Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, can we have fruit salad for lunch?" asked Elizabeth.

 

"Good idea," said Mom. "You can help me make it. We have lots of different kinds of fruit we can use today." As they began to put the fruit together, Mom had a suggestion. "Maybe we can put nine different fruits in our salad and pretend we're putting in the fruit of the Spirit," she said. "Your Sunday school memory verse last week listed them."

 

"Okay," agreed Elizabeth. "I'll name them as we put them in." She put orange pieces in a big bowl. "I'll call these love. The pineapple chunks will be joy." She opened a can and added them. "What else do we have?"

 

"I have some fresh peach wedges ready," said Mom, "and here's a cantaloupe we can use to make melon balls."

 

Elizabeth called the peaches peace, and the melon balls longsuffering. "The diced apples will be gentleness, and the pear cubes will be goodness," she said. "I'll slice some bananas and call them faith."

 

"Okay, and you can add some of these grapes," said Mom. Elizabeth called the grapes meekness.

 

Elizabeth looked around. "We need a fruit for," she said. "Maybe a few raisins would do."

 

"Good work, Elizabeth," said Mom, smiling. "I'm proud that you remembered all of them."

 

At lunchtime, everyone enjoyed the salad. "Good to the last bite," said Dad, popping the last piece of pineapple into his mouth.

 

"And now our fruit of the Spirit is all gone," said Elizabeth.

 

"I hope not!" exclaimed Mom. "I hope spiritual fruit will always be a part of our everyday lives."

 

Dad nodded. "People won't be able to see that we've had fruit for lunch today," he said, "but I pray that the fruit in our lives will show people that we belong to God."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Can others see the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Does the way you talk and the way you act show that you know Jesus? Do your family and friends know by your "fruit" that you belong to Him? The fruit of the Spirit should be seen in the life of each Christian.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 7:20)
Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I don't know what to get my mom for her birthday," Patrick told his friend Darin. "I don't have much money."

 

"I know what you can get," Darin said promptly, "and it doesn't cost anything." He led the way to Mrs. Monroe's flower garden. Old Mrs. Monroe had the most beautiful flowers in the neighborhood. "This is where I got a birthday present for my mom," added Darin, pointing to the flower beds.

 

Patrick was a little confused. "Do you mean you stole Mrs. Monroe's flowers?" he asked.

 

"Don't make it sound so terrible," answered Darin. "Sometime when you know she's not home, just come and take a few. She has so many flowers that she'll never notice that any are missing."

 

Mom loves flowers, thought Patrick, and Mrs. Monroe really does have lots of them. She probably wouldn't even care if I took some, so maybe it would be okay. But would it be stealing? Stealing is sin. I'll ask Dad what he thinks.

 

Patrick found his dad reading the paper. "Dad, do you think Mrs. Monroe would mind if I took some of her flowers for Mom's birthday?" asked Patrick.

 

"I don't know," said Dad, not bothering to look up from his newspaper. "Why don't you ask her?"

 

"Ask her?" echoed Patrick. "The kids say she's mean!"

 

Dad smiled. "You might be surprised," he said.

 

After thinking it over, Patrick made his decision. I'm scared, but I'll ask her, he thought. A shiver passed through him as he knocked on Mrs. Monroe's door. When she finally opened it, he blurted out his request in one breath and waited for her response. He was astonished to see a wide smile appear on Mrs. Monroe's wrinkled face. "Don't you think your mother would be proud if you earned those flowers by helping me in my garden?" she asked. "Come back tomorrow, and we'll work out the details over a piece of chocolate cake."

 

Patrick breathed a sigh of relief as he waved good-bye and ran home. He was glad he had talked to Mrs. Monroe.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you do what you know is right? Do you think for yourself instead of going along with the ideas of others? Each day you need to make many choices. Ask God to help you make the right ones and to do the right thing.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (James 4:17)
To him that knoweth to do good, and  doeth it not, to him it is sin.

[Soldier4Christ]

Lance stood at the window, watching a dark cloud as it was disappearing into the distant sky. "That stupid cloud sure wasn't any help," he grumbled. "I was hoping it would rain so I wouldn't have to mow Mrs. Smith's yard today." Lance sat down and flicked on the television. "Oh, well, I'm not going to mow today anyway. It might rain later."

