Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, Sheba won't come!" wailed Adam. "When I call her she just yips and runs around. Sometimes she comes toward me, but if I try to touch her, she runs away again. Watch!" Adam called to Sheba, his new puppy. Sure enough -- Sheba barked and began racing around the yard, running in circles and coming close to Adam, but always dodging away at the last moment. Finally, exhausted, she lay down, panting. Adam looked at her and sighed. "Naughty dog!" he mumbled. "You need to learn to obey."

 

"You're right," agreed Mom. "I have a suggestion that might help. Try offering her a reward to encourage her to come to you. Try a dog biscuit -- I think we have some in the garage. When you call her, ignore her silly antics. When she comes, praise her, pet her, and give her the biscuit. Eventually, she'll get tired of wearing herself out for nothing. She'll learn that she needs to come to get her reward."

 

"Okay," agreed Adam. "It's worth a try."

 

Several days later, Adam called excitedly, "Look, Mom! Watch Sheba now!" Mom turned to watch as Adam called to his puppy. "Sheba, come!" The puppy stopped chewing on her dog toy, looked at Adam, and cocked her head. Adam repeated the command. "Come, Sheba!" He held up a dog biscuit. Sheba quickly trotted over to Adam. She stood silently beside him and stared at the biscuit, but remained still. "Good girl, Sheba!" Adam patted her and gave her the biscuit, which she ate eagerly.

 

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Mom.

 

Adam beamed. "She's real smart," he said. He knelt and hugged the happy pup.

 

Mom smiled. "She is smart to come to her master," she agreed. Looking wistful, she scratched behind Sheba's ears. "If only everybody in the world would come to the Master . . . wouldn't it be wonderful?"

 

"Come to the master?" repeated Adam. "I guess you mean Jesus, right?" He nodded. "Jesus offers a reward, too, doesn't He?"

 

"He surely does," agreed Mother. "He offers the greatest reward of all -- eternal life. It's hard to understand why more people don't come to Him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you come to Jesus? He wants you to come and receive the eternal life He is offering. It's wonderful and it's free -- but you must come. Do so today. (See page 64.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 11:28)
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[Soldier4Christ]

Ashley was excited. "We're going on a field trip to see Mount Vernon," she told her parents one night. "That's where George Washington lived. We've been studying about him in class, and my teacher asked for volunteers to make some reports on his life. I said I'd get some books from the library and do one of the reports."

 

"Good," said Mother. "I'm sure preparing for the field trip by studying his life will make it more enjoyable." So Ashley set to work, learning more about George Washington and preparing her report.

 

When Ashley arrived home after the field trip, she was bubbling with enthusiasm. She excitedly told her parents all about the good time she'd had. "It was so much fun to see the things and places I'd read about," she said. "I even knew some things the guide didn't mention."

 

At breakfast the next Sunday, Dad stood up. "Time to hear your memory verses before we leave for church," he said. "Who wants to be


HOW ABOUT YOU?
 he asked. <p>I . . . I didn't get it learned," confessed Ashley. "I was just too busy this week. I'll go study it a minute." <p>When it was time to leave for church, Ashley's hair wasn't quite dry and she couldn't find her Bible. She finally ran out to the car without it. She sighed as they turned into the church parking lot. "Church has been kinda boring lately," she grumbled. "I don't get much out of it." <p> "I'm not surprised," Mom told her. "You know, honey, before you took that trip to Mount Vernon, you did everything you could to prepare for it. As a result, you really enjoyed it. Why don't you do the same for church? Prepare for it by getting things ready early." <p> "But that trip was so special," mumbled Ashley. <p> "Which is more special," asked Dad, "a president and his house, or God and His house?" <p>Ashley blushed. "I . . . I . . . I'm going to do better," she promised.   Do you enjoy church? If not, try preparing for it early. Study your lesson and pray for your teacher. Get your clothes ready on Saturday evening. When you get to church, set your mind on God, and pay attention to your Sunday school lesson and to the sermon. You may be surprised to find church becoming a very special part of your week.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 122:1)
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Mr. Wagner walked to the chalkboard in his Sunday school classroom. "Tell me, boys -- what should be the really important things in your lives?" he asked. The boys began to call out answers -- church, Jesus, family, friends, Bible study, prayer -- and Mr. Wagner wrote them on the board.

