Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Do you really believe what your Sunday school teacher said?" asked Doug. He was spending the day with his friend Jacob. "Your teacher said everybody wouldn't go to heaven," Doug added. "If that's true, who gets to go? Do I?"

"Like Mr. George said," replied Jacob, "people who accept Jesus as Savior go to heaven."

"Well, I don't get it," declared Doug. "I'm going to ask your dad about it." Jacob nodded, and the boys went to the living room.Finding Jacob's father there, Doug cleared his throat. "Hey, Mr. Woods, everybody goes to heaven, right?" He thought he was asking the question in a way that would make it easy for Jacob's dad to say, "Yes, that's right."

Instead, Mr. Woods said, "No, Doug. Not everybody." He looked thoughtful, then he said, "Doug, when you go to your house after school each day, do you ever wonder, 'Is Mom going to feed me supper?' or, 'Will Dad give me a bed to sleep in tonight?' or, 'What will I do if they turn me away?'Do questions like that ever come to your mind?"

Doug laughed at such a ridiculous idea. "No! I'm their kid, so it's my home," he said.

"Well, Doug, do any of the other kids in your class go home with you and expect to eat and sleep and be taken care of there?" asked Mr. Woods.

Doug laughed again. "Of course not," he said. "They're not part of our family, so it's not their home."

"It's the same way with God's family," said Mr. Woods. "When you accept Jesus as your Savior, you become a child of God -- part of His family -- and heaven is your future home. If you haven't accepted Jesus, you're not part of His family, and heaven isn't your home." Mr. Woods paused, then asked, "Are you part of God's family, Doug?"Slowly, Doug shook his head. "You can be," Mr. Woods told him. "You were physically born into your parents' family, so you're their son. God says you need to be 'born again' -- you need to be born into His family."

"Born again!" exclaimed Doug.  "How?"

"It's as simple as A, B, C," replied Mr. Woods. He picked up his Bible. "Sit down and let me explain, okay?" Doug nodded.

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know where you will spend eternity? Will it be in heaven?Not everyone goes to heaven.The only way to make heaven your home is to be born into God's family.   Accept Jesus today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 1:12)
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Table Manners

"Josh, you should be ashamed," declared Audrey when her brother burped loudly. "Your table manners are horrible!" She gave Josh a scornful look. "And you've got syrup all over your mouth!"

As Josh wiped his mouth with his napkin, his mother frowned. "Audrey's right," she said. "If you must burp, you should at least ask those present to excuse you. Now, you kids better hurry, or we'll be late for Sunday school."

 After Sunday school, Audrey joined her family for the church service. She enjoyed the singing and even listened quite well to the message. But then she got restless. It was the Sunday that the Lord's Supper was being served, and it seemed to Audrey that Pastor Grayson said pretty much the same thing every time. Soon she was thinking of other things. She drew a few pictures on the back of the bulletin, and she even poked Josh and whispered to him. But she quickly sat up straight and folded her hands when she saw her father frowning at her. Both she and Josh snickered as they watched a fly crawl up Mrs. Martin's back, two rows ahead of them. Audrey straightened up again when she felt Mom's firm hand on her arm.

 At the dinner table that noon, Audrey carefully placed her napkin on her lap. "It's not polite to lean on your elbows at the table," she scolded her brother. "You should sit up straight."

 Dad looked at Josh, and then at Audrey. "Seems to me you both need to learn some good table manners," he said.

 "Me?" asked Audrey. "I'm sitting properly."

 "I was thinking of a different table," said Dad. "I was thinking of the Lord's Table and the Communion service." Audrey blushed and Josh looked down at the floor.

 "That's right," agreed Mom. "Your manners there are really more important than your manners here at home. I think we'd better talk about it."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
How do you behave at the Lord's Table? Is the Communion service so familiar that you don't pay much attention to it anymore? Even if you don't participate, use the time to think about Jesus. Think about what He did on the cross for you. Think about His coming again some day. Examine your heart to see what sin may be in your life, and ask God to forgive you and help you forsake it. Listen to the music and think of the words to the songs being played. Have good "table manners."


