Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"We're getting our school pictures tomorrow!" exclaimed Andrea one evening. "I hope mine turned out good."

 

"Well, how good can they be?" teased her brother Matt. "After all, the camera can take a picture of only what it sees." He ducked when Andrea threw a small pillow at him.

 

After school the next day, Andrea came slowly into the house. "My pictures are so awful," she wailed when she saw her mother. "I fell on my bike a couple of weeks before they were taken, remember? I got that bump on my forehead -- and skinned my nose, of all things! I sure didn't think the scratches would show in the pictures, but guess what! They do!" In disgust, she threw the envelope of pictures down on the table.

 

"Why did you think they wouldn't show?" asked Mother.

 

"I covered them with some powder Miss Smith gave me," said Andrea, "and besides, Cheryl said they wouldn't show. Her sister, Dana, had a cold sore when her graduation pictures were taken, but it didn't show up on the pictures." Andrea paused, then added, "Cheryl said Dana was afraid her hair was going to look bad, too, but in her pictures every hair was perfectly in place. Look how my hair sticks out!"

 

Mother smiled. "Well," she said, "I'm sure Dana's pictures were taken at a photographer's studio, and the finished pictures were touched up by the photographer. That means that all the little blemishes -- such as spots on the face or hairs out of place -- were removed or covered over."

 

That evening, Dad also heard Andrea's complaints. "So you think your picture needs a little touching up?" he asked.

 

Matt laughed. "Like I told her, the camera just shows what's there," he said. "You can't fool it."

 

Dad smiled. "This reminds me of people who try to cover up their sins," he said, "but no matter how good they've made themselves look, God's 'camera' shows just what's there -- a heart full of sin."

 

"And only God can give the touch up that removes sin," said Mother. "He does that for us when we accept Jesus as Savior."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has your heart been "touched up" by God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? There's no way you can cover up or remove sin yourself -- no matter how good you try to be. Your sin must be covered with the blood of Jesus, who died for you. Accept Him as Savior, and let Him take care of your sin. (See page 64.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 4:7)
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

[Soldier4Christ]

Bette sat forlornly on her front porch step. The sun shone from a clear blue sky, but deep inside, Bette felt as if a dark cloud hovered overhead. "I feel so lonely here," she said to Rags, her new brown puppy. She hugged him tightly.

 

Just then Bette's father arrived home from work. "What's wrong, pumpkin?" he asked as he sat down beside her. "You look as if you don't have friend in the world."

 

"It's almost that bad," replied Bette. "I sure don't have any friends in this town -- just Rags. I wish we hadn't moved."

 

"I understand how you feel," said Dad. "It's no fun being a new kid in town. But remember how we prayed and trusted God -- and He helped me get a job here?" Bette nodded, and Dad continued. "Can you trust God now to help you get settled here?" He looked at the little dog resting peacefully on Bette's lap. "Think about Rags for a minute," he added. "I remember how lonely he was the first few nights you had him, and he often cried for his mother."

 

Bette smiled. "I know just how lonely he felt," she declared, burying her face in the puppy's furry neck.

 

Dad nodded. "Yes, but you gave him so much love that he's happy to be here now," he said. "Bette -- if you know how your puppy felt, don't you think the Lord knows how you feel?"

 

"I hadn't thought about that," replied Bette slowly, "but I'm sure He does."

 

"And just like Rags trusts you to take care of him and make him happy, you can trust God to do the same for you," said Dad softly.

 

"I'll try," agreed Bette. "I'll trust Him to help me find new friends."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has something happened that left you feeling lonely? Have you wished things were different? Don't forget that Jesus cares. He loves you, and you can trust Him to work things out.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Peter 5:7)
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Daniel walked home, he glanced at a large, brightly-colored poster advertising a movie being shown at a nearby theater. It was the movie to which he had been invited by his friend Micah. To celebrate Micah's birthday, his parents had said he could have some friends over for pizza, and then they'd all go together to see the movie.

 

The other boys Micah had asked to come to his party were excited about it, but Daniel actually wished he hadn't been invited. He could tell from the ad that it wasn't going to be the kind of movie he should go to see. In his heart a voice seemed to whisper, Just this once won't hurt. Maybe the movie won't be so bad, but if it really isn't any good, you can just ignore it and enjoy the pop and popcorn. At the same time, he sensed a warning voice saying, Don't go. He continued walking slowly toward home, but turned quickly when a car stopped at the curb beside him. It was his dad.

