Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Dylan sat quietly in the chair, staring out the window as his father read the note Brad had brought home from school. "Do you want to talk about this?" Dad asked softly after he had set the letter aside.

 

Dylan didn't know what to say. "I . . . I started to walk away from the guys when I saw that the magazine they were reading had bad pictures in it," he began, "but they started saying stuff like, 'Come on and have some fun,' and, 'Don't be a nerd,' and, 'Be a man' -- stuff like that." Dylan took a deep breath and sighed. "So I guess I went back and looked at the pictures with the rest of them until Mrs. Thomas saw what we were doing and took us to the principal's office." He looked at his father. "I'm really sorry, Dad."

 

"How do you think the Lord felt when you did that?" his father asked softly.

 

Dylan shrugged his shoulders. "Sad, I guess."

 

For a while Dad sat quietly. Finally he spoke. "What would you say if some of your friends made up jokes about your sister or your mother and told them around just to have some fun?" asked Dad. "Would you join them?"

 

Dylan frowned. "Of course not!" he replied.

 

"You care about Mom and Suzy too much to hurt them like that, don't you?" asked Dad, and Dylan nodded. "But what if your friends called you names because you didn't want to go along with their fun?" persisted Dad.

 

"Let them say what they want!" responded Dylan.

 

Dad gave him a rather sad little smile. "It's easy to say no when someone you care about will be hurt by what you do, isn't it?" Dylan felt his cheeks grow warm. He understood what his father was really saying. "Dylan," Dad said softly, "if we all cared about Jesus like we ought to, a lot of what goes on in our lives would probably be changed. It just shows us how much we need to think about Him and what He means to us. We need to remember that sin not only hurts us; it hurts God, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you love the Lord enough to say "no" when your friends ask you to do something wrong? Make up your mind right now that you're going to stand up for God, and ask Him to help you do it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 1:1)
BLessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I'm really glad that just the two of us are camping this weekend, Dad," said William, as he and his father arranged wood for a campfire. "We'll have time for man-to-man talks."

 

Dad smiled as he struck a match to the kindling. "Right," he said. "Let's talk about girls. Rumor has it that you're pretty fond of Jenny Smith."

 

"She's okay," mumbled William, self-consciously.

 

"Just okay?" asked Dad. "I believe your sister saw you in the hallway at school with an arm around her -- and according to her, you were trying to 'plant a big kiss on her lips.' You're a little young for that, don't you think?"

 

William blushed. "I don't know what got into me." He stood looking at the ground. "Passion, I guess, if you know what I mean?" Dad didn't act shocked or surprised as he turned away from the fire.

 

Suddenly William yelled, "Look, Dad! The fire has gotten into the dry grass."

 

Dad jumped up and began stomping on the nearest blaze. "Grab that pail of water," he called. "Quick!" In seconds, the wild fire was out. "Close call," said Dad. He put an arm around his son. "And I do know what you mean by passion. It's a strong force; everyone feels it. But like that fire, it can be controlled. It's a gift from God to be used carefully. If a fire gets out of control, it can cause a lot of damage. When passion is uncontrolled, it causes great problems, too. That's one reason we won't allow you to date until you're older."

 

William hesitated. "Oh, well, Jenny wouldn't go out with me now anyway," he said. "She got mad -- she says I came on too strong. She says she'll see me only when we're with a whole group of kids. She won't even hang around with me at school or at games -- at least not unless other kids are with us, too."

 

"Good for Jenny!" exclaimed Dad. "The Bible has lots to say about temptation and how God will provide a 'way of escape.' A good one is to not be in a position to be tempted. Jenny is right -- young people getting together in groups is healthy."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you avoid situations where you might be tempted to sin? Feelings can be controlled. Ask God to help, but also do what you can to avoid places where you'll be tempted.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 6:12)
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

[Soldier4Christ]

"There's a parking space," said Seth. He pointed. "Right there by the door."

 

"Great!" said Maria. Mom had allowed her to take the car to school, and she had to stop for some groceries before heading home. But as Maria drove toward the empty spot, she saw a blue and white sign. "We're not allowed to use a handicapped space," she said.

