Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

This is great, Uncle Mike! exclaimed Toby as he helped his uncle with the
chores. "I'm glad Mom sent me to spend the summer with you here on the farm." He
frowned. "Mom worries too much, though," added Toby. "She doesn't like some of
my friends back home-she thinks they're too rough. Just because I hang around
with some of those guys, it doesn't mean I'll do the stuff they do. After all,
I'm a Christian."
 

Uncle Mike frowned. "Yes, but friends of that kind will often tempt you to sin," he said. "Instead of seeing how far you can go along with the crowd without sinning, you should keep clear of situations where you'd be tempted-that would be much smarter." Toby just shrugged. 

Uncle Mike cautiously opened the door to another room in the barn. It contained a heavily constructed stall in which there was a big, mean-looking bull with long horns. "As you know, this animal is the reason I don't let you play in this section of the barn," said Uncle Mike. "If this critter should get loose, he'd be very dangerous. The man I bought him from told me he nearly gored a man to death with those horns."

"He did?" asked Toby. "How did it happen?"

"Well, the man knew the animal could be mean and dangerous, but he had taken care of this bull from the time it was a baby. He figured he knew it well and knew how to take care of himself. As he was putting clean straw in the bull's pen one day, he turned his back-just for a moment," explained Uncle Mike. "That was all it took. The bull rushed him and gored him." Uncle Mike shook his head. "If that man had stayed out of the bull's reach, he wouldn't have been hurt. Sin is like that. The only way to be safe is to stay away from it. Choose friends who won't lead you into sin."

Toby looked thoughtful. "But I have to be with the kids from school sometimes," he said.

"Right," agreed Uncle Mike, "but you don't have to be
close friends with those who would tempt you to go along with the crowd and do
something wrong. Dare to say no right from the start-say no to hanging around
with kids like that."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think it won't hurt you to have close friends who like to do wrong things? Do you think you can take care of yourself? Satan is very clever. He likes you to think you can get close to sin and not be harmed. Don't let him fool you. Stay away from those who would tempt you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 1:1)
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.

[Soldier4Christ]

Grandpa and Trent took their fishing gear and went to a nearby river.
After sitting on the bank for a little while, Trent moved to another spot. Soon
he got up and moved again. Before long, his excitement over fishing faded. "The
fish aren't biting for me today," he said sadly. He looked at the fish his
grandfather had caught. "Why are they biting for you and not me?" asked Trent.
 

"Well, you keep pulling in your line to check your bait, and that's the fourth fishing spot you've tried, Trent," answered Grandpa. "If you want to catch fish, you can't keep moving from one place to another all the time. Try sitting still."

Trent sighed. "I don't like to sit still," he murmured.

"I know, Trent, but unless you do, you'll miss out on a lot," said Grandpa. "Here-today-you'll just miss a few fish, but if you don't learn to sit quietly, you'll sometimes miss more important things. For example, if you don't sit quietly and listen in school, you may fail. More importantly, if you don't take time to sit still and listen to God, you may fail to hear Him."

Trent frowned. "You mean like Samuel heard Him in the Bible?" he asked. "God doesn't talk to us like that anymore, does He?"

"Not like that," said Grandpa, "but if you set aside a special time to think about God, He may He speak quietly to your heart. He may say He loves you, or He may make you aware of something He wants you to do."

"I pray every night," Trent told his grandfather.

"That's you talking again," Grandpa reminded him. "Let God talk to you."

"Can we be still and listen for God now?" asked Trent. Grandpa smiled and agreed. A few minutes later, Trent whispered, "I don't hear God, but I hear the water and the birds. It sounds like music!"

"God's music," agreed Grandpa. "It's the prettiest music in the world."

"I've got a bite!" Trent yelled suddenly. Soon he was taking a fish off his hook. "Look at that fish!" exclaimed Trent. "It paid to sit still that time, didn't it?"

"It sure did," agreed Grandpa, "and it will pay off
every time-in even better ways. Keep trying it!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you take time to quietly wait for God to speak to your heart? Before reading the Bible, ask God to teach you through it. Instead of rushing on to the next activity, it's good to pause and wait for Him to bring to your mind the lessons He wants you to learn. Keep your mind quiet before God, so you can "hear" Him speak to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 46:10)
Be still, and know that I am God.