 

"Hi, Son," called Dad. "Want a ride?"

 

"Sure! Thanks, Dad." Daniel tossed his books into the back seat, then sighed deeply as he got in next to his dad.

 

"Is something wrong?" asked Dad. "You don't look very happy."

 

"Oh, I was invited to one of those pizza-movie deals my friends have for their birthdays," explained Daniel. "The party sounds like fun, but I know it's a bad movie, so I'll tell Micah I'm not going." He looked out the window to conceal unexpected tears that welled up in his eyes.

 

"Son, there's no way to make this easy for you," said Dad, "but I"m glad you're taking a stand now, while you're young." He paused, then added, "This kind of situation always reminds me of something I heard long ago. Suppose you're on a train that's moving toward a broken bridge. You don't know exactly how far away the bridge is. Should you get off right away, or take a chance and stay on for a while?"

 

"Get off," replied Daniel promptly. "You might reach the bridge quicker than you think."

 

Dad nodded. "It's better to make the move right away than to wish later on that you had," he agreed. "It's like that with many decisions in life. Make right choices immediately, before it's too late."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
When you have a hard choice to make, do you ask Jesus for wisdom to make the right decision? Do you ask Him for courage to do the thing that will please Him? He will keep you from making bad choices as you trust in Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Joshua 24:15)
Choose you this day whom ye will serve.

[Soldier4Christ]

By the time Derek learned that school was called off because of a furnace breakdown, his mother had left for a day of shopping. Derek's father, who was a real estate agent, looked thoughtful. "You can go to work with me, Derek," he decided. So Derek went to the office with his dad.

 

That morning, they met Mr. and Mrs. Harris, who were looking for a house. Dad explained why Derek was with him. "No problem," said Mrs. Harris. She smiled. "We have three sons -- one is just about Derek's age."

 

Derek didn't like the first house they saw. It was too "fancy looking" for him. The second house seemed dark inside, and the rooms were small.

 

"Now, this is my kind of house," announced Derek when they reached the third place. "Look at that creek and all those trees for climbing!" Derek was excited about the inside of the house, too. "There are lots of hiding places here," he declared with shining eyes.

 

Mr. Harris laughed "I think you made a sale, Derek. If you like this house, I'm sure our boys will like it, too."

 

That evening, Derek took his Sunday school workbook to his father. "You're just not going to believe this, Dad," he said. "Look what we're supposed to do for part of our lesson -- write a real estate ad for heaven. Want to see what I wrote?"

 

"Sure do," said Dad. He took the book and smiled as he read aloud. "A mansion built for you on a golden street. No bedrooms, for there is no night. No hospitals near by, because there is no sickness. The entire city is decorated with fabulous jewels. Cost: Nothing! It was paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a gift to anyone who will accept Jesus as Savior." Dad grinned as he returned the book. "Great!" he approved. "And don't forget that you sell property by your actions and attitude as well as by your ads. We saw that happen today. Be sure your friends can see that you're excited about heaven. Then perhaps they'll want to go there, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever read a real estate ad? Maybe your family has moved, and an ad about your own house has been in a newspaper. Ads can make things sound very attractive. The heavenly piece of real estate described in the Bible sounds the most attractive of all, but not everyone reads about it. Do you advertise it by your actions and attitude? Would your enthusiasm cause your friends to want to go there?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Revelation 21:23)
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The stars are really bright tonight, aren't they, Steve?" said Eric. The
brothers were out on the lawn, looking at the sky.


 

"They sure are," agreed Steve. "The moon is real bright, too."

 

"Yeah . . . it's a great big ball of fire," said Eric.

 

"Not really," said Steve. "It's the sun that's a ball of fire. Sometimes the moon looks like that, too, but it really isn't. It doesn't really have any light at all. The moon reflects the light of the sun -- that's why it looks bright. I learned about that in my science class."

 

"Come on in, boys!" called Mother. "It's time to get to bed."

 

"Okay," they both called back, and they headed for the house.

 

"Hey, Mom! Guess what!" said Eric as the boys went in. "Steve told me that the moon isn't really a big fireball. Did you know that?"

 

Mother smiled. "Yes," she said. "I knew that. Now scoot along to bed, or morning will come before you're ready for it."

