Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Oh, look, Mom!" exclaimed Grace as she picked up a pair of gloves in the store. "These would match my new jacket perfectly! But I doubt they'll have my size -- they haven't had my size in anything else I wanted today." Grace and her mother were having a rather unsuccessful shopping trip.
"Well, let's have a look," said Mom. "Maybe we'll do better this time."
Grace looked at the tag and read: "'One size fits all.'" She dropped the gloves. "Oh, sure it does," she moaned. "Those 'one size' things never fit me."
"Try one on," urged Mom. "Maybe you'll be surprised."
With a frown, Grace picked up a glove and slipped her hand into it. "It fits!" she squealed in delight. 
"How about that?" said Mom. "And the price is right, too. So . . . okay -- you've got new gloves."
Back home, Grace told Dad about the shopping trip. "I never believe those 'one size fits all' tags, but this time it told the truth," she said. "Mom says my gloves are made of such a stretchy material that they probably do fit almost anybody." Dad smiled and nodded.
After Dad read a Scripture passage for family devotions that evening, Mom grinned at Grace. "The Bible says that whoever calls upon Jesus for salvation is saved," she said. "Do you know what that makes me think of, Grace? It makes me think of your 'one size fits all' gloves. The verses Dad read say salvation through Jesus Christ 'fits' everybody."
Dad nodded. "That's right," he agreed. "Some people
don't believe that 'tag.' Some think they're good enough and don't need to be
saved through Jesus, and others think they're too bad to be able to receive
salvation -- but what does God say? He says all need to trust Jesus as Savior, and
He invites everyone to do that. God offers salvation to Jews, Gentiles, men,
women, children, masters, servants -- everyone in the whole world! It's only by
accepting Jesus that anyone receives salvation and gets to go to
heaven."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Have you accepted Jesus as Savior? Your family background, your occupation, your nationality, your good works -- none of these matter to God. Everyone needs salvation, and God offers it to you as a free gift. (See page 66.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 10:12)
The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Mark sat at his desk, which was covered with airplane parts and decals for his model airplane. I just have to get this propeller on, he told himself. His fingers clutched the nose of the model plane as he tried to attach the propeller. Suddenly, he heard a crunch and saw a large crack in the body of the plane. Then, like so many times before, he gave in to anger. "This is the dumbest thing," Mark muttered. "The dumbest, dumbest, dumbest thing!" He flung the plane against the wall. Mark felt hot tears of shame. He hunched over his desk, laid his head on his arms, and cried.
That night, Mark showed Dad the broken plane. "I'll never get over losing my temper," said Mark sadly.
Dad turned the mangled plane in his hands. "Are you familiar with the law of gravity?" asked Dad. Mark nodded. "Then you know that gravity pins everything  -- including airplanes -- to the ground. An airplane will never take off until a greater law overcomes the law of gravity, right?" Mark nodded, and Dad continued. "That's exactly what happens -- the greater law is called the law of aerodynamics." He moved the plane along the table top. "As the plane moves forward, air flows over the curved wing, and air pressure under the wing pushes upward, creating lift. The faster the plane moves, the greater the lift. When the lift becomes greater than the force of gravity, you have . . ."
"Take?off," guessed Mark.
Dad gave Mark a gentle smile. "Mark, with your temper, you're like an airplane stuck on the ground," he said. "The law of gravity might be compared to what the Bible calls the 'law of sin and death.' When you're controlled by the law of sin, you can't gain victory over that temper of yours."
"I . . . I guess not," murmured Mark.
"You need a higher law -- a force greater than the law of sin
that pins you down," said Dad. "You've trusted in Jesus as Savior, so you do
have that greater force available to you! You have the Holy Spirit. When you
feel your temper rising, ask for His power to help you 'fly above' your anger
instead of giving in to it."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Do you have trouble controlling your temper? By losing self?control, do you hurt yourself and others? The Holy Spirit can give you power over your temper. Each time you feel angry, stop and pray. Ask for help in overcoming your temper.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 John 4:4)
Greater is He (Jesus) that is in you, than he (Satan) that is in the world.

