Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Visit our showrooms and enjoy Christmas every day of the year!" Paige read aloud the billboard as she and her family traveled on their way home from a week-long vacation. "Cool! That's in the town we're coming to, isn't it?" she asked. "Can we stop?"

 

"Why not?" agreed Dad. "It will make a good break for us. Watch for signs so we'll know where to turn."

 

They found the store, and everyone smiled as they heard "Jingle Bells" over the loudspeaker. Everywhere they looked inside the store, there were Christmas ornaments, Christmas trees, and Christmas wreaths. In one corner, a lady was handing out fruit punch and Christmas cookies.

 

"All these things are nice," observed Dad, "but while we eat our cookies, let's go over there and think about the real meaning of Christmas." He led the way to a manger scene so real-looking that Paige could almost imagine herself in Bethlehem! As she stood there, she thought about the events of that night long ago.

 

"Come on, kids," said Dad after a while. "Time to go."

 

On the way home, Paige was thoughtful. "Wouldn't it be nice if we could celebrate Christmas all year long like they do at that store?" she asked.

 

"We can," said Dad. "What is Christmas, Paige?"

 

"It's the time when we remember the night God sent His Son to earth," replied Paige.

 

"Exactly!" agreed Dad. "And isn't that something we should celebrate all year?"

 

"Well . . . sure it is," Paige agreed. "We should thank God every day for sending Jesus, right?"  She nodded and grinned slyly at her mother as she added, "So can we put up the Christmas tree when we get home?"

 

Mom laughed and shook her head. "We'll save that for December," she said. "We can remember the real meaning of Christmas without that."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you thankful every day for God's Christmas gift? He sent His Son to earth to take the punishment for your sin. There could not be a better gift than that! Celebrate Christmas throughout the year with thanksgiving for God's great gift.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.   Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom!" called Peter when he arrived home from school one day. "You know
that new church they're building a couple blocks away? It's a mess over there!"


 

"What do you mean?" asked Mom. "What happened?"

 

"I came past there on my way home from school, and there's colored glass all over the ground," said Peter holding out a piece of the glass. "One of the workmen told me I could have this. He said that during the night, vandals threw rocks and smashed the windows." He frowned. "Who could have done such a terrible thing? I think that's awful!"

 

"Too many people have little respect for God and the things that belong to Him," agreed Mom. She shook her head. ''You know," she murmured after a moment, "many people do much the same thing to their bodies as the vandals did to those stained-glass windows."

 

Peter looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?" he asked.

 

"The Bible says that Christians are the temple of the living God, just like a church is a temple for believers," explained Mom. She pointed to the piece of colored glass Peter held in his hand. Reaching out, she turned it over and over in the sunlight. "Isn't this pretty?" she asked.

 

Peter nodded. "The glass reflects the light of the sun," he said.

 

"Yes," said Mom, "and we should reflect the light of Jesus. We can't do that very well if we're messing up our bodies with things like drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. Those are some of the things that damage our bodies -- like stones damage glass windows."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you belong to Jesus? Then you need to keep your body pure and free from things like drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Say no to such things so that you can truly reflect Jesus' beauty.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Ticking Watch

Marci threw herself onto her sister Kara's bed. "I miss Kara so much," she sobbed. "I know she was hurt bad in that car wreck, but I don't see why God didn't heal her. He could have!"

Marci's mother wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter. Mom's eyes brimmed with tears. "I miss Kara, too, honey," she said, gently wiping the tears from Marci's eyes. "But try to remember that she was a Christian, so God did heal her when He took her to be with Him. Can you picture Kara at home with Jesus?"

"I try," said Marci sadly, "but I keep seeing how she looked in the hospital."

"I want to show you something," said Mom. She left the room. When she came back, she held out a small object. "Do you know what this is?" she asked.

Marci took it and nodded. "It's the old locket watch Grandma gave Kara," she replied. She pushed the tiny knob on the side, and the cover sprang open. Marci could hear the watch inside ticking softly. "I thought this was smashed in the accident."