 

"Oh, come on!" whined Seth. "We're in a hurry." Just then another car pulled into the space. "That guy doesn't look handicapped," exclaimed Seth as they saw a man get out of the car and walk toward the store. "We could just as well have parked there!"

 

"You can't always see a person's handicap," said Maria, "and he does have a sticker." She drove on and soon found another place to park.

 

When they reached home, Maria told Mom about the parking spaces. "I don't see why we couldn't park there," Seth grumbled. "That man didn't look any more handicapped than I do. He didn't have a cane or a walker or anything!"

 

"Oh, Seth! You've been grumbling all afternoon," said Maria. "Like I told you, some handicaps don't show -- like heart or breathing problems."

 

"That's true," said Mom as she saw Seth scowl, "and there are also handicaps such as bad attitudes."

 

"Bad attitudes?" asked Seth. "I don't get it."

 

"When Christians display bad attitudes and actions, they're handicapped in their testimony for the Lord," explained Mom. "It makes it hard for others to tell that they know the Lord. It's too bad when that happens."

 

Seth was quite sure Mom was thinking of him, so he tried to make a joke of it. "Maybe they should have handicap stickers and special parking places, too," he mumbled.

 

"I don't think so," said Maria dryly.

 

Mom shook her head. "It certainly would not be a sticker we'd be proud of," she said. "We need to tell people we're Christians, and we also need to  show it by our actions."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your actions and attitudes show that you love Jesus? Do you cheerfully put others before yourself and act unselfishly? When you show others you love Jesus by the way you treat them, it makes your witness more credible.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 2:13)
It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Another rainy day! Aren't we ever going to have sunshine again?" exclaimed Haylie as she flung her books down on the table. "I've played all the rainy-day games I know."

 

"We need rain to make the garden grow," said Mom. She smiled at her daughter. "This might be a good time to do your Bible lesson for tomorrow. You haven't done that yet, have you?" Haylie shook her head and reluctantly went to get her Bible and lesson book.

 

As Haylie finished her lesson, she glanced out the window. "The rain has almost stopped!" she exclaimed. "Good! We've had enough." She got up to put her lesson book and Bible away. "And I've had enough of these, too," she mumbled to herself. "Seems like all we do in this family is go to church and study the Bible and pray." She blushed when she saw Mom glance her way. Oops! I hope Mom didn't hear that,  she thought.

 

"Come with me to the garden and let me show you something," said Mom, and they put on their raincoats and boots. Mom picked up a small shovel, and they headed for the garden plot. "You think we've had a lot of rain," said Mom, "but look at this." She plunged the shovel into the dirt and turned it over. The ground was quite wet on top, but a little way down, the dirt was dry.

 

"I thought it would be muddy clear down to China!" exclaimed Haylie. "I guess we do need more rain."

 

Mom smiled. "This dry ground reminds me of us," she said. "Sometimes we think we've taken in so much of God's Word that we don't need any more." Now Haylie was sure Mom had heard her grumbling. "And yet," continued Mom, "we're really 'dry' down deep because, although we go to church, we really don't listen. Although we take a few minutes to read a verse and say a hurried prayer before we go to sleep, we don't think about what God is saying to us. We don't really talk to Him." Haylie knew what Mom said was true. As they headed back indoors, she made up her mind that she would read her Sunday school lesson again, and this time she'd really think about what God was teaching her.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you listen carefully to what God says to you? Don't snatch a hurried look at your Bible and mumble a few words in prayer each day. Don't tune out your pastor and Bible teachers. Don't be a dry Christian. Give serious thought to what God has to say.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:140)
Thy Word is very pure: therefore Thy servant loveth it.

[Soldier4Christ]

One bright, sunny Saturday morning, Marci and her parents decided to stop at an estate sale. Marci enjoyed seeing all the things the owners of the place were selling. When they walked into a room that looked like a library, she noticed a tall object covered with a sheet on which was tacked a sign: "Not for Sale." Curious, she lifted a corner of the sheet, and to her surprise she saw a tall, stately harp. She gave a little gasp; she loved harp music. "Look, Mom!" she exclaimed. Together they admired the instrument. "My music teacher at school talked about the different kinds of strings a harp has," said Marci. "Some are really thin, and others are thick and strong. She said some are spiraled and some are grooved, but others are smooth."