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
This do in remembrance of Me. 1 Corinthians 11:24

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Free Tickets

As Abigail and Taylor walked toward the ball park, they noticed sermon titles for the next Sunday on a sign in front of a church. "Only One Way to Heaven," read Abigail. She looked at her friend. "Taylor, do you think you'll go to heaven some day?" she asked.

"Oh, sure," replied Taylor. "I try to be as good as I can."

"But everyone has sinned, and no sin is allowed in heaven," said Abigail. "Even if you do good things, you can never do enough to erase your sin."

"Well, I'm sure I stand a lot better chance of getting in than a murderer does," insisted Taylor, as they arrived at the ball park. "Here we are-got your money ready?"

"Money?" asked Abigail. "Don't the players' families get in free? My brother's on the team."

"I think you have to pay anyway," replied Taylor. "I brought money."

At the ticket office, the girls found that they did need to pay-and Taylor didn't have enough money, either. "Oh, no!" she moaned. "I really want to see this game!" Sadly, the girls left the ball park.

"Taylor," said Abigail thoughtfully, "this is like what I said about getting into heaven. You have some money, and I don't. Which one of us is getting in?"

"Well . . . neither," answered Taylor.

Abigail nodded. "It's like that when it comes to getting into heaven, too. You have some good works, but you're no better off than someone who has none. You'll never have enough to get into heaven."

The discussion was interrupted by a voice behind the girls. "Why aren't you two inside? The game's about to begin." They turned to see Abigail's dad.

"Oh, Daddy, I'm so glad to see you!" exclaimed Abigail. "We don't have enough money, so we can't buy our tickets."

"I can," answered her father, pulling out his wallet. The girls sat down in the bleachers just in time to see the teams take their places on the field.

"You know, Taylor," said Abigail when the girls were discussing the game later, "we both got to see the game because my father paid for the tickets. That's like what Jesus did for us. He paid the price to buy our 'tickets' for heaven."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you expect to get into heaven because you're better than others are? Nobody is able to make it on his own goodness. Be sure you're not so proud of your "money"-your own goodness-that you refuse Christ's free "ticket." If you do, you'll end up outside heaven's gate. Accept His offer today. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
A man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:28

[Soldier4Christ]

The Faces of Easter

He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Luke 24:6-7 (NIV)

This is a happy day, isn't it?  I wonder who can tell me what makes today so special and why it is a happy day?  That's right!  Today is Easter. The day we celebrate that Jesus rose from the grave.

Since today is a happy day, show me how your face looks when you are happy.  Oh yes, that is good.  Our faces show the way we feel, don't they?  Let me see what your face would look like if you were sad.  How would your face look like if you were surprised?  Afraid?  Angry?

I want you to help me tell the Bible story today.  As I tell the story, you will help me by showing with your faces how the people in the story feel about what is happening.  Will you help me do that?  Great!  Let's begin.

It was early in the morning on the first day of the week when some women went to visit the tomb where their friend Jesus had been buried.  He had been crucified on a cross and buried in a borrowed tomb and the women were going to put spices on his body.  The women were very sad as they went to the tomb.

When they arrived at the tomb, the women discovered that the stone that had covered the entrance had been rolled away.  Can you imagine the look of surprise on their faces when they saw the open tomb?  When they looked inside the tomb, they had the biggest surprise of all.  The tomb was empty!

Suddenly, surprise turned to fear as two men in bright shining clothes came and stood beside the women.  In their fright, they bowed down with their faces to the ground.  The men spoke to the women and said, "Jesus is not here; he has risen! Don't you remember what he told you when he was in Galilee?"

Then the women remembered what Jesus had told them and they were no longer afraid.  Their fear turned to happiness and they went back and told Jesus' disciples what they had seen and that Jesus had risen, just as he had told them he would.  What a happy day!

You and I have reason to be happy today, don't we?  We are happy because we know that Jesus rose from the grave and that he lives forever.  But we are also happy because we know that the Bible tells us that "Whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life."  Now that is something to be happy about, isn't it?  Well, show me see your happy face.

