Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Dad, what are those long ropes on the side of the road? asked
seven-year-old Derek as they drove down the highway.
 

"Those are called guardrails," Dad replied. "Sometimes guardrails are made of wide metal bands, and sometimes they're heavy wire ropes."

"Guardrails?" asked Derek. "What are they for?"

"They're there to make sure people on the highway stay on the road," Dad replied.

"Why would they want leave the road?" asked Derek.

"Well they wouldn't want to leave the road," said Dad, "but sometimes people have accidents. In winter, the road might get slippery and cars might run into each other and off the road. Other times, people may not pay attention to what they're doing, or they may get sleepy while they're driving. When things like that happen, they could swerve off the highway. Then those guardrails would catch the car before it could roll down the hill at the side of the road. The guardrails keep them from much more serious damage."

"Have they ever saved anybody on this road?" asked Derek.

"I'm sure they have," said Dad.

"Wow!" Derek exclaimed. "They're really important!" 

"Yes, they are," agreed Dad. After a moment, he added thoughtfully, "Those guardrails protect us on this highway, and when we use God's Word, it acts as guardrails to protect us on life's highway."

"Where is life's highway?" asked Derek.

"By life's highway, I mean the way we live our lives. When we have questions or doubts about what is right, the Bible can guide us and show us the right thing to do," explained Dad. "As we obey God's Word, it keeps us from straying from the way God wants us to go. It keeps us from trouble and helps us through difficult situations."

"Just like the guardrails," agreed Derek. "Guardrails are
good!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you check your Bible when you're not sure what is the right thing to do? As you trust and obey God's Word, it will work as a guardrail in your life and will help you stay on the right road. God's way is the best and safest way for you to go.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 4:26-27)
Take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sammy got out his remote control jeep. Red lights flashed as he made the
jeep pop a wheelie and race into the living room where his brother, Pete, was
sitting on the couch. The jeep ran over Pete's foot. "Whoops!" said Sammy as the
jeep crashed, causing a piece of the motor to fall off. Sammy tried to fix
it-but it was no use. "Pete, can you fix my jeep?" he asked.
 

"Not again!" exclaimed Pete. "You're always breaking things!" But he held out his hand. "All right, give it here." In no time at all, it was good as new.

"Thanks," said Sammy. "I sure wish I could fix things." Sammy often knew in his head how to fix things, but the information somehow got lost between his head and his hands. That was why he had a special teacher at school to help him.

Sammy put the jeep back on the floor and raced it into his bedroom. He plopped down on his bed. I can't fix anything, he thought. Last week when the chain flew off my bike, Julie had to fix it. When my birdfeeder fell apart, Dad fixed it. I wish there was something I could fix.

Sammy's Sunday school paper was on his night stand. It had a picture of Jesus healing a blind man. Jesus fixed people, too, thought Sammy. He fixed the blind and the lame . . . and best of all, He "fixed" me so I can go to heaven. Sammy sat up straight. Jesus can help me learn to fix things! So Sammy prayed, asking God to help him fix something.

Sammy went to the kitchen where Mom was making dinner. Instead of smiling as she usually did, she looked sad. He heard her sigh, and Sammy wondered what was wrong. "What's the matter, Mom?" he asked.

"Oh, Sammy," said Mom, "it's nothing for you to worry about. I've just had a difficult day, that's all."

Sammy wrapped his arms around his mother and gave her a big hug. "Don't be sad, Mom," he said. "I love you. You're the best mom a kid could ever have!"

Mom wiped tears from her eyes and began to smile. "Thank you, honey," she said. "You've just made me the happiest mom in the whole world."

Sammy smiled, too. God had answered his prayer and
helped him fix something-Mom's sad heart.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you a Christian? Then you're a special person with a special purpose. God has given you the power to "fix" broken people with kind words and deeds. Encourage someone today-do it for Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 16:24)
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

[Soldier4Christ]

When Jordan and his dad clapped their hands and shouted loudly, two barn
swallows quickly flew out of the garage, their tails looking like forks against
the blue sky. "Why can't we let them nest in the garage, Dad?" asked Jordan as
he watched the birds fly over a neighbor's house and disappear.
 

"For one thing, they'd make a mess," answered Dad. "For another, our garage wouldn't be a safe place to raise baby birds. Just notice what happens when the garage doors are closed." As he spoke, Dad pressed a button to lower the garage door. Instantly, it became dark, and the cool breeze was gone.

