Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Heidi darted out of Stacy's house, slamming the door behind her.  "Some friend Stacy is!" she fumed as she walked home.  As she stomped up the steps to her house a little later, she stumbled and fell.  She wasn't hurt, but when she stood up, she saw a rip in her shirt.  Tears filled her eyes, and she ran into the house to find her mother.  "Oh, Mom," she cried, "this is the very worst day of my life.  I fell on the steps and tore my new shirt."
 
"I'm sorry, honey," said Mother as she examined the shirt.  "This isn't a very bad tear, though.  I'll mend it right now before it gets worse. I'm sure I can fix it so no one will ever know it was torn."
 
Heidi changed her clothes, and as Mother got busy with needle and thread, Heidi told her about the quarrel with Stacy. "You should have heard what she called me," whined Heidi.
 
"And what did you call her?" asked Mother.
 
"Uh -- well, I don't exactly remember what I said," stammered Heidi, "but I was pretty mad."
 
Soon the ripped shirt was mended.  "It's just as good as new," Mother told Heidi.  "I'm glad you showed it to me right away.  If the rip had gotten longer, it would have been much harder to fix."
 
"Thanks, Mom," said Heidi with a smile.  "I'm glad you could mend it for me.  This is my favorite shirt."
 
"And what about the rip in your friendship with Stacy -- your favorite friend?" asked Mother.  "Shouldn't that rip be mended today, too?"
 
Heidi looked at the floor in embarrassment.  "But it wasn't my fault," she said, trying to excuse her part in the quarrel.
 
"Not entirely, perhaps," responded Mother.  "But mending that ripped friendship is more important than fixing your ripped shirt.  Think about it.  Mend it before it gets worse."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you quarreled with a friend or relative?  Isn't your relationship with that person important enough for you to forgive and forget?  Besides, you may need to be forgiven, too, since it takes two to quarrel.  Mend torn friendships quickly.  Perhaps that will be easier to do if you remember how much God has forgiven you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Colossians 3:13)
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

[Soldier4Christ]

Little Kelsey climbed from the pool.  Then she eagerly walked along the edge to  where her father was standing waist deep in the water.  "Catch me again, Daddy!" she called.  Kelsey leaped toward her father almost before he could get his arms up to catch her.
 
"Wheeee!" called Daddy as he pulled her around in the water and then took her to the shallow end where she could touch bottom.  Soon Kelsey was back up the steps and heading toward her jumping spot again.
 
"Kelsey sure does trust Daddy to catch her," observed her older sister, Linda.  "And I can't believe how many times Dad keeps doing it. You'd think he'd get tired of it."
 
Mother smiled.  "You know what I think?" she asked.  "I think this is a good picture of our faith in God.  Your dad is happy that Kelsey trusts him enough to jump into his arms again and again.  And because he caught her the first few times, she learned to trust him more and more.  She jumped almost before he was ready the last time."
 
Linda was perplexed.  "How is that like us and God?" she asked.
 
"Well, after we trust God for something and find that He is faithful to keep His promises, it's easier to trust Him the next time we have a problem," explained Mother.  She smiled as Kelsey squealed and leaped toward her father's arms once again.   "The more we exercise our faith, the more it grows," continued Mother.  "When Kelsey jumps into the pool, she doesn't think, 'Maybe Daddy will catch me.'  She knows he will.  Dad is pleased that she trusts him, and when we trust God like that, He is pleased, too."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have enough faith to trust God in times of trouble as well as when things are going great?  Trust Him in scary situations -- when a fierce dog barks at you, when the thunder is extra loud, when something goes wrong at home, when kids tease you because you're a Christian.  You can trust God to take care of any problem you have.  Exercise your faith.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 11:6)
But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God).

[Soldier4Christ]

It was a sunny spring morning.  Stacy and her brother Benji had been given permission to plant a small vegetable garden.  While Benji ran to his room to get the seeds, Stacy sat down and mapped out, with paper and pencil, where she wanted everything planted. 
 
"What's taking you so long?" asked Stacy as she entered Benji's room a little later.  She frowned.  "Your room's a mess," she said crossly.  "I suppose you can't find the seeds."
 
"I know exactly where I put them," said Benji.  "I put them right here on my desk, but they're gone.  Let's go ask Mom if she's seen them."
 
