Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Master Designer


"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works." Ephesians 2:10 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I would like to show you this quilt. It was made by a friend of mine. Isn't it beautiful? Just look at all of the beautiful colors and interesting designs. It wasn't always that way. At one time these were just a bunch of useless bits and pieces of material. Then my friend, a master quilt maker, took those bits and pieces of material and put together this beautiful quilt. Now they are not only beautiful, but useful as well.

When I saw this beautiful quilt, I decided I would like to make a quilt like this one. I brought a lot of scraps of material. Now, I will need your help in making this quilt. I am going to count to three. As soon as I say, "Three," I want all of you to yell, "Bang!" When you say, "Bang," we will throw all of these scraps of material up in the air and when they come down, they will make a beautiful quilt. Okay are you ready?

"One, two, three, BANG!" (Throw all the pieces of fabric up into the air.)

Hey, it didn't work! How many of you thought it would work? How many of you thought that was one of the dumbest ideas you have ever heard? Well, I agree. It is foolish to think that I could throw these pieces of cloth up in the air and that they would come down and make a quilt.

I don't know about you, but I don't believe you and I are here by accident either. I believe this world and everything in it was created by God and that God had a plan and a purpose for everything. The Bible says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The Bible also tells us that, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works."

Just as my friend had a plan when she created this quilt, God has a plan for your life. He is the Master Designer. All you have to do is just give your life to Him and He will take all the bits and piece of your life and make them into something beautiful and useful.

Dear Lord and Creator, You are the Master Designer. We know that you have a plan and a purpose for us. We ask you to take the bits and pieces of our lives and make them into something beautiful. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

To God alone be the glory.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20 (NIV)

I think that one of the greatest gifts that God has given us is the gift of music. Have you ever heard of a composer by the name of Johann Sebastian Bach? Bach lived about 250 years ago and he is considered by many people to be one of the greatest composers who ever lived. You might be surprised to learn that some of Bach's music is still in our hymnals today.

Whenever Bach wrote a piece of music, he always wrote the letters S.D.G. at the bottom of the music. Those letters stand for the words Soli Deo Gloria which means "To God alone be the glory." You see, Bach realized that his music was a gift from God and that he had a responsibility to use his gift to the glory of God.

Music is a very important part of our worship. The Bible says, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord."

Some people come to worship, but they never sing. They have a lot of excuses for not singing. Here are some of the excuses I have heard over the years.

"I can't carry a tune in a bucket." Sorry, but that excuse won't hold water. The Bible doesn't say, "Sing to the Lord with a beautiful voice." It says, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord."

Another excuse I hear is, "I don't like the songs we sing." That excuse won't work either. Why? Because the songs aren't for us, they are for God. Since God created the gift of music, I think He probably likes all kinds of music!

Here's an excuse I've heard many times. "I don't know that song." The Bible says, "Sing unto the Lord a new song." How can we sing a new song to the Lord, if we won't even try to learn it?

Do you know what I think? I think it is time for us to stop making excuses and use whatever musical gift God has given us to glorify Him. Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be the glory!

Thank you, Father, for the gift of music. May we always use that gift to sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Junk Food Christians

 
Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10   He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength.  Isaiah 40:29

Do you see this bag?  It is called "a brown bag."  Now, a "brown bag" is what we used to take our lunch to school in when I was a boy.  Hardly anyone had a fancy lunch box like children use today.  Our mothers would save sacks from when she went to the store and use them as lunch bags.  Kids who took their lunch to school in one of these bags were called "brown baggers."  See my name on it?  That was important, because every kid in school had a lunch bag just like mine.

Let's see what I have for lunch in my brown bag today.  Here are some chips.  Oh, and here are some cookies.  Let's see what else....here is a candy bar.  Hey, do you think my mother would pack me a lunch like this?  No way!  This is all junk food!  Do you know what would happen to me if I ate a steady diet of junk food like this?  I would become weak and sickly because this junk food does not have the vitamins and nourishment needed to grow a strong, healthy body.   Our bodies need the nourishment we get from meat, bread, fruits,  and vegetables.  No one can survive for very long on a junk food diet.