Jordan nodded. "Our garage would get too hot for them, wouldn't it?" he asked.

"Yes, and not just that," replied Dad. "When the door is closed, the mother and father birds wouldn't be able to go in and out and bring food for the baby birds." Dad opened the garage door and let the cooler air back in.

"I guess they'll have to change their plans and find a new home-just like we had to change our plans and find a new home when we moved here," said Jordan. "I wish our plans hadn't gotten changed. I liked our other house, and I liked my school there."

"Well, Mom and I liked where we lived before, too. We were surprised when my company wanted us to move to this town," said Dad, "but I'm sure we'll like it here, too." He leaned against the wall and thought for a minute. "We can make our plans, Jordan, but as the Bible says, it's really the Lord who determines our steps-and we want to follow Him."

"You think God wanted us to move?" asked Jordan.

"Yes, I believe He led us here to a new home," said Dad.
"We may not know why-just like those barn swallows don't know why we shooed them
out of our garage. But we know it's best for them to build their nest elsewhere,
and God knows what's best for us."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is it hard for you to accept a change in plans? When things don't go the way you'd like, look for lessons God might want to teach you. Be assured that He knows what's best for you, and trust Him to work things out for your good.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 16:9)
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

[Soldier4Christ]

Liz walked into the living room with her arms crossed and her jaw
clenched. Mom looked at her and frowned. "Don't tell me you're still angry over
what happened with Elsa," she said.
 

"Yes, I am!" replied Liz. "Elsa shouldn't have taken my seat on the bus. She knows I always sit with Beth."

"Maybe she does, but you shouldn't be mulling over it so long," said Mom as she knelt down to scrub the carpet.

Liz stared at the stain her mother was vigorously trying to get rid of. She saw that the stain made by spilled grape juice was becoming wider by the second. "That stain is getting worse instead of better," warned Liz. "Do you think it will ever come out?"

"I hope so," said Mom. "Of course, it would have come out a lot more easily if I had cleaned it right after the juice was spilled." Mom wiped the sweat from her brow and glanced up at Liz. "You should deal with your anger the way I should have dealt with this stain," she added.

Liz frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Mom continued to rub the burgundy blotch. "Time has allowed this stain to penetrate into the carpet fibers," she explained. "Anger does something like that to your heart. If it's permitted to stay and saturate there, it becomes increasingly difficult to remove. Over time, it often widens into bitterness and rage."

Liz looked at the stain on the carpet and sighed. "Okay," she agreed. "I don't really see how I can help being angry with Elsa, but I'll try to get over it."

Mom smiled. "Right choice! Never let your anger turn into
a fixed stain inside you," she said. "Start by talking to God about it. Pray for
Elsa, too. It's hard to be angry with someone you're praying for. With God's
help, you can let your anger go."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you angry over something that happened a day ago, a week ago, or even a month or more ago? Has your anger spread into other areas of your life? God doesn't want anger to become a fixed stain on your heart. Ask Him to help you release it. Don't wait-talk to Him about it now.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 37:
Refrain from anger and turn away from wrath.

[Soldier4Christ]

Our science teacher says all life began in the water that used to cover
the earth, Joe informed his parents one evening. "He says that when dry land
began to appear, some of the creatures grew legs and lungs so they could live on
land. They kept on changing, and finally they became half animal and half human.
Then they slowly developed into the intelligent beings we call humans, and that
was the start of the human race."
 

"Mr. Broom called it evolution," added Grace.

"And do you believe all that?" asked Dad.

Joe shook his head. "Not me," he declared. "It sounds dumb! We asked Mr. Broom about the Bible account of creation, and he says it's a myth. He says we have to learn what the science book teaches and . . ."

"Joe asked him if he really believed that stuff about evolution," interrupted Grace, "and he does. Just as the bell rang, Joe said, 'Well, I guess it's all right for you to believe your way as long as it's all right for us to believe the right way.' The whole class just howled!"

Joe grinned and added, "Mr. Broom was furious!"

The children burst into laughter, but their parents didn't laugh. "It's never right to show disrespect for a teacher," said Dad, "even if you know he's wrong."

"But what can we do?" asked Grace. "We can't learn stuff we don't believe!"