 

At lunch the next day, Eric asked a question that had been puzzling him. "Mom, my Sunday school teacher says that people are supposed to see God's love when they look at our lives," he said, "but we aren't God, so how can they see His love? I don't get it."

 

"I know!" Steve spoke up quickly. "Remember what I told you about the sun and the moon last night?"

 

"Sure," said Eric. "You said the moon reflects the light of the sun."

 

"Right," replied Steve. "The moon isn't the sun, but it reflects it. When people look at the moon, the light they see is really the light of the sun. And we're not God, but our lives should reflect Him. When people look at the stuff we do, they should be seeing what Jesus would do if He were in our place. Get it?" Steve looked to Mother to help him explain.

 

"That's right," agreed Mother. "When we reflect God's love, we do the things God wants us to do -- we behave in the way we believe Jesus would behave if He were still walking on earth."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do others see the love of Jesus reflected in your life? WWJD -- what would Jesus do? That's a good question to ask as you face each day and each situation. As you follow His example, and as you practice the things He teaches, others will see God's love in you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Peter 2:21)
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.

[Soldier4Christ]

David sat with a driver's manual in his hand. He waved it as Dad came into the room. "Sean knows all the rules, so he's ready to take the test for his driver's permit this Saturday," reported David, grinning. "I've been helping him, and he promised to treat me to ice cream after he gets his license and you let him take the car."

 

"Oh, I see," said Dad. "Well, he's just getting a learning permit, so he still has to learn to drive. Then he has to pass a driver's test before he gets his license. It will be quite some time before I'll let him take the car."Dad smiled at David as he added, "By the way, I hope you're not forgetting to do your own lessons -- your Bible lessons. Have you studied your Sunday school lesson for this week?"

 

"Not yet," replied David, "but I'll do it now." He frowned as he added, "You know my friend Justin? He says some of the stories in the Bible are only myths. I don't believe that, but if it were true, how would anyone know which stories to believe?"

 

"That's a good question," said Dad. "They wouldn't know." He thought for a moment. "Let me ask you something," he said. "After learning all those rules for driving a car, do you suppose Sean will pick out just a few that he likes and obey them -- and ignore the rest?"

 

David grinned. "He'd better not," he replied, "or he'll be in trouble. He'll get lots of tickets."

 

Dad nodded and picked up the evening paper. He showed David a picture on the front page. "This is what happened when a driver ignored a stop light," he said.

 

"Yeah, I saw that picture," said David. "Those cars are a mess!"

 

"All the driving rules are to be believed and obeyed -- and all of the Bible is, too," said Dad. "It's all or nothing! When you start picking and choosing to believe only certain parts of the Bible, the whole thing becomes hopeless. We know from experience through the ages and from God's Holy Spirit in our hearts that all of the Bible is true."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have friends or classmates who try to tell you the Bible contains myths? Do they make you doubt what the Bible says? Jesus rebuked the Devil by quoting Scripture, and that's a good way to answer. Learn the memory verse below -- and quote it when anyone tries to tell you that parts of God's Word are false.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 30:5)
Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Arf! Arf!" barked a big brown dog, standing eye to eye with baby Leah. They were separated only by the clear pane of glass in the window. "Champ! Naughty dog!" scolded Grandma. "Be quiet and get away from the window."

 

Little Leah and her older sister, Shannon, were visiting Grandma, and they were fascinated by the big, friendly dog. As Leah pressed herself against the window, Shannon asked, "Is Champ really a naughty dog?"

 

"Not usually," replied Grandma, "but he can be rough and noisy. He could knock Leah down. That's why he's outside while you're here."

 

A loud shriek interrupted them. Leah, with tears streaming down her cheeks, held out a hand. "She touched the cactus plant," said Grandma. "I should have moved it." She cuddled Leah and spoke soothingly. "There, there, honey. That mean old cactus is covered with prickers, isn't it?"

 

"Is the cactus mean, Grandma?" asked Shannon. Her expression was puzzled as she looked at the thick green plant.

 

"Not really, Shannon." Grandma's voice had a smile in it. "God made cactus plants prickly, but they won't hurt us if we stay away from them."

 

"But Leah got too close to the cactus, didn't she?" persisted Shannon. "And I know she'd walk right up to Champ, too."