[Soldier4Christ]

With a sigh, Abbie continued to tell Mom about her day at her new school. "I'm sure everybody here thinks I'm weird, Mom," she said. "When I opened my eyes after praying at lunch time today, I saw Patti staring at me."
"Maybe she thought you weren't feeling well," said Mom. "Did you explain that you were praying?"
"Well . . . no," admitted Abbie, "but she wouldn't understand anyway. Yesterday, she started using swear words, and when I just walked away, she called me a bad name. She apologized today and asked if I wanted to watch a video at her house tonight. I knew it wasn't a good one, so I said I had to do homework." She looked at the bowl of chop suey that Mom was putting on the table. "That looks so good!" exclaimed Abbie. 
Mom smiled. "Do you know that the bean sprouts you enjoy in this dish are closely related to the soybeans in the 'steak surprise' you dislike so much?" she asked.
"Really?" asked Abbie. "I guess when I know they're vegetables, I expect them to taste the way they do. I just don't like it when people try to fool me into thinking that beans taste like meat. I don't think it's honest!"
Mom became thoughtful. "You know, I think we Christians are sometimes like the soybean surprise instead of like the bean sprouts," she said. "We have the idea that people will accept us better if we're like them, so we don't come right out and tell them we're Christians. When we do, they may laugh at us, but very often they respect us and aren't surprised when our lifestyle is different from theirs."
Abbie thought about her actions that day, and she realized
that instead of speaking up for Jesus, she had continually hid the fact that she
knew Him. I'm going to do better, she decided. Next time, I'm going to say right
out that I'm a Christian, even if kids laugh at me!



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know Jesus as your Savior? If so, have you told your family and your friends about your faith in Him? If you haven't, do it right away. They'll generally respect you more if you're honest about your faith.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Timothy 1:
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

"This isn't working!" exclaimed Bryce. "Adam's the smartest guy in our class, and today he showed me how to do these fractions, but I still can't figure out this math problem."
Mom walked to the table where Bryce was studying. "Maybe I can help you," she said, glancing at his figures. "Let's look in your textbook to make sure Adam gave you the correct instructions."
"Okay," said Bryce reluctantly. He opened the book and found the chapter they were studying. 
"Now," said Mom, "try it one more time. Follow these directions step by step."
Bryce started again. Soon he found the correct answer. "Adam left out a step when he told me how to do these!" he exclaimed. "Thanks, Mom."
Later that evening, Dad asked Bryce to read the Scripture passage for family devotions. Bryce sighed. "Dad, why can't I just read the devotional story?" he asked. "Some of the words in the Bible are too hard for me to read, and I don't know what the verses mean."
"The devotional stories can help us understand the Bible passage," said Dad, "but they're not God's Word. We need to read His Word for direction in our lives. If we ask Him, He'll help us understand it. Mom and I will help you with the hard words."
Mom nodded. "Bryce, remember what happened when you were doing your homework today?" she asked. "You couldn't get the correct answer by using Adam's directions, could you?"
"No," replied Bryce, "but when I followed the textbook instructions, I got it."
"Exactly," said Mom. "That's an example of the importance
of reading God's Word and following His instructions. People make mistakes and
may point us in the wrong direction, but God's Word has no mistakes. I guess you
could call it our textbook for life."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Do you find the Bible hard to read? Keep on reading anyway! Ask God to help you under?stand and obey His Word. Parents, teachers, and pastors can help explain what the verses mean, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Timothy 3:16)
All Scripture is . . . profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

[Soldier4Christ]