"It was," Mom agreed. "The knob was off and the glass was shattered. The cover wouldn't close, and even the chain was broken. I was going to throw it away, but I could hear ticking, so I knew the clock inside was still working. I took it to a jeweler to see if he could fix it."

"And he did. It looks as good as new," Marci said softly. She smiled a little. "It's like Kara, isn't it, Mom? That's why you got it to show me. Her body was broken in the wreck and the doctors couldn't fix her, but Kara's soul-the real Kara-didn't die. God took her to heaven, and some day, He'll make her like new-just like the jeweler did for the locket."

"That's right," said Mom. "This locket can be broken again, but when God gives Kara her new body, it will be perfect and last forever. When we go to heaven, we'll be given perfect bodies, too, and we'll see Kara again." Mom fastened the chain around Marci's neck. "I want to you have the locket now."

Marci touched the locket. "Whenever I miss Kara, this will remind me that we'll all have new bodies and be together again in heaven."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has death taken away someone you love? It's okay to be sad when you miss those who have died. But death is really just moving from one place to another. For a Christian, it's moving from this earth to be with Jesus. When He comes again, all Christians will be together forever. They will have new bodies that will never die. That knowledge can help when you're sad and miss the person you love.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying . . . no more pain. Revelation 21:4

[Soldier4Christ]

 Building Blocks

Liz and her friend, Shawna, sat at the kitchen table, enjoying milk and cookies after school. Little Zach played with his building blocks on the floor while Mom sat nearby in the rocker, mending Zach's play clothes.

"Did you see Rachel's new haircut?" Liz asked her friend. "It looks awful!"

"I know!" agreed Shawna. "I'm glad my hair isn't the color of hers!" She laughed. "Did you know that Mona bleaches her hair?"

"No!" gasped Liz. "No wonder it's so blond. Well, she's so fat, she should do everything she can to improve herself. Did you see Susan's new green coat?"

Shawna finished her milk. "Yeah, it's okay, but she looks horrid in that color!"

Mom frowned and started to say something, but just then a horn sounded outside. "There's my mom," said Shawna. "I gotta go." As she headed for the door, her foot brushed against Zach's tall block building, knocking it over. "Oops! Sorry," muttered Shawna as she hurried out.

"Mommy," moaned Zach, "Shawna knocked my building down!"

"I know, honey," sympathized Mom, "but it was an accident. Why don't you build it again?" She turned to Liz. "I'm afraid Shawna's not the only one who knocked something down. You've just done the same thing."

"Me?" asked Liz in amazement. "I didn't even touch Zach's blocks! Or anything else."

"I'm thinking of the way you girls talked about your classmates," said Mom, putting down her mending and joining Liz at the table. "You certainly weren't building them up as the Bible says we should do! In a sense, you were 'knocking them down.' Isn't that more serious than knocking over a few blocks?"

Liz looked down. "I . . . I guess so," she admitted.

"That block building Zach made was important to him," said Mom, "but not as important as people are to God. Don't you agree?" Liz nodded. "Criticism tears down, but kind words encourage others and build them up," added Mom. "When you hear criticism, try to replace it with a compliment. You could begin by calling Shawna and telling her something nice-something you honestly do like-about each person you knocked down today."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you critical, or are you complimentary? Do you say nice things about kids-even if they don't wear the latest fashions, live in the prettiest homes, or fix their hair in the current styles? Do you remember that God wants you to "edify" others (see the first verse of today's Scripture)? That means to "build them up"-to help, or improve, them. So when you hear your friends criticize others, reply by pointing out something nice about the person. Resist the temptation to tear anyone down.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Pursue . . . things by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19

[Soldier4Christ]

 Trusting or Testing

Adam placed the ladder against the garden shed and climbed carefully onto the roof. As he stood up slowly, his father looked up from weeding the garden and hurried over to the shed. "Adam! What are you doing up there?" called Dad.

"Practicing!" Adam called back. "I have to jump off the shed roof at school tomorrow, so I want to try it at home first."

Dad grabbed the end of the ladder. "What did you say you're going to do?"

Adam sat down on the shingles. "I said I have to jump off the roof," he replied. "It's to prove my faith."