 

"All right," said Mr. Wagner. "That's a great list." He moved to another part of the board. "Now let's make a different list," he said. "What are your hobbies? What activities do you especially enjoy?"

 

Answers came quickly, amid much laughter and excitement -- baseball, TV, computer games, football. Mr. Wagner even added a few suggestions of his own. Then he stepped back and thoughtfully looked at the two lists. "Tell me now," he said, "which list takes up most of your time?"

 

Some of the boys giggled; some slid down in their chairs. It was pretty quiet, but Jason finally said what most of them were thinking. "I guess we're not spending much of our time on the things that are supposed to be most important."

 

Mr. Wagner nodded. "If we're honest, we have to admit that the things on this first list often don't have first place in our lives," he agreed. "Does that mean we should get rid of the things on the second list? Or is there a way we can combine the two lists?" No one offered suggestions, so Mr. Wagner continued. "Let's think about . . . oh . . . baseball," he said. "Would it be fair to say we're combining the lists if, as we play baseball, we act the way Jesus would want us to act? He would want us to hold our tempers when the umpire calls us out, to be good sports when we lose, to not become proud when we do well."

 

"Hey! Yeah!" Jason burst out. "When we're doing the stuff on that second list, we can watch for chances to tell other kids about Jesus, too, and invite them to Sunday school -- stuff like that!"

 

Mr. Wagner nodded. "Look at the two lists and decide, honestly before the Lord, what you need to change in order to make them work together and put the really important things first," he said.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What is most important to you? Does the way you behave as you carry out your daily activities show that you care for God and His Word? Do your actions and thoughts please Him as you go through the day? Put Jesus first in all of the things you do.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I've tried to get into the habit of reading my Bible every day," said Trisha as she reached for a piece of pizza, "but I never seem to be able to keep at it. I'll read a whole lot for a few days, and then I just . . . well . . . I quit again." Several of the other young people nodded knowingly. They were enjoying a combination Bible study/pizza party, and their leader was encouraging them to develop a time of daily devotions.

 

"Bible reading is a little like eating," said Mr. McRay. "First you take a bite, next you chew it, then you swallow it, and finally you digest it."

 

"But how do you take a bite of the Bible?" asked Karen.

 

"Well, look at this pizza," said Mr. McRay. "It's cut into sections, and the Bible is also divided into sections. You selected one section of pizza, and you can select one section of the Bible -- one book or chapter. What do you do next?"

 

"You take a bite, and Mrs. Green says . . ." Marc tried to sound like his school lunchroom teacher, ". . . don't take more than you can chew, and chew it good." The other kids laughed at his imitation.

 

"That's good advice," agreed Mr. McRay, "and it's good for your Bible reading, too. Don't try to take too big a bite. A bite might be just a verse or two, or it might be a chapter. Chewing might be compared to thinking about the verses you've read."

 

"How do we swallow what we read?" asked Sue.

 

"Did you ever hear someone say, 'That story is hard to swallow'?" asked Mr. McRay. "That means it was hard to believe. Swallowing can be compared to believing -- believing that God's Word is true and that you need to do what it says." Looking at the pizza he held, he added, "That brings us to digestion. What happens when we digest food?"

 

"We just studied that in school," said Marc. "Digested food is changed into something the blood can take to the rest of the body."

 

"Good." Mr. McRay nodded. "When it comes to Bible reading, digestion would be applying God's Word to your life -- doing or not doing what God has taught you through the passage you read. It means letting God's Word make a difference in your life. So . . . I'll suggest to you that it would be a good idea to eat four meals a day -- breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a slice of your Bible."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a "bite of Bible" each day? Try starting with just a verse or two -- but be sure to think about what God is teaching you through it. Then follow that teaching.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 4:4)
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

The cold winter wind bit at Gwen's nose and ears as she and her mother were shopping downtown. "Can we stop at the pet store and get some birdseed?" asked Gwen. Mother agreed, and they headed for the store.

 

As they crossed an alley, they saw a man sleeping there, huddled against a wall. He was wrapped in a shabby coat, wore no gloves, and had worn-out shoes on his feet. Gwen grabbed her mother by the hand and quickly pulled her past the alley. "What's the hurry?" asked Mother.

 

"That man made me nervous," admitted Gwen. She frowned and glanced back over her shoulder. "Why is he dressed like that? And why is he sleeping on the street on such a cold day?" she asked.

 

"I suppose he's a homeless person," replied Mother.