Stacy and Benji found Mom busily washing dirt off their little sister's face and arms.  "How'd Debbie get so dirty?" asked Benji.
 
"Playing in the sandbox," answered Mom.
 
"No, I didn't," said Debbie.  "I was planting the garden.  I found the seeds on Benji's desk, so I planted 'em for you."
 
"You what?" yelled Stacy.  "You don't know how to plant a garden!"
 
"Do, too,"  protested Debbie.  "I dug a hole and dumped the seeds in it."
 
"Those were not your seeds!  You're a thief!" yelled Stacy.  "And everybody hates thieves!"
 
"That's enough, Stacy," said Mom sternly.
 
"Well, they do!" exclaimed Stacy.  "Including me!"  She turned and ran to her room. 
 
Mom followed a little later.  "Stacy," said Mom, "do you remember what we read this morning from the Bible?"
 
"We . . . uh . . . it was something about reaping what we sow," mumbled Stacy.
 
"Yes," said Mom.  "It was wrong of Debbie to plant those seeds, but what you planted was worse."
 
"I haven't planted anything," argued Stacy.
 
"You've planted a seed of hate in your sister's heart," said Mom. "I'm sure you don't want to reap hate from Debbie."
 
Stacy sighed.  "I . . . I didn't mean what I said.  I was just mad.  I'm sorry, Mom, and I'll apologize to Debbie."
 
"All right," said Mom.  "You need to do that."
 
"Mom, can we go buy some more seeds?" asked Stacy.  "Then I can teach Debbie how to plant them the right way."
 
"I think that's a great idea," said Mom.  "You'll be learning how to plant seeds the right way, too -- seeds of kindness."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
When people do things you don't like, do you sow seeds of hate or seeds of kindness?  The Bible says we are not to repay evil with evil, but with good.  And remember that whatever it is you sow, that's what you'll eventually reap.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Galatians 6:7)
Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Aw, Dad!  One cigarette can't hurt a guy," pleaded Jeremy.  "I only wanted to give it a try.  Do I have to be grounded?  Can't we just forget it?"
 
Dad shook his head.  "Jeremy, remember when you asked for a dollar the other day because you wanted to send for some CD's?" he asked.
 
Jeremy nodded.  "Sure, I remember.  But what does that have to do with trying a cigarette?"
 
"Well, after you asked for the dollar, we read the fine print in the ad and found that you weren't just buying ten CD's for a dollar," replied Dad.  "You were also obligating yourself to purchase ten additional CD's in a year's time -- for ten dollars each.  Once we counted the true cost of those first ten bargain tapes, you decided you really couldn't afford them."
 
"Yeah," agreed Jeremy.  "That ad was just a come-on to get me to spend more money."
 
"Well, Son, sin can be a 'come-on,' too," said Dad.  "A sin can seem like a very small thing -- in this case, like smoking just one cigarette.  But have you 'counted the cost' involved in smoking?  Have you checked to see what's involved in addition to smoking that one cigarette?  You know that serious health problems can result from smoking, don't you?"
 
"Yeah," muttered Jeremy.  "I suppose."
 
"Besides that, when you decided to try a cigarette, you were also making the decision to disobey and deceive your parents," said Dad. "Getting away with this could cause you to try it again -- and as a result, you could become addicted, not only to cigarettes, but to disobedience and other sins."
 
Jeremy nodded.  "I see what you're saying, and I am sorry, Dad --  really!" he said.  He grinned a little.  "You're sure I haven't learned my lesson well enough to skip the punishment?" 
 
"I'm sure," said Dad.  "I love you too much, Jeremy, to let you get away with smoking 'just one cigarette.'  I pray that the next time you're tempted to disobey, you will count the cost a little more carefully."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever found yourself much farther into sin than you expected to be?  One sin often leads to another, and then another.  Don't take that first step -- don't "just try" something that is wrong.  Instead, flee from it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Timothy 2:22)
Flee also youthful lusts.

[Soldier4Christ]

Ben unlocked the garage door, swung it open, and plopped his school books under the clip on his bike.  He had just adjusted his mirrors when he heard his mother call.  "Ben!  Oh, Ben!"  She went on to say something else. 
 
I suppose Mom wants me to do something before I go to school, thought Ben.  I'll just pretend I don't hear her.  I want to get to school in time to play a while before the bell rings.  "'Bye," he called as he quickly glided out of the garage.  He could hear his mother still talking.   
 