As Tyler walked toward home, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Turning, he saw his Sunday school teacher. "Hi, Mr. Myers!" exclaimed Tyler, running to meet him. "What are you doing on this street?"
"I just came from Noah Herman's home," answered Mr. Myers. "He visited our class last Sunday. When we have a visitor, I always try to meet his parents as soon as possible."
"They just moved here," said Tyler. "Noah seems real nice, but I felt pretty bad for him at school today. It was track and field day, and he was last in everything."
"It looks like you did all right," said Mr. Myers with a smile. He motioned toward the red ribbon and three blue ribbons that were pinned to Tyler's shirt.
"Yeah," agreed Tyler. "I do okay on a lot of the events."
"Athletes get a great deal of attention, don't they?" said Mr. Myers. "They always have. Even the Apostle Paul mentions physical training in a letter he wrote to Timothy."
"Really?" asked Tyler. "What did he say about it?"
"Well, he said something to the effect that physical training has some value," replied Mr. Myers, "but that it's more important to train yourself to be godly because godliness helps you in every area of life."
Tyler thought about that. "So you don't think he'd be very impressed with my ribbons, right?" he asked.
Mr. Myers smiled. "Paul isn't putting down physical
training. He just wanted Timothy to be even more concerned about being like
Jesus," he explained. "You are to be congratulated on those ribbons, Tyler, but
if you didn't get any ribbons, that wouldn't be so serious. It's far more
important to be like Jesus than to be good in sports. You always need to
remember that godly character is what's really important."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Do you put a lot of value on physical ability and training? Or are you one of those people who are not very athletic? It?s nice to be athletic, but it?s not nearly as important as being like Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Timothy 4:7)
Exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Look out!" yelled Cody as his sister stumbled over a chair. "You're as blind as a bat, Kathy!"
Kathy tossed her head. "Bats aren't blind," she said.
Cody started to argue, but Dad interrupted him. "Kathy's right," said Dad. "'Blind as a bat' is an expression people use, but bats really aren't blind."
"They don't see very well, though, do they?" asked Cody. "In science class we learned that they find their way around by listening to sound waves instead of by seeing things with their eyes."
"That's true," agreed Kathy. "We studied bats last year, and I remember that my teacher said they fly at night and make squeaky, high?pitched sounds and then listen for the echoes. When sound waves bounce off something and the echo comes back quickly, the bat knows there's something close by. If the echo takes a long time, he knows the thing is far away."
"Very good!" applauded Dad. After a moment, he asked, "Did you know that, like the bats, you should depend on something other than just the things you can see and understand?"
"We should?" asked Kathy. "Like . . . ah . . . like what?"
"I know," said Cody. "The bats use their ears, and we should use our ears, too. A train whistle warns us that we'd better stop because a train is nearby. Traffic sounds warn us to be careful crossing the street. Right?"
"That's right," agreed Dad, "but there's something even
more important than either eyes or ears. What you need is faith in Jesus and in
what the Bible says. The bat's wonderful sense of hearing helps him get about
safely at night. A strong faith helps you to walk safely through life. It helps
to keep you from stumbling into sin in times of difficulty and
temptation."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>When bad things happen, do you continue to trust God? For example, if you're treated unfairly, a loved one is sick, or you're having trouble with schoolwork, do you see beyond the problems and remember that God cares about you and is in control? Christians must walk by faith in Jesus -- not just by sight.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 5:7)
We walk by faith, not by sight.

[Soldier4Christ]

