titanic from the lifeboat, she remembered how she counted the rows of lights on the ship. First there were six rows, then five, a short time later four, then three and finally two rows. She was horrified as she finally realized the boat was actually sinking!

As Violet intently watched the Titanic with so many people still on board, she saw the big ship give a lurch forward; then it sank with a thundering roar of underwater explosions!

The good news of God’s grace is still being announced all over the world. But people are the same today as those who were onboard the Titanic. They feel the world will go on and on, just as it always has, and there will be plenty of time to prepare for their life after death. But this world is a “sinking ship,” and we have the warning: “It is time to seek the Lord” (Hosea 10:12).

People around us are so busy with entertainments, the newest technology and the economy that they aren’t paying attention to the Biblical warnings that they are on a “sinking ship.” How tragic to forget or to ignore this important matter. “God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man [understands] it not” (Job 33:14).

This world is sinking fast! Time is running out! “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12). “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

ML-11/20/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Preparing for Winter - Part 2

“While the earth remaineth . . . cold and heat . . . summer and winter . . . shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22

In our last article we reviewed a number of large creatures of the North that hibernate or have other ways of surviving the cold winter months. How the Creator arranged for the smaller creatures to survive is also interesting.

Chipmunks and squirrels do not really hibernate in winter. During summer and fall they are busy burying hazelnuts, acorns and other foods or carrying them up tree trunks and hiding them in a nest-hole. They are storing up food for wintertime when they will be snug and warm in their tree-trunk nests. They spend much of the winter in long naps, but wake up often to satisfy their hunger. Then they drop off to sleep again.

Arctic hares and weasels also do not hibernate, but each fall the Creator provides them with warm, thick coats of snow-white fur that keeps their bodies warm. They also are equipped with special winter “snowshoes,” which enable them to move easily over the snow when searching for food.

Mice and other small rodents spend the entire winter in nests and tunnels they have made in the ground or grass beneath deep snow. There they feed on vegetation and insects and are safe from hawks and larger animals. This also gives them good protection from the cold weather above the thick blanket of snow.

Red foxes of the North keep active through the winter too. They are provided with beautiful, thick, red winter coats with a dash of white at the tip of their long tails. They sleep on top of the snow, wrapping their long tails tightly around their curled-up bodies.

Many birds keep active in the winter, including bobwhites. A dozen or more will huddle snugly together on the snow in a tight circle, each with its head pointing outward as a lookout for a fox or other enemy. Ruffed grouse also stay on top of the snow. Their close-fitting, insulating feathers keep them warm. They are also provided with feather “snowshoes” on their feet in the winter, enabling them to walk or run over the snow with ease.

How interesting it is to look briefly into the lives of these creatures which are not aware they are under God’s care. But it is far more important for us to thank Him for His very special care over us. Psalm 23:6 tells us, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

This is God’s promise to all who will let Him wash away their sins by trusting in the Lord Jesus. He bore the punishment on Calvary’s cross for the sins of all who will trust Him as their Saviour. Have you let Him wash your sins away?

ML-11/20/2016

Set 13

The Forgotten Passport

We were very excited about our planned vacation in England! We were going to take a few train rides, visit some castles, beautiful gardens, a cave and many other amazing places. I had purchased the airplane tickets and many non-refundable reservations for a rental car and hotels.

Finally the day arrived, and we checked everything off our list, loaded our suitcases in the car, and a friend drove us down to the Miami airport. We arrived there three hours early for our flight.

At the airline check-in counter, the lady asked for our passports. I gave her mine, but I could find only a copy of my husband’s passport. She quickly told us that a copy was not good enough—it had to be the actual passport!

Oh, no! I started to panic! After all the planning and reservations we had made, were we going to have to miss this vacation because of a forgotten passport?

