Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Jessica burst into tears as she pulled the lid over the piano keys with a bang. "I can't do it!" she declared. "This new piece is too hard! Why do I have to practice every day?"


Mom scooped up the baby and went to the living room. Jessica faced her mom, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Jessica," began Mom, offering her daughter a tissue, "I know this is a new piece, but your teacher says you can learn it. She says you have great talent, and that with practice your music will sound absolutely beautiful."


"But Mom, it sounds awful," whined Jessica. "I don't think I'm ever going to get it!"


Baby Joelle wiggled and struggled to get down. "Jess," said Mom as she put Joelle down on the floor, "your little sister can walk quite well now, but do you remember when she was learning? Could she walk the very first time she tried?"


A little smile broke through Jessica's tears. "No, she sometimes lost her balance and fell flat on her bottom. When she cried, we all ran to help her."


"That's right, honey-but after many tries, Joelle kept her balance," said Mom. "Then she took her first step, and then more steps. It was one step at a time, but now she walks well and can get most anywhere she wants to go. That's the way it was when you were learning to walk, too."


Jessica sighed. "I already know what you're going to say, Mom," she said. "You're going to say that it's the same way when I'm learning a new piece of music. It's always hardest the first time, but each time I practice, it will get easier, and finally I'll be able to play it all the way through."


Mom gave her daughter a hug. "That's right, sweetie," she said, "and by the time you learn to play that piece well, you will have learned much more than music. God will use the experience to teach you something about patience and persistence and the value of not giving up."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you persistent even when a task is difficult? God uses all kinds of challenges to help you grow stronger and wiser-and most of all, to be more like Jesus! Don't be a quitter in either your everyday life or in your spiritual life. Ask God for help.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 1:6)
<p>"He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it."

[Soldier4Christ]

I'll probably fail our math test today, Caleb told Alison as they walked to school. "I'm a dummy when it comes to figuring percentages."

"I'm a dummy, too," said Alison, "but I'm not going to fail. Here's why." She slid a card comparing fractions, decimals, and percentages from under the cuff on her sleeve. "I've got an extra card. Want it?" she pulled a card from her other cuff.

"That's cheating," objected Caleb.

"What's worse, cheating or failing?" asked Alison.

Caleb took the card and looked at it. How easy it would be to cheat. His desk was near the back of the room, and Mr. Collins rarely walked around the room when they had a test. "I'm not going to do it," Caleb said, handing the card to Alison. "I don't think you should, either. It's not right."

"You    are a dummy," Alison replied, "and not just in math."

Caleb struggled through the test without looking around. He didn't want to see Alison cheat.

After school, Caleb hurried home. "How was school?" his mother asked as he came into the kitchen for a snack.

"Okay," Caleb replied, "but I just hope I passed my math test."

"Well, if you studied and did your best, don't worry about it," said Mom. She knew Caleb had trouble understanding math. "Was there anything that made you feel good today?"

"Strange as it sounds," replied Caleb, "I felt good about taking the test. I had a chance to cheat, but I decided to be honest."

"Good for you!" Mom sounded pleased. "Think about it," she said. "You may have had trouble with that math test, but you definitely passed a harder test-you were tempted to do something wrong, but you resisted. You knew what was the right thing to do, and you did it. I'm proud of you!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your friends sometimes encourage you to do wrong things? Do you resist the temptation to join them? The wise thing to do is to say no. Ask God to give you the wisdom and courage to do what is right.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 1:10)
<p>"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."

[Soldier4Christ]

As Mr. Collins returned math tests, he handed back all the papers but two. "Caleb and Kevin, I want to see you at morning recess," he said.

Uh oh, thought Caleb. I've failed for sure.

"Tough luck, dummy," whispered Alison as she left the room at recess time. "I got a 'B.'" Caleb didn't answer.

After everyone left, Mr. Collins's face was stern as he showed the boys their test papers. "I had given you a 'C,' Caleb, but when I checked Kevin's paper, I noticed that he missed many of the same problems you did," said Mr. Collins."I compared your papers. Answer for answer, they're the same. Apparently, someone cheated."

"Well, it wasn't me," said Kevin sullenly. "Who'd want to copy from him?"

Mr. Collins frowned. "Kevin has a point, Caleb," he said. "It's no secret that you have trouble in math, but that's no excuse for cheating."

