Contents:
Honey Out of the Rock                                        The Forbidden Romance
The Power of Choice                                             Living Instruments
A Trail Guide for Living                                         Spotlight In History: John Calvin
Please Pray!                                                            Precious Word of the Lord
Creation Nugget

His principles are true,
Irrelevant of me or you.

But free choice He gave,
To be not a slave,

A chance His rules to break.
What excuse will He take?

The responsibility great--
How will our decisions rate?

The desire for free will,
Or the opportunity to kill?

Will actions forsake,
Someone’s heart to break?

Our choices forever will live;
The consequences continue to live.

A decision is right,
When it recognizes God’s might;

For it is God that we deny,
With the times that we lie.

To know which choice is the right one,
Look to Jesus because God gave the perfect example--His Son!
                                                                                                                                                                 -Anonymous

   “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy...” (Col. 1:9-11)

   Christians have a marvelous trail guide for living in the Bible.  It shows us where we come from, where we are now, and where we are going.  This book gives us survival tips, advice on how to make the most of our journey, and concise instructions on how to reach our final destination.  Those who follow this Guide Book may pass through difficult terrain, but they will always reach the end of the trail safely.
   The Bible tells us we have a trustworthy Guide and Outfitter.  He is the one that started us on this expedition, and He knows every twist and curve of the path set before us.  He leads us along gently, like a shepherd leads his sheep; being conscious and sensitive to our strengths and weaknesses.  He is slow to anger and generous with His blessings.  In Him, there is great love, kindness, and patience.  Knowing our every thought, He counsels us.  We can find peace and comfort in His abiding presence.  He takes a personal interest in each one of us, showing that He is our friend as well as our guide.
   He holds in His hands the power to protect us on our journey.  No enemy can overcome us while we are under His shield.  The ability to shape our course is His.  In His infinite wisdom, He knows just the right paths to take us on.  Paths that will build us and strengthen us.
   While we are on the trail, the Trail Guide (the Bible) proves invaluable to us.  It warns us of snares and pits, and tells us the best paths to take.  Only by following the Bible can we stay on the path that our Guide has mapped out for us.  The path may lead through strange and sometimes unpleasant places, but our Guide shall be with us, giving us His power to press on.  Once we are out of the mire, however, the rest of the journey will be all the more pleasant because of it. . .
   The Trail Guide tells us of two and only two roads. One that leads to everlasting life and happiness, and one that leads to death and destruction.  These two roads may appear similar, and many times the latter may seem more attractive, but those who look closely and are searching for the truth will see the difference. Only those who travel on the road of life can experience the love and peace and life that being under the Guide brings.
   The Bible also describes the end of the trail. Because of God’s wonderful love and provision for us, we are able to spend eternity in heaven with Him.  In this beautiful place there will be no pain, no sorrow, and no death.  We shall be able to praise God in holiness, having discarded our corrupted bodies. The beauty there will be like no other here on earth.
Everything shall be magnificent to behold, all clothed in God’s glory.  This wonderful destination is accessible by all who travel on the road of life that begins at the cross of Jesus.
                                                                                                                                                              -Alan Smoke

The Church and the World walked far apart,  on the changing shores of time;
   The World was singing a giddy song, and the Church a hymn sublime.
“Give me your hand,” cried the merry World, “And walk with me this way;”
   But the good Church hid her snowy hand, and solemnly answered, “Nay,
I will not give you my hand at all, and I will not walk with you;
   Your way is the way of endless death; your words are all untrue.”

“Nay, walk with me but a little space,” said the World with a kindly air;
   “The road I walk is a pleasant road, and the sunshine is always there.
Your path is thorny and rough and rude, and mine is broad and plain;
   My road is paved with flowers and gems, and yours with tears and pain.
The sky above me is always blue; no want, no toil, I know;
   The sky above you is always dark; your lot is a lot of woe.
My path, you see, is a broad, fair path, and my gate is high and wide--
   There is room enough for you and for me, to travel side by side.”