Many people in this world think they are ready to go to heaven when they die. They have been kind to others and have been honest and done their best. They think living a good life and helping others is their “passport to heaven.” But in the Bible we read, “There is a way which [seems] right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

With my heart pounding and hands shaking over this news that we needed the original passport, I called my friend Celia who lived close to us and told her our problem. She and her husband were willing to drive over to our house to find my husband’s passport. There is no better friend than one who helps us when we are in trouble. God says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). And that’s exactly what we did! The Lord helped me remember where the passport might be in our house. That was step 1.

Celia found it and hurried with her husband, driving south towards the Miami airport. In the meantime, my husband had our driver who drove us to the airport come back and pick him up. Then they drove north to meet Celia and her husband. You see, we had a time problem. If traffic isn’t too bad, it takes two and a half hours to drive from our house to the airport. However, we had only three hours to meet Celia and her husband to get our passport and then for my husband to return to the airport with it.

In order to save some time, the two cars decided to meet at a restaurant they both knew about at the halfway point. They made the connection, and the passport was handed to my husband, with everyone thanking the Lord for working it out this far. That was step 2.

It had seemed impossible to me, but I knew that “with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). As I waited at the airport with our suitcases piled beside me, my eyes were glued to the door. I was also nervously watching the time on my cell phone.

Finally, my husband appeared, and we raced toward the check-in counter, waving his passport! The ladies at the counter cheered! Then we dashed for the gate and made it just in the nick of time. That was step 3.

We knew it was a miracle when we were seated in the plane and had both passports in our pockets. We thanked and praised the Lord Jesus for His wonderful help in answering our prayers. We were on our way to England!

There is only one passport to heaven. It’s a person and not a piece of paper. Do you know who that is? . . . The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son. He came down from heaven, died on the cross and shed His precious blood to cleanse us from our sins. Then God His Father raised Him from the dead, and now He is in heaven. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

Be very sure that you are trusting only in Jesus to take you to heaven. He is your passport, and He loves you so much He will never leave you behind!

MEMORY VERSE: “With God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

ML-11/27/2016

The Stick That Came to Life!

Arnold, who is from New Brunswick, Canada, was visiting his son’s family in Texas. He enjoyed the warm climate and being outside doing yard work. Little did he expect when he was raking that something on the ground looking like a stick would turn into something very different!

However, no sooner had his rake struck this ordinary-looking stick when it suddenly came to life and quickly went into action, viciously biting Arnold’s hand. This ordinary-looking stick was actually a deadly copperhead snake! Arnold was wearing gloves, but still the snake’s bite went through the glove and was serious. He would become very sick or even die if he didn’t get to a hospital quickly.

The hospital was at least a 30-minute drive away, but it was still in time to save his life. However, he had to stay in the hospital for several days.

This ordinary-looking stick reminds us of sin which sometimes looks very harmless, but when touched, it suddenly becomes deadly. Often the sin strikes by leading a person to form a bad habit or by leaving the person’s conscience feeling guilty and miserable. But there is a remedy for any person who is feeling guilty about his or her sins. The Bible tells us, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and He did hear my voice” (2 Samuel 22:7). Jesus loves you and will hear your distress call and will save you, cleansing you from all your sins and guilt.

“[Jesus Christ] ... loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5). Have you come to Him to have your sins and guilt washed away?

ML-11/27/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Scorpions of the Sea

“If a son shall ask . . . [for] an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” Luke 11:11-12

The scorpion of desert areas should definitely be avoided. When the Lord Jesus mentioned a scorpion in the above verse, He was telling us that loving parents do not give harmful things to their children.

Several types of vicious fish called scorpionfish are found in the Red Sea off the coast of Africa and nearby Jordan. These are avoided by those who know about them.

One is named turkeyfish, probably because of the way it spreads its fins when swimming. It is one of the more active in the scorpionfish family and a fearful enemy of small fish as well as shrimp. It will gobble them up quickly. Hunting in small groups, a few of them circle a school of small fish, driving them toward other turkeyfish, which quickly eat quantities of them and then change places with their companions. They do not attack people unless stepped on. Then, like a scorpion, they sting the swimmer’s foot or bare leg with a poisonous fin. This is usually not fatal but very, very painful.