 

Grandma nodded. "When Leah is older, she'll learn that dogs can bite and that a cactus is prickly," she said, "but until then, we have to protect her. You see, Shannon, that's one reason God gives us mommies and daddies and grandmas and teachers and friends. He knows children need grown-ups to love them and teach them and show them the right things to do."

 

"But I'm five," said Shannon quickly, "so I already know what to do."

 

"There are also things that can hurt big girls like you," said Grandma, "and God wants to protect you, too, honey."

 

"Mommy told me about stuff like that," announced Shannon, "like asking her if I can cross the street to play with Jennifer or how far I can ride my bike -- and lots of other stuff. I remember it, too."

 

"Good for you, Shannon," said Grandma. "Good for you!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you thanked God for providing people to care for you?Has He given you parents? A grandma or grandpa? Foster parents? Teachers? Jesus loves boys and girls, and He has given many different people the job of caring for them. Obey those God has provided for you, learn from them, and thank God for them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 19:14)
Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Jacob said his dad got a bonus from his boss yesterday," reported Alex. "What's a bonus, Mom?"

 

"A bonus is something good that you get in addition to what you have earned -- something extra," explained Mother.

 

Alex liked that idea. "I wish I could get bonuses," he said.

 

"Well, you can," Mother told him. "Here's how. Every day, think of one or two things you can do for other people. Then you do them. Try it for a week and see what happens. See what bonuses you'll get."

 

Alex was thoughtful for a moment. Then he said, "Just what are the bonuses, and who will give them to me?"

 

"In a way, they come from God," said Mother. "The Bible says, 'Give, and it will be given to you . . . pressed down . . . and running over. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.' The bonuses are surprises from God, but they usually come through people. They don't necessarily come from the people you help -- and some may not even come in this life -- but the bonuses do come."

 

Alex decided to try it. That week he polished his dad's shoes; he washed his uncle's car; he even got the dog leash and took his dog for a walk. After all, dogs are God's creatures, too, he thought.

 

"How do you like your experiment?" asked Mother one day.

 

"It's okay," decided Alex, "but sometimes I do get tired of helping people. I don't know that I really got many bonuses yet, either."

 

"Well, think about it," said Mother. "For one thing -- how do you feel when you've done something nice for somebody?"

 

"Good!" said Alex. He realized that he did feel happier than he had before. "You know what?" he added. "People smile at me a lot, too."

 

Mother nodded. "Then I'd say you're getting more than full measure for everything you've given to others, wouldn't you?"

 

"I guess so," agreed Alex, "but it would be nice to once in a while get something that I can hold in my hand."

 

"That's true," said Mother with a smile, "so right now you may have the bonus of an ice cream bar for mowing the lawn without being told." Alex grinned broadly. "And you know what?" continued Mother. "All week you've been acting like Jesus would. He went about doing good, and so have you. I know He's pleased with you, and that's worth a lot!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been "doing good" as Jesus did? He is pleased when you give of yourself to others. Try it, and you will be blessed.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 10:
Freely ye have received, freely give.

[Soldier4Christ]

"In our social studies class, we're pretending to travel to Europe," Brandon told his family. "Last week we planned our trip, made passports,scheduled travel arrangements, and packed our bags. Today we pretended that we went to Paris, and every day we'll travel to a new place and learn all kinds of neat things."

 

"That sounds like a fun way to learn," said Dad.

 

A week later, Brandon had a problem. "We're flying back to America tomorrow," he said, "but I can't find my passport!"

 

"Why not make a new one?" suggested Mom. "We still have some of your school pictures from last year." So Brandon copied information from his birth certificate and social security card, put the picture in place, and added his signature.

 

The following day, Brandon sat on the "pretend plane" and headed for America. He enjoyed the movie and the peanut snacks. Finally, the plane "landed." Everyone lined up to reenter the United States, passports in hand. "Sorry," said Tyler, the student who checked Brandon's passport. "You can't come into our country. This passport is not the real thing. You have no proof of citizenship."

 

"But I am a citizen," insisted Brandon. "I couldn't find the passport we made in class, so I made a new one. Come on, Tyler. This one looks almost the same as the ones we made before, and it has all the right information."

 

"Step aside, sir. We'll have to look into this," replied Tyler. He motioned to another student. "Security!" called Tyler. "Over here, please."

 

That evening Brandon told his family about it. "I wasn't allowed back into the United States," he said. "No valid proof of citizenship."