Dear Father, we are happy today because Jesus is risen from the grave and lives forever.  We are also happy because we know that those who believe in him will also have everlasting life.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Spiritual Workout

As Pastor Dodd began his sermon, Debbie yawned and began scribbling a note on her bulletin. "Dear Carol," she wrote. "Sorry I can't study at your house tomorrow night. My mom and I signed up for an exercise class at the YWCA. I think it will be fun!" Then she added, "Much more fun that sitting here for an hour. What a drag!" Debbie folded the note and turned around to pass it, but when she noticed her mother frowning at her, she stuffed it into her Bible and read her Sunday school paper instead.

The next night, Debbie excitedly went with her mother to the big gym at the YWCA. She was impressed with all the exercise equipment available to them, and she had a great time trying it out during the class. "That sure was cool, Mom," she said happily as they drove home. "I like using all that stuff. Maybe we can try out the pool next time."

Mom yawned. "It sure made me tired," she said.

"I'm tired, too," agreed Debbie, "but it was fun. My muscles are a little sore, but I feel good. I know that working out makes me stronger."

Mom smiled. "I know what you mean," she said with a nod. "I felt something like that after my workout yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Debbie frowned. "You didn't exercise yesterday, Mom. It was Sunday. We just went to church."

"Ah, but I got a spiritual workout yesterday," said Mom. "I'm afraid you missed it, though."

"But, Mom! It was just a church service, and to tell the truth, I think sermons are usually boring," grumbled Debbie.

"They'd seem boring to me, too, if I just sat there and really paid no attention to what was being said," replied Mom. "I know it's hard for little kids to sit still and listen, but you're old enough now to follow along and even take few notes. If you'd do that, you'd get more out of the message."

Debbie shrugged. "Do you think so?" she asked.

"I know so," said Mom. "You need to 'exercise your mind,' like you do your body. You need the spiritual exercise that you can get by thinking about what God wants to teach you through Pastor Dodd."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think church is boring-that it's a waste of time because you don't get anything out of it? Church is not a place to sit and daydream. It's a place where true believers in Jesus meet to worship and serve God and to learn how to live for Him. Don't let church become a bore. Get involved. The more you put into it, the more you'll benefit from it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Exercise yourself toward godliness. 1 Timothy 4:7

[Soldier4Christ]

Gail scuffed her shoe in the dirt beneath the swing as Joan, one of her classmates, sat down beside her. "Would you like to jump rope with me?" asked Joan.

Gail scowled. "No, thanks," she said gruffly.

"Is something wrong?" asked Joan.

"I just don't like it here," replied Gail. "All my friends are at my old school across town. "She pushed off with her foot and began to swing.

Joan watched the back and forth rhythm of Gail's swing for a few moments and then joined her."Why don't you still go there?" asked Joan, picking up the conversation where they had left off.

"We moved because our family got too big for our house," replied Gail, "and now we're in this district. I'd like to live with my Grandma and stay in my old school, but my parents say they want me with them."

"Well, it sounds like your parents really care about you," said Joan.

"I suppose," agreed Gail grudgingly. "I just don't like the way they care about me. They make an awful lot of rules for me to follow."

"I guess all parents do. My Sunday school teacher made a big deal of having us learn the fifth commandment.She says a lot of kids act like they don't know it," said Joan. "Do you go to church and Sunday school?"

Gail nodded as she dragged her feet to let her swing come to a stop. "We learned the Ten Commandments, too," she said. "That's the one about parents, right? Well, I do obey my parents. I'm here, aren't I?"

Joan fingered her braid. "Yes, but that commandment says to honor, or respect, your parents," she said."My teacher says that includes more than just obedience.It includes accepting their rules and discipline without getting all mad about it or holding a grudge against them."

Gail scowled as she drew a pattern in the dust with her shoe.She felt guilty -- she knew her attitude was wrong.Finally, she looked up."I guess I should be glad my parents watch out for me," she admitted. Then she smiled at Joan."I could always make some new friends," she added. "Do you still want to jump rope with me?"

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you honor your parents in addition to obeying them?    Or do you obey them just so you won't get in trouble?   Do you grumble and complain when they tell you to do something?God gave you parents to guide you and care for you. Thank God for them.And thank them for caring for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Exodus 20:12)
Honour thy father and thy mother.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, is Dad scowling?" asked Daniel. "I think the patio looks great!"