 

"At school we talked about homeless people," said Gwen as they entered a warm store, "but I didn't think we had any in a small town like ours."

 

After Gwen bought a bag of bird seed, she and her mother started back home. As they passed the alley, they saw that the man was gone. Mother looked sad. "I hope he's okay," she said. Gwen nodded.

 

When the two got home, Gwen filled the family's backyard feeder with bird seed. Then she came inside and rubbed the cold from her tingling fingers. "I like to feed the birds," she said as she and her mother stood and watched birds swoop down to the feeder. "It's so cold, and it's hard for them to find food. They might die without me." She paused, then added, "But you know what? My Sunday school teacher read some verses that say God sees every sparrow that falls."

 

Mother nodded. "God cares about the birds, but He says people are of more value than many sparrows," she said. "We found a way to help the birds through the cold winter; do you think we could also find a way to help the homeless?" As Gwen stared out at the snowy backyard, her fingers still aching from the cold, she knew they had to try. "Let's think of something together, shall we?" added Mother.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be homeless? Really cold? Really hungry? Have you talked with your parents and friends about what you could do to help? Perhaps there's an organization in your town that needs money, food, or clothes in order to help homeless people. Perhaps your church has an outreach that needs donations. Would you be willing to do without something you want in order to help? Think about it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 10:31)
Ye are of more value than many sparrows.

[Soldier4Christ]

Lynda looked out at the tall buildings surrounding her new home. A big lump came into her throat as she thought about the stormy divorce that had taken her father away from her. Lynda tried to tell her mother how lonely she was, but she felt like Mother didn't really listen. It seemed to Lynda that Mother always talked about her own problems, not Lynda's. She knew her mother was nervous because it was her first day at a new job. She doesn't even think about me and how I'm feeling on my first day at a new school, Lynda said to herself, tears gathering in her eyes.

 

Lynda dreaded walking into her new school, but the principal was kind and sent an aide to guide her to the sixth grade classroom. When the bell rang for lunch, Holly, the girl sitting in front of Lynda, turned around. "Want to eat lunch with me?" asked Holly. Lynda breathed a huge sigh of relief as she went with her new friend to the cafeteria.

 

"What does your dad do?" asked Holly as she and Lynda ate.

 

Lynda had hoped no one would ask about her dad. "He's a salesman," she answered vaguely. "How about yours?"

 

Holly shrugged. "He left my mom when I was a baby."

 

Lynda didn't answer right away; then she said in a small voice, "My folks are divorced, too." Almost in tears, she added, "And Mom just thinks about her own problems and doesn't even hear me when I talk about mine."

 

"I know what you mean," answered Holly. "I was really lonely until I met my Heavenly Father."

 

"Your what?" asked Lynda.

 

"My Heavenly Father -- God," replied Holly. "He always listens. I can talk to Him about anything, and He helps me not to feel so lonely."

 

"Must be nice," said Lynda wistfully.

 

Holly leaned forward eagerly. "Why don't you come to Sunday school with me and learn about Him?" she invited. "When you don't have a dad, it's really neat to have a Heavenly Father."

 

"Someone to listen, right?" asked Lynda.

 

Holly nodded. "He'll listen, and He'll help."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know the Heavenly Father -- God? Even if you have an earthly father, you need to know God, too. He loves you and is always ready to listen to you, no matter where you are or what problems you have. It's important that you get to know Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 6:
Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Dinner was finished, and Jared was just thinking of teasing his sister when Dad's voice changed the whole mood. "We got a call from your teacher today, Son." Jared swallowed hard, and it suddenly became very quiet in the kitchen. Only Brandy, the family dog, had anything to say as he yipped for a handout. "Brandy! Quiet!" commanded Dad. Brandy sat down immediately and waited. She knew her master's voice well. "Mrs. Folkema was not very happy," continued Dad, "and neither am I. She told me you cheated on a math test."

 

"I . . . I just couldn't seem to help it," Jared mumbled. "Heidi wasn't covering her paper at all, and I kept thinking about being on the honor roll."

 

Dad cut a scrap of meat and held it out toward Brandy. The dog began licking her lips hungrily. "Brandy -- stay!" Dad ordered loudly, then placed the meat on the floor in front of the dog. Brandy thumped her tail excitedly, but stayed where she was. "Jared, do you have any idea why Brandy is able to resist temptation?" asked Dad.