[Soldier4Christ]

David's friend, Nick, had a flat tire on his bike, so David ran home to
see if he could use Dad's tire pump. He liked to use his father's tools, and
usually Dad didn't mind. "Just follow my rules," Dad had told him. "Get
permission before you use them, and put the tools away as soon as you're
finished with them." But this time, Dad wasn't home to ask. David shrugged and
took the pump anyway. The boys fixed the tire and then went for a ride.
 

As David and Nick were returning home, it began to rain. "Don't bother to stop for your pump. I'll bring it over in the morning," Nick promised.

David hesitated. "Well . . . all right," he agreed. He felt a little guilty as he sped on home.

The next morning, Nick called David. "I can't find the pump anywhere," said Nick. 

"Oh, no!" groaned David. "I have to get it back where it belongs before Dad notices." 

"Look . . . just don't let on that you know anything about it," urged Nick. "If you don't say anything, no one will even know we used it."

At first that seemed like a good idea, but as the morning passed, David found he was very uncomfortable about the whole thing. "I'm gonna have to tell," he muttered to himself. With a sigh, he went to his dad and told him the whole story.

Dad nodded. "Nick's dad called me just a few minutes ago," he said. "He found the pump last night and took it in out of the rain. He said it just occurred to him that it was mine, and he's sending Nick over with it now. As for you . . . consider yourself grounded."

"Aw, Dad . . . can't we just forget about it this one time?" pleaded David. "I did come and tell you about it."

"Yes, you did, and I appreciate that," said Dad.
"Actually, I had intended to ground you for a week, but because you were honest
about this, David, I'm going to ground you for only the rest of the day. And
next time, follow the rules."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you follow the "rules" God gives in His Word? He expects you to obey them. If you disobey, confess your sin to Him and experience His mercy. Then humbly accept any discipline He may send, and learn from it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 28:13)
Whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Luke sat at the kitchen table, reading a sports magazine. "Did you
memorize today's verse?" asked his sister Shana. "Mrs. Kelly said we have to
recite them all or we won't be included in the winners' group. This is the last
week we can recite them for prizes."
 

Luke scowled. "I hate memorizing," he mumbled. "It's too hard." He turned back to his magazine.

"Don't forget to feed Riley," advised Mom as she cleared the table, "and then get ready for Sunday school." At the mention of his name, the dog picked up his dish and dropped it at Luke's feet.

"Just a minute, boy," said Luke as he headed to his room. Riley picked up his bowl, followed Luke, and again dropped it at Luke's feet. Luke ignored him and spent a few minutes halfheartedly studying his verse. Then he got ready for church, went back to the kitchen, and picked up the magazine again. Once more, Riley dropped his dish. Luke laughed. "You don't give up, do you, Riley?" he said. "Okay, I'll feed you."   

In Sunday school that morning, Luke tried to say his verse, but he couldn't remember many of the words. He shrugged. Who cares? I bet the prize is a pencil anyway, and I already have enough pencils, he thought.

But the prize wasn't a pencil. It was a trip to a large zoo, and Shana was one of the winners.   "It's not fair," grumbled Luke. "Shana gets everything!"

"Shana worked very hard at that contest," said Dad.

"Right," agreed Mom. "She showed as much diligence as Riley did when he wanted his breakfast."

"Diligence?" asked Luke. "What's that?"

"It's keeping at something and refusing to give up," said Mom. "I've noticed that when Riley wants something-his breakfast or a game of ball with you or some other kind of attention-he keeps after you until he gets what he wants."

"He doesn't get lazy and give up," added Dad. "I think we should all be a little more like him. When we're diligent, we give our best effort. That's what we should do in all areas of our lives. That's the way to be a winner."

As Luke thought about it, he felt a little foolish-he
hadn't expected to learn a lesson from his dog!




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you give your best in all that you do? Or do you complain that things "aren't fair"? The Lord says to be diligent-to use "all your might "-giving everything your best effort.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

Robert glanced around, then bowed his head as his dad led the family in
prayer before their meal. "Why do we have to pray when we're at a restaurant?"
he asked after Dad finished. "Most people don't."
 

"No, they don't," said Dad, "but we're thankful for what God does for us, and we want to tell Him so, no matter where we are."