Mother put her arm around Daniel's shoulder as they watched his father working at the edge of the new concrete patio he had poured. "The concrete is setting up faster then Dad had counted on," she answered.

"Setting up?What does that mean?" asked Daniel.

"That means the concrete is hardening," replied Mother. "Remember how Dad could tamp the cement down and level it and smooth it easily after he first poured it? Now he has to work pretty fast to get it the way he wants it because after it hardens, or sets up, you can't change it. There are a few spots that are a little too rough to suit him."

Daniel nodded sympathetically. Then he grabbed his baseball glove and his ball off the table."Sam and I are practicing this morning, okay?" he asked."His mom said she'd drive us to the game at noon."

"Have you brushed your teeth and finished your Bible study?" asked Mother.

Daniel nodded."I knew you'd ask that, and I did them right after breakfast."

"Good," approved Mom. "It's important to practice good habits."

Daniel grinned."I know," he said."That's so they harden in place like the concrete, right?"

"Right," agreed Mother. She chuckled, then added thoughtfully, "Both good and bad habits can become hardened into a person's life. That's why it's important to practice the good ones while you're young -- before your life 'sets up.'"

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you practice the good habit of personal devotions -- spending time each day reading God's Word (2 Timothy 2:15) and praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17)?   Do you practice gratitude by thanking God for food, family, and friends (1 Thessalonians 5:18)?    Do you practice the good habit of going to church each week (Hebrews 10:25)? These are habits you should form in your youth.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

[Soldier4Christ]

Randy and his sister Michelle looked nervous as their mother told Dad what had happened that afternoon. "Officer Johnson from the police department called," reported Mom. "Randy and Michelle were caught with a group of kids who were stealing. The police took them in for questioning, along with the others. The police said most of the group were guilty of shoplifting, but our kids hadn't actually taken anything."

"Shoplifting?" asked Dad, surprised.

"Like Mom said, we never took anything, Dad," said Randy quickly. "We told the other kids they shouldn't take things, either, but they wouldn't listen."

Dad frowned."You shouldn't be hanging around with kids who shoplift," he told them. "Some people would say you're 'guilty by association.'In other words, they figure if you're with that kind of crowd, you must share some of the responsibility for what's going on."

Michelle began to cry. "I'm sorry. I'll never, ever go with them again," she promised.

Dad looked at Randy. "Neither will I," said Randy, looking down. "I'm sorry I went with them this time."

"Good," said Dad. "I'm glad to hear that . . . but Mom and I will still have to give some thought to your punishment."

Michelle nodded. "Dad," she said a moment later, "we read from the book of Jonah for devotions this morning, remember? We read how the people of Nineveh were sorry for their sin, and God didn't punish them. You said we should always remember that He's merciful and forgives us, too, when we're really sorry for our sin."

"Right! Since we're both sorry, couldn't you also show mercy and not punish us?" asked Randy hopefully.

"Well . . . you both promised not to run around with those kids again," said Dad thoughtfully, "and I believe you mean it. I think you've learned a good lesson, so okay. I'll show mercy this time, just like God did."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know that God is a God of mercy?He doesn't enjoy punishing you.He would rather have you repent and turn away from your sin when you're warned -- like the people of Nineveh did. Thank God for His mercy and try to always obey Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Micah 7:18)
Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity . . . He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Where's your brother?" asked Mom when Michelle arrived home from school alone one day.

Michelle hesitated. "Uh . . .well . . . he went to the sports store with some friends," she said slowly.

"What friends?" asked Mom suspiciously. "I hope it's not the same group that was caught shoplifting last week. "Michelle didn't answer. "Is it that group?" demanded Mom, and Michelle reluctantly admitted that it was.

When Randy came home an hour later, Dad was already there. "Where have you been?" Dad asked.

"Oh, I was just at the sports store," replied Randy.

"Who were you with?" asked Dad.

"Uh . . . nobody," answered Randy.

"Careful!" warned Dad. "Michelle tried to get out of telling, but when Mom insisted, she admitted that you went with some other kids. The same ones, in fact, who were caught shoplifting last week."

Randy stared at the floor. "All right," he finally said with a sigh, "but nobody shoplifted anything today. Besides, I'll never go with them again if you think it's so important. I promise!Honest!"