 

Mom nodded. "Notice the colors of the strings, too," she said. Some strings were bright red; others were black, silver, or gold.

 

A young woman who was supervising the estate sale smiled at Marci. "This harp belonged to my mother's great-aunt," she said. "Now I'm going to take it home so my daughter can learn to play."

 

That night Marci studied her Sunday school lesson. "Will you help me with this question?" she asked her dad. "My lesson says Christians of all ages make up God's Church. I'm supposed to think of an illustration of that -- you know, like many grains are baked into one loaf. But I can't use that one; I need one of my own."

 

"Well, let's see." Dad thought for a minute. "Maybe you could use that harp you saw today," he suggested.

 

Marci grinned. "Hey, yeah!" she exclaimed. "Many strings make one instrument, and many people make God's Church."

 

Dad nodded. "Each string is different -- each is designed to sound its own individual note. Yet when each string is in tune with the others, the harp gives beautiful, harmonious music! It's that way with the Church, too. Each member is different, but as we work together, we make 'music' that is sweet to God's ears."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you enjoy the fact that each member of God's Church is different? Not everyone will think or act just like you, but keep in tune with them. Ask Jesus, the Master Musician, to help you "harmonize your music" with that of other Christians.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 133:1)
How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

[Soldier4Christ]

"Guess what!" exclaimed Dad as the family was eating dinner one evening. "Today someone tried to give me a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill."

 

"Counterfeit?" asked Suzanne. "What does counterfeit mean?"

 

"It means the money was fake -- it was phony," her older brother told her. "Pass the ketchup, please."

 

"Ben's right; it means fake," Dad agreed as he passed the ketchup across the table. "Counterfeit money looks like the real thing, but it's not."

 

Suzanne picked up her fork and started to eat. "How can you tell it's not real?" she asked between bites.

 

Dad thought for a moment before he answered. "Well, sometimes it takes an expert," he said, "but I handle a lot of money every day in the store, don't I?" Suzanne nodded her head. Her father owned a grocery store, and she often saw him at the cash register. "Well, after handling so much money every day, you get somewhat used to the 'real thing.' When that fake twenty-dollar bill turned up, it sort of stood out." Dad sipped his lemonade. "It just didn't feel right," he continued, "and when I looked at it more closely, I was quite sure it was phony."

 

"Wow!" said Ben. "Just like the FBI!"

 

Dad laughed. "Well, not quite. But I'm thankful I caught it; otherwise we'd have been out twenty dollars." After a moment he added, "You know, now that I think of it, what happened today is a little like our Christian faith."

 

"What do you mean?" Suzanne looked puzzled.

 

"If we study the Bible seriously, we learn what it really teaches," explained Dad. "Then when someone comes along with a counterfeit teaching, we won't accept the phony message quite so readily -- even though it may sound a lot like the real thing. When we're very familiar with God's Word, we won't be easily fooled by false teaching."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you read your Bible? Do you pay attention during family devotions? Do you listen carefully in Sunday school and church? The Bible is our guide for life, so it's very important to know what it teaches. As you study, ask God to help you understand it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 13:9)
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.

[Soldier4Christ]

BOOM! Seven-year-old Aaron sat upright in bed. Rain spattered against the window, and lightning streaks made his room as bright as day. He could see his favorite teddy bear propped in a corner. BOOM! Another loud crash of thunder! Aaron burrowed under his covers, a pillow pressed over his ears.

 

From under his blankets, Aaron peeked toward the wall where the rosy glow of a night-light usually shone, but between flashes of lightning, only blackness filled the room. Cautiously, he poked the button of a little table lamp near his bed, but instead of warm, friendly light, there was nothing. Shivering, he buried himself even deeper in his bed.

 

Rain poured down harder outside, sounding as if someone were hurling heavy, wet drops against the glass. Wide awake now, Aaron wondered if he dared make a run for his parents' room. Just then he felt a soft touch through his blanket. "Mom?" he asked in a muffled voice.