School sure has been boring today, thought Ben as he finally closed his locker for the last time and headed home.  And I suppose Mom will have work waiting for me, too.  I just don't feel like working on a hot day like this.
 
As Ben opened the kitchen door, Mother looked up in surprise.  "Oh, Ben!  I thought you were fishing with Grandpa," she said.  "He called just after you left the house this morning -- but you were still in the garage when I called to you.  I was sure you could hear me, and I even thought I heard you answer.  You were to go there directly after school.  I took your overnight bag and fishing gear over there at noon."
 
As Ben looked at Mother, he remembered that he had deliberately not listened when she had called to him that morning.  "Oh, no!  It . . . it's my own fault.  I didn't want to listen, so I hurried off," he confessed.  "I guess I missed a good time, didn't I, Mom?"  Ben turned and stumbled up the stairs to his room.
 
Big sobs were smothered in the bed covers as Ben pictured Grandpa and his boat -- probably on the river that very moment.  After this I'm going to listen when someone talks to me, he thought to himself, and I'm going to quit trying to avoid work.  With a determined look, he got up and ran down to the kitchen.  "Mom," he said, "is there anything you want me to do?"
 
Mother looked at Ben, saw his teary eyes, and gave him a hug.  "Yes, there is, Ben," she said.  "I called Grandpa, and he said to hurry over.  Let's go!"



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you really listen when your parents talk to you?  It's important that you do.  Listening to God includes listening to parents.  God uses parents, teachers, and His Word to speak to you.  Listen with the intent to obey.  With obedience will come blessing.  So listen to God today.  He may be trying to tell you something really great.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Luke 8:18)
Take heed therefore how ye hear.

[Soldier4Christ]

Zach frowned as he crumpled up another piece of paper and threw it in the wastebasket.  "I'm supposed to write about a couple of things I might like to be when I grow up," he said.  "I thought about being a professional baseball player -- or maybe a photographer like Dad.  But the chances of me playing pro baseball aren't good at all, and I don't really want to be a photographer."  Grinning, he added, " I hope Dad doesn't mind."
 
"Well, I know Dad doesn't expect you to do what he does," Mother assured Zach.  "God has given you talents of your own to use for Him."
 
"Maybe I should want to be a preacher or a missionary," said Zach. "God would probably want me to do something like that, wouldn't He?"
 
Motioning for Zach to follow, Mother got up and walked to the kitchen window.  "What kind of fruit does that tree out there produce?" she asked.
 
Zach looked at his mother suspiciously.  "Apples, of course," he said.  "It's an apple tree." 
 
Mother nodded.  "Apple trees produce apples, not some other kind of fruit," she agreed, "but they don't struggle to do it.  They automatically produce apples because that's what God made them to do.  That principle applies to you, too."
 
"Yeah?  But I'm not an apple tree," said Zach with a grin.
 
Mother smiled.  "No, you're not, so God doesn't expect you to produce apples -- and He doesn't expect you to act like somebody you're not," she said. "Whatever you end up doing for a career -- working as a lawyer, businessman, farmer, factory worker, preacher, missionary, or whatever -- you can serve God.  He needs Christians in every field of work."
 
"I guess I know what you mean," said Zach, "but I still don't know what to write for my paper."
 
"Write about things you like to do and things you do well," suggested Mother.  "Those are pretty good clues to help you begin to understand God's plan for your life."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
What are you good at doing?  What do you like to do?  Your interests may change as the years pass, but keep praying about these things.  Be willing to let God use you and your special abilities in any way He sees fit -- both now and in the future.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 37:4-5)
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; and He shall bring it to pass.

[Soldier4Christ]

"It's raining!  It's pouring!" sang six-year-old Josie as she ran into Missi's room.  She slid to a stop beside Missi's chair.  "I love rain," she said.  "It makes puddles to wade in."
 
"Yeah," Missi snapped, "and it cancels picnics."
 
"Were you going on a picnic?" asked Josie.
 
"I'm not going anywhere," grumbled Missi.  "I'm grounded."
 
Josie patted Missi's hand.  "I hope it storms.  Storms are exciting! The lights go out, and we use candles."
 
"I hate storms!" responded Missi with a shudder.  "You're a strange kid.  You love storms and rain and snow and cold weather -- and hot weather, too."
 