Another variety, equipped with small fins that help it crawl along the sea bottom, is the devil scorpionfish. This one usually lies on the bottom and is so well camouflaged that it looks like a piece of coral. It’s a short life for a shellfish crawling nearby or a small fish swimming too close—they are quickly eaten. When swimming, it is quite colorful, and other fish stay far away from it.

A close relation to this one is the shortfin lionfish which, motionless on the sea bottom, also looks like a piece of coral until it leaps into action.

The most fearful of all is the stonefish, which doesn’t really look like a fish but more like a piece of colored rock. With no visible fins or mouth, its brightly colored eyes look like pieces of gravel resting on top. Swimmers are also fearful of this one as its sting is extremely painful and sometimes fatal! Even its skin is poisonous. Like a cannibal, it doesn’t hesitate to eat a smaller stonefish.

These poisonous and crafty creatures remind us of Satan’s ways, the one of whom the Bible warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan, of course, does not want to eat our bodies, but to “devour” our lives by leading us into sin and closing our ears to the story of God’s love and care toward us.

There is excellent counsel in the Bible, telling us how to avoid Satan and his evil ways: “The Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked [one], and save them, because they trust in Him” (Psalm 37:40). Have you taken that counsel for yourself?

ML-11/27/2016

A Dog Named Shadow

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

One of the boys ran to a nearby ranger station and grabbed an aluminum ladder. They put the ladder down the hole, but it fell beyond their reach. The hole was 30 feet deep. At first they could hear Shadow’s whimpers far below them, but as time went on, there was no sound at all. The dog did not respond to their calls, and they believed their much-loved pet had died.

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

But Shadow had not died! A pool of water in the bottom of that hole supplied water for the dog to drink, but there was no way out. A 30-foot wall of rock was far beyond Shadow’s ability to climb, and this was wild country, far from traffic or people.

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

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

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

Stephen answered the phone and could hardly believe it when he heard that Shadow was still alive! “I never felt so happy before!” he exclaimed. Shadow had lost 5 of her 30 pounds, but their veterinarian said the dog was in good health. It seemed like a miracle that she had survived thirty-five days in that hole with no food. Now, thanks to her brave rescuers, she was safe.

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

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

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

ML-12/04/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Oilbird or Guacharo

“He [looks] to the ends of the earth, and [sees] under the whole heaven.” Job 28:24

The oilbird is unusually interesting and lives in Central and South America. A fairly large bird, it measures about 18 inches from its beak to the tip of its tail. Its wings, when outstretched, measure close to 3 feet across and it has very short legs. It has a powerful beak that has long whisker-like feathers at each side. This reddish-brown bird has white spots on its head and outside wing feathers and black bars across its tail.

Oilbirds make permanent homes inside pitch-black caves where a person would need a light to see. Whole colonies share many of these caves, building their nests and raising their young in the darkness. You may wonder how they live under such dark conditions. Their Creator has given them a navigational system similar to bats. Like bats, the birds make sharp, quick sounds while flying in the caves. These sounds echo back to their sensitive ears, telling them when something is in the way and a safe way around it.

These birds also hunt in the darkness for the fruit of certain palms and other fragrant kinds of fruits. Good night vision and a keen sense of smell help them find these fruits, which they gulp down whole while flying. Fruit of this kind is very nourishing and is all the food they need for themselves and their growing chicks. They are the only nocturnal, flying, fruit-eating birds in the world.

The guacharo was given the more common name of oilbird because of their chicks. When they first hatch, chicks are quite large and have enormous appetites, gulping down all the fruit their parents bring. These fruits are full of fat and oily juice, and in a short time the chicks, while still in the nest, grow larger than their parents. Once their plumage begins to fill out, they gradually thin down. By the time they are three or four months old when they leave the nests, they are nearly a normal size. This is further helped by the exercise of searching for their own food.

In times past, natives of the area discovered that the fat of these young, oversized birds produced a rich oil when they were caught, killed and the oil boiled out of the body. They used the oil to make an excellent butter and as fuel for their lamps. Killing these birds is no longer permitted, but that is how the oilbird got its unusual name.