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" said Dad. "You could break a leg. Come down at once and explain." So Adam turned and descended the ladder. He sat beside his dad on the grass. "Now," said Dad, "what's this all about?"

 Adam hugged his knees. "I was telling some guys at school about Jesus, and they laughed and said it was all baloney. They don't believe there's a God," he replied. "Then Nick dared me to jump off the roof. He says if I can do it without getting hurt, he'll believe in God!" Adam looked at his dad. "I know there's a Bible verse that says you can move a mountain if you have only a little faith, so I'm praying that God will help me to jump off the shed safely."

Dad sighed and put his arm around his son. "Adam, God can move more than a mountain-nothing is impossible for Him. But when you ask Him for something, you must make sure it's in keeping with His will. I don't think jumping off the roof to prove He's real is His will."

"But, Dad, if it would make Nick believe, wouldn't that be God's will?" Adam asked.

"Satan tempted Jesus by telling him to jump down from the highest point of the temple," Dad reminded Adam. "Do you remember Jesus' reply?"

"Um . . . He said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God,'" answered Adam.

Dad nodded. "When your friends dare you to do something foolish, you don't have the right to tempt-or test-God, either. So you don't have to do it."

"You're sure?" asked Adam. Dad nodded. "Whew! That's a relief," said Adam. "I'll tell the guys the test is off. They'll just have to trust God without testing Him."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Would you do something foolish if your friends dared you to? Would you even do something dangerous to prove that God is real? Or do something you know is wrong, with the hope that by showing you're like the other kids, they'll be willing to hear about Jesus? It doesn't work that way. When Satan tempted Jesus, it was as though he was daring Him-and tempting Him-to prove who He was. Jesus refused to do what Satan said. He wants you to refuse Satan, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
You shall not tempt the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:16

[Soldier4Christ]

 Under the Surface

"Tessa is never nice to me," said Kathy as she climbed into the car after school. "I hate having to be nice to her."

"I know, but I suppose we have to," replied her sister Abbie. "Just pretend."

Mom frowned as she looked at her daughters in the rear view mirror. "Pretend?" she asked. She tapped her finger on the steering wheel. "Abbie, do you remember when you painted that old desk last summer?" asked Mom after a few minutes.

"Sure," replied Abbie. "It's in my bedroom now. It turned out good."

"Yeah-thanks to Dad," said Kathy. "He said if you didn't first remove the old paint and sand the desk, the new paint would chip off more quickly when it got bumped. Then the old paint that was still underneath would show in those spots."

Abbie nodded. "Using paint remover and sanding it was a lot of work," she replied, "but Dad helped me with it. I never would have been able to do it alone."

"Right," agreed Mom, "and it seems to me that pretending to like someone is like painting over old, chipped paint." She pulled into the driveway. "All the old feelings are still there, and sooner or later, they'll show."

"Well, we can't help how we feel," said Abbie. "We can't do anything about that, can we?"

"Well . . . I think you can," said Mom. "I know it isn't easy, but help is available. Your father helped you with your desk, and your heavenly Father will help you learn to love others as He tells us to. A good place to start is with prayer."

"I suppose you're right," admitted Kathy. "I know Dad always says it's hard to dislike someone you're praying for." She opened the car door and got out. "Like I said, Tessa is never nice to us, but Jesus said we're supposed to pray for our enemies, didn't He?" Mom nodded.

"Well, I don't see how I'm ever going to really like Tessa," insisted Abbie.

 "You don't have to be best friends with her, but try to remember that God loves Tessa, too," said Mom. "I believe that if you pray for her and depend on the Lord for help, you'll be able to treat her in a genuinely, friendly way, without pretending." Mom smiled. "Try it for a week, and then let's talk about it again," she suggested.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you sometimes just pretend to like someone? It's natural to be drawn more toward some people than others, but remember that God loves each one. If you actually dislike someone, ask the Lord to remove those feelings and help you put His love into action. Pray for the person, and with God's help, be genuinely friendly to him or her, without pretending.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31

[Soldier4Christ]

 Little by Little

"Ugh! Mom, the smell in there is horrible!" Mia closed the creaking front door of the old house with its peeling paint. She and her mother had taken a meatloaf dinner and plate of cookies to an elderly shut-in from their church. They enjoyed reading Scripture and praying with Mrs. Brown, for she was a sweet Christian. But since she used a walker or wheelchair, she found it difficult to change the litter box for her cats, and the smell inside her house was almost overpowering. Mia held a tissue to her nose as they hurried down the broken sidewalk to the car. "How does Mrs. Brown stand the smell?" asked Mia.