"Mr. Broom says we'll fail the subject if we don't answer questions right on the tests," added Joe.

"Learn the material well, and when you write test answers with which you don't agree, you can add that the answer is according to the science book," suggested Dad. "Then at the end of the year, you can both go to Mr. Broom and tell him you still believe the Bible and that the human race began when God created Adam."

"Let's do it," said Joe thoughtfully. "Let's try to get the best marks in class, and then we'll let Mr. Broom know that we still don't agree with the science book."

"All right!" said Dad. "Mom and I will pray for you-and
for him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your teachers tell you that humans evolved from animals? The Bible says God made you. Be faithful to God. Let your teachers and classmates know you believe what God says, but be sure to show respect to your teachers so you can be a good testimony to them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Genesis 1:27)
So God created man in his own image.

[Soldier4Christ]

Why would Jesus allow Himself to be crucified if He were really God? Blake
asked his Sunday school teacher. "I don't get it!" Mr. Wood did his best to
explain, but Blake still thought it made no sense.
 

A few weeks later, Blake joined the class on a weeklong camping trip. "This is really cool!" he exclaimed when they visited Harry Davis, the forest ranger. Mr. Davis told them about his work and even let them look through his binoculars. Then Mr. Wood and the boys headed for a campsite deep in the woods.

A few days later, a fire was detected in the forest! Men, trucks, and equipment came to fight the blaze which was spreading rapidly. Campers were evacuated, but Mr. Wood and the boys had left their campsite. No one could locate them! "I'm not leaving here until those boys are found," declared the forest ranger when he was urged to get out before it was too late. "We've got to find them first." He continued to scan the woods, and he finally got a glimpse of Mr. Wood and the boys! He reported their location, and they were rescued!

As the boys talked excitedly about their narrow escape, a sheriff came in. "Where's Mr. Davis, the forest ranger?" someone asked. "Is he the one who spotted the fire?"

The sheriff looked sad as he nodded. "He was still in the tower when a power line fell on it and there was an explosion," he said. "I'm sorry."

"But why didn't he leave sooner?" asked Blake.

"I tried to talk him into leaving, but he refused because you boys hadn't been located yet," the sheriff said. "He stayed and saved your lives instead of his own. If he hadn't . . . well, you wouldn't be here now."

Blake was stunned. Mr. Wood put an arm around him. "Does this help you understand how Jesus gave His life for us?" he asked. "Jesus could have saved Himself. If He had, we could not have been saved from our sins. He was willing to die in our place. He did that-and the best news is that He rose from the dead and is now in heaven. All who trust Him as Savior will one day go to live with Him forever."

Slowly Blake nodded. "I understand now," he
said.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you understand that you cannot save yourself? Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself for you. Have you trusted Him as Savior? If not, won't you do that today?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 10:17-18)
(Jesus said) I lay down my life . . . no one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Tom and Kevin wanted to go to the school baseball game, but first they had
to rake the yard and clean the garage. Tom knew he was working slowly, but he
just couldn't get excited about cleaning the garage. By the time he finished his
share, the ball game was half over.
 

"Mom, I'm done. Will you drive me to school?" he called.

"No, Tom," Mom answered. "You should have been ready when I took Kevin. Now I'm baking cookies."

Tom sniffed the air. "May I have a cookie?" he asked.

"Yes, but be careful," cautioned Mom. "They're hot!"

After taking a bite, Tom smacked his lips. "Yummy! Super good!" he exclaimed. "You must love to bake."

Mom looked up. "Not really," she said. "Most of the time I bake because your father-and you and Kevin-like baked goods." Her eyes twinkled. "To see you happy makes me happy," she added.

Tom looked surprised. "I sure wouldn't do all that work if I didn't have to," he declared.

"Tom," said Mom, "if you had your way, you wouldn't work at all. But did you know that work is part of God's plan for happiness?"

"It is?" Tom asked in a puzzled tone.

Mom nodded. "You should read the verses in Proverbs about the lazy man and the sluggard," she told him. "They don't please God. The one who pleases God is the faithful and diligent worker."

"That's happiness for God-not for the person who's doing the work," objected Tom.

Mom smiled. "Don't be so sure. Psalm 128:2 says, 'When you eat the fruit of your hands, you shall be happy.' It's rewarding to see the fruit-the good things that result from the work you do."