"But I didn't cheat," said Caleb. He sat in shock.

"I'll give both of you another test during noon recess to see how you do on your own," said Mr. Collins. "You may go now."

Slowly, Caleb left the classroom. Alison was waiting just outside to hear what Mr. Collins had said. "So you did cheat!" she exclaimed when Caleb told her. "You act like such a goody goody, but you cheated."

"No, I didn't," protested Caleb. "If anybody did, it must have been Kevin."

Alison shrugged. "Want to use my cheat card this time?" she asked. Caleb shook his head. "You really are a dummy," Alison told him. "If you get accused of cheating, you might as well do it. There's no point in being honest if Mr. Collins thinks you cheat anyway. It doesn't make sense."

"Not to you maybe," Caleb replied, "but it does to me." He knew it didn't really matter so much what others thought-God and his parents expected him to be honest. His father had said an honest "F" was better than a dishonest "A," and Caleb agreed. But he prayed that he could do well enough to get another "C" that afternoon.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever been accused falsely or been teased for doing right? What others think isn't nearly so important as what God thinks. Live to please Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (James 1:12)
<p>"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life."

[Soldier4Christ]

Caleb sat in a front seat, and Kevin sat in the back of the room as they took the test Mr. Collins had prepared just for them. As Caleb looked at the paper, he again prayed that he would be able to remember what he had studied. Mr. Collins sat at his desk, checking papers as Caleb and Kevin worked.

Caleb struggled through the first few problems. Then something happened! He suddenly had a better understanding of how to work the problems on the test. What had been difficult now made sense!

"Finished so soon?" Mr. Collins asked as Caleb handed in his paper. "Well, sit down, and I'll check this right now." Caleb watched nervously as Mr. Collins graded the paper. "This is amazing, Caleb," said Mr. Collins after a moment. "You have only two wrong! It's the best you've done in math all year."He handed Caleb the paper. "I was wrong to accuse you of cheating," said Mr. Collins solemnly. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay," replied Caleb. "May I go?"

That afternoon, Caleb couldn't wait to get home and tell his mother what had happened. "Mom!" he yelled as he raced into the house after running all the way home. "I got only two problems wrong on my math test!"

Mom had his snack ready on the table. "That's great!" she said. "Tell me about it."

Caleb told her about Mr. Collins' accusation and about taking another test. "It's strange how I suddenly knew how to work the problems," he added, "when I didn't really understand them before."

Mom smiled. "Maybe it's not so strange," she said. "You studied hard, and you also told me you prayed about it. God answers prayer. You were honest, too, and didn't cheat. Now God made it possible for you to prove that to Mr. Collins. God has given you-and me- another bit of evidence that shows He cares about all the details of our lives. Let's be sure to thank Him for that."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you pray when things go wrong? Do you pray about big problems you or your family members face? You should. Do you also pray about homework? "Little" problems? Tests? God cares about even the small details of your life. Talk to Him about everything.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Peter 5:7)
<p>"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."

[Soldier4Christ]

Eric savagely kicked a stone, sending it flying along the sidewalk. He heard someone coming up behind him and turned. It was Doug, one of the few people in Eric's class at school who didn't make fun of his bald head. "What's wrong?" Doug asked when he saw how upset Eric looked.

"Oh, not much," mumbled Eric. "It's . . . it's just that I'm so tired of all the kids making fun of me."

"Having leukemia doesn't make your hair fall out, does it?" Doug asked cautiously. "That's caused by the treatments, right?"

Eric nodded. "Mrs. Storm asked Mom to come and explain it for one of our health lessons next week," he said. "She says the kids will get used to seeing me like this, but they haven't yet." He bit his lip, struggling not to show how much the teasing hurt. "Thanks for never teasing me, Doug," added Eric as they reached his house.

"That's okay." Doug smiled. "Want to come over and play with my race cars this afternoon? Mom said it was okay with her if I bring someone home today."

"Sure," agreed Eric. "I'll just run in a minute and ask my mom if it's okay." After getting permission from his mother, Eric went with Doug to play. 

As their little cars sped around the track, Doug asked, "Does it hurt to have leukemia?"

"Some of the tests hurt, and the treatment makes me feel sick to my stomach," said Eric, "but for me, the worst part is that my hair falls out. I know I look funny, and when kids tease me, it just makes me feel worse." He stopped his race car and looked at Doug. "How come you don't tease me like the other kids do?"