 

"Mrs. Smith is expecting you in fifteen minutes, isn't she?" asked Lance's father.

 

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter," said Lance. "The grass will still be there tomorrow. Besides, this is one of my favorite shows."

 

Dad stood at the window, watching the cloud which had just about vanished beyond the horizon. "That cloud seemed to promise rain, but it didn't follow through on its promise," he said, "and I think there's another waterless cloud right here in this room."

 

Lance looked around. "In the house?" he asked.

 

Dad nodded. "Sometimes people are like that cloud," he said. "They make promises, but when it's time to fulfill the promises, they just never get around to it." He looked sternly at his son.

 

Suddenly the television show didn't seem all that interesting to Lance. "I guess  you mean me," he said. "If I don't do what I promised, I guess Mrs. Smith won't think any more of me than I do of that big, dark cloud." Lance got up and flicked off the TV. "I'll go right now."

 

Dad smiled and nodded his approval. "Mrs. Smith and I aren't the only ones who will be pleased with you. Since God has told us in the Bible that we should keep our 'vows' -- our promises -- we know that He'll be pleased, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you made promises that you really didn't want to keep? Be careful about making promises. You don't have to make them, but if you do, you should keep them. Then you will  not only please people; you'll please God, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ecclesiastes 5:5)
Better is it that thou shouldest  not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

[Soldier4Christ]

Joel looked sullenly at his part of the garden. In the spring he had begged for some space to make a garden of his own, and his parents had agreed. Now there were so many weeds that he could hardly see his little tomato plants. His section looked more like a straggly clump of dandelions and crabgrass than a fruitful garden plot. Then he looked over at his mother's part of the garden. She was bending over her plants, pulling weeds out of the dirt with her hands. Neat rows of bean and pepper plants were already blossoming.

 

Mom looked up from her weeding and saw Joel watching her. He kicked a stone with his shoe as she stood up and walked over to him. They both stood quietly for a moment, looking at the weeds in his little plot. "Pretty messy, isn't it?" said Joel.

 

Mom nodded and stooped to pull up a clump of crabgrass.

 

"But I just weeded it not long ago," whined Joel.

 

Mom got down on her knees and pulled another handful of weeds. "You know what all these weeds make me think of?" she asked. "They remind me that weeds are like sin in a person's life. Weeds and sin both grow very quickly into a tangled mess." Mom looked at the weeds she held in her hand. "If we don't attend to the weeds regularly, they'll grow fast and soon spoil the garden; and if we don't regularly weed out sin, it will spoil our fruit for the Lord."

 

Joel looked at the weeds in his mother's hand. "Come on," she encouraged. "I'll help you with this garden, but always remember that it's even more important to 'weed your life' -- to confess your sins every day and turn away from them so they don't have a chance to take root and grow."

 

"Weeds sure can get out of hand," he agreed. Then he got on his knees, too, and began to help his mother weed his part of the garden.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is your life bearing fruit for the Lord?  Or is it full of "weeds" like anger, disobedience, and jealousy? Ask Jesus to help you weed out those sins so you can be fruitful for Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Colossians 1:10)
Walk worthy of the Lord . . . being fruitful in every good work.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Caroline poured milk into her cereal bowl, a photo on the carton's side caught her attention. The words "Have you seen this child" were printed under the picture. "You know what?" said Caroline. "I'd love to find one of these missing kids. It must be awful to be kidnapped -- or even just to be lost. And the parents of these kids must be so worried!"

 

"I'm sure they are," agreed Mom.

 

"I remember when I went home with Madelyn after school one day, and I forgot to call you," said Caroline. "You were so worried that you called all around trying to find me."

 

"I was very worried," recalled Mom, "and I was relieved when I finally located you."

 

"I know -- so relieved that you grounded me," said Caroline, laughing. "But that taught me always to check with you if I wanted to do something before coming home. Anyway, I'd like to find a real missing kid and stop other parents from worrying."

 

Caroline pictured herself patrolling the park on the lookout for scared-looking tots. I'd need lots of change for phone calls, she thought, and I'd bring some books so the kids would have something to do till their parents came. Or should I deliver the kids to their homes? Oh, well. I can decide later. First, I have to actually find a missing kid, and there's not much chance of that ever happening! "You know, Mom," she said, "I'm sure I'll never find one, though."