"I heard that," said Mother as she came into the room.  "To Josie, there's no such thing as bad weather -- only different kinds of weather."
 
Josie wrinkled her brow.  "Do you know all the seasons, Missi?"  Josie counted on her fingers.  "There's spring and fall and winter and . . . "
 
"Summer," interrupted Missi.  "I know them, too, Josie."
 
Josie threw her arms open wide.  "And I love them all."
 
Mother sat down beside Missi.  "There are different seasons in life, too," she said.  "There's childhood and adolescence.  Then before we know it, we're adults, parents, and even grandparents."
 
"And the teen years are the worst!" Missi exploded.
 
Mother shook her head.  "Not necessarily, honey," she said.  "Every age has its special blessings as well as its problems.  It's true that there are stormy times in teen years, but people of every age experience storms."
 
"Is it going to storm?" asked Josie.  "I'll get the candles out."  Missi gave a half-smile as Josie ran from the room.  Mother smiled, too.  "Even storms have a purpose.  For example, lightning puts nitrogen into the air to help plants grow," she said.  "And life's storms also have a purpose, Missi.  As we trust the Lord to teach us, He'll help us grow in all kinds of life's weather."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you going through some stormy times in your life?  Remember -- there are no bad days, just different days.  Make a list of things that are happening to you.  Then thank God for everything. Doing that will help you grow spiritually.  God will teach you something as you trust Him in all the experiences He allows to come your way.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 118:24)
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Moore family had enjoyed a great vacation trip, but now they looked forward to home and their own beds.  "This is our last pit stop," Dad told the children as he pulled into a service station.
 
"Good!" said Nicole.  "I'm getting tired of riding."
 
"Me, too," agreed Matt.  "We've been on the road a long time today."
 
When everyone was in the car again, Dad drove back onto the interstate highway.
 
It had been a cloudy day, but after they had gone a few miles, the sun finally broke out.  "Oh, look!" Mother exclaimed.  "The sun is in our faces.  That's not right, is it?  Aren't we going west instead of east?"
 
Startled, Dad slowed the car.  "I must have taken the wrong ramp to get onto the interstate!" he said.  "I can't believe I did that!  We'll turn around at the next exit."  But they didn't come to another exit very quickly.  As they went farther and farther in the wrong direction, groans came from Nicole and Matt in the back seat.
 
"Well," said Dad after they were finally able to turn around and head toward home, "we might just as well learn a lesson from this.  Who can think of one?"  More groans came from the back seat.  Dad grinned. "Hey, come on!" he coaxed.  "There's a good lesson here."
 
"All right," said Mother.  "How about it, kids?  Let's think."
 
"Knowing Dad, I'm sure it's a Bible lesson he's looking for," decided   Nicole, "but I sure don't know what . . . I got it!"  She interrupted herself. "We had a Sunday school lesson once about two roads people can travel. One road leads to heaven and the other to hell, but lots of people who are on the road to hell don't realize it.  They think they're headed the right way -- just like we drove for miles thinking we were heading the right way."
 
"Good for you," said Mother.  "I think another lesson we can learn from this is that we need to warn those who are going the wrong direction. As Christians, we're on the road to heaven, but we have a responsibility to show others what is really at the end of the road they're traveling.  We need to show them the right road -- the road to heaven."
 
"Then maybe they'll turn around, like we did," suggested Matt.



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you on the right road -- spiritually, that is?  That's the most important thing in life, because the wrong road leads to hell.  Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to become the way to heaven for you.  Won't you trust Him today?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 14:12)
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

[Soldier4Christ]

Joel put five plump tomatoes, two cucumbers, and a large onion into a paper sack.  "Thanks so much and come again," he said, giving his customer the bag of vegetables in exchange for some money.  Joel had been busy at his roadside stand all morning, and now he noticed that the supply of sweet corn was getting low.
 
Just then he heard the hearty voice of his grandpa, who was visiting from Florida.  "Well, well!  Nearly out of corn, I see.  How would you like me to watch the stand while you pick more corn?" Grandpa offered.
 
"That would be great, Grandpa," said Joel.  "I'll hurry."  Off he went, and when he came back with a wheelbarrow full of corn, he saw Grandpa putting a piece of paper into a sack, along with a customer's vegetables.  "What was that paper you put in the sack?" asked Joel.
 