At a nearby table, a middle aged couple-Mr. and Mrs. Brown-noticed them. The Browns had not been getting along very well, and they had decided that they just couldn't live together anymore. They knew their children, Tommy and Tina, would be hurt, but they felt they must get a divorce. They had decided to go to a restaurant and discuss it over dinner.

"Look," said Mr. Brown softly. "Did you see that family pray before they started eating?"

"Yes," murmured Mrs. Brown. "You know, Bill, I just remembered a little saying-'The family that prays together stays together.' Do you believe that?"

"I don't know," replied Mr. Brown, "but by the looks of that family over there, I'd say there might be something to it. Look at them now-laughing and having a good time." He hesitated, then continued, "You know, Christine, I think we've both tried hard to settle our differences, but before we go ahead with the divorce, maybe there's one more thing we should try. We were married in church-that's where we started our life together-but we've hardly been there since then. Maybe we should go back now and renew our vows to each other and to God. Maybe we should pray and ask for His help in getting along together."

"I've been thinking the same thing myself," Mrs. Brown replied, "but I've wondered if it's too late."

"It can't hurt," replied her husband. "We've got nothing
to lose. I almost feel like we should thank that family for having the courage
to pray in public-and let them know how it influenced us."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Daniel knew he was being watched, but he was not afraid to pray. Do you have the courage to pray when others are watching? Do you thank God in public-even in the school lunch room? Praying in public can be a testimony to others. It can be a good influence in their lives.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 55:17)
Evening, morning and noon I cry out.

[Soldier4Christ]

Anne had made up her mind! Now that we've moved to a new town, I'm going
to be just like the other kids, she decided. I'm tired of being "different." The
kids here don't have to know I'm a Christian-they'd just think I'm a fanatic.
I'm sure that's what the kids at my old school thought. I'm not going to miss my
chance to change all that.
 

Everything went fine until the day of Janey's party. "Okay, you guys," called Janey when they were ready to play the first game, "here's what we're going to do. Everybody has to draw a slip of paper from this basket. When your name is called, you have to perform the stunt that's written on the paper." She began to pass the basket. "There's a prize for the best performance," she added.

Anne eagerly looked at her slip of paper. "Oh, no!" she groaned. She looked again. Yes, she had read it correctly. Doing this would be mocking God, but if I don't do it, what will the kids say? she wondered. Oh, what am I going to do? She tried to think of a way out. Maybe I could trade with someone-but then I'd be asking someone else to mock God. Oh . . . should I just do what this paper says, or should I say that I can't? She hadn't yet made up her mind when she heard her name being called.

Slowly Anne stood up. She spoke hesitantly. "I . . . I'm supposed to bow in front of the fireplace with my forehead to the floor and recite the Lord's prayer-but I . . . I can't do it," she said. The room became very quiet. "I . . . I'm a Christian, and I feel like I'd be mocking God if I did that. I'm sorry." She sat down.

After a moment, Janey laughed. "That's okay," she said. "We'll skip you. Char, you're next." The party went on, but Anne hardly noticed. She didn't enjoy it anymore.

As Anne started home after the party, Serena caught up
with her. "I'm glad for what you did," said Serena softly. "I've been thinking a
lot about it. I'm a Christian, too, but I haven't been acting like one. I'm
going to be a better witness for Jesus from now on." Anne was surprised and
pleased. Chatting happily together, the girls went on down the
street.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you unashamed of Jesus? He was willing to die for you. By speaking up for Him, you can be a witness to unsaved friends and also encourage other Christian kids.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 1:16)
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

[Soldier4Christ]

Dad, called Mandy from the computer desk. "Can you help me with this
e-mail? I sent it twice, but I don't think it went anywhere."
 

Dad put the newspaper aside, pushed himself out of the chair, and walked over to Mandy. "Are you sure you typed the address correctly?" he asked.

Mandy shrugged. "I guess so. Heather wrote it herself on this paper." She handed Dad a page from a notebook.

Dad pulled up a chair and sat beside Mandy. He looked at the paper and then at the computer screen. "I see the problem. You typed the letter 'O' after Heather's name. It should be the number zero."