Does the Lord God, their Creator, see these birds in the dark caves or when they are flying about at night? Yes, He both sees and cares for them, for His eye is always on every living thing, just as the opening Bible verse tells us.

ML-12/04/2016

The Story of Naomi's Family

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

Elimelech looked out across the dry fields and probably wondered what to do, because they did not have enough to eat. He decided to move his family to the land of Moab. But we don’t know if he asked God about this plan, and there was one thing he may have forgotten. In the land of Moab where he chose to go, they worshipped idols and did not seem to pay attention to the commandments of the true God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was a good choice for Ruth. Are you making a good choice for yourself too? There is only one God who loves you and who can plan for your future far better than you can yourself. Cling to Him, and don’t let anything turn you away!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-12/11/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pika-A Mountain Farmer

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

The cute, furry pika measures about seven inches long and weighs about eight ounces. This energetic little animal is a relative of hares and rabbits and is sometimes called a coney. In North America it is found only among the rocks high in the mountains of the western United States and Canada.

The pika’s outstanding feature is its busy activity in the summer months. It wisely prepares food for use in winter, when the snow will lie deep and it must stay in its den with its family. Unlike many mountain animals, it does not hibernate but does remain quite active during the cold season.

While cutting and gathering plants, flowers, berries, aspen leaves and other vegetation in summer and fall, the pika is constantly in motion. God has provided this rodent with four incisor teeth to do all this work. The rock-dwelling pika has small litters of fewer than five young. A lot of food is necessary, because one little pika family will need about 50 pounds of dried food during the cold winter days while confined inside the den.

Everything it cuts or gathers is brought to the entrance of the pika’s den, and, like a farmer preparing hay, it is piled in separate mounds in the sunshine to dry in the clear mountain air. When rain threatens, it carefully picks up these piles and carries them inside, bringing them back out for further drying when the sun is shining again.

Where did this little animal get such wisdom? And how does it know how to store its food underground so it will not become moldy or rot? This wisdom is given to it by God who, in creating everything “after his kind,” has provided for its unique way of life. This is passed down from generation to generation, without the need of lessons or experiments. If it didn’t know how to do this, it would die the very first winter of its life. The Creator watches over everything He has made and provides for the needs of each one in His own wise way.

Living so far from civilization, the pika is much like the coney spoken of in Proverbs 30:26—”The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make their houses in the rocks.” Eagles, hawks and many animals are enemies of this quiet little fellow, but when sheltered by the rocks into which he hurries when they fly or come close, he is perfectly safe.

When David was delivered from his enemies, he said, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in Him will I trust” (2 Samuel 22:2-3). He is the only refuge from Satan, our dreaded enemy. Do you know the Lord as the rock of your salvation?

ML-12/11/2016

Left Behind!

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

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

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

“Your passports, sir.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Prepare to meet thy God” ( Amos 4:12).

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

ML-12/18/2016

Rogilio

They called the little island “a tropical paradise,” with sunshine, palm trees waving in the breezes, white sand and sparkling blue water. “Oh, it’s so beautiful; it’s perfect!” said visiting Mrs. James.

“Let’s wait and see,” said her husband.

There were soft breezes, beautiful flowers and sounds of guitar playing. “Oh, how happy everyone is here!” exclaimed Mrs. James.

“Are they really?” asked Mr. James. “Let’s find out.”

The chance to find out soon came. Rogilio, a boy about ten years old, knocked gently at their door looking for a job—shoes to shine, errands to run, anything that might earn him a little money. They found some small jobs for him, and he began to tell them about his island. “Now this,” he would say, “is a jacaranda tree, and that bush that smells so good is jasmine. But that tree over there is a mastic tree . . . it’s bad, very bad!” He told them that many bad spirits live there, and at night there are blue lights going up and down in it. “Nobody, nobody goes by it at night! Sometimes I’m so scared!”

Here was Mr. James’ answer. It might be a tropical paradise, but the natives lived in fear of evil spirits and black magic. Even a young boy said, “I’m so scared!”