 

"I'm here, honey." Aaron looked out from his blanket tent and saw his mother in her fuzzy pink robe standing next to him. Another BOOM shook the house. "Noisy, isn't it?" Mom remarked reassuringly. As she sat down on the edge of Aaron's bed, the lights came on. With Mom there, and with the familiar light back on, Aaron felt quite brave again. "Did you remember that Jesus is right here, Aaron?" asked Mom. "He was watching over you even before I came in. He controls the wind and rain, you know. We don't have to be afraid, because He's with us."

 

Aaron began to feel sleepy as he listened to the comforting words. His mother's hands closed around his, and he heard her saying, "Thank You, Jesus, for loving Aaron and especially for being here with him during the storm." Through almost-closed eyes, Aaron saw his mom turn the light out and tiptoe from his room. Outside, the storm rumbled farther away while rain dripped quietly from the roof.

 

"Thank You, Jesus," he whispered. "I'm so glad You're always here." Aaron yawned, snuggled under his covers, and was soon asleep again.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid in storms? God has full control of the weather. Ask Him for protection and then trust Him to answer. He is just like a parent who loves and watches over His children. Trust God to take care of you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (lsaiah 66:13)
As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Rhonda balanced carefully on the beam that Dad had built for her. Even though the basement floor was cushioned with a gym mat, she hated to slip off the narrow beam. "This is hard!" she moaned after taking a few steps. "I'll never be good enough for the gymnastics team."

 

"Focus," Mom said gently. "You need to focus your eyes on that picture you put up."

 

Rhonda lifted her foot carefully while staring at the picture placed on the wall across the room, but she still wondered if her foot would land back on the beam or if it would miss. When she glanced at her mother, she tilted to the left and then swayed to the right. She tried to regain her balance, but had to hop down to the floor to keep from toppling off the beam.

 

"Every time I lose my focus, I get totally off track," Rhonda said. "I wish I could keep my eyes from wandering."

 

"Ihave that trouble, too," sympathized Mom.

 

"You do?" asked Rhonda. "You're not on the beam."

 

Mom smiled. "No," she said, "but I have trouble keeping my focus in another area. You see, as we go through our daily routines, we should be continually aware of God and what He wants of us. We shouldn't let anything become more important to us than He is. In other words, we should be focused on Him."

 

Rhonda nodded. "Losing focus when I'm on the balance beam often causes me to lose my step and topple off. You're saying that losing focus on God often gets us into trouble, too, right?"

 

"That's right," agreed Mom. "We all need to practice keeping our focus in order to stay on the path God has for us."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What draws your attention away from God? School activities? Friends? TV programs? Don't make these things the most important part of your life. Focus on God and His Word. If you take your focus off God, you can get on the wrong path in life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 4:25)
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

[Soldier4Christ]

Andrew dashed out the door and ran down the lane toward the bus stop. He hurried faster when he heard the long blast of a horn. The bus was already there! But as he approached the corner, he saw the bus going on down the road. There was nothing to do but run back home. "We missed the bus," he told his sister Kaitlynn, who was just coming out the door.

 

"This is the third time this month you've missed the bus," scolded Mom as she drove the children to school a little later. "From now on, please be ready on time!"

 

"Well, I was way ahead of Kaitlynn," Andrew said. "I just missed the bus by a hair."

 

"Well, you still missed it, same as me," Kaitlynn retorted.

 

"Sometimes being close doesn't help a bit," agreed Mom. She was thoughtful as she drove on. "You know, Andrew," she said after a moment, "you thought you did so much better than Kaitlynn, but you both missed your bus. It reminds me that people who attend church faithfully and try to be good may seem to be closer to God than other people are, but their good works won't save them. They need Jesus, just like other people do. Without Him, they're going to miss heaven."

 

"Hmmm," murmured Andrew, "sounds like my friend James. A bunch of guys at school swear and lie and disobey the teachers. James doesn't do those things, so he thinks he's a lot better than they are."

 

"Maybe he is better," said Mom, "but being better isn't good enough to get him to heaven. Make sure he knows that he needs to trust Jesus as Savior."