No one would think of feeding their body a steady diet of junk food.  And yet, many people feed their minds with a steady diet of junk food every day.  They feed it with TV, movies, comic books, magazines and other junk.  They never give their minds the real nourishment that it needs to be strong and healthy.  They never feed it with the Word of God.  The Bible says that our strength comes from the Lord, and that comes to us through His Word.

Lord, help us to remember that just as our bodies can't survive on junk food, neither can our minds.  Help us to remember that our strength comes from you, and that to learn about you, we need to feed on your Word.    Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Armor of God


Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:11

A few days ago I was watching the World Series on television. No, it wasn't the Major League Baseball World Series. It was the Little League Softball World Series and all of the players were girls. Things have really changed since I played in Little League! One thing I noticed that hasn't changed much is the equipment the players use. The bats, balls, gloves, and shoes still look pretty much the same.

There is one player on the team that has some very special equipment. That's the catcher. The catcher is in a very dangerous spot right behind the batter and needs special equipment for protection. This morning I brought some of the catcher's equipment for you to see.

The catcher always wears a mask. The mask protects the catcher's face from foul tips or pitches that might get past the glove. The catcher wears a chest protector to protect the middle part of the body. Finally, the catcher wears shin guards to protect the knees and legs. No catcher would ever think of going into the game without this protective equipment.

The Bible teaches us that you and I need protection in the game of life. The Bible calls it the armor of God and it tells us that we need the armor of God to protect us from Satan's evil schemes. What kind of protection does the Bible say that we need?

The belt of truth - The Bible tells us that Satan is the "father of lies," but he can never win if we will hold on to the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord

The breastplate of righteousness - Satan can never harm us when we choose to do what God says is right

Feet fitted with the gospel of peace - Satan tries to create worry and confusion in our lives, but knowing Jesus brings peace

The shield of faith - Satan will try to plant seeds of doubt in our hearts and minds, but those seeds of doubt can never take root if we have faith in Jesus

The helmet of salvation - Jesus came from heaven to earth to save us from the evil one, if we accept salvation in Jesus' name, we will win the battle against Satan

The sword of the Spirit - the Bible, God's Holy Word, it is a powerful weapon against Satan

Just as no catcher would ever think of getting behind the plate without his protective equipment, no Christian should ever enter into the game of life without all of the protection that God has given us. Remember, Satan cannot harm us when we put on the "whole armor of God."

Dear Father, thank you for the protection that you have given us against the evils of this world. Help us to always remember to put on the whole armor of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Under Construction


He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion . Philippians 1: 6

When I was a little boy we used to go to visit my Grandmother.  Every time we made that trip, we would always come to a spot in the highway that was all torn up.  There were always road graders, gravel trucks, and a lot of men working on the highway.  There were signs along the road that said, "Drive Carefully-Road Under Construction."  I always thought to myself,  "What a nice highway this will be when they finish it and there is no more construction."  Well, I still  travel that highway occasionally, and it is still under construction!  You see, by the time they get finished with on one part of the highway, it is time to go back and make repairs on the parts that they have repaired before!  They never really finish working on it.

That is true in our lives as well.  As we travel down the highway of life, God is always working to make us into the kind of person He wants us to be.  I have seen a button that says, "Be patient, God isn't finished with me yet."  How true that is.  In fact, God will be working on us for the rest of our lives.  When he gets finished with one part, it will be time to start working on another.

The next time you pass by a spot in the road that is under construction, remember that God is at work smoothing out the rough places in our lives.

Dear Lord, help us to remember that you are at work in our lives, trying to make us into the kind of boys and girls you want us to be.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Servant King


Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.  Philippians 2: 5-7

All of you will recognize the object that I have with me this morning.  It is a crown.  Many of the teachers in the school where I teach use a crown similar to this one.  When a student celebrates his or her birthday, that student gets to wear a crown and is the "king or queen for the day."  Being the king or queen brings a lot of special privileges with it.  For example, you get to be first in line everywhere the class goes during the day.  You get to lead the class to recess, to the library, to P.E., and to music.  You even get to be first in line to eat lunch in the cafeteria.  The king or queen for the day also gets to do special things such as taking the attendance folder to the office.  It is really a good feeling to be the king or queen for the day because all of the other students look up to you and wish they were able to do the things you are doing.  All of the students in the class look forward to the day when they get to wear the crown.