 

"So your phony passport didn't work?" asked Dad. Brandon shook his head. "That's like Pastor Barr's sermon last week," added Dad thoughtfully. "He reminded us that only those with a valid 'passport' can enter heaven. Do you know what that passport is?"

 

Brandon nodded. "Jesus is our passport to heaven," he said promptly.

 

Dad nodded. "Some people think good works will earn heaven for them," he said, "but all their good deeds are like a phony passport. Only by accepting Jesus as Savior do we become citizens of heaven."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you a citizen of heaven? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Nothing else will allow you to enter heaven. The only way is through Jesus. (See page 64.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 14:6)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Nikolas and his friend Joel trudged down the street to visit Joel's Grandpa Holt, Nikolas was wishing that his grandpa lived nearby. When his grandma died, Nikolas had prayed that Grandpa Ford would move to his town and perhaps even move in with them -- but Grandpa decided against it. "God didn't answer my prayer!" complained Nikolas.

 

"What you mean is that He didn't answer the way you wanted Him to," said Mother.

 

Joel's grandpa greeted the boys warmly and took them to see the watermelons growing in his garden. "Come back with Joel in a couple of weeks," invited Grandpa Holt, "and we'll eat some of these melons."

 

Just then they heard a door slam, and Nikolas saw that one of Grandpa Holt's neighbors had come outside. "Get out of here!" the elderly man hollered at some squirrels in his yard.

 

"Wow!" exclaimed Nikolas. "He doesn't sound very happy."

 

Joel's grandpa shook his head. "That's Hank Stone. He lives alone, and he doesn't have any other family members living nearby," explained Grandpa. "His only grandchild used to come and visit a couple of times a year, but he died in a car accident about a year ago. I think the only people Hank sees now are a few old timers, like me. He misses his grandson."

 

A little later, as they sauntered over to the edge of the lawn, Mr. Stone glared at them. Then his face softened, and he came over and put his hand on Nikolas's shoulder. "I don't know you," he said, "but you sure remind me of my grandson." Tears filled his eyes. Nikolas looked uncertainly at Joel, not knowing what to say. "Yep," continued the man, "my grandson used to come and visit me -- but no more."

 

After a brief visit, Nikolas shook the old man's hand and gave him a smile. "I can come and visit you sometimes,"said Nikolas. "I can bring you some of my mom's cookies." A smile replaced Mr. Stone's tears.

 

When Nikolas arrived home, he told his folks about Mr. Stone. "I'm going to adopt him as a substitute grandpa since my own grandpa lives so far away," he said. "If God had answered my prayer the way I wanted, Mr. Stone might not have anybody coming to see him. Now he has me."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you trust God to answer your prayers -- not necessarily the way you want, but the way He knows is best? Will you thank Him even when you're disappointed and then wait to see what He will do? God always knows best. (And by the way, is there someone you could cheer up and be a friend to?)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 18:30)
As for God, His way is perfect.

[Soldier4Christ]

Evan stretched his neck and peered between heads. Brad was on the platform, facing the congregation. "It's a joyous day in heaven when one of God's sheep returns to the flock," said Pastor Kerns. "This young man attended our church as a boy, and it was here that he accepted Jesus as His personal Savior. However, temptations came along, and he wandered away from God. But Brad has repented -- praise the Lord! Let's celebrate his homecoming!" When people stood and began clapping, Evan wrinkled his nose. Why all this fuss for Brad? he wondered. I heard he joined a gang. As Evan slid back in the pew, Mom tapped his shoulder. With an up-turned palm, she motioned for him to stand, so he did.

 

At the close of the service, the pastor invited Brad to join him at the back of the auditorium. "I want all of you to have an opportunity to welcome Brad home," said Pastor Kerns. "This is a joyful occasion!"

 

Later, Dad and Evan chatted while Mom prepared their dinner. "I noticed that you seemed reluctant to stand up this morning and celebrate Brad's return," said Dad. "Didn't you want to encourage him? When you were younger, you used to like him quite a lot. Weren't you glad to see him back at church?"

 

"He joined a gang, didn't he?" asked Evan. "Isn't that bad? Shouldn't Brad be punished instead of having everybody get all excited about him?"

 

"Well, let me try to help you understand," said Dad thoughtfully. "Let's see . . . do you remember the time a puppy appeared at our door?"

 

Evan giggled. "Yeah, he was so cute! I wanted to keep him, but he was wearing a tag, so you called his owners. I thought they'd be mad at the puppy and spank him."