 

Andrew nodded. "Maybe missing the bus was a good thing," he suggested, "because now I have something to tell James." Seeing the look on his mother's face, he quickly added, "But of course, that's no excuse for being late any other day!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you'll go to heaven because you act better than many other kids do? Being better than someone else isn't good enough. Missing heaven "by a hair" is still missing it! You need to trust Jesus as Savior.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 2:8-9)
By grace are ye saved through faith . . . not of works.

[Soldier4Christ]

Every day, several of the older boys at school urged Nick and his friends to try drugs. "Hey, man, getting high is the best experience a kid can have," insisted one of them.

 

"Yeah!" agreed another. "Drugs make you happy -- and they give you power! You'll be surprised at what all you can do! C'mon! Try 'em. They're free today -- just for you! So what's to lose?" Nick knew better, but he found it hard to pass up something that looked so good.

 

As Nick and his mother drove to town one day, the sky was crystal clear. He wondered how much bluer or clearer it would look if he took some drugs. As the car approached a hill, Nick thought he saw water on the road up ahead. "Where'd that water come from?" he asked. "It hasn't rained for days."

 

"There isn't any water," Mom said, and as they moved closer to the "puddle," Nick saw that it disappeared. "That was a mirage," Mom told him. "Sometimes light rays from the sky get bent by hot air above the pavement and make it look like the road is wet when it really isn't."

 

"Wow!" Nick said. "That's cool."

 

"Not always," said Mom. "What if you were in the desert, thirsting for water, and you saw a refreshing lake ahead? But then you found out the lake was only a mirage created by the condition of the atmosphere. No water, just dry desert."

 

"A trick!" Nick said. "That would be the worst!"

 

Mom nodded. "There are things in life that look appealing," she said, "but they turn out to be a major let-down, or even harmful -- like drugs for instance." Nick wondered if Mom had read his thoughts. "The 'high' -- the escape and the wild trip one might expect from drugs -- can be made to look like fun," continued Mom, "but it turns out to be like a 'mirage.' Instead of being good, drugs turn out to be very harmful to your body, as well as addictive and expensive. What might appear to add a wonderful zip to life actually destroys it." She paused, then added, "Drugs are harmful, and using them is sin."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been tempted to do drugs? They may look good to you, but they're harmful to your body. Like a mirage, they deceive people. As a Christian, don't be tricked into using harmful things. Honoring God with your body means saying no to the things that hurt it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 6:20)
Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

[Soldier4Christ]

"You're always messing up this room,'' grumbled Jill as she pushed her sister's things off the dresser.

 

"I am not, and leave my things alone!" ordered Mary.

 

"Then keep your stuff off my side of the dresser," retorted Jill.

 

"My things were not on your side."

 

"Were, too!"

 

"Were not!"

 

Jill and Mary were at it again, and Mother reluctantly headed for their room. "I'm tired of the constant fighting that goes on between you two," she said sternly. "You are sisters, and you should show respect for one another. Follow me."

 

Jill and Mary followed their mother into the back hall and watched as she got out some rags and window cleaner. "Now," said Mother, "you are going to clean the big living room window thoroughly. Mary will wash the outside, and Jill will work on the inside. And don't you dare smile at each other! You must scowl all the time. I want you to do your quarreling while this window is between you."

 

Jill and Mary found it hard to scowl when they had to. Mary tried to hide her dimples, but it was hard to do. As they worked, both girls found it harder and harder to scowl at each other. Before long, they burst out laughing. How foolish their fight seemed now!

 

This was what Mother had been waiting for. She called the girls into the kitchen, and they sat at the table while she got them each a glass of lemonade. "You know, girls," said Mom, "you are really disobeying God when you get angry and shout nasty things at each other. He wants us to be kind and forgiving. You need to learn to talk over your differences and work out a solution." She set the lemonade on the table. "When you've finished this, I want you both to get your Bibles and learn Proverbs 15:1. Then, next time you're tempted to quarrel, use what you've learned. Keep a gentle answer -- like a pane of glass -- between you."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel angry toward your brother or sister? Toward parents or a friend? Do you react with harsh words or a bitter attitude? Ask God to show you those with whom you should talk things out.Remember the solution God gives -- a soft, gentle answer.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 15:1)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

[Soldier4Christ]

Shannon ran out to the porch when she saw her uncle's car turn into the driveway. "Hi!" she called. "Are you coming to the parade with us?"