"Honey, she's so used to it, she probably doesn't even notice it," Mom said as they drove away.

Mia made a face. "Well, now I know why you make me change Feisty's litter box so often," she said. "I'm sure glad our house doesn't smell like that. I could never get used to it."

"Don't be so sure," replied Mom. "Remember when we visited Aunt Allie on her farm? We thought we'd never be able to stay three days with her because the smell from the cattle barn across the road was so strong. But after several hours, we hardly noticed it anymore."

Mia nodded. "I remember that," she said. "Aunt Allie said the smell was so bad because the wind was blowing from that direction. I thought it must have changed before we left, but Aunt Allie said it hadn't." After a moment, she added, "You know, Mom, that's like something in my Sunday-school lesson last week. My teacher read a verse in First Timothy that said some people had their consciences 'seared'"

"Do you know what that means?" asked Mom.

"My teacher says it means that, little by little, you can get used to wrong things," replied Mia. "Then before you realize it, your conscience doesn't bother you at all, and you don't even think of your sins as wrong anymore. That's worse than Mrs. Brown and Aunt Allie getting used to those awful smells, isn't it?" She snapped her finger. "Speaking of Mrs. Brown," Mia added, "I'm going to ride my bike over there and change the litter box for her as often as I can."

Mother smiled. "Good idea," she approved.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you grown used to a sin that once disturbed you? Does it no longer bother you to lie to your parents or friends? Or to cheat on tests at school? Are you comfortable watching programs that use bad language or have immoral scenes? Or playing bad video games when your parents aren't home? If so, confess that to the Lord today, and ask Him to make you sensitive to sin so that you don't get used to it. Live so that today's key verse will be true of you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
We are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. Hebrews 13:18

[Soldier4Christ]

"All right!" exclaimed Brent when they arrived at their campsite. "It's going to be fun camping here for a whole week!"

 

"It sure is," agreed Leslie. "Let's get our camp set up!" She turned to her mother. "Can Amy and I get firewood?"

 

"Sure," agreed Mom. "I'll help you. We'll get some water, too."

 

"I'll help you with the tent, Dad. Okay?" offered Brent. Dad nodded, and soon everyone was busy working.

 

"The girls can't do this hard stuff like I can," bragged Brent as he helped Dad with tent poles and stakes. "Good thing there are easy jobs for them to do -- like carrying wood and getting water."

 

"Don't let them hear you," warned Dad. "I doubt they'd agree that those jobs are any easier, and even if they are, you have to remember that they're younger than you. Besides, every family member's job is important. What do you think supper would be like without firewood and water?"

 

Brent thought about it. "Well," he said, "without firewood, we couldn't cook anything." He grinned. "If we're having hot dogs, it might not be so bad -- they taste pretty good cold. I wouldn't like raw hamburgers, though."

 

"And what would you drink if nobody got the water?" asked Dad.

 

"Hot chocola . . . " began Brent. He laughed. "Oops! Without water and firewood, there'd be no hot chocolate! You're right, Dad. Everybody's job is important."

 

Dad nodded. "Everyone working cheerfully is what makes a family run smoothly." After a moment, he added -- mostly to himself -- "That's true in God's church, too. Each one, and each job, is important."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think only certain people in the church are important -- like the church board or the Sunday school teachers? Not so! The Bible says every Christian is a member of God's family, and each family member is needed.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 12:5)
So we, being many, are one in Christ, and every one members one of another.

[Soldier4Christ]

Amy and her brother walked along the creek, one on either side. They pushed sticks into the current, pretending they were boats. Soon they heard Mother calling for them to come back to the campsite for lunch. "Let's go, Amy," said Brent. "I'm hungry."