Mandy stared at the paper and then typed Heather's address again-this time with a zero. She clicked on the ''send'' key, and a moment later the screen showed that her message had been sent.

Mandy swung around in her chair. "Thanks, Dad," she said. "You were right. I had the wrong address."

That evening, Mandy and Dad shared some popcorn. "Guess what, Dad," said Mandy. "I already got a reply from Heather." She grinned and added, "I'm glad you caught my mistake. That e-mail never would have gotten to Heather without the correct address."

Dad nodded. "You know, Mandy, the mistake you made with an e-mail address is a little like the mistake many people make regarding salvation. They use the 'wrong address' to get to heaven."

Mandy stopped chewing. "Really?" she asked.

"Really," said Dad. "Many people think it doesn't matter if they believe in Jesus or Buddha or Mohammed or Moses . . . or even in their own good works. They think everyone ends up at the same place-heaven. That's not what the Bible says."

Mandy raised her eyebrows. "It's like they're using those people or things for the address to heaven, right?"

Dad nodded. "There's only one 'correct address,' and
that's Jesus," he said. "If He's not the center of our faith, we won't reach
heaven. Salvation is spelled J-E-S-U-S. No other name will get us to
God."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you wondered if people who follow various religions will get to heaven? God says Jesus is the one and only name by which people can reach God. Do you trust only in Him?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Acts 4:12)
There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

[Soldier4Christ]

Ethan was in the locker room when he heard some of the boys laughing and
joking together. "Hey, Bob," called Theo, "did ya hear the latest 'hot one'?"
Then Ethan overheard Theo tell a nasty joke. Most of the boys laughed loudly.
Ethan quickly left the room, but all day the story kept popping back into his
mind.
 

For several days, Ethan was bothered by the joke he had heard. He seemed unable to forget it. He finally decided to talk to his father about it. When Ethan told Dad what had happened, Dad understood. "Satan wants to control your mind," Dad told Ethan, "so he keeps bringing back the nasty things you see and hear."

Ethan sighed. "So what can I do about it?" he asked.

"You know the law of space, don't you?" asked Dad.

"Sure," answered Ethan. "No two things can occupy the same space at the same time. We learned that in science class . . . but it's just common sense anyway." He pointed to a book. "Take that book, for example. Nothing else can occupy that space on the table until the book is removed."

"Right." Dad nodded. "It's the same way with your mind. Fill it up-and keep it filled-with good things. Then no filth can occupy the space that the good things take up. Read the Bible and other good books. Listen to people and programs that don't use bad language or teach immoral things. Fill your mind with knowledge that will help you to live a wholesome life. That's the first part, and that's your responsibility."

"I do read my Bible and try to hear good things, Dad," Ethan said, "but I still can't forget that joke."

"Well, now comes God's part," said Dad. "When you received Jesus as Savior, you also received the Holy Spirit. He gives you power to overcome evil. Think of a verse-or perhaps a song to praise the Lord-as soon as the bad joke comes to your mind. Ask God to cleanse your mind and to help you replace thoughts of that story with thoughts of things that are good and true. Then you'll find yourself thinking of the joke less and less often, until you finally forget it. Okay?"

Ethan nodded. "Okay," he agreed.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have trouble with thoughts? You can have victory! Avoid situations where you hear or read unwholesome things. Fill your mind with good things. Above all, ask the Holy Spirit to help you replace bad thoughts with good ones.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Cor. 10:5)
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Marissa sighed and turned off the computer. She went to the kitchen where
her mother was working. "Mom, I'm tired of computer games. I want something
different to do," said Marissa. "I wish I could take that cookie baking class
again."
 

"Well, that would be fine," said Mom, "but wouldn't you rather take a different class?"

Marissa shook her head. "I liked that class, and it would be like a refresher course if I took it again. Our teacher had so many ideas that I can't even remember them all." She sighed. "I'm bored, and it sounds like fun."

"Well, I guess you can repeat the class if you want to," said Mom, "but it's held on Saturday mornings. It won't help you now. How about your chores-are they all done?" Marissa nodded. "What about your Bible correspondence lessons?" asked Mom.

"Uh . . . I . . . I . . ." muttered Marissa, wondering how to make her excuses sound good. "The lesson I'm up to is mostly Bible reading, and I've read those chapters so many times. I don't really think I need to read them again."