Would you like to be a king or queen in real life?  A king or queen usually lives in a palace and has a lot of money, silver and gold, and jewels.  They are surrounded by servants who get them anything they want.  Everyone looks up to them and admires them.  Would you like to be treated like a king or queen every day?

Today I want to tell you about a king who took off his crown and gave up his throne to become a servant.  That King is Jesus.  The Bible tells us that Jesus put aside his Godly nature and came to earth to become a servant. When Jesus was on earth, he spent his entire life in service to others.  He healed the sick, he fed the hungry, he was a friend to those who had no friends.  Jesus never lived in a palace.  He had no money, no silver or gold, no jewels.  The only crown he ever wore while he was on this earth was a crown of thorns.

If I were to ask you if you want to be like Jesus, most of you would probably say, "Yes," but that isn't the question this morning.  The question today is, "Would you rather to be a servant or a king?"  Jesus chose to be a servant, and if we want to be like him, we must make the same choice.

Dear Jesus, our Servant King, help us to follow your example.  Help us to choose to love and to serve others.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Are You a Knocker or a Puller?


Do everything without complaining or arguing,  Philippians  2:14
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Philippians 4:12

This morning I have an object that is familiar to all of us.  It is a hammer.  As you know, if you use this part of the hammer (the face), it is used to knock on something, like this.  (drive one of the nails into the board.)  If you use this part of the hammer (the claw), it is used to pull on something.  (Pull the other nail out of the board.)  A hammer can either be a knocker or it can be a puller, but it can't be both at the same time.

People are a lot like a hammer.  They can either be a knocker or a puller. Some people go around knocking everything all the time.  They complain about this and they complain about that.  They can never think of anything good to talk about.  Other people are pullers.  They are always positive and are always pulling together with other people.

I heard a story one time about a boy who moved to a new town.  On the first day of school, he asked his teacher, "What kind of kids do you have in this school?"

The teacher asked him a question in return.  "What kind of kids did they have in your last school?"

"Oh, they were great kids.  Everyone was very friendly and easy to get along with." answered the boy.

"Well that is same kind of kids we have in this school," said the teacher.

A few minutes later, another student who was new to the school asked the teacher,  "What kind of kids do you have in this school?"
"What kind of kids did they have in the last school you attended?" asked the teacher.

"Oh they were not very friendly at all and they were very hard to get along with," answered the boy.

"Well, that's the same kind of kids you will find in this school too," said the teacher.

Two students asked the same question, but the teacher gave them different answers.  You see, the teacher understood the lesson of the hammer.  You can either be a knocker or a puller.  It is up to you!  A new school year is beginning.  Will you be a knocker or a puller?

[Soldier4Christ]

In God's Hands


Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13

Preparation: Beforehand, prepare at least two things to happen when you point a remote control in that direction.. Get the person in charge of the lights to dim and brighten the lights when you point the remote at them. Get the pianist to play a short song when you point the remote at him/her.  In our church, the youth group sits in the center section right down front.  After doing the first two things mentioned here, I said, “I wonder if I can get our youth group to stand with my remote control?”  Even though I had not coached them, they stood and sat down “on cue” as I pointed the remote at them.

Good morning boys and girls. [Pull out the remote control.] I’m sure that all of you recognize what I have with me this morning.  It is a remote control.  We have remote controls that can turn on our TV, change the channels, and turn the volume up or down.  I have a remote control that can open my garage door.  I even have a remote control on my key chain that can unlock my car door, open the trunk, or honk the horn.  Just about anything you think of can be made to work by remote control.

Do you think I could make those lights dim with my remote control?  (Point the remote control at the lights and the usher hits the dimmer switch.)  Wow, that was great wasn’t it?  Do you think I could get that piano over there to play a song with my remote control?  (Point the remote at the piano and the pianist begins to play.)  Hey, this remote control really works, doesn’t it?  Hmm….I wonder if I could make all of those young people sitting over there stand up with my remote control?  Hey, this remote control is really great.  If I lay my remote control down over here, do you think I can get it to do anything?  You are right, I can’t.  Before my remote control can do anything, it has to be in my hand.