"Because I . . ." Doug wasn't sure what to say. Then he decided to just tell it straight out. "Jesus wouldn't want me to," he said. "It's that simple."

"Well, I wish the other kids knew more about Jesus then," said Eric. "Actually, I don't know much about Him, either."

Doug smiled. "Let's go upstairs and have some cookies and milk, and I'll tell you more about Him," he said. "And maybe you could come to Sunday school with me, too. We learn about Him there."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who is teased because he or she looks "different"? You can make life easier for that person by refusing to join in the teasing. When you refuse to take part in that type of cruelty, you are showing the kind of love and behavior that pl


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 13:4)
<p>"Charity suffereth long and is kind."

[Soldier4Christ]

Mom, may I go to the park to play with Ben? asked ten year old Philip.
 

Mom smiled. "Ben, Ben, Ben," she replied. "Ever since you met him, all I hear is 'Ben.' Bring him home sometime-and have you invited him to Sunday school?"

"I forgot," admitted Philip, "but I will. May I go now?"

Toward the middle of the summer, Philip was quite excited when he got home after playing with Ben one day. "I finally remembered to invite Ben to Sunday school," he said, "and he's coming. I told him about Jesus, too, and he was interested. He doesn't want us to pick him up-he says he'll be at our house when it's time to leave for church next Sunday."

True to his word, Ben came the next Sunday. After that, he attended Sunday school with Philip each week, and one Sunday, he invited Jesus into his life. 

Shortly before the start of the school year, Ben didn't show up at the park. Philip became upset as the days passed, and he still didn't see Ben. "I'm afraid Ben won't be coming around anymore," said Dad one evening. I heard that his dad is wanted by the police. They don't believe he committed any crime, but he won't tell what he knows about one. He apparently learned the police were on his trail, and he took off. Seems he's been on the go like that for a couple of years."

"Oh, no!" moaned Philip. "I'll probably never see Ben again, and I miss him. He was like a brother to me."

"Maybe  he'll get in touch with you some day," said Dad, "and don't forget-you'll see Ben in heaven."

"That's right!" exclaimed Philip. "I'm so glad I finally remembered to tell him about Jesus. I wish I hadn't put it off as long as I did." Tears filled Philip's eyes as he added, "I'm going to pray for Ben, wherever he is."

"Good," approved Mom. "We'll pray too. And let's all
remember that we have other friends-let's not wait to tell them about
Jesus."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do your friends know Jesus? If you truly love someone, don't just enjoy having fun together now. Make sure your friends know the way to heaven so that you can be together through all eternity. Don't wait. Tell your friends about Jesus today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 10:14)
<p>"How shall they believe in Him (Jesus) of whom they have not heard?"

[Soldier4Christ]

What on earth are you doing? exclaimed Tim's mother as she rushed down the basement stairs after hearing a loud "bang" coming from there. She gasped. "Look at the mess you've made!"

"I was just experimenting with my chemistry set," mumbled Tim. "I didn't know the stuff would blow up."

"That's like saying 'I didn't know the gun was loaded' after you shot someone," said Mom, frowning.

"But if you don't experiment, how are you going to find out about things?" protested Tim.

"Well," said Mom, "maybe it's better not to know about some things." She sighed. "I'm afraid you've been doing some other experimenting lately, too, haven't you?"

Tim was surprised. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, you were smoking the other day, weren't you?" asked Mom. As Tim began to deny it, she held up her hand. "Your breath smelled like smoke," she said, "and when I washed your jeans, I found half a pack of cigarettes in your pocket."

"Aw, well . . . some of us just tried it," admitted Tim, "but we really didn't like it much. It doesn't hurt to experiment with stuff as long as you don't go overboard. You can't know anything for yourself unless you try it."

Mom reached into a cupboard and took out a bottle of lye. Tim watched as she poured some in a glass and offered it to him. "Have a drink," she invited.

"Mom," he gasped, looking at the picture of a skull and crossbones on the bottle, "that's poison!"

Mom nodded. "I've heard, too, that it will burn your mouth horribly if you only sip it," she said, "but you don't really know that, do you? You haven't tried it for yourself. Sure you wouldn't like to try some?"

"No, thank you!" exclaimed Tim. He looked at her curiously. "Would you really have let me drink that?"