But there was an answer for Rogilio’s troubles. Mr. James sat down with him, opened his Bible and told him how God loved him. He showed Rogilio in the Bible how God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, had come down from heaven to die to take away all his sins. He told him that if he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, then he would go to live with Him in heaven someday. He finished by giving Rogilio a little testament of his own to read.

Would he understand? Could years of superstitious fear be erased so quickly? The answer came the next day. Down the street came Rogilio, straight past the mastic tree, eyes shining and grin flashing.

“Oh, Mr. James,” he called, “I read in the Book last night. I read all about the blood that washes away my sins. Oh, I’m so happy—I feel so good here!” and he placed his hand on his heart. With Jesus in his heart, he had no fear of evil spirits now.

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

ML-12/18/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Fringe-Toed Lizards

“Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone. Teach me Thy way, O Lord.” Psalm 86:10-11

There are more than 2,000 kinds of lizards throughout the world, and the fringe-toed lizard is perhaps the most amazing of all. It gets its name from the small, tough scales on its hind toes that swivel like tiny paddles when making its way across loose sand. It can run over this loose sand with amazing speed or, when necessary, dive into it for safety.

This is a cute little creature with a slender, orange body about three inches long. They live in southeast California and southwest Arizona, also in northwest Sonora and northeast Baja, California. This lizard lives comfortably there among huge sand dunes that are also occupied by tarantulas, rattlesnakes, rabbits, quail and a wide variety of other creatures.

Rough, furrowed skin covers the lizard’s body, but its underbody, throat and legs are smooth. Its flat body and pointed snout, provided by the Creator, aid when diving head-first into loose sand for safety. With surprising speed, it buries itself completely and disappears from view, either lying motionless beneath the sand or moving off quite a distance without being detected.

How can this creature breathe under the sand? The Creator has taken care of that need in a remarkable way. He has given it a special nose like no other creature has. Part of its nose is a trap beyond which sand cannot pass, although allowing the small amount of air to pass which it requires. When back on the surface, it simply blows out the trapped sand.

The lizard’s eyes have been given additional protection from harm. Each eye has two overlapping lids, preventing even the tiniest speck of sand from reaching the delicate part of the eyeball. One of these lids acts just as yours does—blinking up and down when something threatens; the other moves from side to side to do the same thing. If, as rarely happens, a speck of sand gets past this double guard, it simply wipes it away with a fringed toenail of a hind leg.

This lizard apparently gets sufficient moisture from eating the flower buds, stems, leaves, and seeds of desert plants. If this is not enough, it can move out into the morning fog that condenses and runs down its furrowed skin into its mouth, which it holds lower than the rest of its body for that purpose. Besides the desert plants, it also eat ants, beetles, grasshoppers and caterpillars.

As the opening verse expresses, we can see an example of the marvelous designing that speaks of the greatness and wonder of God and His creation even in a little creature like this. Pondering this, the psalmist said, “Teach me Thy way, O Lord” (Psalm 86:11). That excellent desire should be in the heart and mind of each of us also.

ML-12/18/2016

Set 1

Wrong Directions

The GPS (Global Positioning System) in our rental car announced, “You have arrived at your destination!” We had just turned onto a very busy street. People were yelling as they rushed to a round-shaped building that appeared to be their place of worship. They dressed differently than we do and spoke in a different language. My husband and I looked at each other and shook our heads. The GPS was wrong! We were looking for the hotel where we had reservations, and there was no hotel anywhere in sight.

We were on vacation in a foreign country where cars drive on the left side of the road and cars’ steering wheels are on the right side of the car. There are many “roundabouts” (where four or more roads come together in a circle) and it’s hard to find your way. We depended on the GPS to direct us to each new place.

Can you imagine how terrible it would be to think you were going to heaven when you die, and then discover too late that you had arrived at the wrong place! God has given us perfect directions in His road map—the Bible. There we read a story about a rich man who thought he was going to heaven, but he ended up in hell. You can read about it in Luke 16:19-31.