"Well, Joel, while you've been out harvesting more corn, I've been doing a little planting of seeds," explained Grandpa.  "Along with the produce, I've been putting a tract into the bags -- one that tells about Jesus and how to be saved."
 
"Sounds like a good idea," said Joel.  "I never thought of that."
 
As Grandpa talked, he helped Joel restock the pile of corn.  "Your harvest display here is very nice," observed Grandpa, motioning toward the colorful array of vegetables, "but I'm looking forward to a harvest of people instead of produce.  Jesus said the harvest is 'plentiful' -- meaning there are many people waiting to hear the good news of salvation.  Sad thing is, there aren't many who are busy in the work of sowing the seed of the Gospel or doing the harvesting -- bringing people to the Lord."
 
Joel grinned at his grandfather.  "I guess it's time I do some planting and harvesting for the Lord, too," he said.  "Got any of those tracts left?  I see some more people are stopping."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you willing to be a laborer -- a worker -- for the Lord?  There are many different ways to plant and harvest for Him. You can do kind deeds in the Lord's name, invite those who don't know Jesus to come to church or Sunday school, explain how to accept Jesus, and give out tracts.  Will you help?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 9:37)
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Jay Snider has changed so much!  You'd hardly know him lately!" Mark reported enthusiastically at the family dinner table.  "He quit going to all those drinking parties on weekends, and he even brings a Bible to church now."
 
"Well, Laura Perry is just the opposite," responded Mark's sister, Lisa.  "She's always gone to church, and she still comes most of the time.  She talks like a Christian in Sunday school and youth group, but now she's started going to those parties that Jay quit attending.  You should hear the way she talks when she's with the kids at school."
 
"So now Jay, the drinker, goes to church," said Mark, "and Laura, the churchgoer, goes out drinking.  Seems odd, doesn't it?"
 
"Well," said Mother thoughtfully, "it's not really so unusual.  Do you remember when I asked you to empty the dishwasher the other night, Lisa?  You said you would, but then a friend called, and you took off without doing it.  Then I asked Mark to do it, but he said he couldn't.  He said he had important homework to do."
 
"That was true!"  Mark spoke defensively.  "My homework wasn't due for a couple of days, though.  I knew I was really using it for an excuse, so I emptied the dishwasher anyway."
 
"So the one who said 'yes' didn't do the job," said Mother, "and the one who said 'no' got busy and did it.  Your actions didn't match your words.  That's what I see happening with Jay and Laura."
 
"I agree."  Dad nodded.  "Laura has always gone to church, and she seemed to have said 'yes' to God.  But now she's saying 'no' to God and not living like a Christian should.  On the other hand, Jay said 'no' to God for several years, but when he did say 'yes,' he meant it.  By their actions, we can tell what both of them really are saying."
 
"We all need to be sure that both our words and our actions say 'yes' to God," added Mother.



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you said "yes" to Jesus in words?  That's good, but what are your actions saying?   Do they show that your "yes" was real and genuine?  Remember the saying -- actions speak louder than words.  Yes, actions talk, so make sure your actions are a testimony for Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (James 1:22)
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

[Soldier4Christ]

Angela read Mom's grocery list as she pushed her cart down the familiar aisles at the store.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the shelves with chocolate cream-filled snack cakes.  Yummy! she thought.  I wish Mom had put Choco-Cakes on this list.
 
All the way home, Angela thought about those Choco-Cakes and how good they would have tasted.  Walking into the kitchen, she set the sack of groceries on the table just as Mom came in from the garden.  "Why are you wearing such a scowl?" asked Mom.
 
"I didn't know I was," answered Angela, "but I was just wishing I could have bought Choco-Cakes instead of all this stuff.  I just love Choco-Cakes."  She rolled her eyes dramatically.  "Sometimes when I walk past them in the store, I can almost hear them call out my name:  'Angela -- I'm over here!  Buy me!  Eat me!'   Oh, they're so good!"  Mom and Angela giggled together.
 
"And what do the jars of honey say when you walk past them?" asked Mom as she took a jar of honey from the bag and put it in the cupboard.
 
Angela shrugged.  "They don't say a thing to me," she replied.  "Do they say something to you?"
 
Mother smiled.  "I was reading in the book of Psalms this morning," she said thoughtfully, "and there was a verse that mentioned honey. David said that God's words were sweeter to him than honey."
 
"I've read that verse before," said Angela, "but I sure don't understand it.  Maybe it would make more sense if I liked honey better."
 