Dad reached for his Bible. "I think we need to read about Nineveh again," he said, "only this time we'll read in the book of Nahum. (Be sure to read today's Scripture.) The book of Nahum was written 150 years after the book of Jonah."

As Dad read, Randy squirmed in his chair. "These verses talk about the destruction of Nineveh," explained Dad when he finished reading. "God had shown the people mercy when they turned from their evil ways, but they eventually forsook Him and went back to their sin.God is holy and cannot overlook sin.Punishment was needed. "Dad looked at Randy and shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't be merciful with you this time, Son. You didn't learn your lesson when I showed you mercy, so now you must be disciplined."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know that God hates sin?He is a God of holiness and justice as well as a God of mercy.   When people will not forsake their sin, punishment is necessary.While you're young, He often uses parents or teacher to administer punishment.   When it's necessary for God to punish you, accept it and learn from it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 12:6)
For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.

[Soldier4Christ]

"But why did Buster have to die?" wailed eight-year-old Zachary when the family's loyal, old dog died. "He was a hero," continued Zachary. "Remember when Billy got lost, and Buster found him playing in the woods? And remember when I was so sick? Buster stayed in my room every day until I was better. Even you weren't there as much as he was, Mom. Why did he have to die?"

"I wish we could have kept Buster longer, too," answered Mother sadly, "but he was very old, and his body just wore out. Let's try to be thankful for all the years we did have him."

"But . . ."Zachary had just begun to ask another hard question when Billy, his four-year-old brother, burst into the room.

"Varo-o-o-om!" called Billy as he zoomed between the living room chairs and stopped in front of his mother and Zachary. He was wearing a yellow and á blue shirt that had the name and insignia of the local school on the front. But Billy's shirt showed a jumbled mass of colored threads where the bright school insignia should have been.

"Your shirt's inside-out, Billy," snapped Zachary angrily. He was upset for being interrupted.

"Yes, it is," agreed Mother, "but look closer, Zachary. Maybe Billy's shirt can answer your questions about Buster. "She gently told Billy to hold still so they could see his shirt better. "These knots and loose threads on the inside-out part show how the disappointments in life look to us," said Mother. "When someone we love dies, or when something happens that seems bad to us, the whole design looks like an unrelated, ugly mess."

Mother turned the shirt rightside-out. "The same threads make this side beautiful, and it reminds us of what God is doing in our lives," continued Mother. "He uses each disappointment and each hardship and works them together to form a beautiful design. God says that 'all things work together for good' in the lives of those who love Him."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has a friend or family member gone away and left you feeling lonely?   Maybe school hasn't been going well this year, or you weren't picked for your favorite sports team.   Such things hurt, but let God teach you through these "inside-out" times.Trust Him to use those occasions to make something beautiful of your life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 8:28)
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hey, Jared! Did you forget that flying is for birds?" joked Uncle Derek as he looked at the cast plastered around Jared's ankle. "Your mother tells me you jumped off the garage roof. Good thing you landed in the shrubs or you might have broken both ankles."

"It was higher than I thought," replied Jared, embarrassed.

"You probably have a new respect for the law of gravity," said Uncle Derek. He sat on the couch. "I've come to appreciate all of God's laws."

"You mean the Ten Commandments?" asked Jared.

Uncle Derek nodded. "Yes, but those are only part of God's laws," he said. "When God created the world, He invented every scientific law there is. "Jared looked puzzled, and Uncle Derek continued. "God made botanical laws that say certain seeds produce certain fruit, and He made biological laws that say people require food and water to stay alive. There are chemical laws that say certain mixtures of gases will create explosions, and reproductive laws that say chickens hatch chicks -- never ducks. Mathematical laws say two plus two equals four."

"And like you said, there's the law of gravity," added Jared with a grin.

Uncle Derek laughed. "Right," he said. "God holds the universe together, and His laws never change. It pays to respect God's laws if you want to stay alive." Uncle Derek took a small New Testament from his shirt pocket. "Now," he added, "we need to talk about God's most important laws -- His spiritual laws."

"Like the things Pastor Harris preaches about in his sermons?" asked Jared thoughtfully.