We drove around the area looking for our hotel. We called the hotel, and the employees from the hotel could not direct us! The area was so full of shops and stores, they didn’t even recognize the name of a store that was two blocks away. After praying and asking the Lord to help us, He did, and we finally found the hotel.

God’s directions to heaven are not difficult to follow. Simply trust and depend on the Lord Jesus, who died on the cross to wash our sins away. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). ”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

We were to find out a few more times that we could not depend on the directions the GPS gave us to be correct. Sometimes it would tell us to turn right, but the line on the screen was turning left. But our Savior can be fully trusted to always be correct. He has gone back to heaven with a mansion ready there for us. He is coming back soon to take everyone who trusts in Him to His perfect home in heaven. Are you trusting in Him? Are you following His directions?

After we trust in the Lord for our salvation, we can trust Him for direction in other areas of our lives. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

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

ML-12/25/2016

The Muddy Mess

Mr. Thomas busily cleared the land of trees, trying to get his mobile home set up before the cold, harsh winter of southern Maine set in. Frost was already in the ground, and snow would be falling at any time.

He pushed the trees away with a big bulldozer and dug trenches with a backhoe to bury the water line. Soon enough land had been cleared, and the water line was laid and connected to the home.

Before much more could be done, the winter’s snows began to fall, and the ground around the home was left uneven with the trenches hurriedly filled with loose, clay-like earth. Boards were laid over parts of the uneven ground to make walking easier.

Winter passed and spring thaws made the yard a muddy mess, the kind that little boys seem especially attracted to.

One Saturday morning, friends decided to come from the city to visit the Thomas family and brought their children along. The children were warned not to play in the mud. But soon, five-year-old Jamie spotted the mud and was off for some fun that only a young boy might enjoy. He jumped from board to board, occasionally missing and sinking a few inches in the muck. Great fun!

When he came to the spot where the trench had been filled in, he stepped off the board into the mud, and just that quickly he began to sink. Almost immediately he was up to his chest and sinking deeper. Jamie cried out, and the other children nearby saw him and began screaming for help! Mr. Thomas heard their cries and came running from the corral where he was tending the horse. By the time he got there, Jamie had sunk up to his neck and was still sinking.

Mr. Thomas quickly threw some boards across the trench, and, kneeling down on them, he grabbed Jamie by the arms and tugged with all his might! Jamie’s mother arrived just in time to see her little boy being pulled out of the muddy trench and saved from possible death. Jamie was very relieved when he found himself once again on solid ground.

This story reminds us of a verse in the Bible that describes in one way how Jamie was rescued when he disobeyed the warning not to play in the mud. “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock” (Psalm 40:2). This verse describes the terrible pit we are in because of our sins.

Because Jamie disobeyed what he had been told, he could have lost his life. You and I have disobeyed God, and we are slowly sinking in the pit of sin to our eternal death. The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Another verse tells us the result of our sins: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). It is important for us to realize our danger and to call out to Jesus to save us, to pull us out of the mire of sin and set our feet upon a rock. Another Bible verse says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). The Lord Jesus went into the pit of death for our sins and is now risen and living in heaven above. He is a wonderful Savior! Won’t you call upon His name and let Him save you?

ML-12/25/2016

The Wonders of God's Creation: Bald Cypress Trees

“By Him were all things created . . . visible and invisible . . . all things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians 1:16

Every tree is a marvel of God’s creation. Think of the giant Sequoia tree that begins life from a small seed, tucked in a cone, which has taken root in the moist ground. After germinating, it may grow for as long as 4,000 years, reaching a height of 300 feet or more. Or perhaps the word “tree” brings to mind fruit trees blooming in orchards in the spring.

The Creator made the first trees three days before He created Adam. The trees already had fruit for Adam and Eve to eat when they were placed on the earth shortly afterward. When God looked on what He had created, He “saw that it was good,” and it has been good ever since.