 

Jared grinned. "She knows Sally helped make dinner tonight, and . . . ow!" His sister's elbow had made a direct hit in Jared's ribs.

 

"Look at Brandy's eyes," said Dad, not finding Jared's remark too amusing. "They're looking at me, right?" Jared nodded. "If Brandy kept staring at the meat, she'd never be able to resist it," continued Dad. "Instead, she's focusing on her master." He turned toward Jared. "Whenever you're tempted, who should you focus on?"

 

"On Jesus," replied Jared. "I know that, but you make it sound so easy."

 

"I admit that it's not easy at all," replied Dad, "but it is our choice. When we lose our focus, we need to redirect our thoughts to where they ought to be. And you know what? I believe that when we succeed in doing that, God rewards us richly." Dad picked up the scrap of meat and tossed it into the air. Brandy caught and swallowed it, barely taking time to chew. She sat down and licked her lips again. It had been well worth the wait.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you find yourself in situations where you feel tempted to cheat? To watch TV shows you know you shouldn't watch? To join in gossiping about others? Don't spend time thinking about things you know are wrong -- wishing you could do them. Instead, think about what Jesus would want you to do. Let Him be your guide as you make your choices.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 10:13)
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I sure hope we get remote control race cars for our birthday," said Bryce as he and his twin brother, Andrew, walked home from school.

 

"Me, too," agreed Andrew, "but with Dad out of work, you know we won't get them." He kicked at a stone on the sidewalk.

 

"Don't be so sure," replied Bryce. "When Aunt Elizabeth called last week, she asked what we wanted, so I told her we wanted the cars. Who knows! She might come through with them."

 

When the boys arrived home, there was a large package on the table. It was for them -- a package from Aunt Elizabeth. Could it be? It was! A remote control car . . . well, sort of. "A remote control truck?" Andrew asked. "Not a car?" There was dismay in his voice.

 

"And do we have to share it?" asked Bryce in disbelief.

 

"Certainly, you can share," said Mother. "Why shouldn't you?"

 

The boys sighed, but they took turns playing with the truck and figuring out how to use the remote control.

 

"It's really tricky to back the truck up with that trailer attached," said Andrew after a while. "I didn't expect it to be like this."

 

"What did you expect?" asked Mother.

 

"I thought each of us would get a car," said Bryce.

 

"I didn't think that," said Andrew. "I didn't expect to get a remote control car at all." He looked thoughtful. "I suppose we really should be thankful to have this truck, even if we do have to share it."

 

"I agree with that," said Mother firmly. "Tell me -- what are some things you like about it?"

 

"Well," said Bryce after a moment, "it does have 'turbo speed.'"

 

"I never saw one that came with a trailer before, and I think it's kind of fun to figure out how to make it back up the right way," said Andrew.

 

Bryce grinned. "Yeah," he agreed. "It might even be more fun than running an ordinary remote control car."

 

Mother nodded. "How about writing a thank-you note to Aunt Elizabeth?" she suggested. "Mention all the things that you do like about the gift. Thank her for it -- and don't forget to thank God for Aunt Elizabeth. She's been very good to you." The boys grinned and nodded.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you grumble and complain if you receive gifts that aren't exactly what you wanted? Or do you stop and think of something you do like about them and then write a thank-you note? Be sure to do that. Most of all be sure to thank God for those who love you enough to give something to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Colossians 3:15)
Be ye thankful.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Bryce and Andrew were playing with their remote control truck one afternoon, their little sister, Amanda, amused herself by hopping around the living room on a hobby horse. "Mom," she said suddenly, "I wish I had a remote control hobby horse -- one that would go up and down, up and down all by itself."

 

"Yeah, that would be cool!" agreed Andrew as he watched her.

 

Mother laughed. "I've never heard of such a thing," she said. "Maybe you can invent one when you grow up."

 

"But I want one now!" insisted Amanda.

 

Mother had an idea. "Get on your hobby horse, and when I give the command, do whatever I say," she told Amanda. "For instance, if I say to go left, you go left. If I say to go right, you go right. No wires required; it's kind of like remote control! Do you get it?"

 

Amanda nodded. "And if you say to stop, I stop, right?"

 

"That's right," said Mother. "Here we go! Go straight ahead. Turn left! Turn left again! Go right! Back up! Go forward! Stop!" Amanda hopped up and down according to her mother's instructions.   The boys joined in, too, and soon they were taking turns giving and receiving instructions.