 

Amy looked at the wide stream of water in front of her. She looked back toward a bridge she had used to get to that side of the creek. "I can't get over to you!" she exclaimed. "The creek is too wide, and it will take me a long time to walk all the way back to the bridge."

 

As Brent gazed about him, he spied a large, fallen log. He dragged it to the creek and managed to place it so that it reached across the water. "You can cross on this, Amy," he said.

 

Amy hesitated. "I'm scared I'll fall in," she whimpered.

 

"Here . . . I'll meet you and hold your hand," offered Brent. He stepped out onto the log and edged along it until he could reach Amy's outstretched hand. Then he carefully guided her to the other bank.

 

Soon they were back at camp, munching on hot dogs and baked beans. Amy told her parents all about their adventures. "When Mom called, I couldn't get across the creek, but Brent made a bridge for me," she said.

 

Dad nodded. "That's something like the illustration Pastor Phillips gave us last week, isn't it?" he said. "Pastor pointed out that we couldn't reach God on our own. He said that sin is like a wide gulf between us and God, and that God provided Jesus to be the bridge by which we can be reunited with God. It's possible that Amy could have gotten across the creek some other way, but when it comes to us and God, the only way we can be brought together is through Jesus."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you come to God through Jesus? Admit that you're a sinner and can't get to heaven on your own. Trust in Jesus, who lived and died for you. Ask Him today to come into your life and be your bridge to God. (See page 67.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 2:13)
Ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

It was a beautiful night, and Dad and Amy decided to walk to the lake to see the moon's reflection on the water. To get to the beach, they had to take a narrow trail through the woods. There were branches and roots that could trip up the unsuspecting traveler, even in the daytime. "Be sure to use your flashlights," Mom cautioned as Amy and Dad left the campsite.

 

As Amy followed her dad along the path, she listened to the night sounds -- rustling leaves, insects, the soft "who-o-o" of an owl. She was shining her flashlight toward the treetops, hoping to get a glimpse of the bird, when suddenly her foot caught on a root and she fell down with a grunt!

 

"Amy, are you all right?" Dad asked anxiously, as he spun around to help her up. "What happened?"

 

"I tripped on a root," said Amy as she got up.

 

"Didn't you see it?" asked Dad.

 

"No. I was pointing my flashlight up at the trees to see if I could spot the owl," explained Amy. "I guess the light didn't do much good that way, did it?"

 

"No, I guess not," said Dad with a smile.

 

They continued their walk and soon reached the beach. The water was still and calm, and a beautiful silver path led to the moon hanging low over the dark water. After enjoying the scene in silence for a while, Dad spoke. "Well, we'd better head back to camp," he said. "Be sure to keep your light on the path this time."

 

"I will!" Amy assured him. "I've learned my lesson."

 

"I've been thinking about a verse in Psalms -- one that talks about God's Word being a light," said Dad as they started back. "If we get too caught up in all the interesting things around us and forget to shine the light of God's Word on our lives, we can trip up and fall in our Christian walk."

 

"That would be worse than the fall I took, wouldn't it?" said Amy, carefully shining her light on the path. "I'll try to remember to listen carefully to what God has to say."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you take time to read your Bible? Do you listen when Mom or Dad reads it aloud? Do you ask them to explain things you don't understand? The more you study God's Word, the better God's light can shine on the path of your life!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:105)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

[Soldier4Christ]

Brent and his dad were enjoying a good day of fishing. They tried several kinds of bait. Sometimes they used big earthworms. Other times, they would cast out one of Dad's fancy lures, which had brightly colored feathers and shiny "spoons" with concealed hooks. "The fish are attracted by the sound and sight of those lures traveling through the water," said Dad. "To them, the lures look like minnows or other kinds of food."

 

As they fished, Brent and Dad had a good time talking together -- something they didn't always have time for at home. When Dad asked Brent how he liked playing in the middle school band, Brent grinned. "Good," he said. "I like music, and it's fun to play the drums." He put fresh bait on his hook. "I saw a CD at the music store the other day," added Brent. "I might use some money from my paper route to get it."