Did you know that you are like a remote control?  You are.  God has some special things for you to do in your life -- some really special things. But the only way you can do them is if you are in God’s hand. To do what God wants us to do, we must place ourselves in God’s hands. Let’s pray now that today we would put our lives in God’s hands so that He can use us to do some very special things this week.

Dear Lord, help us to remember that we need to put our lives in your hands so that you can use us to do the things that you have created us to do.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Without God We Can Do Nothing

“Apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5  “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13

Good morning, boys and girls. How are you? I need a helper this morning.  Would someone like to help me?  (Choose a helper.)  I thought we might play a game of checkers.  Do you know how to play checkers?  Good! (put the board between you and then start looking around as if something is missing.)  Well, I don’t guess we can play checkers.  I brought the checkerboard, but I forgot the checkers.

Oh well, let’s do something else.  I have a computer disk here that has a lot of great games on it.  Do you like to play games on the computer?  Oh, I forgot, we don’t have a computer.  I don’t guess we can play computer games.

Hey don’t worry.  I brought this CD.  “Great Songs for God’s Kids.”  We’ll just listen to some great music.   Uh-oh!  We don’t have a CD player.  I don’t guess we will be listening to any music either.

We couldn’t do any of the things I wanted to do this morning because in every case, something was missing. Without checkers, you can’t play checkers. Without a computer, a floppy disk is no good. Without a CD player, a CD is useless. That’s exactly how it is with us. Without God, we can do nothing.  But with God, we can do all things.

Dear God, help us remember that without you, we can do nothing, but if we put our faith and trust in you, all things are possible.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Greatest Gift of All


For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)

Look at this beautifully wrapped package.  As you can probably guess by the way it is wrapped, there is a gift inside.  Do any of you like to receive gifts?  Of course you do!  I can't imagine anyone saying that they don't enjoy receiving a gift.  If I were to give this package to you and ask you to give me five dollars, would it be a gift?  No, if you have to pay for it or do something to receive it, it isn't a gift.  When someone gives you a gift, it doesn't cost you anything.  It doesn't come with any conditions. All you have to do is accept it.  That's what makes it a gift.

What was the best gift you have ever received?  Was it your first bicycle?  Maybe it was an XBox 360® or a Sony Playstation®.  For some of you it may have been a battery-operated remote control car or, for others, it might have been a favorite stuffed toy.  In a group like this, we might have a lot of different ideas about what makes a great gift, but today I want to tell you about a gift that is, without question, the greatest gift ever given.

What is that gift?  It is the gift of eternal life.  It is the gift from God and it is given to anyone who wants to receive it.  The Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  Whoever -- that's you and me.  The greatest gift of all is for you and me.

When someone gives you a gift, it is never polite to ask, "How much did it cost?"  But in this case, the Bible tells us how much God's gift cost -- and the cost was great.  It cost God his only Son.  Can you imagine how much God loved us to send his one and only Son to earth to die on a cross so that we could have eternal life?  Can you imagine how much Jesus loved us to be willing to die on that cross so that we could have eternal life in heaven?

Eternal life -- what a gift!  And all we have to do to receive it is believe and accept Jesus as our Savior.

Thank you, Father, for the greatest gift of all.  Thank you for Jesus, who loved us so much that he paid the price for our sin to give us the gift of eternal life.  Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Five-Finger Prayer


We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.  Colossians 1: 3

Do you ever have trouble thinking of something to say when you are talking to a friend?  I do.  I have a friend that I walk with every day and sometimes we go for a long time without either of us saying anything.  We just can't think of anything to say.

Sometimes that same thing happens when I am praying.  I start to pray and then I just can't think of anything to say.  Does that ever happen to you?  Well, today, I want to show you something that will help you when that happens.  It is called the "Five Finger Prayer."