"I guess David must have liked it a lot," said Mother, "but he's saying that he likes God's Word even better.   As for you . . ."  Mother paused.  "Why not think of it this way," she suggested.  "God wants you to be hungry for His Word more than you're hungry for any of the things of this world -- even more than you crave Choco-Cakes."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you "hungry" for God?  For His Word?  Is it your goal to please Him and become more like Him, or is it your goal to satisfy selfish desires for money, popularity, or clothes that are in style at the moment?  Taste the sweetness of God's Word every day by taking time to read it.  His Word is a spiritual treat.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:103)
How sweet are Thy words unto my taste!  Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

[Soldier4Christ]

It was the day before rubbish pick-up, and Dad was helping Jim with his chores.  "I hate this job," said Jim as he put aluminum cans in one container and plastic bottles in another.
 
"It would be easier if you didn't let things pile up for a whole week," replied Dad.
 
"I liked it better when we just threw everything into one big plastic bag," grumbled Jim.  "I wish we could do that again."
 
"That may be easier, but by recycling what we can, we're conserving materials -- and space in the landfills, too.  Those are the places where the trash is dumped," said Dad.
 
"I know," replied Jim.  "Our school bus goes past a landfill every day.  There's a big mountain of rubbish there, and all the kids call it Mount Trashmore."  Dad picked up a brown paper bag.  "Oh . . .  I'll take care of that stuff," said Jim, quickly reaching for the bag.
 
"What is it?" asked Dad.
 
"Just some stuff I wasn't sure how to sort," mumbled Jim, "but I'll figure it out."
 
Dad opened the bag.  "Tapes, magazines -- whoa!  These magazines really are trash!" he exclaimed.  "Have you been reading these?"
 
"Oh, some of the guys at school gave them to me," muttered Jim.  He was embarrassed.
 
"Do you like reading them?" asked Dad.
 
"At first I thought it was pretty neat and grown-up to read them," Jim admitted, "but then I didn't like what stayed in my mind.  I'm throwing them out, and I'm not taking any more from the guys."
 
"Good," said Dad.  "Reading articles and seeing pictures like you'll find in these magazines will make a 'Mount Trashmore' of your heart and mind.  It will crowd out God."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you thrown out all the trash in your life? Make sure that what goes into your mind -- the television programs you watch, the books and magazines you read, the tapes you hear -- doesn't create a "trash pile" there.  Ask God to help you get rid of any trash you have now.  Ask Him to help you choose the right things in the future.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Paul and his parents joined the long line of people standing side by side for the community "book pass."  The line began inside the old library and extended all the way down the street and into the new library.  "This is going to be fun," said Paul, waving to some of his friends.
 
After the mayor gave a speech, the book pass began.  Someone inside the old library removed books from the shelves and handed them to the first person in line.  Then, one by one, the people passed the books all the way down the line -- from the old library right into the new one.
 
"I'm really getting tired of passing books," Paul complained after a while.  "My arms ache."  A little later, he spoke again.  "Some of the kids are dropping out," he said, "and I am, too.  I don't ever want to pass another book!  Let the people with stronger arms do it."  Paul stepped out of the line, leaving a gap where he had been standing between his parents. Mom made a long reach toward Dad to pass books, and Dad moved back and forth to get the books and pass them to the next person.  After a while,  Paul stepped back into the line.  "I'll help finish," he mumbled.  "You're slowing things down with all that reaching."  So he helped until the end of the first hour when a new group of people took over.
 
That evening, Paul was studying his Sunday school lesson.  It was about witnessing.  "It's hard to tell people about Jesus," he said.  "I tried to talk to Pete the other day, but I'm no good at it."
 
Dad looked up from his newspaper.  "It can be hard," he agreed, "but it's our responsibility -- and it is a command."
 
"I know," replied Paul, "but since some people can do it better than others, why not just let them do it?"
 
"The Gospel needs to be passed on from one person to the next -- just like those books we passed today," said Dad, "and everyone is needed. When you got tired and dropped out of the book line, the work was much more difficult for your mother and me.  That principle is true when it comes to giving out the Gospel, too.  When someone fails to do his part, it puts more work on other people and slows down the spreading of God's Word."
 
Mother ruffled Paul's hair.  "I hope you'll decide to stay in the line and do what you can to win your friends to Jesus," she encouraged him.