"Of course not," said Mom. "I just wanted to show you that it isn't always necessary to try things to know they should be avoided. That principle is true regarding sin, too. It's never safe to experiment with sin."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you need to try everything for yourself? That's dangerous. Listen to your parents and other responsible adults. Above all, listen to God's Word. Leave sin alone.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 4:14)
<p>"Enter not into the path of the wicked."

[Soldier4Christ]

Has anyone seen my Sunday school book? wailed Kristi one Sunday morning. "I can't find it anywhere." But no one had seen it, and Kristi finally remembered that she had left it at Megan's house. My perfect record will be spoiled, she thought miserably. She had always had her lesson done, knew her verse, and brought her Bible. 

Kristi felt sick about ruining her record. Maybe if I really were sick, I could make up the lesson, she thought.  So she went back to bed and stayed there while her family went to church-except for Mom who insisted on staying home with her.

When Kristi's brother returned, he brought her book. "Megan sent this," he said. Kristi hoped Miss Compton and the girls in the class hadn't noticed that her lesson wasn't done. "Megan wondered if you were still going to her house this afternoon, but Mom says you can't go," continued Nolan. "And Carrie said to try to come to church tonight. The Junior Choir sings, you know. She says if you can't come, she'll have to do that solo part, but she has a cold."

Oh, dear! I forgot all about those things, thought Kristi. I really do want to go, and I'm tired of lying in bed. So Kristi announced that she felt better.

Mom wasn't convinced. "If you were so sick that you had to miss Sunday school, you'd better stay home the rest of the day, too," she said. And when Mom found Kristi sobbing in her pillow that evening, she was really concerned. "Why, honey, do you feel worse?" asked Mom.

Kristi shook her head. "I wanted to go to church. I'm not sick. I wasn't sick this morning, either," she confessed. "I just didn't want to spoil my record."

"Hmm . . . you may not be sick, but you sure took a fall," said Mom.

"What do you mean?" asked Kristi.

"You wanted your record to be perfect so that everyone would think highly of you-that's pride. Your pride caused you to fall-to lie," explained Mom.

"I see that now," said Kristi. "Next time I feel proud, I'll remember what happened."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you proud because you're the best looking? Best dressed? Most faithful? Smartest? Do you think you deserve the praise of others? Be careful of the big "I." Give God the glory for whatever He accomplishes through you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 16:18)
<p>"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

[Soldier4Christ]

Mason squirmed in his seat as his Sunday school teacher spoke. "I wonder if any of you boys would like to give your life to Jesus and be saved today," said Mr. Burns. "If so, would you let me know by raising your hand?" Mason hesitated, started to raise a hand, then changed his mind and sat still. Mr. Burns prayed, and the class was dismissed.

After class, Mr. Burns talked with Mason. "I thought about accepting the Lord today," Mason said, "but I decided to wait a while. I'm going to be saved sometime, though."

"Good." Mr. Burns nodded. "When is sometime?"

"Well . . . I don't know," said Mason, "but before I die."

"I see," replied Mr. Burns. "Well, then the question is this: When are you going to die?"

Mason was surprised at that question. "When? I . . . I don't know," he said. "Nobody knows that."

"Do you think you could be dead in fifty years?" asked Mr. Burns. Mason nodded. "Well, then you want to get saved within fifty years, right?" continued Mr. Burns.

"Oh, sure," agreed Mason. "I don't plan to wait that long."

"Isn't it possible that you could be dead within one year?" suggested Mr. Burns.

Mason was startled. "Well . . . I don't think I will, but I suppose it's possible," he admitted. He shrugged. "Anyway, I don't plan to wait even that long."

"Actually, none of us know how long we'll be here, do we? We may even die before tomorrow. Isn't that true?" persisted Mr. Burns. Mason nodded. "If you're going to accept Christ sometime, and if you might die before tomorrow, then you should accept Christ today, shouldn't you?" asked Mr. Burns. "If you really want to be saved, today is the day you should make that decision. It's dangerous to wait even a little while."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think there's no need to trust in Jesus right now because you have your whole life before you? The trouble is, you don't know how long-or short-your life will be. The only time you have for sure is now. Don't wait. Accept Jesus today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 6:2)
<p>"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

[Soldier4Christ]

What a summer this has turned out to be! moaned Denae. "When we moved to the country, I thought I would ride the horse, wade in the creek, and have fun. Lately, it seems like all I've done is snap beans, husk corn, shell peas, and now peel peaches for canning."