"At school today, we learned more about bats," announced Cody. "We learned that there are different kinds, and one kind is the fruit bat. Fruit bats are . . ."
"That's easy!"Kathy interrupted him. "They're bats that eat fruit -- that's why they're called fruit bats. Even I knew that, Mr. Smarty!" She grinned at her brother.
Cody grinned back. "Right," he agreed, "so farmers who grow fruit have to find ways to protect it."
"How about putting up a notice that says, 'Bats that eat this fruit will be prosecuted'?" suggested Kathy, giggling.
"Genius!" said Cody. "Got any other good ideas?"
"What do the farmers really do?" asked Kathy.
"They harvest their crops early, before the fruit bats attack," replied Cody, "or they use nets to protect their crops."
Dad, who was listening to the conversation, smiled. "We learned a lesson from the bats yesterday," he said, "and today the fruit farmers have something to teach us. From them, we learn that we need to protect our fruit."
Cody and Kathy stared at him. "What fruit?" asked Kathy. "We don't grow any fruit."
"I'm thinking of a different kind of fruit," replied Dad. "The Bible says the fruit of the Spirit is . . ."
"Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness . . ." chanted Kathy.
"Faithfulness, gentleness and self?control," finished Cody.
"I'm glad you know your fruit," said Dad, "but don't
forget -- just like the hungry fruit bat is waiting to gobble up that
freshly?ripened fruit, Satan is always on the lookout for ways to attack your
fruit. He's a powerful enemy, but God is much more powerful. Use a net of prayer
and obedience to God to protect your fruit before Satan strikes. Ask God to help
you guard against allowing Satan to destroy the fruit God wants to see in your
life."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Is Satan trying to destroy the fruit of the Spirit in your life? He is always waiting to attack, but he's not as powerful as the Holy Spirit, who lives in each Christian. Ask God to help you guard against Satan's attempts to pull you into sin and away from Him. Pray each day for God's protection.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 John 4:4)
Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Oh, no! We're out of stamps!" moaned Megan. "Now I can't mail this birthday card until Monday."
"Why not?" asked Megan's little sister. "The mailman didn't come yet. I'll go put it in the mailbox for you."
Megan shook her head. "Without a stamp on the envelope, this won't go anywhere, Stacy.''
Stacy looked thoughtful for a moment and then bounded off to her bedroom. She soon returned with her hands behind her back and a grin on her face.
"What are you hiding?" asked Megan.
Stacy's face beamed with pride as she held out a roll of dinosaur stickers. "You can use one of my stamps to mail your letter," she offered.
Megan smiled at her sister. "Thanks, honey, but I can't use your stickers," she said. "They aren't real postage stamps. Letters have to have real stamps on them or they won't get delivered."
Stacy looked a little hurt, so Megan tried to explain. "Postage stamps are special kinds of stickers, Stacy. You buy them at the post office. When you stick one on a letter, it shows the mailman that you've paid in advance for the letter to be delivered. Then he takes it to the post office, and they make sure it goes on its way." Stacy frowned and looked at her stickers. "Sorry, honey," added Megan, giving her sister a hug.
Stacy grinned and peeled off one of her dinosaur stickers. She stuck it on the back of Megan's hand. "You can have a sticker anyway," she said, "even if it doesn't get you delivered anywhere."
Mother, who was standing nearby, smiled as Stacy skipped
away. "You know, Megan," she said, "your explanation of how letter delivery has
to be paid for in advance reminds me of salvation. Jesus died on the cross to
pay for our salvation -- He paid our way to heaven in advance. Sometimes people try
to pay their own way by doing good deeds, but that's like using a dinosaur
sticker on a letter. To get to heaven you need the real thing -- the blood of
Jesus."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? He gave His life to pay the price for your salvation. Accept Him today and know you'll be "delivered" to heaven some day.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 5:9)
Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Jerry and his mom munched their popcorn as they stood in front of the gazelle exhibit at the zoo. The sleek and powerful animals stood quietly on the grass behind a chain?link fence. Jerry guessed the fence was only about as tall as his dad. "Mom, can't those gazelles jump over the fence and get out?" he asked.
Mom smiled. "They probably could," she replied. "Can you guess why they don't try?"
"Not really," said Jerry, shaking his head.
"Do you see how the top of the fence leans toward the gazelles?" asked Mom, and Jerry nodded. "Well, an article I read says gazelles have poor eyesight and that when a fence leans into their area, it creates an illusion -- a false idea -- that the fence is much higher than it really is. According to the article, that's why they don't try to escape."
"Really? I guess they need glasses," joked Jerry. He laughed as, in his mind, he pictured gazelles with glasses.
Mom smiled as they moved on toward the monkey exhibit. "The way the fence keeps the gazelles from running free is a little like the way our thoughts sometimes keep us from being free," she said.
Jerry was curious. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"The way the fence is built gives the gazelles a false idea, and our thoughts can give us false ideas, too," explained Mom. "When we listen to thoughts that tell us we'll never be good students or that we're too clumsy to ever be good at sports, or when we think God doesn't love us, we get false ideas that keep us from being the best we can be."
"So . . . if the gazelles knew the truth, they could jump over the fence," said Jerry thoughtfully, "and if we know the truth . . ." He paused. "What truth should we know?" he asked.
"God's truth -- He says that we're special and that He'll
help us do everything He wants us to do," replied Mom. "When we believe what He
says, we can break free from false thoughts. With God's help, we can be and do
whatever He asks of us."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Do thoughts that you are a failure or bad or not valuable to God create false ideas that keep you from being the person God wants you to be? Don't be trapped by illusions. Believe God and become the kind of person He wants you to be.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 4:13)
I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.