"Maybe you need a refresher course in Bible, too," suggested Mom.

Marissa sighed. "Can I bake some chocolate chip cookies now?" she asked. Mom agreed, so Marissa got out the recipe box and thumbed through it, looking for the one she needed. "Mom, the recipe isn't where it's supposed to be," she said.

"It isn't? Well . . . maybe you won't need it. You've made those cookies so often," said Mom. "Just make them from memory."

"From memory!" exclaimed Marissa. "I don't remember the recipe that well."

"You mean you don't remember cookie recipes as well as
you remember Bible passages?" asked Mom as she helped search for the recipe.
When she found it, Marissa accepted the card without comment, but she got the
point-and while the cookies baked, she got out her Bible lessons and her Bible.
She had quite a bit of catching up to do.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel like you know many Bible stories and are already familiar with the lessons they teach? When you read familiar passages, consider them to be a refresher course from God. Read them again, ask Him to teach you something new from them, and put them into practice.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

I'm getting our bedroom ready for my brother and me, announced Steve
proudly. He was sure their new baby would be a boy. "We've got enough girls," he
added, glancing at Audrey and Anna, his two sisters. "I'm praying for a little
brother."
 

"You can tell God how you feel about it, but don't forget that it's up to Him to decide whether to send us a girl or a boy," his parents told him.

"Yeah-don't be so sure you'll have a brother. I'd rather have a girl," said Anna.

"It'll be a boy," Steve insisted stubbornly. "I told you. I prayed." 

The big day finally came. The new baby arrived, and it was . . . a girl! Although Steve was disappointed, he eagerly went along to the hospital to pick up Mom and the new baby.

"Oh, look!" exclaimed Audrey as they drove home. "There's a 'For Sale' sign in front of that house we had wanted to rent."

"Interesting," said Mom. "Remember how we thought that house was exactly what we wanted and how disappointed we were when we found out it was rented just an hour before we said we'd take it? Well, now I'm really glad we don't live there. I know we could never afford to buy that house, and I wouldn't want to move right now!"

"Our second choice turned out to be better anyway," said Dad, "especially since our landlord suggested we apply the rent toward buying the house. Hasn't it been fun to fix up our own home?"

"It sure has," agreed Audrey. "I can see why God gave us our second choice in houses."

Dad glanced at Steve, who was sitting next to his new sister. "How's the baby doing?" asked Dad.

"She is kinda cute," Steve admitted. "Look! She's holding my finger. She's really my second choice-like the house was for you-but I guess she's God's choice for us, so she must be the one best for us."

"I'm sure she is," said Mom with a
smile.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is God's choice for you sometimes your second (or third or fourth) choice? As today's Scripture says, God knows the end from the beginning. He knows what's best for you. Trust Him and pray, "Lord, Your choice is okay with me. "


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 8:28)
In all things God works for the good of those who love him.

[Soldier4Christ]

I'm working on your dress for the youth banquet, said Mom when Claire came
in after school. "Maybe you could sew the buttons on when it's ready for them."
 

"I suppose," grumbled Claire, "but you could do it so much faster." She put down her books. "Can I have some money?" she begged. "I'll need it tomorrow for a school sweatshirt. And can I go over to Jill's for a while?"

"Not right now," said Mom. "You need to clean your room today."

"Can't you do it for me for once?" asked Claire with a pout. But Mom was firm, and Claire hurried off, still grumbling.

After supper that evening, Mom asked Claire to clear the table. "Oh, Mom, do I have to?" Claire groaned. "I told Pam I'd come over this evening. Can you take me over there?"

"You'll have to change your plans," Dad told her. "You know you need to take care of your little brother tonight. Mom and I have a Bible study. "

Claire spoke angrily. "Why can't you take him with you this time?"

"It seems to me, young lady, that you want all the blessings of being our child, but none of the responsibilities," said Dad.

Mom nodded. "You want us to provide you with money, clothes, and transportation, as well as many other things," she said, "but when it comes to chores-like washing dishes, baby sitting, or cleaning your room-you don't want to be part of the family."

"It's easy to fall into a 'give me' rut," added Dad. "We all have trouble with those words sometimes. We do that with our heavenly Father, too. We ask Him to give us things, and then we forget to thank Him and to give of ourselves to Him."