The bald cypress trees in the southern United States are an unusual variety. These relatives of the Redwoods grow in water in swampy areas. They are sometimes called fat-bottomed cypress trees because of large “knees” at the base of their trunks which protrude from the water. Above the “knees,” the trunks grow straight and tall. The trees’ flat needles drop in winter, making them non-evergreen conifers.

Among the many groves of this lovely tree is one called Moro Bottoms in Arkansas. It also has a wide variety of other trees, providing a lovely place to visit. The Big Bend Wildlife Refuge in Florida also has beautiful stands of bald cypress. And in the nearby Everglades Park, trails and foot bridges enable visitors to get close to beautiful groves of this outstanding tree.

In the Chickasaw Wildlife Refuge in western Tennessee, trails allow visitors to reach out and touch the trunks of these trees, standing so stately in water. More can be seen in the Black River Reserve of North Carolina, which is home to some of the oldest bald cypress trees in North America. These unusual trees can also be seen in the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana.

In addition to these trees, many other varieties help beautify these preserves, and visitors also often see colorful birds and a variety of water-loving animals. These all speak of the wonders of God’s creation and are part of His design for the world around us.

Do you believe what the Bible tells us, that it was His creative wisdom and power that made these beautiful displays for us to enjoy? Along with our opening verse, here are several more verses that assure us this is true: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3). Also, “The living God . . . [gives] us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). I believe it. Do you?

ML-12/25/2016

Messages of God's Love: 2016

Table of Contents

Lost on the Ski Slopes

"Keep Looking Up"

The Wonders of God's Creation: Caterpillars for Dinner

Achan's Secret

Ducks and Chickens

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Lovely Avocet

What Randy Found in the Ditch

Children

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Arabian Horse

Cricket in the Deep Snow

Jessica and the Crayon

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

Traveling to Outer Space

Afloat on an Ice Cake

The Wonders of God's Creation: Bufo Relatives

Peter's Life Was in Danger!

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Likable Desert Fox

Rescued by Obeying

Grandma's Ducks

Creation Puzzle

The Wonders of God's Creation: Horseradish Is Not for Horses

"Oh, Be Careful, Little Tongue, What You Say"

Hungry Caribou

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Plovers

The Burglar Was Caught!

The Dog That Bluffed

The Wonders of God's Creation: Lions of the Sea

The Tree Climber

The Wrong Direction

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Meerkat

Phoebe and Tillie

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Adaptable Lizard

Where to Run for Safety

Dress-Up Clothes

The Wonders of God's Creation: An Unusual Nest Builder

The Stray Cat

A Rescued Hamster

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Lovely Snail-The Conch

Who Tells Fish What to Do?

Tell Your Classmates

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Vicious Wolverine - Part 1

Danny and the Candy Bar

Tap on the Shoulder

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Vicious Wolverine - Part 2

Colorful, but Deadly

The Wrong Way

The Wonders of God's Creation: The World's Laziest Animal

"Quick! Forget Dinner and Get Your Shoes on!"

The Loud Alarm Clock

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Mayfly

Porky and the Thunderstorm

Little Max Loves the Lord Jesus

The Wonders of God's Creation: God Watches Over Fish Too - Part 1

Daniel's Jealous Enemies

A Camouflaged Lizard

The Wonders of God's Creation: God Watches Over Fish Too - Part 2

More About Daniel

Jake and Snowflake

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Osprey and Its Prey

Cougar Tracks!

Bible Relatives

The Wonders of God's Creation: Beware the Shark!

Red Means Stop and Green Means Go

The Stolen Rose

The Wonders of God's Creation: "Spiky Pig" The Porcupine

How to Catch a Groundhog

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Water Hyacinth - Both Loved and Hated

Emily's Unexpected Trip to France

The First Step

The Wonders of God's Creation: Slave-Maker Ants

The Pirates and the Bed

We Almost Killed It!

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Familiar Cow

The Poolside Story

The Wonders of God's Creation: Birds of Paradise - Part 1

It Wasn't a Fish She Hooked

A Narrow Escape

The Wonders of God's Creation: Birds of Paradise - Part 2