 

"Parade? What parade?" asked Uncle Bill.

 

"The big Memorial Day parade," replied Shannon. "Dad's going to be driving the mayor's car, and Kyle's in the high school band."

 

"Uncle Jack is teasing you, Shannon." Aunt Ruth gave her a hug. "He knows all about the parade."

 

Half an hour later, the family stood together on the corner, watching the floats, the marching bands, and the mayor's car go by. When the parade was over, they walked to the cemetery for a special Memorial Day program.

 

"That speaker talked about how happy he was the day he knew the war was over," said Shannon when they were on their way home. "I guess everybody was happy about that."

 

Aunt Ruth nodded. "My parents sure were!" she said. "When I was born a few days later, they named me Ruth Victoria. Ruth means 'peace' and the Victoria part comes from 'victory.'"

 

"Really?" Shannon was impressed. Then she frowned. "But there have been a lot of wars since then," she said.

 

"That's true, Shannon," agreed Aunt Ruth, "but you know what? My name reminds me of something more than victory in that particular war. It also reminds me of my relationship with Jesus Christ."

 

"It does?" asked Shannon. "Why?"

 

"Even though the world doesn't have true peace or victory, I do!" explained Aunt Ruth. "Because Jesus took the punishment for my sins on the cross, I have peace with God, and I can have victory over the power of sin in my life. Through Christ we can have peace within, no matter what's going on in the world."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you wonder why there are so many wars? A country may fight to gain freedom because they want to control more land, or to rebel against a bad ruler. In spite of all the unrest in the world, it's good to know that real peace and victory can be yours if you know Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 5:1)
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Sacrifice of Love

"Come on, Butch," Eric called to his dog. "Let's go explore along the creek. We can cross the pasture today because the cows are way off on the other side." Butch came running, and they started out.

When Eric stopped to examine some tracks, he heard an angry bellow. His feet froze as a black Angus cow crashed through the brush and charged toward him. Butch had been taught to leave the cows alone, but he lunged at the animal, snarling furiously. The cow shook her head and turned her attention to Butch. As Eric pulled himself into a tree, she rammed the dog against the ground.

 When Eric looked back down, he saw the angry cow charge Butch again. Please, God, take care of Butch, pleaded Eric. He watched until the cow finally returned to the brush. Then he climbed from the tree and hurried to Butch's still form. A lump rose in his throat as he picked up his dog and struggled toward the house. "Dad! Mom!" called Eric frantically. "Help me!" His parents came running, and tears streamed down Eric's cheeks as he told them about the cow.

Dad put his ear to Butch's chest. "His heart is still beating," he said. "Let's get him to the vet."

While Eric sat in the waiting room, Dr. Colby spent a very long time examining and caring for Butch. "I believe your dog is going to be okay," said Dr. Colby when he finally returned, "but he has some broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a concussion. He'd better stay here until he's stronger."

As Eric and Dad rode home, Eric spoke quietly. "Butch went after that cow so it wouldn't hurt me," he said.

Dad nodded. "Butch willingly faced death so you could live," he replied. After a moment, he added, "That's what Jesus did for us, too. He willingly suffered pain and gave His life to save us from eternal death. He offers us eternal life instead."

"He loves us an awful lot to be willing to do that, doesn't He?" asked Eric. "I've known that for a long time, but I never really thought about it."

 Dad put a hand on Eric's knee. "Are you trusting in Jesus for your salvation, Son?" Dad asked. "Have you accepted His gift of life?"

"I . . . I guess not," admitted Eric, "but I want to, Dad. Will you help me and pray with me?" Dad joyfully nodded and pulled the car over to the side of the road.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you accepted Jesus' gift of eternal life? Like everyone, you have sinned, and God requires that sin must be punished. Jesus took the punishment you deserve by willingly giving His life on the cross. On Easter we celebrate the fact that Jesus not only laid down His life, but "took it again"-He rose from the dead. He conquered death and offers eternal life to all who will trust in Him. Will you do that? Accept HIs gift and thank Him for what He did for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He (Jesus) laid down His life for us. 1 John 3:16

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Whistle

"Where's Molly, Grandpa?" asked Dan. He had come to spend a week with his grandparents, and he loved to play with Molly, Grandpa's brown and white dog. In response, Grandpa took a whistle from his pocket, put it to his mouth, and blew. "Your whistle must be broken," observed Dan. "It doesn't make a sound." As he spoke, Molly came running from the woods behind the barn.

