Jewel # 409 (July 11, 2020)

And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

The Twinkling Firefly

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.”  Acts 15:18

The firefly is a beetle that is fascinating to all of us.  Seeing their little lights flashing on for a second or two on warm summer evenings is an interesting experience.  They are also sometimes called lightning bugs.  Many children like to catch some in a jar, so they can watch them up close as they turn their lights on and off.  In some tropical areas, there are large firefly species, and people keep them in bottles to use for light.

Scientists would like to duplicate this kind of heatless light,  because it is much more efficient than electricity.  They know how the light is produced, but the chemical reactions, one set to turn on the light and another set to turn off the light, are so complex that man has not been able to use them.  We should not be surprised at this, because it is a very special reaction created for these insects by God their Creator.

The firefly begins life in the ground; even its eggs have a glow to them.  Before it is ready to fly, it develops into a glowworm.  You may have seen these shining as they crawl around looking for food.

There is another illuminated insect found in some caves in New Zealand.  This little fly, while still in the worm stage, gathers in groups of several thousand on the ceilings of caves and glows in the darkness.  After attaching itself to the roof of the cave, a two-foot-long string drops from its mouth with small, sticky balls on it.  It waits in the darkness with its taillight glowing, until it feels a victim struggling to get loose from one of the sticky balls.  Pulling it up, it eats the victim along with the string.  Then it lets down a new string.

There are over 500,000 species of insects  throughout the world, and God has made each one different.  This variety speaks of His handiwork and never-tiring care over them.  All these little creatures, as we see them today, are the same as they were the day they were created thousands of years ago.  God designed each one to reproduce after its kind.  Furthermore, they always obey His laws without question, and by doing so, every need is provided for.

These lighted creatures remind us that the Lord Jesus was announced as the true light of the world.  God has given His people a special kind of light that He also wants displayed.  His Word, the Bible, says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). 

It is only when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour by faith that He brings us “out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1Peter 2:9).  Then we can please Him in our activities and shine out for Him. 

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 408 (July 5, 2020)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when when I make up MY JEWELS.”

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

The Bald Eagle

A great eagle with great wings, long-winged . . . took the highest branch of the cedar.”  Ezekiel 17:3

Many people consider the bald eagle to be the most beautiful and impressive of all birds.  Fully grown, it stands three feet high, weighs about ten pounds, and has a wingspan of six to eight feet.  A mature eagle has a dark-brown body with white feathers on its head, neck and tail.  Its eyes, sharp-hooked beak and legs are bright yellow.

The Creator designed this bird for its special place in His creation.  It has exceptional beauty, whether sitting in a tree or circling high in the air.  Its eyes can spot a mouse a mile away or a fish far below.  Its main food is fish, but it also eats mice, gophers, rabbits, snakes, birds and dead animals.  Spotting prey, it may circle down swiftly or make a direct dive at a speed of 100 miles per hour, stopping suddenly as its curved talons grab its victim.

Spotting an osprey or fish hawk flying with a fish, an eagle may swoop down and frighten it into dropping its food.  Then the eagle dives down and catches the prize for itself.  Often while looking for food, it will perch on a dead tree high on a bluff, just as they did in Bible days when the Lord asked Job,”Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on hight?  She dwelleth and abideth on . . . the strong place.  From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off” (Job 39:27-29).

Eagles keep the same mate for life.  Their nest, called an aerie, is usually in the top of a high tree near water.  They use the same aerie every year and add new material to it, so many old aeries are as large as 20 feet deep and 9 feet across.  Only one or two white eggs are laid each year and take about 40 days to hatch.

The eaglets live on food brought to them by their parents.  If both eaglets are healthy, they gain strength by playing tug-of-war with sticks or having little battles.  They first learn to fly by hovering over the nest, but when 11 or 12 weeks old, they leave the nest.  If one is afraid to fly, the mother may push it out, then swoop below and allow it to rest on her back when it gets tired.  The Lord spoke of this concerning His people Israel: “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth then on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead them” (Deuteronomy 32:11-12).

Another Bible verse says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). 

 If the Lord Jesus Christ is your Saviour, you will find Him always able and willing to give you the strength needed for your Christian life. 

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 407 (July 1, 2020)

 

And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.”

Malachi 3:17

To my dear Grandchildren

A Ferocious Caterpillar

“God made . . . everything that crept upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”  Genesis 1:25  

Caterpillars are usually considered a pest in gardens, and they can be quite destructive.  On the island of Hawaii there are several species of one known as a “fighter caterpillar.”  It comes equipped with sharp claws and strong jaws, making its meals out of insects flying or crawling within its reach.  These caterpillars are only about an inch long and are camouflaged to look like a coloured leaf or a twig on which they are waiting.  From there they quickly reach out to catch their prey.

Examined closely, they resemble a miniature, spike-covered golden fist with six fingers, each of which is equipped with a needle-like spear.  They reach out so fast with these that if a person is not watching closely, he will miss the action and wonder how that insect ever got into the caterpillar’s claw.