 

"Did they?" asked Dad.

 

"No." Evan smiled as he answered. "They hugged him and fed him doggie treats. They were so happy that he was found."

 

"Brad is something like that puppy," said Dad. "In a way, he was lost -- he was a Christian, but he was living far from the Lord. However, God loves Brad even more than the puppy's owners loved him. God is happy that Brad has confessed and forsaken his sin. We celebrate, too, because this is a victory over Satan."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you happy when someone confesses sin and turns to God? It's easy to be led astray; it's hard to admit sin. When someone does that, there's rejoicing in heaven. Christians should rejoice, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Luke 15:10)
There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

[Soldier4Christ]

Robbie watched as his sister Brenda put on her coat, ready to leave for the children's rally at their church. "Too bad you have a cold and can't come, too," said Brenda.

 

Robbie shrugged. "Oh, well," he said, "Pastor Walters is just going to talk about Noah. I've heard that story lots of times. It'll just be more of the same old thing." He noticed Mom's frown when he said that. But it is the same old thing, Robbie told himself. I'm glad I don't have to go. Muffling a sneeze, he turned on the TV.

 

"Watching the Lions and Bears game?" asked Dad after Mom and Brenda left. "That's a delayed broadcast, isn't it? You know who won."

 

Robbie nodded. "Yeah," he said, "but I like football."

 

When Mom and Brenda came home, the game had ended and Robbie was looking through some old baseball magazines. "Anybody hungry?" asked Mom.

 

"I am! Let's have pizza!" suggested Robbie promptly.

 

"Again?" asked Mom. "We had it just two nights ago."

 

"I never get tired of pizza," replied Robbie, and the others agreed that it sounded good to them, too.

 

As they ate, Brenda mentioned that she had enjoyed the meeting at church, but Robbie wasn't impressed. "I still say it's the same old thing. I already know all about Noah," he told her. "Ask me anything."

 

"How big was the ark, compared to a football field?" asked Brenda. "And how many stories high was it?"

 

"Well . . ." Robbie's voice faded. He didn't know the answers.

 

"You say the story of Noah is the 'same old thing,' but a replayed football game is exciting to you," observed Dad.

 

"And you'd probably like to have pizza almost every day," said Mom.

 

"And you read those sports magazines over and over," added Brenda.

 

"Why is everybody ganging up on me?" protested Robbie.

 

Dad smiled. "We just don't want you to think of the Bible as being 'the same old thing,' because it isn't," he said. "There are always new facts and lessons to be learned -- even from familiar stories."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you listen for something new each time you hear or read the Bible? No matter how many times you've heard a story, there are still more lessons to learn and instructions to obey.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:33-34)
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes. . . . Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Don't quit yet!" Jill begged her friend, but Wendy sat down and began
unlacing her skates, saying that she was cold. "It's not that cold!" grumbled
Jill. Wendy didn't answer, and Jill went back to the pond.


 

"Hey, Jill," called Tia as she skated by, "you and Wendy want to go to Angelo's CafT for some hot chocolate?"

 

"I'll check," Jill yelled back. She spun around and returned to the bench where Wendy was still sitting. But Wendy wasn't interested in hot chocolate, either. Jill sighed. I wish I had come skating with somebody else, she thought. Wendy sure isn't any fun!

 

When Jill got back home, her mother was stirring a mixture in a bowl. "Mmmm, my favorite!" exclaimed Jill. She picked up a spoon her mother had been using and quickly took a lick. "Yuck!" she exclaimed. "What is this? Aren't you making cheesecake? I thought this was cream cheese."

 

Mother laughed. "It's shortening," she said. "You jumped to a conclusion without learning the facts again." Jill knew she often did that.

 

As Mother continued working, Jill told her about the problem with Wendy. "I think she just wants attention," grumbled Jill.

 

"Hmmm," murmured Mother. "Are you sure you haven't jumped to a wrong conclusion about Wendy, too? Maybe there's a good reason for the way she acted."

 

Jill frowned. "Naah!" she said. "She's just being self-centered."

 

That evening, Mother came to Jill's room. "Honey," she said, "I just talked with Wendy's mom. Wendy's dad has been gone since yesterday."

 

"Where is he?" asked Jill.

 

"They don't know," replied Mother. "I just learned that he has a problem with alcohol and disappears occasionally. I thought you should know so you can pray for her and be an especially understanding friend."