[Soldier4Christ]

A small black car crept slowly down the tree?lined street as Jaela and Lindsey sauntered home from Kids' Bible Club. They were planning a busy weekend and didn't notice the car until it eased up to the curb. Rolling down the window, the driver called, "Hi, girls! I've got a treat for anyone who can tell me where Magnolia Street is!"
Jaela and Lindsey stopped, looking around. "Is he talking to us?" whispered Jaela as Lindsey smiled in the man's direction. "Come on -- keep walking," Jaela added. "We're not allowed to talk to strangers."
Ignoring her friend's warning, Lindsey started toward the car. "It can't hurt to give directions," she said. "He looks nice enough."
Jaela stayed on the sidewalk and watched. As Lindsey approached the car, the man suddenly jumped out. Grabbing Lindsey's arm, he tried to force her into the back seat. Lindsey screamed and jerked back, scattering her armload of books all over the street.
Without thinking, Jaela ran to help her friend. Lord, please help us, she silently prayed as she swung her book bag with all her strength, hitting the man across the face. With an angry exclamation, he put his hand over his eyes, and Lindsey twisted free. From the house behind them, the girls heard a lady scream at the top of her lungs as she opened her front door. They stumbled to the sidewalk, and the man quickly jumped into his car and roared down the street.
"It's a good thing I saw you," the lady told the frightened girls after calling the police. She gave them a stern lecture about talking to strangers. "Haven't your parents told you these things?" she asked.
"Yes, but our Bible Club teacher said God would be watching over us," blubbered Lindsey.
"And He was," the lady assured her, "otherwise you might
not be here now. But just because He's watching, it doesn't mean you can ignore
the warnings your parents give you. In fact, giving you those warnings is one of
God's ways of protecting you. Always remember that!"



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Do you pay attention to the warnings of your parents and teachers? Don't disobey, thinking no harm will come! One way God cares for you is by providing responsible people to advise and warn you. Listen to them, and thank God for His watchful care.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 1:
Hear the instruction of thy father, and . . . thy mother.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Guess what, Mom!" exclaimed Leslie as she helped her mother in the kitchen one afternoon. "I got to witness to Kaylee today."
"Great!" exclaimed Mom. "What did you say?"
"Oh, you know -- I told her she had to get saved or she wouldn't go to heaven," replied Leslie.
"What Scripture verses did you use?" asked Mom.
Leslie shrugged. "I didn't use any, but it doesn't really matter, does it?" 
"Not necessarily, but it's a good idea to use Scripture whenever you can," said Mom. She peeked in the oven. "Supper's almost ready," she said. "Would you please call Jason for me?"
Leslie opened the back door. "Jason!" she yelled. "Come on in!"
A few minutes later, Mom asked, "Where's Jason?"
"I guess he never came in," answered Leslie. "I'll call him again." This time she went all the way out to the trampoline. "Jason, I told you to come in!" she scolded.
"Okay . . . okay!" replied Jason impatiently.
Five minutes later, there was still no sign of Jason. "That's strange," said Mom. "It's not like him to disobey me like this." She went to the back door and called loudly, "Jason, come on in right now!"
"Okay, Mom," answered Jason.
As Jason entered the kitchen a few moments later, Mom asked sternly, "Why did we have to call you three times? I want you to help Leslie set the table."
Jason looked surprised. "Leslie didn't say you wanted me," he explained. "I thought she just wanted me to play a game or something."
As he left to wash his hands, Mom looked at Leslie. "Now there's an example of why it's important to quote the source of your message," she said.
Leslie was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"You said you didn't use any Scripture when you talked
with Kaylee about salvation today," explained Mom. "I'm glad you witnessed to
her, but don't forget that the salvation message is God's, not yours. Give your
testimony, and look for opportunities to tell people what the Scripture says,
too."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Do you use God's Word when you witness to unsaved friends? Be ready with verses to back up what you're saying -- or let your friends read for themselves what God says about salvation. Let them see that the message is from God Himself.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 4:12)
The word of God is quick, and powerful.