These well-armoured creatures are the larvae of an unusual Hawaiian butterfly which lays eggs on leaves, two or three at a time, where they hatch out looking like little worms.  These larvae go through some molting stages, finally spinning cocoons around their bodies and later emerging  as pretty butterflies.  It is before the cocoon is formed that this vicious way of life takes place.

While in the larval stage, they are sometimes referred to as “earth measurers,” because of their looping way of moving about, like some other caterpillars do.  To do this, with their hind legs they first firmly grasp the surface on which they lie, then stretch out full length before changing the grip from back to front.  The back then moves forward in a horseshoe-like loop, gets another grip on the surface and the process is repeated over and over.  If an insect gets in the way, it is either eaten or knocked out of the way with the “looper’s” tough head.

At times, instead of going forward, one will move down to a lower spot by anchoring a spider-like thread, which it ejects at the starting point, and then dropping away, it ejects as much thread as is needed to reach the desired spot.  Then it resumes activity in a normal way.

We might wonder why the Creator made such awkward bits of life, but they have a definite place as part of His creation.  Caterpillars are always mentioned in the Bible in connection with God’s judgment against evil.  This is a solemn reminder that, in a future day, those who have not accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be brought into terrible judgment.

However, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will never face that judgment, because they have trusted the only One who could and did bear that judgement for them.  His promise to these is eternal life in the splendours of heaven.

Which group are you in?  

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 406 (June 25, 2020)

"And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren.

Don’t Argue With a Jaguar

“Every beast of the forest is Mine. . . . And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”  Psalm 50:10-11

A jaguar can easily be mistaken for a leopard since the brownish-yellow fur of each, covered with black spots, is so similar.  But there are some differences.  The adult jaguar is larger, and many of the circular spots covering its body have a darker black spot in the center, while those of the leopard are solid.  Some South American jaguars are almost coal black. 

The jaguar, up to 8 feet long including its 2.5 foot tail, may weigh up to 290 pounds.  The huge mouth in its large head has strong, sharp teeth and a long tongue covered with tiny rasps that help get the last bit of flesh off the bones of its victims.  Out of that mouth also comes a frightening roar.  This ferocious cat is the most feared animal in Mexico, Central and South America.

Huge, well-padded paws have fearsome claws that, like a house cat’s, remain hidden in the toes but are extended as fierce weapons when fighting or catching prey.  However, in spite of this fearful feature, it is a handsome animal with small, erect ears, beautiful eyes and large shoulders.

The jaguar is not afraid of water, jumping into a stream or pond to catch its prey, which might be a fish, turtle or even a small crocodile.  Normally it stalks the animals in hight grass or bush—seeing, but not being seen—silently creeping closer and then suddenly pouncing on its victim—a deer, peccary, armadillo, tapir or other animal.  Its muscular legs and large shoulders provide plenty of strength to drag even a heavy victim a mile or so away, where it may hide a part of the kill to eat another day.

A jaguar prefers to live alone except when raising its family of two or three cubs.  It often travels many miles a day hunting for food.  When not on the move, it likes to stretch out on a tree limb or s smooth shaded rock.  Being master of the rainforest, it has no fear of attack, except by hunters.

The Bible does not mention the jaguar, but the Lord, wanting His people to change their bad ways, said, “Their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me. . . . As a leopard by the way will I observe them” (Hosea 13:6-7).  This means that while they forgot Him, yet, like an unseen leopard (or like our unseen jaguar), He was watching everything they did. Farther on in the chapter He adds, “In Me is thine help” (vs. 9).  

Have you forgotten Him and are you careless in your ways?  Oh, how lovingly He invites you to confess it to Him and accept Hm as your Saviour before it is too late!  If you have not done this, won’t you do it right now while there is still time?   

Love you all - Grandpa            

Jewel # 405 (June 6, 2020)

“And they shall be Mine, saith Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.” 

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

The Durable Coyote

“He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.”  Psalm 147:9

Coyotes are often mistaken for wolves or large dogs.  Although they weigh only about thirty pounds, their long, thick, gray fur makes them look larger.  At times they are noisy, and if you hear a pack of them howling on a moonlit night, it is something you will always remember.

Coyotes live throughout Mexico, the United States and southern Canada.  Some make their homes on the prairies where there is a good supply of gophers, field mice, ground squirrels, small birds and insects.  But coyotes are also plentiful in deserts, seashores, forested hills and even close to cities.  Besides being meat eaters, they eat berries and fruits.

The Creator has made coyotes very clever.  Trappers are amazed at their ability to steal bait from traps without getting caught in them.  They will also quietly watch other animals or large birds hunting . . . then steal the food from them.  When chasing rabbits, they work cleverly in teams.  One chases a rabbit until it tires, then another takes over, and sometimes a third helps out.  The rabbit can outrun them, but it becomes exhausted and is finally captured.

Unfortunately, coyotes do kill sheep and chickens and are hunted and poisoned for this reason.  But it has been noted that when no coyotes are around, packrats, mice, gophers and other rodents multiply and do serious damage to crops and other property.  As a result, it has been decided that coyotes do more good than harm, and they are no longer completely killed off.