Claire knew her parents were right. "I . . . I'm sorry,"
she said after a moment. "I'll do better. I'll start right now by calling Pam
and telling her I can't come." She got up. "And, Mom," she added on her way to
the telephone, "thanks for making my dress. I really do like it, and I can do
the buttons-no problem."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Listen to yourself- do you often say "give me"? Like the younger son in today's Scripture, you may need to go to your parents, as well as to your heavenly Father, and make things right by saying "I'm sorry" and "thank you," and by doing your share to help.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Luke 15:18)
I . . . will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

[Soldier4Christ]

I shouldn't have let you see my test paper, said Lance guiltily. "I think
I should tell Mr. Grant that I cheated."
 

"Why would you do that?" exclaimed Joel. "You didn't cheat. I did."

"But I helped you," said Lance, "so I cheated, too."

"Well . . . we'll never do it again, so nobody will know," said Joel. "Nobody saw us."

"God did," replied Lance. "He sees everything."

"You mean God doesn't trust us, so He sits up round-the-clock to spy on us?" protested Joel.

"Not spy, but He does see," said Lance. "He . . . ah . . ."

"Look-let it go till tomorrow," pleaded Joel. "Maybe you'll change your mind." Lance hesitated, but finally agreed to wait.

That evening, Joel went with Lance and his parents to visit Lance's grandmother, who lived out in the country. As they drove down a two-lane road, Lance's father was blinded by the very bright lights of a car they met. As soon as the car was past, Mom cried out, "Don! Look out! There's a . . ."

The car brakes squealed, there was a loud thump, and they felt themselves spin around. No one was hurt, but they had hit a cow, and the car was damaged.

"Thanks for taking me with you tonight," said Joel when they finally dropped him off at his home. "That was exciting. It's lucky nobody got hurt."

"It was more than luck, Joel," said Lance's mother. "God was watching over us tonight." 

"That's it!" exclaimed Lance. "That's what I meant earlier today, Joel. God does watch us, but it's not just to catch us doing wrong. He watches to protect us, too."

Dad nodded. "The Bible says God's eyes are 'in every place, beholding the evil and the good.'"

Joel was thoughtful when he saw Lance the next morning. "I've been thinking," he said, "and, well . . . if you still want to tell Mr. Grant about the test, I . . . I'll go with you. Hey! Do you suppose God will see us do that, too?"

"Sure He will," answered Lance, "and you know what? I've
just got a feeling that He'll smile at us."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you pleased to have God watching you? Is He pleased with what He sees? Nothing you do is hidden from God. He sees the good as well as the bad things you do-or even think.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 15:3)
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

[Soldier4Christ]

Dad walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk. "Jeremy,
have you eaten breakfast?" he asked.
 

"No." Jeremy shook his head and turned a page in the adventure book he was reading.

"You'd better get a move on if you want me to give you a ride to school," said Dad as he left the kitchen. Jeremy glanced at the clock. Seven-fifteen. I have time to finish this chapter, he thought.

Just as Jeremy finished the chapter and closed the book, Dad poked his head into the room. "Let's go," said Dad.

"Already?" asked Jeremy. "It's awfully early."

"I told you last night that I can't run late today," said Dad. "I have an eight o'clock meeting."

Dad waited at the door as Jeremy quickly dropped the book into his backpack, grabbed a juice box from the refrigerator, and picked up a cereal bar from the cupboard. Dad shook his head as Jeremy held his breakfast in one hand and tried to zip the backpack with the other. "In the morning, you need to spend your time getting ready for school-not as recreation time," said Dad as they went to the car.

"Yeah, I guess so," replied Jeremy. "I'm kinda hungry. I was going to have cereal for breakfast, but the time slipped away from me this morning." He nibbled his breakfast bar. "I didn't think it was time to go yet."

"At an hour when you think not . . ." murmured Dad.

"What are you talking about, Dad?" asked Jeremy.

