Jewel # 90 (July 27, 2011)

"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,

Three Willful Cows

It had been a difficult day for three cows named Bessy, Daisy and June. They had been purchased by the Browns at an auction that had been a very confusing and noisy place.  Then they were taken by truck to a strange, new pasture where they were unloaded and left alone.  The Browns had supplied food and water for the three cows in safety of the new pasture , but because the cows were still scared and edgy, they jumped over the fence.

Were they looking for their old pasture?  If so, they didn't find it.  Instead, they were now in a wooded area where wild animals roamed and where there was no easy source of food and water.  There was something else in the woods that would be frightening to any animal - HUNTERS.  Gunshots would terrify any animal!

It didn't take the Browns long to discover that their cows were gone, and they began to look for then.  The family wore bright orange vests so the hunters would know they weren't deer moving through the woods.  Every now and then the Browns spotted the three cows, but they would run when anyone moved close to them.  They were lost in a dangerous area and didn't know it.

This world is a dangerous place in which to live, and you may not know it.  It has all kinds of dangerous attractions that lure sinners like you and me deeper into sin.  Like the three cows lost in the woods, we sinners are lost in this evil world and away from our loving God who wants to save us.  He gave His own Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on the cross for sinners so we could be saved from our sins and have a happy home in heaven when life here on earth is over.  Are you willing to let the Lord Jesus save you?  He says, "Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

After some time of wandering the three cows found another fenced-in  pasture where there were other cows grazing peacefully.  The three lost cows broke through the fence and began grazing with the other cows in the new pasture.  It was a peaceful and safe place, and they were finished running away.

When the farmer came to feed his cattle, he found the three cows that he had never seen before.  Soon the Browns learned that Bessy, Daisy and June were in this farmer's pasture.  With the farmer's permission, they left the three in the pasture in the company of the other cows for several weeks before they took them home to their own peaceful pasture.  This time they were calm and home to stay.

God has wonderful things prepared for you in His happy, peaceful home in heaven, if you are willing to stop running away and receive His Son Jesus as your very own Saviour.  Jesus paid the awful price for the sins of each person who will come to Him, admitting that he is a sinner and needs his his sins forgiven.  He will joyfully make you one of His very own children and will lovingly provide all that you need down here on earth.  When it is time, He will take you home to heaven where all danger and sadness will be over forever.  There is absolutely nothing that can be better than that!

"As many as received Him, to then gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."

(John 1:12)

Love,

 Grandpa    

  

Jewel # 89 (July 12, 2011)

    

    

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

(Malachi 3:17)

The Ways of Woodpeckers

Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are 

therein . . . and Thou preservest them all."

(Nehemiah 9:6)

Woodpeckers are pretty birds with barred or spotted black and white or brown and black feathers.  Males may have red or yellow markings on their heads.  Some, like the pileated and ivory-billed varieties, have beautiful tufts of feathers forming crowns on their heads.

Most of their hole drilling is to reach beetles, grubs and other insects inside tree trunks.  They have an amazing ability to hear these insects chewing the wood, and a hole is drilled at that spot.  The bird's tongue darts in to spear the insect.

Their tongues are one of the features setting these birds apart from other birds.  While most have tongues attached in their mouths, woodpeckers have tongues attached to thin, flexible bones passing over the skull and coiling up behind it.  God made them this way because a woodpecker needs to reach far back in the hole to catch the insect.  If its tongue were attached to its mouth, it would not be long enough, so one that stretches out far was provided by a wise Creator.  The tongues of woodpeckers are also specially designed in other ways.  The flicker has a long, sticky tongue.  Any ant, beetle or grub touched by it cannot escape.  Other varieties have barbs on the end to pierce the insect and pull it out.   The sapsucker drills most of its holes in just the outer layers of live trees.  These holes form little wells where sweet sap collects.  The end of its tongue has a brush, helping it to lap up the syrup.

The acorn woodpecker drills holes in trees, fence posts or utility poles and then stuffs one acorn in each hole.  Often hundreds and even thousands of these storage "cupboards" are made to assure it has plenty to eat in winter.

Woodpeckers are very beneficial to mankind, eating millions of harmful insects.  Without their help, many trees would die from the attacks of insects.  Thus they are another example of God's ways of keeping a necessary balance among all things in His creation.

Where do you think these remarkable birds learned how to capture insects hidden inside tree trunks?  Where did they receive the specially designed features of their bodies?  The Creator gave these abilities and features to them when He placed them on the earth.  The Bible reminds us, "in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:10).

This also reminds us that we share in His blessings too.  We are responsible not only to enjoy them, but also to acknowledge that He is "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6).  He invites us to believe on Him, the only Saviour of sinners, for everlasting life.  "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life life" (John 5:24). 

 Do you have everlasting life? 

Love,

Grandpa