 

Just before tucking them into bed that evening, Mother read a Bible story about a centurion who wanted Jesus to heal his servant. "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof," the centurion said, "But just say the word, and my servant will be healed." Mother smiled. "Jesus was pleased with that man's faith," she said, "and He did as the centurion suggested. Jesus simply spoke the word, and the servant was healed at that moment."

 

"Remote control!" exclaimed Andrew with a grin. "I didn't know there was remote control in the Bible!"

 

Mother smiled. "That's an interesting way to look at it," she said. "God made this world, and He controls everything in it. If we're wise, we willingly let Him have control of our lives, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you willingly and cheerfully allow God to have complete control of your life? Then you never need to be afraid of what will happen. God knows what is best, and He is able to make it happen. You can always trust Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 83:18)
That men may know that Thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mommy, Lisa made me thirsty!" cried Matthew. "She gave me some potato chips."

 

Lisa laughed. "You didn't have to eat them, Matthew."

 

Matthew pouted. "But she made me want them, Mommy," he insisted. "That's why I ate so many. Lisa said they were so good, and she kept eating 'em and eating 'em."

 

"Were they good, Matthew?" asked Mother.

 

"Yes." Matthew nodded and repeated, "But now I'm thirsty."

 

Mother smiled as she poured two glasses of juice. "Did you know that Christians are supposed to be like potato chips?" she asked.

 

"Mom! That's silly," said Lisa as she took a glass of juice. "How can anybody be like a potato chip?"

 

"Yeah," agreed Matthew. He grinned at his big sister. "I'd sure be thirsty if I ate a giant potato chip like you, Lisa."

 

"That would make you really thirsty, wouldn't it?" agreed Mother. "Thirsty for pop or juice." She gave Matthew a little chuck under the chin. "Well, that's exactly how you're supposed to be like a potato chip, Matthew. You're supposed to make people thirsty for Jesus."

 

"How could we do that?" asked Lisa.

 

"Potato chips make you thirsty because they're so salty," explained Mother. "Jesus called His followers the salt of the earth. If we're salt, we should make people thirsty for Him."

 

"I still don't know how to do that, though," said Lisa as she took another handful of potato chips.

 

"Matthew said you made him want the potato chips by telling him how good they were, right?" asked Mother. "He also saw you keep eating them -- he saw that you enjoyed them."

 

"I think I get it!" cried Lisa. "If we tell our friends how wonderful Jesus is, and if they can see that we're happy as Christians, they'll want what we have -- they'll be thirsty for Jesus."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you a salty Christian? Do your friends see Jesus in your life? Do they see that you enjoy learning about Him in church and Sunday school? Do they see discontentment or joy in your life? As you show your faith in Jesus each day -- even though you have struggles and problems, too -- they may want what you have.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 5:13)
Ye are the salt of the earth.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sherri was having a bad day. Her friends Leslie and Krista had come over to play, but when Krista picked up a toy Sherri wanted, Sherri became very angry. "Give that to me," she demanded, grabbing at the toy. Krista didn't let go, so Sherri gave her a sharp slap on the arm. That worked! Krista let go of the toy; she also got up and went home. "You're just a big baby," Sherri called after her.

 

Leslie looked doubtfully at Sherri for a moment. Then she echoed her. "Yeah -- a big baby!" she called out.

 

After Krista left, Sherri flung the toy aside. "I don't like Krista much," she said. Then she and Leslie talked about several other classmates -- about the funny clothes they wore, how stupid they were, how ugly.

 

Soon Sherri's mother came into the room. "Time for Leslie to leave," she said, "and for you to pick up the toys, Sherri. Then I want to talk to you."

 

After Leslie had left, Sherri went to her room without picking up the toys. Soon she heard a piercing scream. She rushed back to the family room and saw that her little brother, Scotty, had stumbled over one of the toys and cut his head. The cut was bleeding badly, and Sherri felt terrible.

 

When Scotty had been taken care of, Mother sat down with Sherri. "I'm s-s-sorry," whispered Sherri. "It's all my fault that Scotty got hurt. I should have put the toys away."