Half shyly the Church approached the World, gave him her hand of snow;
   The old World grasped it, and walking along, saying, in accent low--
“Your dress is too simple to please my taste; I will give you pearls to wear,
   Rich velvet and silks for your graceful form, and diamonds to deck your hair.”
The Church looked down at her plain white robes, and then at the dazzling World,
   And blushed as she saw his handsome lip, with a smile contemptuous curled.
“I will change my dress for a costlier one,” said the Church with a smile of grace;
   Then her pure garments drifted away, and the World gave, in their place,
Beautiful satins, and shining silks, and roses and gems and pearls;
   And over her forehead her bright hair fell, crisped in a thousand curls.

“Your house is too plain,” said the proud old World, I’ll build you one like mine--
Carpets of Brussels, and curtains of lace, and furniture ever so fine.”
So he built her a costly and beautiful house-- splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and beautiful daughters dwelt there, gleaming in purple and gold.
And fairs and shows in halls were held, and the World and his children were there:
And laughter and music and feasts were heard, in the place that was meant for prayer.
She had cushioned pews for the rich and great, to sit in their pomp and pride,
While the poor folks clad in their shabby suits, sat meekly down outside.

The angel of mercy flew over the Church, and whispered, “I know thy sin.”
   The Church looked back with a sigh, and longed, to gather her children in.
But some were off in the midnight ball, and some were off at the play,
   And some were drinking in gay saloon, so she quietly went her way.
The sly World gallantly said to her, “Your children mean no harm--
   Merely indulging in innocent sports,” so she leaned on his proffered arm.
And smiled, and chatted, and gathered flowers, as she walked along with the World;
   While millions and millions of deathless souls, to the horrible pit were hurled.

“Your preachers are all too old and plain,” said the gay old World with a sneer,
   “They frighten my children with dreadful tales, which they should never hear.
They talk of brimstone and fire and pain, and the horrors of endless night;
   They talk of a place that should not be, mentioned to ears polite.
I will send you some of the better stamp, brilliant and gay and fast,
   Who will tell them all to live as they list (desire), and go to heaven at last.
The Father is merciful and great and good, tender and true and kind;
   Do you think He would take one child to Heaven, and leave the rest behind?”
So he filled her house with gay divines, gifted and great and learned;
   And the plain old men that preached the cross, were out of the pulpit turned.

“You give too much to the poor,” said the World, “Far more than you ought to do;
   If the poor need shelter and food and clothes, why need it trouble you?
Go, take your money and buy rich robes, (and cars and yachts so fine),
   And pearls and jewels and dainty food, and the rarest and costliest wine.
My children, they dote on all such things, and if you their love would win,
   You must do as they do, and walk in the ways, that they are walking in.”
The Church held tightly the strings of her purse, and gracefully lowered her head,
   And simpered, “I’ve given too much away; I’ll do sir, as you have said.”

So the poor were turned from her door in scorn, and she heard not the orphan’s cry,
   And she drew her beautiful robes aside, as the widows went weeping by.
The sons of the World and the sons of the Church, walked closely hand and heart,
   And only the Master, who knoweth all, could tell the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease and said, “I am rich, and in goods increased;
   I have need of nothing, and naught to do, but to laugh and dance and feast.”
The sly World heard her, and laughed in his sleeve, and mockingly said aside,
   “The Church is fallen--the beautiful Church--and her shame is her boast and pride!”

The angel drew near to the mercy-seat, and whispered, in sighs, her name,
   And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed, and covered their heads with shame.
And a voice came down, through the hush of heaven, from Him who sat on the throne,
   “I know thy works, and how thou hast said, ‘I am rich,’ and hast not known,
That thou art naked and poor and blind, and wretched before My face;
   Therefore, from My presence I cast thee out, and blot thy name from its place!”
                                                                                                                                                        -Maltilda C. Edwards
                                                               Used by permission from the Pilgrim Tract Society, Inc., Randleman, N.C. 27317