 

"Oh-h-h!" breathed Jill. "I . . . I did jump to conclusions again! No wonder Wendy was sad today. I'll call her tomorrow and make sure she knows I'm her friend. And I will pray for her -- and for her dad, too."

 

"Good," said Mother. "I will, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you care when a friend is feeling sad? Are you patient and understanding when that happens? If a friend seems to be troubled about something, pray for him or her. Let that person know you care and that you're there to help in any way you can.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 14:29)
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

[Soldier4Christ]

Nina jingled her coins together. She liked the tinkling sound they made. She called it her "Sunday school song" because she jingled the coins before Sunday school class each week. She earned her own offering money, but lately she hadn't been able to find many jobs, so her offerings had become smaller and smaller. Sometimes there were no quarters or dimes -- only a few nickels and pennies.

 

When Logan, the boy sitting next to Nina, saw her plunk her coins into the offering plate, he giggled. "Is that all you have?" he asked loudly. Nina felt her face grow hot, and she squirmed in her chair. Ducking her head, she didn't answer Logan, but when she got back home, she talked to her mother about it.

 

"How do I know if what I put in the offering is enough?" she asked. "I think my Sunday school offering was the smallest in the class today."

 

Mother raised her brows. "I think," she said, "that your first mistake was to compare offerings. We should never give to impress others. Tell me -- what does Jesus think about your offering?" Nina shrugged. Mother was quiet for a minute. "Nina, at your birthday party last month, your friends gave you presents. Were some gifts smaller than others?" she asked. Nina nodded. "And are the kids who gave you the nicest presents the ones you like best now?" asked Mother.

 

Nina shook her head. "It didn't matter," she said. "Sally's present was small, but she's my best friend. She didn't think she should come because she didn't have much to spend on a present. Her dad had been sick a long time. But I told her . . . oh!" Suddenly Nina smiled. "I know now what Jesus thinks about my offering!" she declared. "He knows it was the best I could give, and He's happy with it -- just like I'm happy with Sally's present. Actually, I was glad she came at all."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you ever afraid that your best is not good enough? Do you feel like you can't witness properly? Do you wish you could pray, sing, or talk like someone else does? Do you wonder if the money you're able to give is enough? Remember . . . Jesus sees your heart, and it's your love for Him and your desire to serve Him that's most important.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Samuel 16:7)
The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

"There sure are a lot of different kinds of balls, aren't there?" observed Caleb as he and his friend Abe studied the display at a sports store.

 

"Yeah, and I like 'em all," said Abe with a grin.

 

An elderly couple stopped to look, too. Their clothes looked strange to the boys, and neither Caleb nor Abe could understand the language they spoke. Caleb frowned. "Let's get going," he said. The boys strolled off, and when they were out of hearing distance, Caleb added, "I don't like foreigners. You can't understand their language, and they dress funny. I think when foreigners come here they should try to b 1'>á e like us."

 

"That's silly," said Abe. "They're probably here for just a short visit. If you went to Africa for a visit, would you start dressing the way they do over there? And would you quit talking until you learned their language?"

 

Caleb ignored Abe's questions. "Look!" he exclaimed. "A store for stamp collectors! My dad collects postage stamps."

 

The boys peered through the window at the display of stamps. Abe noticed the prices, and his eyes widened. "Why do some of those stamps cost so much?" he asked. "They're nothing but a little piece of paper."

 

Caleb laughed. "Some stamps are expensive because there weren't many of them printed," he explained. "That makes them valuable. And some of the most expensive ones are those that were misprinted. They're valuable because they're different from other stamps."

 

Just then the foreign-speaking couple walked by. "Hey," said Abe, "if it's so great for stamps to be different, why do people have to all be the same? Maybe being different makes them interesting, too." Caleb frowned. "We like variety in all kinds of things," continued Abe. "Things like flowers and birds and balls and . . . and stamps, so why wouldn't we want variety in people, too? Besides, remember our Sunday school lesson last week? It was all about how God loves everybody. They're all important to Him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you judge people by the language they speak? By the country they come from? Or by the color of their skin? Which color do you think God loves best? The answer is . . . He loves them all the same! He made everyone and sent His Son, Jesus, to give His life for each one. Since God values and loves people that much, you should value them, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Acts 10:34-35)
God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.