A pair of coyotes is usually loyal to each other for a lifetime.  Once a year they raise from five or six to as many as fifteen pups.  These are hidden in a den on a hillside, under a big rock, or underneath a stump.  The pups are playful but trained to obey their parents instantly.  They are taught to stay close to the den under their parents’ watchful care until they are given hunting lessons when about two months old.  

These interesting animals usually hunt at night and hide in daylight in places where they are almost impossible to find.  They often watch campers and hikers without their being aware of it.  Normally coyotes do not bother people and try to avoid them.

Many of God’s creatures live by their superior strength or swiftness, but He has enabled this animal to survive and prosper by giving it a sharp intellect and cleverness.  Since He cares for the coyote this much, the Bible assures us He cares for you even more:  “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).  Also, in Jeremiah 31:3 the Lord tells us, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

Have you accepted the Saviour’s love and care?

Love you all - Grandpa     

Jewel # 404 (May 29, 2020)

"And thy shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS.”  

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

Traveling With the Earth

“The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens.”   Proverbs 3:19

“He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.”   Job 26:7

Years ago men thought the earth was held up by a great elephant, standing on the back of a huge turtle.  Others thought there was a mythological god who balanced the starry sky on his shoulders.  (They didn’t explain what the turtle or the god would stand on!)  Scientists today laugh at those ideas, but still don’t understand how the earth, weighing six thousand million, million, million tons can "float" through space, or what keeps it in motion in its precisely kept schedules.  But King Solomon knew the earth and heavens were created by the Lord God, and Job knew thousands of years ago that only God could “hang the earth upon nothing.”

Man has built airplanes that fly across the Atlantic Ocean at a speed of about 1,000 miles per hour (mph).  But what is that compared to the speed you are traveling every moment of the day and night?  Did you know that every 24 hours the earth makes a complete revolution on its axis and takes you on a 25,000-mile trip at more than 1,000 mph?  Furthermore, that is only part of the journey you are on, for the earth also travels in its orbit around the sun at a speed of 66,000 mph.  This makes 65 mph in a car seem rather slow, doesn’t it?

Even these figures don’t tell the whole story, for our entire galaxy of several billion stars is moving through space at 43,000 mph.  Adding these figures together, we discover that at times we are racing through space at a speed of more that 100,000 mph!  While we are doing this (without feeling any motion that makes us aware of such terrific speed), countless stars are passing through the heavens as well.

Who started all this motion, and how is it all kept in perfect order?  God alone could create, put in motion, and keep all in perfect order, “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).   

But, as the result of sin coming into the world, there is judgment coming when “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).  Thankfully, those who know Christ as their Saviour will be taken from this world into the safety of heaven before this destruction takes place.  It is said of Abraham and other faithful people of Bible times that they “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth and they looked for a better country—a heavenly country" (Hebrews 11:13-16).    Heaven can be your place of safety too, if you will come to Christ who “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:25).    

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 403 (May 22, 2020)

And they shall be Mine saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear Grandchildren

The Shepherd and His Sheep (Part 2)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack anything]ing).  He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters.  Psalm 23:1-2.

David, who wrote many of the psalms, could understand how the Lord Jesus is like a shepherd, because he himself had been a shepherd when he was young.  He never forgot how dependent he was on the Good Shepherd’s watchful care over him day and night.  When he was troubled, he told Him all about it and was led “beside the still waters” for rest and comfort.   

You will notice the verse doesn’t say, “He leads me beside the swift waters.” No, it is the still waters we need for safety, refreshment and quietness.  The Good Shepherd who watches over all who love Him will never lead any into  places where the evils of Satan and the world are like wild waters.  He leads only into safe and pleasant places.

That’s the way it is with with sheep and lambs too.  There are times when they need the shepherd to lead them to a quiet place beside a gentle stream or pond to drink, lie down and rest before returning to their grazing.

Have you ever rubbed your hand over the woolly coat of a sheep and noticed how much whiter it is down underneath?  This shows how the outer part has been soiled by dust and rubbing against brush and tall grass.  This makes it necessary for the wool to be washed thoroughly after it is clipped and before it can be used.

Sheep, of course, don’t realize they are getting dirty and that their wool is going to need to be washed.  Sometimes people think that if they are living “good” lives, their sins aren’t serious enough to need washing away before they can enter heaven.  But a holy God cannot look on sin, and to reach His lovely, heavenly home, we must first be made clean.  But, as the Bible verse says, “Though thou wash thee with nitre [strong cleaner], and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity [sin] is marked before Me, saith the Lord God” (Jeremiah 2:22). 

If you have ever tried to “turn over a new leaf” and never again do anything wrong, you know it’s impossible.  How wonderful it is that the Lord Jesus, while on the cross, took away all the sins of everyone who will admit they are a sinner, repent of their sins and accept Him as Lord and Saviour.  There is no other way in which you can enter heaven.

It is important to listen to His invitation: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).  

Have you accepted that gracious invitation?  If so, now you know Him as your own Good Shepherd!   

 Love you all - Grandpa