"Yes," answered Uncle Derek. "Some people don't believe there are spiritual laws, but they're as real as the physical ones. You either respect them and do what they say, or you go your own way and lose in the end."

"And that's even worse than forgetting the law of gravity and getting a broken ankle," said Jared with a smile.

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you respect God's laws -- including spiritual laws?    Those laws say you must trust Jesus alone as Savior and Lord to become His child.Anyone who doesn't will be separated from God forever and never go to heaven.   Will you trust Jesus today?   You must decide for yourself.   (See page 66.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 6:23)
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Is Uncle Bob going to be okay?" asked Mark anxiously when his parents picked him up at his grandmother's house. They had gone to the hospital as soon as they heard about Uncle Bob's accident.

"We can't be sure yet, but at least he's stable for now," replied Dad.

"I don't get it," declared Mark as he climbed into the back seat of the car. "Uncle Bob is a Christian, but what difference did that make? God let that drunk driver hit him anyway." He frowned, then added impatiently, "Oh, I know he'll go to heaven if he dies, but God didn't stop the accident. So what difference does being a Christian make now . . . while we're living on earth?"

"Why, it makes a lot of difference, honey," began Mother, but Mark just scowled as his parents tried to explain.

When they arrived at home, Mark noticed a box on the kitchen table. "What's in the box?" he asked.

"It's a can crusher," replied Mother. "It's supposed to make recycling a little easier.Shall we try it out?  There are empty cans in that bag in the garage."

"Okay," agreed Mark. He opened the box and read the instructions. Then he took a couple of empty cans, set them in place, and pushed the lever of the can crusher. "Hey! This thing works great!" he exclaimed.

"Try this one," suggested Dad, handing him another can.

Mark gave him a puzzled glance when he felt its weight, but he pushed down on the lever anyway. "I can't crush this one -- it's full," he said.

Dad smiled and nodded as he picked up an empty can. "People who don't know Jesus are often like this can," he said. "They can be easily crushed when bad times hit. On the other hand . . ." he held up the full can, ". . . we're Christians, so we should be like this one. We have the power of God's Spirit within us.We need to rely on Him. Then, even when hard things -- such as Uncle Bob's accident -- push down on us, we won't be crushed by them."He gave Mark a hug. "What happened to Uncle Bob does trouble us, but we can trust God to help us and him even now."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you trust God when difficult things come into your life? If you're a Christian, you're not empty; you have the Holy Spirit within.    The next time a problem tries to crush you, choose to trust Jesus.Let His strength hold you up.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 4:
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Let's go get an ice cream cone, Dad," said Haylie. "We can get one and be back long before Mom's back from her committee meeting."

"Good idea," agreed Dad, so they went out to the car.

As they drove along, Haylie and Dad saw a couple of girls about Haylie's age playing in a front yard. "I can't stand those girls!" exclaimed Haylie. "Well, at least not the short, chubby one."

"Really? "Dad sounded surprised. "Do you know her well?"

"No way," answered Haylie, "and I don't want to know her, either! She's the one who beat me out of a place on the volleyball team."

Suddenly there was a loud bang, and the car veered to the right. "Oh, no!" groaned Dad. "Flat tire!" 

Haylie chatted with her father as he changed the tire. "Haylie," said Dad, "I want to hear more about why you dislike that girl we saw. I'm sure you know that the fact that she got the place you wanted on the team is not a reason to dislike her."

Haylie looked at the ground and kicked at a pebble. "Maybe not," she replied, "but Alicia knows her, and she doesn't like her, either. Alicia says she's a pain."

Dad looked at the tire he was removing from the car. "It would be a bad idea to go around driving a car with a flat tire," he said, "but it's even worse to keep on going with a flat attitude. "He took the spare tire from the trunk. "Don't you think your attitude toward this girl needs to be changed?" he asked. "Maybe it's time for you to reach inside yourself and find a spare attitude to replace your flat one."

"I guess I did sound pretty hateful, didn't I?" admitted Haylie slowly.

"I'd say so," agreed Dad. Soon he finished changing the tire. "Shall we see if those girls are still outside and invite them to join us for some ice cream?" he suggested. Haylie hesitated only a moment before she nodded.