First, I want you to put your hands together in front of you as if you are praying.  Keep your eyes open so that you can see your hands.  You will notice that the closest finger to you is the thumb.  Since it is the closest to you, the thumb reminds you to pray for those that are closest to you.  Pray for your parents and your brothers or sisters.

The next finger is called your index finger.  It is used for pointing.  Let this finger remind you to pray for those that point you in the right direction.  Pray for your teachers at school, your Sunday School teacher, and your pastor.

The next finger is the tallest finger.  This finger reminds us to pray for our leaders.  Pray for the president and other leaders in our government and those who are leaders in our town.

The fourth finger is the called the ring finger.  Did you know that this is the weakest of all the fingers?  Just ask any one who plays the piano and they will tell you that is true.  Let this finger remind you to pray for those who are sick.

The next finger is the smallest finger.  The Bible says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought."  Let the little finger remind you to pray for yourself.

So the next time you are talking to God, and you can't think of anything to say, let the "Five Finger Prayer" help you. 

Dear Lord, we thank you for prayer. It is good to have a friend to talk to, but even friends sometimes have trouble thinking of something to say. Help us to remember this Five Finger Prayer to remember those who need our prayers. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Real or Artificial?


And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3: 17

I have three packets which most of you will recognize.  The first is a packet of sugar, the second is called Sweet’n Low, and the third is called Nutrasweet.  You all know about sugar.  It is a natural product that comes from the sugar cane plant.  We use sugar in cooking to make things sweet.  It is used in cakes, cookies, sodas, Kool-Aid, and we often put it in our tea or coffee to make it sweet.

Sweet’n Low is an artificial sweetener that is used pretty much the same way sugar is used.  There is one problem with Sweet’n Low, it makes things sweet, but after you finish it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.

Nutrasweet is also an artificial sweetener.  It makes things taste sweet, and leaves no bitter taste, but there is a problem with Nutrasweet.  You can’t use it in cooking because when it gets hot, it loses its sweetness.

If you want cook something that is sweet, but doesn’t leave a bitter aftertaste in your mouth, you have to use the real thing!

Some people are like Sweet’n Low.  They claim to love Jesus and seem to be really sweet, but you can tell they aren’t real.  There’s something about their phony sweetness that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.

Some people are like Nutrasweet.  They also claim to love Jesus and sometimes they can be very sweet, but when things aren’t going their way and things start to heat up, they lose their sweetness.

We need to make sure that our sweetness is the real thing.  The love of Jesus living in our hearts!

Dear Lord, help us to be real sweeteners in our world.  Keep us from bitterness, and may we never lose our sweetness when things start to heat up!   Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

What Shall I Wear?


Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

Well, I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas. Did anyone here get any new toys? Did anyone here get any new clothes for Christmas? I know you may not get as excited about new clothes as you do about the toys you received, but I do know the good feeling that you have when you wear some new clothes that you really like.

One of the very first decisions that you and I have to make every day is the decision about what we are going to wear. The clothing that we wear is very important to most of us. Most of us want our clothes to be a style that is popular. To some people, even the brand is important. We want our clothes to be in good condition -- with no holes or missing buttons and, of course, we want them to be clean.

The clothing that we wear says a lot about us. Sometimes I see little girls wearing T-shirts that say, "Princess" or "2 Cute." No boy would ever be caught wearing one of those! Boys go more for football jerseys, Spiderman T-shirts, or something like that. Sometimes you need just the right hat or a cap to complete your outfit.

As you are choosing what you are going to wear each morning, do you ever give a thought to what the Bible says about how we should clothe ourselves? Well, the Bible doesn't tell us which shirt or pants to wear, but it does have something to say about how we, as God's children, should clothe ourselves.

The Bible says that we should clothe ourselves with kindness, gentleness, and patience. It says we should put on a forgiving attitude. Finally, the Bible says, we should top it all off by putting on love. That brings it all together in perfect unity. The great thing about this outfit that the Bible describes is that it fits us all -- boys or girls -- young or old.   Do you know what else is great about it? It never goes out of style!

The next time you are trying to decide what to wear, why not put on a little kindness, gentleness, and patience? Add some forgiveness, then, top it off with love.