Grandpa laughed. "The whistle isn't broken. It emits a high-pitched sound that can't be heard by human ears, but a dog can hear it plainly," he explained. "Molly's been trained to respond to the sound of the whistle." Grandpa went up on the porch. "You can play with Molly," he added. "I'll sit here a bit and watch."

Dan and Molly raced across the yard. Then Dan threw a stick for Molly to fetch. She brought it back and waited eagerly for him to throw it again. Finally, Dan got tired and went to sit beside Grandpa, and Molly lay down nearby.

"May I play with your whistle, Grandpa?" Dan asked.

"No, Dan." Grandpa shook his head. "It's not a toy. We use it only when we want Molly to respond. It gets her attention every time." He paused, then added, "While I was watching you and Molly play, I was thinking of ways God calls us when He wants our attention."

Dan grinned. "He doesn't use a whistle," he said.   Grandpa smiled. "No," he agreed, "but He communicates and instructs us in several ways. He often uses parents, teachers, and pastors to direct us. Often He speaks through the Bible. And the Holy Spirit speaks quietly to our hearts."

"Does everybody hear Him?" Dan asked.

Grandpa shook his head. "Generally, only those who know Him hear Him," replied Grandpa, "although He does allow others to hear the Holy Spirit's urging to trust in Jesus. But God's children should always be sensitive and ready to hear what God says. He warns us not to be like a mule with no understanding. We need to be like sheep who hear their shepherd's voice and follow him. When we do that, we can be effective in sharing His truth with our friends."

Dan scratched the dog's ears. "I'll try to answer quickly when God 'whistles' for me, just like you do when someone whistles for you, Molly," he said. "I want to obey God's call and be a good testimony to the other kids."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has God "whistled" for you? Has He spoken to you through His Word? Has He spoken through a parent, a teacher, or a pastor? Has He pricked your conscience regarding something you should do or should not do? Pay attention. Heed His call and do what He asks.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27

[Soldier4Christ]

Can You Believe It?

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29 (NIV)

Do you find it hard to believe what someone tells you when what they tell you seems impossible? For example, suppose I said to you, "This paper clip will float in this glass of water."  That doesn't make sense, does it?  Experience tells us that if we put this paper clip in the water, it will sink.  So, if I tell you the paper clip will float, you would find that hard to believe, wouldn't you?

Well, let's see if this paper clip will float.  (Put a small square of paper towel on the surface of the water and then carefully place the paper clip on the piece of paper towel.  When the paper towel becomes saturated, it will sink, leaving the paper clip floating on the surface of the water.)  Wow!  That's amazing!  The paper clip is floating!  I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes.

It isn't unusual to hear someone say, "I'll have to see it to believe it," is it?  That is what our Bible lesson is about today.

On the evening of the first Sunday after Jesus was crucified, his disciples were together in a locked room. They were afraid that those who had crucified Jesus would also want to put them to death. Suddenly, Jesus appeared there in the locked room with the disciples. It was hard for the disciples to believe, but they saw him and Jesus showed them the wounds in his hands and his side, so they knew it was him.

One of the disciples, whose name was Thomas, was not with the others when Jesus appeared to them. When they told Thomas that they had seen Jesus, he did not believe them. He had seen Jesus crucified and buried, how could he be alive? Thomas said, "Unless I see the wound in his side and put my finger in the holes where the nails were in his hands, I will not believe it!"

A week later, the disciples were in the locked room again and this time Thomas was with them. Again, Jesus came and stood among the disciples. Jesus, said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas fell on his knees and answered Jesus, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

You and I have never seen Jesus with our own eyes. The question is, will we be a doubter, or will we be one of those who Jesus said were blessed because they believe, even though they have not seen?

Dear Father, help us to believe in our heart those truths we find in your Holy Word, even though we have not seen them with our eyes. Amen.