 

"Well," said Mom, "I was just thinking that we probably know some 'missing kids' already."

 

Caroline's spoon clanged into her bowl. "Know some?" she asked. She looked at the faces on the milk carton. "You haven't seen this 'Joshua Odell Lander,' have you, Mom?"

 

Mom shook her head. "Actually, I'm thinking of kids who are 'missing' because they don't belong to God's family," she explained. "We know lots of kids, but many of them don't know Jesus. We need to tell them about Him and let them know that He wants them to 'come home' -- to become a part of the family of God."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you aware that kids who don't know Jesus are "lost" in sin? You can't rescue  them -- only Jesus can do that -- but you can tell them about Him. You can invite them to places  where they'll hear about His love. Do what you can to bring them to the place where  they'll be "found" by Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Luke 19:10)
For the Son of Man is come to seek and to  save that which was lost.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Joanna was playing in the yard at her grandmother's house, she heard an ice-cream truck come down the street, ringing its bells. Joanna was sure her grandma wouldn't buy ice cream before lunch, but she decided to play a joke. She whistled loudly to get the driver's attention. Then she stood behind a bush and watched while the ice cream truck stopped and the driver got out. He was obviously expecting to sell something, but no one came to buy.

 

"That was unkind," Grandma said, coming out of the house. "It was wrong for you to stop that man and make him think he was going to get some business. Now come with me. I want you to apologize." They walked toward the truck, and Grandma signaled for it to stop again. "This young lady has something to say," announced Grandma.

 

Joanna apologized to the ice cream man. Then Grandma bought an ice cream bar for each of them.

 

"No thanks," said Joanna when Grandma handed her the treat. She pushed it away and looked at the ground. "I . . . I don't deserve it after the trick I played."

 

Grandma lifted Joanna's face. "That's true, honey," agreed Grandma, "but you apologized. Now just see this ice cream as a gift from me." Still Joanna hesitated. "You meant it when you said you were sorry, didn't you?" asked Grandma.

 

Joanna nodded. She took the ice cream bar and began to eat. It sure tasted good, and it was refreshing on such a hot day! She was glad she had accepted the gift Grandma had offered.

 

"There's another gift you don't deserve but need to accept," Grandma told Joanna. "We're all sinners, but Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin. We don't deserve to have eternal life in heaven, but it's a gift God gives us when we put our trust in Jesus. Don't push away the gift God offers, Joanna. Receive it by accepting Jesus as your Savior."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? No one deserves the gift of eternal life, but God loves you and wants to spend eternity with you. When you're sorry for your sin and trust Jesus as Savior, He gives to you that wonderful gift. Won't you trust Him today? (See page 66.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 6:23)
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

"That stupid Kurt," grumbled Trent as he slammed the back door. "He pushed me and made me fall right into one of his mom's rosebushes. I got all scratched up. I'm not even going to talk to him anymore!"

 

"Oh, but you smell so nice now -- just like a rose," teased his sister Kate.

 

"I do not!" grumbled Trent.

 

Mother frowned. "I can understand why you're angry," she sympathized when she saw his scratches, "but I think you need to ask yourself how Jesus would want you to behave toward Kurt."

 

The next day, Trent wanted to go and play football at his friend Kevin's house. "All right," agreed Mother, "but if Kurt is there, too, be nice."

 

Mother was making dinner when Trent returned home. "What in the world do I smell?" she asked with a frown as he came closer to see what she was fixing.

 

"Kevin's place doesn't have any roses, but it sure does have skunk cabbage," replied Trent. "I fell into some -- but Kurt got it even worse." He grinned as he thought about it. "I tried to be nice to him, Mom," he continued. "I really tried, but there are some people you just can't be nice to. You should have heard him."

 

"Perhaps Kurt doesn't know any better," said Mother, "but you do. You're a Christian, and you know what God says about loving others -- even enemies."

 

"But, Mom, you can't be nice to everyone all the time," protested Trent.

 

"If your heart is set to please God, you can," insisted Mother. "What happened when you fell into the skunk cabbage?"

 

"I guess I smell like skunk," Trent replied.