[Soldier4Christ]

Jessica rushed outdoors to see why Grandpa's dog was barking so loudly. She found Blackie jumping higher and higher, trying to reach a squirrel up in the apple tree. "Shame on you, Blackie," said Jessica as the squirrel loudly scolded from his perch in the tree. Jessica laughed and pulled the dog away.
Jessica decided to find Grandpa. As she headed for the tool shed, she saw Mitsey, the cat, hiding in the grass and staring at some birds that were pecking at seeds on the ground. "Get away from those birds, Mitsey," warned Jessica. 
Hearing Jessica's voice, Grandpa came from the shed with two rakes. "How about helping me clean up the garden?" Grandpa asked, so Jessica took a rake and followed Grandpa's long?legged stride. Grandpa paused beneath a tree. "Look here," he said. "I think an owl was up in this tree recently. Here are the fur and bones from some small animal he had for dinner."
Jessica frowned. "Grandpa, why do some animals eat each other?" she asked. "It seems so cruel."
Grandpa nodded. "Well . . . God's Word says that nature is 'groaning' because of sin in the world," he said. "Ever since sin came into the world in the Garden of Eden, animals have suffered right along with people. All of creation suffers. Illness, hunger, death, thorns and thistles, weeds -- all kinds of problems are the effects of sin. The good thing is that God rules over nature in spite of sin."
As Grandpa and Jessica carefully raked dead sticks and
leaves from the flower bed, they saw tiny green shoots peeking above the ground.
Grandpa pointed. "New life," he said. "It reminds me that some day God is going
to make a brand new world. It's going to be more wonderful than we can imagine.
There won't be thorns or weeds. Animals won't be afraid of one another or harm
one another. All suffering will be ended." He grinned at Jessica and added,
"Best of all, Christians will be with Jesus forever in a perfect
place."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel sad when you see the effect sin has had on all of creation? When you see new plants springing up, thank God that a day is coming when He'll take away all the effects of sin. The animals will get along together  -- people will, too! Christians will be with God forever.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 8:21)
The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Cat, you're driving me crazy!" complained Hannah as she stepped over Mittens, the cat.
"What is Mittens doing?" asked Mom.
"Nothing. It's just that I've stepped on his tail so often," explained Hannah. "I don't do it on purpose, but he's always underfoot. Why does he just sit in the middle of the floor where we're likely to step on him?"
"I guess he trusts us to know he's there and to walk around him," said Mom.
"Well, he ought to watch out since we're so much bigger than he is," muttered Hannah.
"It makes me feel good to see how much he trusts us," said Mom. "If we were small and he were big, do you think we'd trust him not to hurt us?"
"Not me!" exclaimed Hannah, backing away from Mittens. "His claws are sharp. If he were any bigger, I think he'd be dangerous!" 
"I can think of someone much bigger than we are who we can always trust," said Mom.
"Bigger than us? You mean Dad?" asked Hannah.
"Someone much bigger than Dad," replied Mom.
"Who?" asked Hannah. Then she answered her own question. "I know -- God! He's so big He can take care of the whole world, and He never steps on us. Do you think we ever do things to get in God's way -- like Mittens gets in our way?"
"Well . . . I'll have to think about that," said Mom
thoughtfully. After a moment, she said, "When Mr. Watkins had a broken leg, it
took me a long time to realize that taking dinner to him each day was a job God
wanted me to do. I don't know why it took me so long to see it -- it's so easy for
me to do since we live right across the street from Mr. Watkins. Maybe you could
say that on every day I didn't do it, I was in the way -- and God had to 'step
over' me to find someone else to help." Mom grinned at Hannah as she added,
"Whenever you have to step over Mittens, let it be a reminder to not make it
necessary for God to 'step over' you and find someone else to do something He's
asking you to do."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Are you sensitive to what God wants you to do to serve Him? Are you willing to help your parents, a new kid at school, or a neighbor? Are you ready to go out of your way to be kind to someone? Don't get in the way of God's work. When He shows you what you can do for Him, say, "Here am I. Send Me! "