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you tell others about Jesus, or do you think it's someone else's job?  Don't forget that it is the responsibility of every Christian to help spread the Gospel.  Get in line and do your share.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Mark 16:15)
And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hi, Mom!" called Geri as she pushed the kitchen door open.  Mother answered from the family room, but her voice sounded funny.  "What's the matter, Mom?" asked Geri when she found her mother staring out the window, a sad expression on her face.
 
Mother sighed.  "Aunt Mary called today," she replied.  "She said your cousin Jeannie ran away from home last week."
 
"Don't they know where she is?" asked Geri.
 
"They do now," answered Mother.  "She called from some place in Texas."  Geri noticed tears in Mother's eyes as she continued, "Jeannie is making a terrible mistake.  My heart aches for her and for Aunt Mary and Uncle Tom."
 
"Well, Jeannie's been nothing but trouble for the last few years!" exclaimed Geri crossly.  "I have a hard time feeling sorry for her.  Isn't she supposed to be a Christian?  What kind of Christian would do that to her family?"  With those words, Geri walked out of the room.  A moment later, she let out a loud wail.  "Oh-h-h!  Ouch!"
 
"Geri!" called Mother.  "What happened?"  She hurried to the kitchen where Geri crouched on the floor, clutching her foot.
 
"I slammed my toe into that chair leg," moaned Geri.  "It hurts."
 
Mother went to fix an ice bag to place on the injured toe.  "This will help ease the pain," she said, "but why such a fuss over a little toe?"
 
Geri blinked in surprise.  "But it makes me hurt all over," she wailed.
 
Mother looked at her and smiled a little.  "Of course it does, honey," she comforted.  Then she added softly, "Your cousin is like that little toe. Jeannie's trouble brings pain to all the members of her family -- at least it should."
 
Geri looked thoughtful.  "I suppose you're right, Mom," she admitted slowly.  "I just don't like to see you upset when we can't do anything about Jeannie's problems."
 
"Oh, but we can!" exclaimed Mother.  "As Christians, we can pray for each other -- whether it's for broken hearts or sore toes."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you sensitive to the troubles of others, or do you feel like they're not your problems?  A true friend is one who not only will share the joys of others, but also the burdens.  A true friend prays for others.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 12:15)
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Are we almost there?" asked Heidi, peering out the car window.
 
"We'll be there in about an hour," replied Dad.  "Aren't you getting excited about seeing our new home?"
 
"I . . . I guess so," answered Heidi, "but I sure wish I didn't have to change schools.  What if the kids in the new school laugh at me for being on crutches?  What if someone trips me and knocks me down?  What if I can't find my way around?  What if . . ."
 
"That's too many 'what ifs,' honey," said Mom.  She patted Heidi's hand.  "Don't borrow trouble before it happens."
 
"Well, back home all the kids knew what kind of help I needed, and they took care of me," replied Heidi, "but there won't be anybody to help me in the new school."
 
"Don't forget that you have God," said Dad.  "The Bible says He's a 'very present help' in times of trouble."  As Dad spoke, he slammed on the brakes, barely missing a rabbit that had suddenly hopped right in front of the car.  The next moment, a truck turned from a side road and came toward them in their lane.  Everyone gasped in fright!  Just in time, the other driver pulled his truck into his own lane, and they passed by safely.
 
"Wow!" exclaimed Dad.  "You know, if I hadn't braked for the rabbit when I did, we probably would have met that truck, head on."
 
"We're lucky the bunny came out on the road!" exclaimed Heidi.
 
"Not 'lucky,' but protected by God," replied Dad.  "I'm certain God caused the rabbit to cross at just the right moment so that I would slow down for the few seconds we needed to avoid that truck.  He knew exactly what that truck would do."  After a moment, he added,"It's true that God doesn't always send a 'rabbit' to help us avoid trouble, but no matter what happens, He already knows about it and knows how He'll provide for us."
 
Mom nodded.  "You know, honey, God also knows what your new school will be like," she said, "and no matter what your needs will be, He knows just how He'll take care of you there."
 
Heidi sat up straight.  "I'll try not to worry anymore," she promised.  "Maybe He already has a friend picked out to help me." 



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid something bad will happen in the future?  If you are God's child, you don't need to be afraid.  While you know only what's happening now, God knows all about what's out there in your future.  He's ready with whatever help you need.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 46:1)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.