"I suppose you're right," admitted Tom. "I'll try to
think of that the next time I'm working. Then maybe I'll enjoy it
more."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you hate work? Do you complain about it? Or do you cheerfully wash dishes, make your bed, and mow the lawn? Your willingness to work and do your best pleases God. It brings happiness, too, as you see the good results of serving God and others.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi, Mr. Mitchell! Tom greeted his Sunday school teacher. "You're up! I
thought you'd be in bed." Mr. Mitchell had fallen from a scaffold and hurt his
back. After surgery, he had spent several days in the hospital. Now he was back
home, and Tom and his dad had gone to see him.
 

Mr. Mitchell smiled. "You can't keep a good man down," he joked. "I'm thankful that I don't have much pain now. I may never be able to go back to construction work, though-or even lift anything very heavy."

"That's too bad," sympathized Tom's father. "I know how you loved your work."

Mr. Mitchell nodded. "I wondered if I could find any work that I could do," he said. "Then just a couple of days ago, God provided work for me."

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Dad. "Where will you work?"

"My boss is going to try to get me a job in the office," said Mr. Mitchell, "but for right now, he gave me two accounts to work on right here at home."

"What a great answer to prayer!" marveled Dad.

Mr. Mitchell nodded. "You know," he said, "the Bible says if a man won't work, he shouldn't eat! So as long as I can do something, I want to work-after all, I love to eat!" They all laughed. "I also experienced the truth of Ecclesiastes 5:12-'The sleep of a laboring man is sweet,'" added Mr. Mitchell. "Since I've been working again, I'm so contented that I sleep like a log." He grinned as he looked at Tom. "I'm looking forward to teaching again, too. I'm just so glad the Lord saved me from my sin that I want to serve Him all I can."

On the way home, Tom was thoughtful. He had never really
thought about how it would feel if he were unable to do work. He decided that he
was glad he could help with chores. "Work is good after all," he told his
father. When Dad looked at him in surprise, Tom chuckled and added, "I like to
eat, too!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you enjoy work? Have you considered how it would feel if you were unable to do any work? Make a list of things God has done for you. Truly thank Him, and then you, too, will work more joyfully. (By the way-if you're still tempted to grumble about work, remember how much you like to eat!)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Thess. 3:10)
If a man will not work, he shall not eat.

[Soldier4Christ]

Tony's father stopped at his son's bedroom to tell him goodnight, but no
one was in the room! Where's Tony, I wonder, thought Dad. He turned to leave,
but then a voice, which seemed to be praying, came from the clothes closet. The
door was shut, and Dad was puzzled.
 

A few moments later, Tony came out of his closet. "I didn't mean to interrupt you, Tony," said Dad, "but I must admit I'm curious. Why did you pick a stuffy closet for a place to pray?"

"Well, I used to pray beside my bed," explained Tony, "but I just learned a verse for Bible Club that says to go into your closet and shut the door when you pray, so tonight I prayed in the closet."

Dad smiled and nodded. "I think the closet in that verse means something a little different from our clothes closets," he said. "In fact, most Bible scholars agree that the word translated 'closet' in your Bible could also be translated 'room.'"

"Really?" asked Tony. "Oh, good! Then I can just pray beside my bed again, can't I?"

Dad nodded. "I'd say so," he replied. "I think the main thing Jesus is teaching in that verse is that we should not pray to show off before others. That's why it's good to get away by ourselves-perhaps in a separate room-and shut the door." Dad paused. "Remember, too, that we can pray anytime, anywhere. Go into the privacy of your heart and mind. When you've shut the door . . ."

"But, Dad," interrupted Tony, "how could I shut a door in my heart and mind?"

"One way is to close your eyes when you pray," explained Dad, "but even if you're doing something where you can't close your eyes, you can control your mind and shut out thoughts about other things."

Tony nodded. "It's like making a prayer closet out of my mind then," he said. "I can't always run home when I need to pray, so this is better! I have my prayer closet with me all the time, and I can pray anywhere."

"Right!" said Dad. "It's good to have a special time and
place for prayer, but you can also pray at home, at school, when you're
playing-anywhere at all."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a quiet time alone with God each day? He wants you to talk to Him wherever you are, but also in quietness alone. Close your door, shut out the world, and think about God as you pray.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matt. 6:6)
When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Amy was feeding her fish when her mom came home. "Guess what?" Amy called
out. "Mrs. Jones is moving, and she doesn't want to take her fish tank with her.
She gave me these Oscar fish."
 