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Isaiah 6:
Then said I, Here am I; send me.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Joanna," called Mom, "come and put Padi out on the side porch. I'm going to mop the floor, and I've mixed a strong cleaning solution in this pail of water. Padi won't keep her paws out of it, and if she licks it off her paws, it may harm her." Unlike most cats, Padi liked to dip her paws in water and watch it swish. 
Joanna quickly scooped up her pet, put her out on the porch, and closed the door. Padi wailed, but Joanna was firm. "Sorry," she said, "but that's the only way to keep you from danger, Padi."
That afternoon, Joanna went to the shopping mall with two friends, Kaitlyn and Renae. She was having a good time when the girls stopped to look at some earrings. "Wow! These are expensive," said Kaitlyn. She tossed her head. "But no problem -- I'm going to get them for free," she said. "Don't stare at me -- just act natural while I slip them inside my jacket and walk past the cashier."
"But that's stealing," objected Joanna.
"It's just being smart!" replied Kaitlyn. "Don't be such a goody goody!" Renae grinned and nodded.
Joanna hesitated. I should leave, she thought, but if I do, Kaitlyn and Renae probably will never invite me to do things with them again. I'll be left out. As she watched Kaitlyn fingering the earrings, she made up her mind. "I'm going home," she said. As she turned to leave, she saw Kaitlyn drop the earrings in surprise. 
"You're a baby!" declared Kaitlyn as she followed Joanna. The girls continued to taunt Joanna and call her names, but she walked on. Tears stung her eyes, but her heart was relieved.
When she got home, she told her mother what had happened.
"I'm proud of you!" Mom told her. "It was very wise of you to leave." Mom gave
her a hug. "Remember Padi and the cleaning solution?" asked Mom. "The best way
to keep her safe was to keep her away from the temptation, and the best way to
keep from being a part of stealing today was to get away from Kaitlyn and Renae.
I think it will be wise for you to stay away from them in the future,
too."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>When you're with others who are planning to do wrong, do you stay with them or do you leave as soon as possible? It's hard to be the only one to walk away, but it's the best way to avoid taking part in doing things that God forbids.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Exodus 23:2)
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Come on, Trevor. Eat your beans." Roxie was trying to get the baby to finish his supper, but Trevor turned his head away, his mouth firmly closed.
"He thinks he doesn't like beans, so call them something else," suggested Matthew. He put a bean on a spoon and held it out to Trevor. "Here -- have some ice cream, Trevor," he coaxed. But his little brother just looked at the bean on the spoon and turned away.
Roxie laughed. "What a dumb idea," she scoffed. Then she quoted a line she had heard her older sister use. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." She laughed again. "And a bean by any other name would taste the same. Even Trevor knows that."
Dad smiled at the dialog between the children. Then he added a thought of his own. "And a sinner by any other name is still lost in sin," he said. Roxie and Matthew looked at him in surprise. "I was thinking of a conversation I had with a couple of the men at work today," explained Dad. "They're both nice, decent guys -- in fact, they're so 'good' that it's hard to get them to see that they need Christ."
"What do you mean, they're so good?" asked Matthew. "My Bible verse last week said nobody is good."
Dad nodded. "I mean they're good in their own eyes," he said. "Pete is a hard worker and a faithful, active church member. Jeff doesn't go to church at all, but he's active in promoting good, moral causes. He manages a Little League team, heads the fund?raising committee for the city youth center, and does several other things like that. Each thinks he's going to get to heaven because of all the good things he does."
"So what do you tell them?" asked Roxie.
"Well, basically, what I said before," replied Dad. "That
a sinner by any other name -- like 'good person' -- is still a sinner. Although the
work of both men is commendable, they still need God's forgiveness for the wrong
things they've done. They need Christ."



HOW ABOUT YOU?
<P>Are you "good " -- a kid your parents and teachers can be proud of? That's not enough to get you to heaven. God says everyone has sinned, including you. Sin can be washed away only by Jesus. You can be made fit for heaven only by trusting in Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 3:12)
There is none that doeth good, no, not one.