 

Mother nodded. "Yes . . . because that's the odor that is deep down in the plants. It's quite different from the scent roses give off."

 

"I never smelled like a rose," protested Trent.

 

Mother smiled. "No, but roses do give off a sweet scent because that's what they are deep down. Now . . . if God's love is deep down inside of you, it should be obvious -- even when you're trampled down."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What comes out when you're knocked down or laughed at? Is it anger and a  desire to get even, or is it God's love? If you're His child, His love is deep  down inside you, and it should show in your life. Ask Him to help you show  His love -- even to kids who aren't nice to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 12:34)
Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sherry giggled as she stood beside a huge saguaro cactus with its spiny arms reaching out and up in odd positions. "With so many big strong arms, this thing ought to be holding something," she said. "Why don't you try sitting on one of its arms, Bob?"

 

"No thanks!" exclaimed Bob. "I'm not sitting on those prickly things!" Sherry laughed at the idea.

 

"Those arms," said Dad, "are holding what is probably the most valuable thing in the entire region."

 

Bob nodded. "And I know what it is," he said smugly. "Water! Cactus plants adapt to the dry, hot climate by storing water inside their stems and leaves."

 

"Just because you took biology doesn't mean you know everything, Mr. Smartie!" exclaimed Sherry.

 

"Bob is right this time," said Dad. "These big fellas can soak up as much as 200 gallons of water -- enough to last them a whole year!"

 

"Yeah, that's why they're pleated like an accordion," Bob put in, eager to show his knowledge. "The pleats expand as the spongy material inside absorbs water."

 

"Right," agreed Dad. "The roots don't go deep into the earth, and they lie about three feet below the surface, spreading a hundred feet in all directions. The hair-like, spread-out roots draw in every drop of rain, sending it to that hidden storage area in the arms and trunk of the cactus. That inner water supply is what keeps this cactus alive and growing."

 

"Really?" asked Sherry. She studied the cactus. "Well, Mr. Cactus, you look like a nice fellow -- like a kind old man with a very sharp beard!"

 

Dad smiled. "And one with some good advice for us about the importance of storing things," he said.

 

"About storing water?" asked Bob. "I don't really mind carrying a canteen -- and I like the size of my arms the way they are!"

 

Dad laughed. "I wasn't thinking of your arms, Bob," he said. "Let's try your heart! I hope both of you will store God's Word in your heart -- that hidden place inside of you. Knowing God's Word and obeying it will help you grow into mature Christians who are pleasing in God's sight."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been growing spiritually? Are you storing God's Word in your heart -- memorizing verses?  They will help you know what pleases God; they will encourage you in your daily life; they will help keep you from sin as you choose to live by them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:11)
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Look at all the holes in the cactuses!" said Sherry.

 

"Cacti," said Bob. "If there's more than one cactus, they're called cacti." He pointed toward one of the holes. "See that owl?" A little elf owl stared solemnly at them from inside the hole. "We learned that wood-peckers and flickers make most of the holes in the cacti. They make a new nest hole every spring, and other birds move into the empty holes that are left behind."

 

Dad nodded. "Each time the cactus skin is broken, a thick gluey liquid seeps out and forms a waterproof pouch inside the arm," he said. "The liquid hardens -- a lot like a scab -- and the pouch becomes an ideal apartment for desert birds."

 

Sherry saw big and little holes in the arms of one of the cacti -- some low and some very high. "This saguaro is like a high-rise apartment building," she said with a laugh. "What a busy, crowded place to live."

 

Bob grinned. "Just like our house," he said.

 

Sherry nodded. Grandma had moved into the spare bedroom; Lars, an exchange student, was going to share Bob's room; Julie, an older sister, was married to a serviceman who had been called for overseas duty, and she was going to bring her two-year-old baby and move back home while her husband was gone.

 

Sherry remembered well the discussion they'd had about Julie's coming. "She's kidding!" Sherry had said."Where will they sleep?" But  she knew the answer. Julie would sleep in the extra bed in her room. "She can't sleep in my room -- she needs to be with Robbie," Sherry had quickly pointed out. Dad hadn't answered; he just looked steadily at Sherry. "You don't think you can fit Robbie's crib into my room, too, do you?" protested Sherry.