Dear Father, we are always careful in choosing what clothes to wear. Help us to be just as careful about choosing our attitudes. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Sharing Our Wealth


But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 18 (NIV)

Have you ever had a visit from the Tooth Fairy? I can still remember visits from the Tooth Fairy from my childhood days. When our son was a little boy, we had a little tooth pocket like this one in the shape of a baseball glove. When he lost a tooth, we put it in this little pocket and put it under his pillow so that the Tooth Fairy could easily find it.

I heard a story about a little girl whose name was Rachel. Rachel had lost several teeth and every time she lost a tooth, the Tooth Fairy brought her two dollars. Two dollars was quite a bit of money for a little girl Rachel's age and she was quite happy with what the Tooth Fairy had left. Then, one day Rachel was visiting in the home of one of her friends. Her friend told her that she had lost a tooth and the Tooth Fairy brought her ten dollars! Rachel turned to her friend's mother and said, "Mrs. Kraft, would you do me a big favor? Would you please call my mom and tell her which Tooth Fairy you use?"

Rachel had been quite happy with the two dollars the Tooth Fairy left her until she found out that the Tooth Fairy had left her friend ten dollars. All of a sudden, two dollars was not enough. Isn't that the way it is with many of us? God has blessed us with all that we need, but when we see someone else that has more, we are no longer happy with what we have.

The apostle Paul had something to say about that in a letter he wrote to a young preacher named Timothy. He told Timothy that we should be content with what God has given us. After all, we didn't bring anything with us when we came into this world and we won't take anything with us when we leave. People who seek to become rich often fall into temptation to do evil things, and when they stray from the right path, they bring much sadness into their life. Paul told Timothy to teach people that instead of seeking wealth, they should seek to be rich in good deeds and share what they have with others.

I don't know how much the Tooth Fairy leaves under your pillow, but I do know that God will provide for your needs if you will trust in him. And -- if he should bless you with more than you need, don't brag about it, share it with others.

Father, we thank you for your blessings. Help us to be grateful and to be generous in sharing what you have given to us with others. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

I'm Proud To Be A Christian


So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.  I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 2 Timothy 1:8,12

There is a song that is being played a lot on the radio and television recently.  The name of the song is "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood. It isn't a new song.  It has been around for quite a while, but after the attack on the United States that took place on September 11th, it has been played a lot more frequently on the radio and television.  Let's listen to just a little bit of it. (Play the first verse and refrain, if possible. If not, just read it.)  A lot of people in the United States are showing that they are "proud to be an American" these days.  You see a lot of people wearing flag pins or red, white and blue ribbons on their shirts.  As you drive around the cities, you see the U.S. flag flying everywhere.  It has gotten to be so popular to fly the flag that the businesses that sell flags are sold out.  The companies that make the flags can't make them fast enough to keep up with the demand.  It is very difficult to find a flag to buy.  How about you? Do you gladly stand up and say that you are "proud to be an American?"

It is easy and popular right now to say, "I'm proud to be an American."  I wonder if it is just as easy to stand up and say, "I'm proud to be a Christian?"  If we stand up and say that we love Jesus, we are afraid that someone might be offended.  If we stand up and speak out for Jesus in our schools, we are afraid we might be breaking the law.  We can't stand up for Jesus and say a prayer before the football games any more because we are afraid that we might violate someone's civil rights.  It seems as if it is okay to stand up and speak out for almost anything these days -- except Jesus. In a letter to a young man named Timothy, the apostle Paul said, "Don't be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.  I am not ashamed because I believe in him and trust in him."  In other words, Paul was telling Timothy, (sung to the tune of God Bless the USA)

    "I'm proud to be a Christian, because in Him I'm free.
    And I won't forget the Christ who died on the cross of Calvary,
    So I'll gladly stand up next to you and praise his name today.
    'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this Man, Who took my sins away!"

We are standing proudly today as Americans, but are we standing proudly as Christians?

Dear Jesus, we pray that we would never be ashamed to stand up and tell others about what you have done for us and what you want to do for them. Help us to have the courage to stand and say, "I'm proud to be a Christian." Amen.