 

"Yes, but I'm even more concerned about something else," said Mother. "Wasn't Leslie saved in Kids' Club just a few weeks ago?" Sherri nodded as Mother continued. "Well, Scotty stumbled because of some toys you left out, but I'm afraid Leslie may stumble in her new life as a Christian because of some things you did and said -- I saw the way you acted and heard some of your conversation. Your words and actions weren't a good example for her and weren't pleasing to the Lord. That could cause her to stumble spiritually."

 

Sherri blushed as she remembered her behavior that afternoon. Mother looked at her solemnly. "I think an apology is in order, don't you?" asked Mother. "An apology to both Leslie and Krista. It's a serious thing when we cause someone else to sin."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you careful to be a good example to other Christians -- especially to new Christians? It's important to live in such a way that you do not cause anyone else to fall into sin. Ask God to help you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 14:13)
Judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

[Soldier4Christ]

With a pout on her face, Liliana walked out to the garden where her mother was picking beans. "Shana doesn't want to come to my birthday party this year, Mom," said Liliana. "She made up a lame excuse about having to be somewhere else, but I think she just doesn't want to come."

 

"Is this the same Shana who came last year and gave you the sweater she had knitted herself?" asked Mom.

 

Liliana's expression grew even darker. "Yes," she muttered, thinking that her mother never forgot anything. Liliana had made fun of the sweater in front of all the other girls, calling it a "homemade cheapie."

 

Mom stood up. "We'll have these good beans for supper," she said, "and I'd like a few strawberries, too." She pointed to some vines. "Grab some strawberries off that vine for me," she said.

 

Liliana absent-mindedly bent toward the vine, then stopped. "Mom," she said, "these aren't the strawberry plants. They're cucumbers."

 

"Oh, I know I planted cucumbers there, but I want strawberries now," said Mom. "Pick a few for me, please."

 

"What are you talking about, Mom?" asked Liliana. "I can't get strawberries off a cucumber vine." Then she noticed the expression on her mother's face. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I know what you're doing."

 

"And what is that?" Mom asked sweetly.

 

"Well . . . it has something to do with me and Shana, doesn't it?" asked Liliana. "You're saying I'm getting what I deserve, right?"

 

Mom smiled. "Not exactly," she said. "I'm saying that you're getting the crop you planted. We reap what we plant in the garden -- in this case, cucumbers. The Bible says we will reap what we sow in our lives, too. You can't expect a harvest of kindness and friendship unless you plant seeds of kindness and friendship."

 

"I . . . I . . ." Liliana stuttered; then she sighed. "I know you're right, Mom," she admitted as she turned to leave. "I'll apologize to Shana."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you "reaped" any good things today? Any not-so-good things? What kind of seeds have you planted? The next time you eat fruits or vegetables, remember that you'll always "reap what you sow " -- in your life as well as in your garden. Ask God to help you plant good seeds -- to live in a way that pleases Him. Then the things you reap will also be good.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

"Oh, oh!" exclaimed Mom. "That sign says, 'Detour -- straight ahead.' We can't make our turn onto the freeway. The ramp is closed for repairs." She drove on down the street.

 

"But we're going away from the freeway," said Maggie as she looked out the back window. "We have to get on it somehow, don't we?"

 

"We will if we follow the orange detour signs," said Mom. "See if you can find the next one."

 

After they drove a couple of blocks, Maggie pointed. "There's a sign," she said. "It says to turn right -- but we'd have to turn left to go the right direction! Someone must have switched the signs!"

 

"Now don't get nervous," said Mom. "Let's just do what the signs say." She turned right just beyond the sign. The next sign also said to go right, and the next said to go right again.

 

"We're going in circles," wailed Maggie. "We can't go this way and get back to the freeway!"

 

"Look ahead!" said Mom. "This road feeds onto the freeway. The signs were correct even though they seemed wrong." She turned onto the freeway. "You know what?" she asked. "Someone else has given us directions for our lives, and we have to trust that His directions are good and right, too, even if they sometimes seem wrong to us. Do you know who I mean?"

 

Maggie thought about the question. "Dad?" she guessed.

 

Mom laughed. "He'd be pleased to hear that answer," she said, "but I was thinking of God. The Bible says things like, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive,' and, 'A soft answer turns away wrath.' Those statements may seem wrong to us, but they're true."

 

"How about, 'Love your enemies'?" said Maggie. "That was my memory verse last week."

 

Mom grinned. "Here's a good one for us today," she said. "'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.'"