 

Dad had suggested that Sherry should pray about it. She had tried, but she hadn't been comfortable praying, because she knew she was being selfish. But now Sherry looked at the odd-shaped, old saguaro that offered a home to any creature who needed it, even though it meant having holes pecked into its walls. I won't complain, she thought, even though holes get pounded into my walls, too -- which they will, if I know Robbie!




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you willing to give up some of your comforts or conveniences to help others? Ask God to help you be unselfish, and remember -- when you give, you are acting as Jesus would.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 10:24)
Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Scott approached his sister, she noticed that something was moving inside the cage he was carrying."Hey, Katy!" he said. "Look what I found in the woods!"

 

"Oh, no!" screamed Katy. "Get that out of here!"

 

Scott laughed. "It's only a garden snake," he said. "It can't hurt you."

 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Katy dashed behind her father, her eyes filled with fear. "Kill it!"

 

"Don't be afraid." Dad put his arm around Katy. "What Scott says is true; garden snakes aren't poisonous. We don't kill something just because we don't like it.  All animals are God's creatures; He made them for a reason."

 

"Why do people hate snakes?" asked Scott.

 

"Maybe because they remind us of evil," replied Dad. "Satan was in the form of a serpent when he tempted Eve to sin in the garden of Eden."

 

"Sometimes snakes harm chickens and cattle," put in Katy, "and they bite people! Maybe if they'd quit doing that, we'd like them better. After all, people can die if they're bitten by certain kinds of poisonous snakes."

 

"That's true," said Dad. "God has given animals a built-in mechanism to protect themselves from enemies. Deer have antlers, porcupines have quills, skunks have a smelly spray, and snakes have venom."

 

"Snakes eat mice, so you should like that, Katy -- since mice are such dangerous little creatures," teased Scott.

 

Dad smiled. "Many years ago, the Bubonic Plague, which was caused by infection from rats and fleas, killed a fourth of Europe's population," he said. "If there had been more snakes, the epidemic might have been avoided."

 

"See, Katy," said Scott, "there are good things about snakes as well as bad ones."

 

"Well . . . your snake is okay, I guess," said Katy.

 

Dad nodded. "He's shown us how great God is by reminding us that everything God created has a purpose -- even those things that we don't particularly like. All of God's creation is good."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you remember that God created everything? Plants? Animals? People? God made them  all for a purpose. His divine power and wisdom is clearly shown in His wonderful creation. Enjoy it and respect the wonder of it, even in those parts of creation that are not your personal favorites.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 16:4)
The Lord hath made all things for Himself.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can we buy this?" asked Charlie, showing a model airplane kit to his mother. "I'd love to put it together."

 

"You mean you'd like to start putting it together," Mom corrected him. "Then you'd let it sit, unfinished, like all the other projects lying around your room."

 

"Aw, Mom," protested Charlie, "I'm still working on those things!"

 

"It sure doesn't look that way," said Mom with a frown.

 

"But I am!" insisted Charlie. "Some of the models are waiting to dry before I do the next step. And my bike is still apart because Dad wants me to wait till the part it needs goes on sale. And the puzzle I've started -- well, I like to do puzzles a little each day. I'll get it all done."

 

Just then some people from their neighborhood came along. Charlie looked down at the floor while Mom chatted with them.

 

"Why didn't you talk with the Gordons?" Mom asked after their neighbors moved on.

 

"I don't know," Charlie replied. "I never know what to say to adults. I feel embarrassed and tongue-tied. They make me nervous."

 

"Maybe you should work at learning to talk with them," suggested Mom.

 

"I try," Charlie said. He sighed. "I've even asked God to help me," he added. "He's helped me with other problems, but not this one. I'm beginning to think God isn't going to change me from being shy."

 

Mom looked at the model airplane kit Charlie was holding. "Okay, you may have that," she said, "I'll trust you to finish your other projects in your own good time. And let's trust God to finish the work He started, too."

 

"What work?" asked Charlie.