"Aren't Oscars awfully big?" Mom asked skeptically, coming into the room.

"In the open lake they are, but if they grow up in a fish tank, they stay small," said Amy. "They always grow in proportion to their surroundings."

"That's interesting," Mom said. "In fact," she added thoughtfully, "your fish might be something interesting to talk about on hobby night at youth group next week. In some ways, we're like those fish."

"We are?" asked Amy. "Like fish? Well, fish don't go to youth group-and I don't think I should go, either. The kids in my grade have to move up to the older group this year. I wish we could just stay in our own small group!" Amy stared at her peaceful fish. "Like these fish," she added.

Mom smiled. "Suppose fish did go to youth group," she said. "What if Mrs. Jones had sent those Oscars to a big fish youth group in the lake, instead of keeping them in a small tank? What would have happened to them?"

Amy snickered at the idea. "I guess they would have grown much bigger."

"Right," Mom said. "Now . . . do you think that God would want us-His 'little fish'-to stay in a tiny cramped little tank, never growing the way we should? Or do you think He would want us to 'stretch' and become 'big' Christians?"

Amy knew the youth group often did things to help needy
families. She remembered that they also had projects to help overseas
missionaries. Her cousin had told her of the interesting Bible studies the youth
group enjoyed. Amy knew taking part in those activities would help her grow
spiritually. "I guess God would want us to grow," she admitted. "Okay, I'll take
my fish along on hobby night. Do you think they'll like going to youth
group?"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a place where you can go to grow spiritually? Do you have Christian friends who help you? Don't keep yourself in a "small tank." God wants you to grow. Take advantage of opportunities to make new Christian friends and to serve God in new places.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 10:25)
Let us not give up meeting together.

[Soldier4Christ]

I hope the Smiths soon get the money they need to go to the mission field,
said Ross after the service one Sunday. "Too bad Mr. Gaylord wasn't at church.
He always manages to miss the sermons on giving. I bet he's never given a
sacrificial gift in all his life!" Ross was referring to a rich old man who
lived not far from their home and who attended their church.
 

Jaelyn agreed. "Remember how the missionary spoke about 'giving till it hurts'?" she asked. "I'll bet just the thought of giving hurts Mr. Gaylord." Both children laughed merrily.

"Now, wait a minute, you two," protested Mother. "Have either of you ever given a sacrificial gift?"

Jaelyn was surprised. "But it's different with us!" she exclaimed. "If we had anything to sacrifice, we would."

"Sure we would!" agreed Ross. 

"Be careful," warned Mother. "If you make a vow to the Lord, He expects you to keep it."

That afternoon, Ross and Jaelyn were playing with a go-cart when Mr. Gaylord came by and stopped to chat. "Good looking cart," he said. "My grandson would enjoy that. I'll buy it from you." He held out some money.

"No way!" exclaimed Ross. "We made this ourselves!" 

"Yeah," agreed Jaelyn, proudly. "It took us a long time, but it was worth all the work we put into it!"

"We spent our own money for it, too," added Ross.

"You did, eh?" asked Mr. Gaylord. "Well . . ." He looked at the money in his hand. "I suppose this isn't quite enough then. All right. I'll add a little more." He reached into his pocket and took out some more money. 

"We wouldn't sacrifice our go-cart for any . . ." began Jaelyn. She stopped, startled. The word "sacrifice" reminded her of their earlier conversation. Ross and Jaelyn looked at each other. "We . . . we . . ." stammered Jaelyn, but they both knew what they had to do. 

After Mr. Gaylord left with the cart a short time later, Ross and Jaelyn grinned at each other. "At first, I hated to give up our new go-cart," she said, "but now we have money to give to the Lord for the Smiths to use. I feel really good about that, don't you?"

Ross nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "I do,
too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever made a sacrificial gift to the Lord? Could it be that He wants you to do so? Ask Him what He would have you do. Then, with a cheerful heart, do it. After all Jesus did for you, no sacrifice is too great to make for Him!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 9:7)
God loves a cheerful giver.

[Soldier4Christ]

Are you allowed to use that for your homework? asked Mom when she saw
Cassandra punching numbers on her calculator.
 