 

"Really? What kind of music is it?" asked Dad.

 

"I haven't heard the group that sings on it -- they're new," replied Brent, "but I liked the pictures on the cover, and the kids at school were talking about how cool the music is. I've never heard the songs, though."

 

"I think you should check it out before you buy it, Brent," said Dad. "It may look good, but we both know there's a lot of bad music out there -- music with messages to tempt you and cause you to have attitudes and thoughts that are displeasing to God." Dad reeled in his fishing line and carefully detached a fish from the lure. "This fish thought the lure looked pretty good," he pointed out, "so he gave in to the temptation to have a bite, and look where it got him!"

 

Brent laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said. "Just because something looks good, that doesn't mean it is good. Right, Mr. Fish?"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has something that looked good or interesting tempted you to do something wrong? It's easy to be lured into thinking something is okay because it looks good. Be careful. Ask God each day for wisdom, even in the little, ordinary decisions you must make.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 4:27)
Neither give place to the devil.

[Soldier4Christ]

Leslie and her father sat lazily in their lawn chairs. Dad was trying to read, but Leslie kept interrupting with her chatter. Dad didn't really mind -- he enjoyed her enthusiasm.

 

"Mandy says the police took Erin's father in to the station," Leslie said now. "She told me he was driving under the influence -- that means he was drunk, you know -- and he banged into another car. Mandy says he gets drunk every weekend, and he . . ."

 

Dad stopped her. "Hold on a minute, Leslie," he said. "How do you know that what Mandy told you is true? And even if it is, should you be repeating it like this? You could really be hurting Erin's father by saying things like that about him."

 

Leslie felt guilty and couldn't look her dad in the eye, so she gazed off to one side. Suddenly, she stood up and pointed. "Dad, look! Over there on that other campsite! Those leaves are on fire!"

 

Dad and Leslie raced over to the empty campsite, grabbing a couple of wet towels from the line as they went. A log had rolled out of the fire pit, and dry leaves had caught fire. Leslie and Dad stomped and beat at the spreading flames until they had the fire out.

 

"Whew! That was a close one!" Dad exclaimed. "I wasn't sure we were going to be able to handle it."

 

Dad put an arm around Leslie's shoulder as they walked back to their own campsite. "You know, honey, we call you a chatterbox," he told her, "and we love it that you like to share ideas and experiences. It's natural that sometimes you're tempted to share information -- or gossip -- that is harmful. God says the tongue is like a fire, and you just saw how fast a fire can get out of control. What you say can be exaggerated and spread rapidly, too. That's why you need to be careful about your words."

 

Leslie nodded, remembering the things she had been telling Dad. Dad's right. I do love to talk, she thought, but I'm going to be more careful about what I say.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a problem with your tongue? Do you sometimes lie? Swear? Gossip? Put someone down? There are better ways to use your tongue. You should be praising God and building up other people with what you say. Ask God to help you do that.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 34:13)
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

[Soldier4Christ]

The sun had just poked its head over the tops of the trees when Leslie and her mother left for a walk in the woods. Leslie walked ahead, chattering as usual. "I didn't understand what Dad read in the Bible this morning," she said. "I wish we could skip the parts of the Bible that don't seem to say anything important."

 

Mom thought about that for a minute. She was about to reply when Leslie spotted something interesting in the bushes along the path. "Mom, look at these bushes," she said. "Those are berries, aren't they?"

 

Mom stopped and peered at the bushes. "They look like berry bushes," she said, "but I don't see any fruit on them."

 

Leslie reached out and lifted some of the leaves. "Here! Underneath the leaves," she said.

 

"You're right!" exclaimed Mom. "These are wild blackberries! They'd taste great on our cereal -- or with some milk and sugar! How about running back to camp and getting a bucket so we can pick some?"

 

"Sure," agreed Leslie, and soon they were gathering the ripe, luscious fruit.