 

"You see, when you accepted Jesus as your Savior, God began a good work in you," explained Mom, "and He's still working. God hasn't stopped shaping you in every area of your  life -- including your shyness in relating to adults. He's working in the time frame that He  knows is best for His project to turn out just right."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel discouraged when you're nervous about praying in public, too shy to be friendly,  or afraid to witness? Ask God to help you with these and other areas where you feel weak.  Let Him work in your life and make you just the way He wants you to be.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 1:6)
He (God) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sandy and her brother, Ben, eagerly watched the video tape Dad had made on their vacation trip to Yellowstone National Park. "There's Old Faithful!" exclaimed Ben as they watched hot water burst from the ground and shoot high into the air.

 

"Do you remember what causes the geysers to erupt?" asked Dad.

 

"The ranger said that rock deep within the earth is so hot that its gasses heat the spring water," Ben replied.

 

"And he said the underground water reaches the boiling point, builds pressure, and erupts violently," added Sandy, eager to show that she knew, too.

 

A little later, Sandy and Ben had a disagreement over a game. Sandy angrily pushed back her chair, tipping it over. "You always think you're so smart!" she snapped.

 

"What did I do?" Ben asked with a knowing smirk.

 

"All kinds of things," retorted Sandy. "You used my bike without asking; you spilled juice on my homework; you embarrassed me in front of my friends." The tone of Sandy's voice became sharper as it raised in pitch. "You make me so mad I could scream!" She ran to her bedroom and slammed the door. Then she opened it and slammed again, only harder.

 

Ben followed behind when Mom went to Sandy's room. "You know we don't slam doors," said Mom sternly. "And your outburst of anger was not pretty."

 

"You erupted with more force than Old Faithful," put in Ben. He grinned. "Old Sandy," he teased his sister.

 

"Ben, go to your room," said Mom. "I'll talk to you later." When he had left, she turned to Sandy. "Ben does have a point," she said.

 

"But Ben's mean! I couldn't help it," pouted Sandy.

 

"We all have feelings of anger at one time or another," said Mother, "but we need to deal with those feelings, not just let them build up. The Bible says we're not to let the sun go down on our wrath."

 

"What does that mean?" asked Sandy.

 

"It means that before the day is over, we need to deal with our anger," said Mom. "Talk to the person who made you angry and explain what's bothering you. Don't store up angry feelings and grudges."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What do you do with your anger? Don't allow it to "erupt." Ask God to help you deal  with it by discussing things you disagree on, forgiving, and turning the problem over to Him before the day ends.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 4:26)
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

[Soldier4Christ]

"I'll be back for dinner, Mom," called Zachary as he pulled his beach towel off the clothesline. "I'll be swimming with Micah at the country club."

 

"Be careful." Mom smiled and waved goodbye. "You may invite Micah over for cheeseburgers later if you'd like."

 

The boys had a great time swimming. Before they knew it, the afternoon was gone and they headed to Zach's house for dinner. The aroma of burgers on the  grill made the boys realize that they were hungrier than they thought. "Yum! When do we eat?" asked Zach.

 

Dad gave the hamburgers a final flip before adding the cheese. "We can eat as soon as this cheese melts," he answered. "Why don't we give thanks for this food, and then these should be ready." They all bowed their heads as Dad prayed. "Thank You, Father, for this beautiful, sunny day. Thank You for our friends, and especially for your Son, the Lord Jesus. And we give You thanks for this food. In Jesus' name, Amen."

 

As Dad passed the hamburgers, Micah said, "We hardly ever pray at our house. There's a lot I don't really understand about it -- like . . . well, like why are you especially thankful for Jesus?"

 

"If it weren't for Him, we wouldn't get to go to heaven. Right, Dad?" answered Zach.

 

Dad nodded. "Think of it this way, Micah. We don't have a membership at the country club, but Zach often goes swimming there. How does he get in?"

 

"Well, since my dad owns the country club," replied Micah, "Zach can get in because he's my friend."

 

"So he gets in free because he knows you, the son of the owner, right?" asked Dad.

 

"Sure." Micah nodded in agreement.

 

"That's how it is with heaven," continued Dad. "We get to go to heaven when we know Jesus, the Son of God. And you know what, Micah? You can know Him, too. Would you like to hear more about it?"

 

Again Micah nodded.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know Jesus? Is He your personal friend? It's only through Him that you can have access to God. It's only by accepting Him that you can enter heaven. If you've never trusted Jesus as your Savior, trust Him today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 10:9)
I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.