"This isn't homework," said Cassandra. "I'm trying to figure out how I can afford to go on the mission trip."

"I thought that was settled," said Mom. "You earned half the money, and we're going to pay the rest."

"Yeah, but I wanted to see if I could get a jacket I saw and have enough left for the trip, too," said Cassandra. "It won't work, so I'm not sure what I want to do."

"The mission trip was so important to you," Mom said. "You've talked about it for weeks."

"I know." Cassandra nodded. "The kids that went last year said it was really worthwhile! They had fun, too. Remember the story of how they caught a monkey?"

Mom shook her head. "I don't recall that one."

Cassandra grinned. "There was this troublesome monkey in the church yard. To catch him, they fastened a big jar with a narrow opening to a tree branch. They put treats in the jar, and the monkey stuck his paw in and grabbed the treats. But then his fist was so fat he couldn't get it out. The silly monkey was too stubborn to let go of the treats, so he was stuck there with the big jar on his arm. They caught him and took him to the animal shelter."

Mom smiled. "I believe they helped a lot in the Vacation Bible School the missionaries were conducting, too," she said. "I know you'd enjoy the trip." 

"Yeah," Cassandra agreed, "but I'd also love to have that jacket." She sighed. "How do I decide? Do I have to use my money for the mission trip, or can I get the jacket if I want to?"

"Well . . ." Mom hesitated. "It's your money," she said at last, "but I hope you won't act like that monkey. He gave up his freedom for a small treat. It seems to me that the jacket is just a small treat, while the mission trip would produce lasting treasure if it's truly done for the Lord. Will you give that up because you're too stubborn to let go of a treat?"

"When you put it like that . . ." Cassandra shut off her
calculator. "I guess the decision isn't so hard after all."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you find it hard to make choices?  The choice of a  fleeting pleasure may seem more attractive than something that brings lasting rewards. When you need to choose, don't hold onto the "treat" so tightly that you lose what really matters. Ask yourself, "WWJD-What would Jesus do? "


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 6:20)
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

[Soldier4Christ]

 No Room

Jamie and her sister, Kellie, could hardly wait to get to their motel near Sea World. "Two whole days in a motel with a pool!" said Kellie with a giggle. "And think of all the fun we'll have at Sea World. It will be a blast!"

Before long, Dad turned off the highway. "We're here, girls," he announced, pulling up to a building where a sign proclaimed, "Welcome Inn." The weary family tumbled from the car, stretching stiff arms and legs.

Inside, Dad approached the desk. "My name is Gardiner," he said. "We have reservations for two nights."

The receptionist punched some keys on her computer. "I'm sorry," she said uncertainly, "but I don't find your name here."

"Please look again," Dad said patiently, showing her the confirmation numbers he'd been given to assure him that a room was reserved for them.

After another search, the receptionist shook her head slowly. "I'm very sorry," she said. They talked with the manager who apologized and offered two nights of free lodging in the future. He also checked with several other motels in the area, but due to a convention in town, the closest accommodations he found were several miles away. Dad told him they'd have to think about what they were going to do before deciding.

"Oh, Daddy," wailed Jamie as they returned to the car, "it would be awful to go back home now,"

Dad nodded. "There's been a mistake," he said, "but let's calm down and have a snack while we think about what to do next."

Seated in the restaurant, Dad suddenly said, "If this seems bad, think how awful it would be if we arrived at heaven's gates someday and discovered that our names had never been registered there."

"But, Daddy, that won't happen," said Kellie thoughtfully. "The Bible says Jesus has gone ahead of us and has already written our names down because we're trusting in Him. He knows we love Him."

"You're absolutely right," agreed Dad with a smile. "We're already registered there, and God never makes a mistake. Let's thank Him for that and then trust Him to find a place for us to stay tonight."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is your name registered in heaven? Are you absolutely sure? Or if you died today, would you hear the awful words, "Depart from me. I never knew you"? If there's any doubt at all about that, make sure today. Admit your sin and need of a Savior. Ask Jesus to forgive and save you. Then your name will be written in heaven-in the Lamb's Book of Life-and you'll never be turned away.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
There shall . . . enter it (heaven) . . . only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Revelation 21:27

[Soldier4Christ]

 Outgrown

When Bill's mother reminded him that he needed to study his Sunday school lesson and learn the memory verse, he looked up from his work on an airplane model. "Aw, Mom, I know all that stuff," he argued. "I don't need to study. I hear all that at church and Sunday school and at Boys' Club. I even go to a Christian school." But when Dad gave Bill a stern look, he obediently put away his model and worked on his lesson until bedtime.