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a hateful attitude toward someone? Do you really have a good reason to despise that person?Is there any reason good enough to hate someone God loves? Stand back and take a good look at the entire situation.   Think about your attitude toward the one you dislike so much.God tells you not to hold grudges.Ask Him to help you change your attitude.Ask Him to help you treat that person as your neighbor.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Leviticus 19:18)
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself:I am the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

"You love Katie more than me!" Jennifer accused her mother one day. She scowled at her baby sister. "Katie gets more attention than I do, and more meals, and . . ." Jennifer pulled away as her mother tried to hug her.

"Honey," said Mother gently, "we need to talk about this. "She took a piece of paper and a pencil. "Let's make a list. On one side of this paper, write the good things you get to do. On the other side, list Katie's privileges." Jennifer stared at the paper, a frown on her face. Mother smiled and added, "For example, you get to go skating. Write that on your side." Jennifer did.

Just then Katie toddled toward the bookcase. "No, no, Katie!" warned Mother, but Katie grabbed a book. "You know you are not allowed to touch those books," said Mother firmly, putting the book back.

"Book!" demanded Katie, beginning to cry.

As Jennifer looked at her sister, she smiled. "I get to touch all the books --  and the TV and VCR remote controls," she said, adding them to her list. After finishing the list, she showed it to her mother.

"You didn't write much on Katie's side of the paper," said Mother. "Did you decide you have more privileges than Katie?" Jennifer nodded. "Now make another list," suggested Mother. "Write down the times you get attention and the times Katie does. See how that comes out."

Jennifer thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I get just as much attention," she decided. "Katie takes two long naps, and I get to stay up and do things with you." She laughed sheepishly. "I guess I was being silly," she admitted. "Katie has baby privileges, but I have different ones."

Mother picked up Katie. "God knows what you need at every age," she said, "and He provides people -- usually parents -- to take care of your needs." She smiled at Jennifer. "Katie's privileges are all she needs right now, and I believe yours are right for you, too. They'll change and grow along with you."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been jealous of a new baby or of a brother or sister?   Your parents' love for you doesn't change, no matter how many children they have. They just show their love for you and for your brothers and sisters in different ways, and the way they treat you changes as your needs change.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 13:11)
When I was a child . . . I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

[Soldier4Christ]

"How about a break?" asked Dad. He leaned his bike against a tree, then plopped onto the park bench beside the bike trail.

"Good idea!" agreed Sam, resting his bike against the end of the park bench. "I'm tired and thirsty!"He and his dad detached water bottles from their bikes. Both took a drink, then sat in companionable silence, letting the cold liquid refresh them. After a while, Dad pulled two granola bars from his bike bag and handed one to Sam.

As Sam removed the wrapper, a piece of granola fell to the ground. A tiny ant appeared immediately and tried to whisk it away. He tried again and again, but the piece was just too large for him to handle. As Sam watched, a mass of scurrying ants appeared. They worked together, lifting and dropping the chunk several times until it fell apart. Then each ant seized a small piece, and they all ran off in the same direction.

"Did you see that?" asked Sam. "That ant needed help -- and he got it!"

"He sure did," replied Dad. "That was a wonderful example of how God wants Christians to behave."

Sam looked at Dad. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, watching those ants reminded me of what happened when that big storm ripped shingles off our garage roof last summer," replied Dad. "Remember how several men from church helped us repair it?"

"Yeah," replied Sam, "and with all their help, it didn't take very long before it was fixed. A big job became a small one, just like with the ants."

Dad nodded. "Right," he said. "I'm sure they didn't think about it at the time, but those men were actually demonstrating to the neighborhood the love that Christians should have for each other -- giving evidence that we belong to Christ. Mr. Lawrence, next door, was so amazed at the way they helped us. He asked me why they did that, and I had the opportunity to tell him that we love one another because we love Jesus. He was so impressed by what they did that he wanted to know more about it. I'm praying that he'll soon know Jesus, too."

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Can people see that you love others?Do you show love by willingly helping your mother clean the house?   Do you cheerfully help with the yard work?   Are you available to help neighbors or classmates as much as you can?By having a kind, helpful attitude, you can show that you love God.   When people see that you love God and others, perhaps some of them will want Jesus in their lives, too. 


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 13:35)
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.