 

"I'm glad your bright eyes noticed these," Mom said. "All I saw was green bushes. I didn't see what was hidden under the leaves." A moment later she added, "Maybe that's the answer to the question you had a while ago. When we read the Bible, we don't always see the truths that might be hidden in a passage -- just like I didn't spot those berries. But if we take time to think about it, God can always reveal some little gem of wisdom in His Word to help us or to teach us something about Himself. That's why we read all the parts of the Bible, even the ones that seem unimportant to us at first. Does that make sense?"

 

"Kind of," Leslie replied. She grinned. "With my 'bright eyes' I might even be one of the first to spot God's little gems."

 

Mom laughed and agreed.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you read all parts of the Bible? For daily reading, you may want to choose books that are quite easy to understand. When you read or hear more difficult verses, ask God to show you what you need to learn from them. Ask for help from your parents or pastor, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 119:18)
Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.

[Soldier4Christ]

It was the last day of the camping trip, and Brent, Amy, and Leslie wanted to spend part of it at the beach. Mom and Dad agreed, so they piled into the van and drove to the large, sandy shore on the other side of the lake.

 

The children swam, floated, and built sand castles. Dad and Brent tossed a Frisbee, and Mom helped Leslie and Amy practice their swimming strokes. Long before they wanted to leave, Dad called them to come out of the water. "A storm is moving in fast," he said. "We'd better hurry!" They quickly packed up their things, but before they reached the van, there was a flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder.

 

"Let's run!" shouted Mom. A strong wind began to blow, and they all took off, pursued by the wind and the first big drops of rain. They had just crammed everything and themselves into the van and closed the door when the heavens opened and torrents of rain pounded the roof of the van.

 

Lightning continued to flash, and Amy turned a white face toward her father. "Is the lightning going to get us?" she asked, her voice quavering.

 

"No, honey. We'll be all right in the van," Dad assured her. "A car is a good place to be in an electrical storm -- far better than our tent!"

 

After a while, the lightning and thunder seemed to be past. "The sun's out again!" exclaimed Leslie.

 

Mother nodded. "The weather can change quickly, can't it?" she said. "It reminds me of life -- stormy times can come up quickly in life, too. When they do, we can go to God with any kind of trial or trouble, just like we could go to our van for protection from the rain and lightning."

 

"That's right," agreed Dad. "God is our refuge in stormy times, and we can trust Him to cause the 'sun to shine again' in our lives, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have there been storms in your life? Are you afraid of the dark? Have you been lost in a strange place? Has a loved one died? Turn to God when you're frightened, lonely, or sad. He's your refuge. He cares for you and will help you. The sun will shine again!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 46:1)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Yuck! Tomatoes!" Ginny complained as she watched her mother in the kitchen. "I wish you were canning green beans. I hate tomatoes."

 

"I can't can green beans when we didn't plant any this year," said Mom.

 

The phone rang, and Ginny went to answer it. "You're kidding! Oh, no!" she groaned after listening a few minutes. "It's not fair," she protested. She finished the conversation in a whisper and then hung up the receiver.

 

"What was that all about?" Mom asked, while continuing her work with the tomatoes.

 

"It's just a big mess," Ginny mumbled. She didn't want to go into detail, but she could see that Mom was going to ask for more information. "Tara told Sandy that I think Betina is a stuck-up brat. Sandy told Sue, and Sue told more of the kids. Somebody went and told Betina. Now she's inviting everyone to her birthday party but me."

 

"Where did Tara get the idea that you didn't like Betina?" asked Mom. She had to repeat the question before Ginny answered.

 

"Well . . . I said it to her," admitted Ginny, "but I didn't think she'd tell anybody else." She moaned. "I want to go to the party! I heard they're having clowns and everything!"

 

Mom handed Ginny a bowl of tomatoes. "You can wash these for me," she said, "and while you work, think about this: We planted tomatoes this spring, so tomatoes are the crop we're reaping. The Bible teaches that we reap what we sow -- in life as well as in the garden. You sowed unkind words, and now you're reaping unpleasant results. That's the way it works."

 

"I guess so," said Ginny with a sigh. Sadly, she began to wash the tomatoes.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you sow kind, Christ-like words and actions? Or do you sometimes say mean things and do unkind things? Remember that you reap what you sow. Sow kindness and bear good fruit for Jesus.


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