The next morning when Mom told Bill to hurry and get ready for church, he frowned. "I bet we won't hear anything we haven't heard before," he grumbled as he unwillingly went to his room. A few minutes later, he was back again. "I need new pants!" he exclaimed. "Look at these. They're getting awful short."

Mom nodded. "So they are," she agreed. "You're growing right out of them. We'll look for a new pair this week."

"Good idea," approved Dad, who was listening. He grinned. "I guess those pants must have shrunk," he joked, "or could it be that you're growing up?" Then he became serious. "But, Bill, I'm concerned because I get the feeling that you think God is like that old pair of pants."

"What do you mean?" asked Bill, looking at his father in surprise.

"Well, you've implied that you know all there is to know about God," explained Dad. "You seem to think you've outgrown Him. Actually, you'll need a whole lifetime to learn about God-what He's like and what He does and what He teaches in His Word. Even then, you'll still know only just a little. God is so great and so wonderful, we'll never know all there is to know."

"That's right," said Mom. "That's something to remember while you're sitting in church this morning . . . and when it's time to do your Sunday school lesson and learn Bible verses, too. If you really think about the things you hear and study, you'll be surprised at how much you can learn."

Bill looked down at the pants he was wearing. "Okay. I'll remember," he promised. "I get the point!" And sure enough . . . as he thought about the words of the songs they sang and listened to the pastor and Sunday school teacher that morning, he learned several things he hadn't known before.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think your Bible lessons are "old stuff"-and that you've heard all the stories before? Listen carefully the next time you're in church and Sunday school, or in Bible club. You'll probably be surprised at what you learn. You can never outgrow God. He is the everlasting, great and wonderful God-the mighty Creator of the entire universe. There will always be more things to learn about Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Romans 11:33

[Soldier4Christ]

Rhambau, an elderly pearl diver in India, pointed to a man on the street.
"Look, Mr. Grayson. That pilgrim goes to Bombay-or perhaps to Calcutta. He walks
barefoot and picks the sharpest stones to step on. Sometimes he kneels down and
kisses the road! That is good!" Rhambau sighed. "I'm old and must prepare for
the life to come," he said. "I must begin my pilgrimage to make sure of heaven.
I shall go to Calcutta-on my knees. The gods will reward me. The suffering will
be sweet, for it shall purchase heaven for me."
 

"Oh, Rhambau, a trip such as that would be much too hard for you-please don't do that!" pleaded Mr. Grayson, who was a missionary. "Jesus died to purchase heaven for you. You must simply believe and accept His free gift of salvation."

"No! No, that is too easy," insisted Rhambau. "One must work for a place in heaven!" He held out a beautiful pearl and spoke with a sob in his voice. "Before I go, I give this to you. My son was a pearl diver, and he found this pearl, but he stayed under the water too long! He died soon after. I give it to you, my best friend."

"Oh, I'm so sorry about your son's death!" exclaimed Mr. Grayson. "I will buy the pearl from you."

Rhambau shook his head. "No one has enough money to pay what this pearl is worth to me," he answered sadly. "You may have it only as a gift."

"Oh, but that is too easy!" exclaimed Mr. Grayson. "I must pay for it-or work for it."

Rhambau spoke quickly. "I would never sell this pearl-its value is in the life blood of my only son. Just accept it as a token of the love I bear for you."

"Rhambau," said Mr. Grayson gently, "to make it possible for you to enter heaven, it cost God the life blood of His only Son. In a million years-or in hundreds of pilgrimages-you could never earn entrance to heaven! It is so priceless that no one could pay for it. God offers you salvation as a free gift. Accept it as a token of God's love for you, a sinner."

Rhambau gasped. "I see!" he exclaimed. "I see! Some
things truly are too priceless to be bought or earned. Heaven is one of them.
Tell me about it once more!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you trying to work your way to heaven? Going to church, obeying parents, giving money to missionaries, being nice-all these are "good," but they will not buy heaven for you. No good works of any kind will get you into heaven. Simply believe in Jesus and receive God's free gift.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 2:8-9)
It is the gift of God -not by works.