Dad smiled. "Your comment made me think of something
Jesus said. He's coming back, you know, and we need to be ready. Unfortunately,
a lot of Christians are more interested in having a good time than they are in
preparing for Christ's return. It's easy to skip church and Bible reading in
order to play games or read books or even just sleep. It's easy to think we have
plenty of time to tell our friends about Jesus, but no one knows exactly when He
will return. Each day we need to remember that He may come at any
moment."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
If Jesus came back to earth today, would you be ready-or would you be caught off guard? Prepare to meet Jesus. Make sure you know Him as Savior. Then spend time with God and His Word, and take advantage of opportunities to serve Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Luke 12:40)
The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

[Soldier4Christ]

While Laura waited for Grandma to finish making their sandwiches, she
walked over to the porch swing where her grandfather was carving a small block
of wood with his knife. "What are you doing, Grandpa?" she asked, sitting down
beside him.
 

"There's an eagle trapped in this wood, and I'm setting it free," said Grandpa.

Laura looked closely at the block in his hands and then up at Grandpa. "I don't see anything in there," she said.

Grandpa smiled and stopped carving for a moment. "Well, it's there all right," he insisted, turning the wood block in his hand. "When you come back from the zoo later this evening, I'll show it to you."

Laura creased her forehead in disbelief, but before she could say anything, Grandma called her. "Coming, Grandma," said Laura. "See you later, Grandpa."

When they all sat down to dinner that evening, Grandpa placed a newly carved eagle beside Laura's plate. "There you are, young lady," he said with a wink. "There's the eagle I set free from the wood."

Laura's eyes grew wide with amazement. "O-o-o-h!" she breathed. "How pretty!"

"I want you to have it, sweetheart," said Grandpa with a smile, "and whenever you look at it, I want you to remember something very special." Laura looked at him eagerly. "You couldn't see the eagle in the block of wood this morning, but I could," continued Grandpa. "It just took some time to bring it out. In a similar way, God sees within you a very special creation. You might not see it yet, but He does. He has a special plan, just for you. Yield to Him-live as He wants you to live, and be the kind of person He wants you to be. In time, you will become a beautiful sculpture in His hands."

Lost in thought, Laura looked again at the eagle.
Finally, she put it down and turned to Grandpa. "Thank you," she said. "I wonder
what God is going to do with me."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you willing to do whatever God wants you to do and to go anywhere He wants you to be? Never be afraid to let Him have His way in your life. He has a wonderful plan for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Jeremiah 29:11)
'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to...give you hope and a future.'

[Soldier4Christ]

Brian swayed back and forth on a park swing, deep in thought. "Hi, Brian."
Looking up, Brian saw Dave Jones, a college student who lived in his
neighborhood. "A penny for your thoughts," said Dave.
 

Brian grinned. "I was just wondering what God is like," he said. "Cole thinks God is really strict-tough, he calls it-and maybe a little bossy. That's what Cole's dad is like. Harry's dad is just the opposite, and Harry thinks God is always loving and kind and wouldn't really punish anyone. I just don't know." He looked at Dave. "Do you know what God is like, Dave?" Brian asked.

Dave smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do," he replied, "because I know God." Brian's eyes opened wide as Dave continued. "We can know what God is like from studying the Bible. It tells us how great God is-that He made the world and everything in it. The Bible says God is holy-He can't do anything wrong. He's also perfect . . . and best of all, He loves us very much."

"Then Harry's right. If God loves us, He would never be mean to us, would He?" asked Brian.

"No," replied Dave, "not mean-but God is righteous, and He can't stand sin. He punishes the wicked and rewards those who obey Him. He's all-powerful, all-wise, and all-seeing-yet He cares about us."

"Wow!" exclaimed Brian. "I'll have to tell Harry and Cole."

"But, Brian, it isn't enough to know what God is like," said Dave. "You need to know Him personally!"

"I can really know Him?" asked Brian.

"Yes, you can," Dave assured him. "God loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for your sin. Jesus died on the cross so God could forgive your sin and not punish you."

"Oh," said Brian thoughtfully, "I heard something about that before."

"Jesus not only died for you,"continued Dave. "He arose from the dead. That's what we celebrate on Easter. If you believe in Jesus and trust in Him, God will forgive your sin and make you His child."

"I'd like that," said Brian. "Tell me about it
again."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know a lot about God? That's good, but that doesn't make you a child of God-a Christian. You need to know Him personally, and you can do that by receiving Jesus as your Savior.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 3:10)
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.