 

"I've learned that verse, too!" said Maggie. "I guess I should have prayed instead of worrying about where we could get to the highway."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do the directions God gives sometimes seem difficult to you -- or even wrong? Trust Him! He knows what's best for you, and He knows what works best for any situation. He'll never give you wrong directions.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 3:6)
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

[Soldier4Christ]

"We had a new girl in our class today," said Leilah as she nibbled on cheese and crackers. "Her name is Anna. She's from an orphanage in Romania, and an American family -- the Blackmans -- adopted her."

 

"How wonderful for her!" exclaimed Mother.

 

"Deborah says she pities Anna because she doesn't have any real family of her own," added Leilah.

 

Mother sat down at the table. "That's ridiculous," she declared. "Of course she has a family! The minute Anna was adopted, she became as much a part of the Blackman family as if she had been physically born into it." Mother smiled at Leilah. "I wonder if Deborah realizes that you are also adopted."

 

Leilah's mouth dropped open, and she stared at her mother. "I didn't know I was adopted!" she exclaimed.

 

Still smiling, Mother said, "Well, you are. When you accepted Jesus as Savior last year, you were immediately adopted into God's family. You're a child of God now, just like Anna is a child of the Blackmans." Mother reached over and picked up her Bible from the counter. She opened it and handed it to Leilah. "Read Romans 8:16-17," she said.

 

Leilah read aloud. "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."

 

Mother nodded. "You became a child of God and an heir to His heavenly riches," she said. "God accepts you as His own, and Anna's new parents accept her as their very own."

 

Leilah nodded. "I think Anna and I should get along well together," she said thoughtfully. "She'll be glad to learn that I've been adopted, too." After a moment she looked at her mother and grinned. "You know what, Mom? If Anna becomes a Christian, she'll have been adopted twice. Isn't that cool? I'm going to tell her."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been adopted into God's family? If not, wouldn't you like to be? When you trust Jesus as Savior you become a royal family member -- you will even have an inheritance. Trust Jesus today. (See page 64.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 8:16)
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Gabe sauntered into the house, letting the back door bang behind him. Raindrops glistened on his hair. His brother, Jeremy, met him at the door. "Gabe, you borrowed my bike," said Jeremy. "Did you put it away?"

 

Gabe shrugged. "Na-a-ah. A little rain won't hurt it."

 

Jeremy dashed out to rescue his bike. Soon he returned. "You made me get all wet!" he grumbled. "You did put my bike away, but you said you didn't."

 

Gabe laughed. "I was just kidding," he said.

 

At the supper table, Gabe grinned at his sister. "Hey, Nicole," he said, "you fussed with your hair all afternoon, but it still looks like a haystack."

 

"Mom, Gabe is insulting me again," complained Nicole while Gabe protested that he was just kidding.

 

Later, Gabe watched Nicole take a bite of salad. "There was a worm on that lettuce," he told her. "Does it taste good?" He laughed as she jumped up, her napkin at her mouth, and ran to the sink. "Just kidding," Gabe teased.

 

After supper, the rain stopped. "Let's go out, Gabe, and I'll teach you how to throw a curve," said Dad.

 

"Great!" exclaimed Gabe. "I'll get my ball and mitt." When he returned to the living room, thumping his baseball into his mitt, he found Dad relaxing in the family room. "Let's go, Dad," said Gabe.

 

"Don't bother me, Gabe," replied Dad. "I want to read the paper now."

 

Gabe coaxed, but Dad read on. Gabe glared at his father. "You lied to me, Dad," said Gabe angrily. "You said you'd teach me to throw a curve."

 

Dad lowered the newspaper slowly and looked directly at Gabe. "But, Gabe, I was just kidding," he said. Gabe looked startled. "I've heard that phrase a lot lately," added Dad, "but you said it more accurately now --  and you're right; if I don't play ball with you, I will have lied."

 

Gabe was embarrassed. "I . . . know what you mean, Dad," he said.

 

"Your kidding has really gotten out of hand, Son," said Dad. "Before we play, I think you need to tell Jeremy and Nicole that you're sorry, don't you?" Gabe nodded and left the room in search of his brother and sister.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you do a lot of "kidding"? Be careful. Don't use that term to excuse a lie or an unkind word. Don't cause unhappiness for others and call it kidding. When that happens, it's time to confess it to God and ask Him to forgive you. Then apologize to anyone you've hurt and ask him or her to forgive you, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 4:32)
Be ye kind one to another.