[Soldier4Christ]

Aaron squealed with excitement as the tractor strained to pull the heavy load. It inched along, then gathered speed to the finish line. "He made it!" Aaron shouted and clapped along with others in the crowd at the tractor pulling contest.

 

"The next load will be heavier," Grandpa said.

 

Loud sounds came from the big machine as the driver revved the engine for power. The load behind the groaning tractor was dragged at a snail's pace to the finish line. Aaron shot up from his seat and shouted "Cool!" while others in the crowd stood and cheered.

 

Aaron grew anxious as he watched the workers add more weights to the next load. The driver powered up the engine, but nothing happened. Again the engine roared, but the load didn't budge. The driver hunched over the wheel as if to coax the machine into one last try before time was up. Aaron felt like he was in the contest himself, and he yelled encouragement as the tractor began to inch forward. Slowly, slowly it went, until it at last reached the finish line. The crowd went wild -- cheering, yelling, and clapping even louder than the tractor had roared.

 

Over hot dogs and soft drinks afterwards, Grandpa and Aaron talked about the contest. "It made me think about the big contests or struggles we have in life," said Grandpa. "Sometimes our loads are almost too heavy for us to pull."

 

Aaron nodded soberly, thinking about the hard time he had with reading class at school. He just couldn't read as well as the other kids. After getting his last report card, Aaron had gone to his room and cried.

 

But now Grandpa was smiling at him. "Way back when I was a boy like you, I found out that Jesus wants to help us pull heavy loads in life," said Grandpa, "so I ask Him to help me whenever I feel like things are just too much. The loads don't always disappear, but they seem much lighter when I remember that Jesus is with me and He cares."

 

Aaron smiled back at Grandpa, knowing what he had to do. He would talk to Jesus about his reading lessons. Aaron needed help with his heavy load.<span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span>




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does something in your life seem too heavy to bear? Are you having trouble with schoolwork? Your family? Your friends? Jesus wants to help you in your trouble. He wants to comfort you and make your burden easier. Ask Him to do that -- not just once, but every time you need it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 11:30)
(Jesus said)  My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

[Soldier4Christ]

Jason gave the rope on the lawn mower a quick pull. He pulled it again -- and again. But no matter how many times he pulled the rope, the lawn mower would not start. Finally, he sat down on one of the aluminum lawn chairs with a disgusted look on his face. "This isn't my day," he grumbled as his father came out of the house. "First Mr. Bradley bawled me out, and now the mower won't go." He glanced up -- he hadn't meant to tell Dad about Mr. Bradley, and he hurried to explain. "Honest, Dad, I didn't do anything very bad -- just used a few words that Mr. Bradley called 'mild oaths.'"

 

"I see," Dad said as he went over to the silent mower. "I think you and this piece of machinery may have the same problem."

 

He got out his toolbox and removed the sparkplug from the mower. "Look at this sparkplug, Jason. What do you see?" Dad asked.

 

Jason glanced at the sparkplug. "Looks okay to me," he said. Then he looked closer. "Oh," he said pointing to the end of the sparkplug. "There's some black stuff down here."

 

"Watch this," said Dad. He cleaned the carbon off the sparkplug and carefully inserted it back into the mower. "Now try to start it."

 

The mower started on the first pull. "Thanks, Dad!" exclaimed Jason. "You wouldn't think such a tiny bit of dirt could stop a great big lawn mower! Next time I have trouble, I'll check the sparkplugs." He started to push the mower along the edge of the sidewalk.

 

"Wait a minute, Son." Dad stopped him and turned the mower off. "Always remember that just like a little carbon on a sparkplug can damage the performance of the lawn mower, a little bad language is one thing that can damage a Christian's testimony for the Lord." Dad patted Jason's shoulder. "I know it's hard not to talk like the other guys do," he added, "but language can stall a Christian's witness before he even gets started."

 

"Okay, Dad. I'll remember." Jason nodded soberly and turned to his task of cutting the lawn.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think using a few bad words or mild oaths won't hurt your Christian witness? Think again. Kids, both unsaved and saved, hear you. There are good phrases you can say that don't have vulgar meanings or profanity. Use them instead. Be a good example.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 4:29)
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.