Mom smiled. "I think you've found plenty of time for fun things, too," she said, "and when winter comes, you'll be glad we canned all this food."

"Maybe," replied Denae, "but I'm tired of it now." 

Fall arrived, and Denae returned to school. In November the snow came. After Christmas, a real blizzard began, and soon Denae and her family were snowed in.

"Oh, Mom, what are we going to do?" wailed Denae, as she stared through the window a few days later. "It may be days before we can get out!"

Mom smiled. "Well, we've got lots of wood for the fire," she said, "and plenty of good, home canned food to eat."

"That's true!" agreed Denae. "Now I'm glad we did all that canning last summer." Then she sighed. "But I'm so bored. Isn't there anything interesting we can do?"

"You could work at memorizing your verses for Bible club," suggested Mom.

"Yeah-but I don't see why we have to learn so many verses," said Denae. "We've got lots of Bibles around. Anytime we need a verse, we can just look it up."

"Remember how you grumbled about all that canning last summer?" Mom asked. "Now that a storm came along and we're snowed in and can't get to the store, we're glad we have lots of food stored up, right?"

"Right," agreed Denae.

"Well," said Mom, "in life, you never know when stormy times will come, or when you'll face temptation or perhaps have an opportunity to witness. At those times, it may not always be convenient-or even possible-to look up verses in the Bible. Then you'll be glad to have those precious verses stored up in your heart."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you memorize God's Word? Don't just memorize words. Think about what each verse means, and ask God to make it "real" in your life. Begin with the verse above.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

Hey, Dad, said Sam as he and his parents were on their way home from a visit with Grandma Price, "what do you want on your tombstone?"

"What a question!" exclaimed Mom. "Why do you ask that?"

Sam laughed. "While you and Grandma discussed the economy, I went and talked with Uncle Joe, remember? He was mowing the grass at that cemetery down the street, and we wandered around there a little," he explained. "There sure are some interesting things carved on the grave markers-like little sayings or poems. I wondered what you might like on yours some day."

Dad smiled. "I think I'd like a Bible verse," he said. "The carvings often express the thing for which the person is remembered, and I want people to remember that I was a Christian."

"Why do people put flowers on graves?"asked Sam. "There were fresh flowers on some of them."

"They do it in memory of the one who died," said Mom. "Perhaps it comforts people to bring flowers and to remember good times they once had with the person they loved-and to remember the nice things that person has done for them, too."

Dad nodded. "That reminds me of the memorial service we have at church," he said.

"Memorial service?" asked Sam. "What service is that?"

"The communion service," replied Dad. "The Bible tells us to observe it 'in remembrance' of Jesus and all He did for us. We're reminded of His life and death and that He rose again."

"That's right." Mom nodded. "During the service, we should think about how holy He is-and of the wonder that the sinless Son of God died for us. Just think . . . He took my sins and died for me."

"It's an awesome thing, and yet we so often take it all for granted," said Dad thoughtfully. "I'm glad we have a memorial service to remind us of all Jesus means to us."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does your mind wander during the communion service? Learn to keep your thoughts fixed on Jesus and what He's done for you. Use this service as a time to realize again how precious Jesus is.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Corinthians 11:26)
<p>"As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come."

[Soldier4Christ]

Jon was helping his mother prepare snacks for company. "How about cutting this cheese?" suggested Mom.

"Sure," agreed Jon.

 As Jon began slicing cheese, two year old Marc ran into the kitchen. "Some!" said Marc, holding up his hand.

Mom shook her head. "Sorry, Marc," she said firmly. "No cheese. It makes you sick."

Marc frowned and ignored her. "Some, pwease!" he begged, tugging on Jon's arm.

"I can't give you any, Marc," Jon told him. "Mom said 'no.'" Marc pouted as he walked away. "Too bad Marc doesn't really understand why he can't have cheese," said Jon. "If he knew it was because he's allergic to it, he might not get upset when you tell him no."

"Parents often have to make decisions their kids can't understand," said Mom, giving Jon a knowing look.

"You're talking about the party last night, aren't you?" asked Jon.

Mom nodded. "When you asked if you could go, Dad and I didn't say 'no' to be mean. Like we told you-based on our experience and knowledge, we said 'no' because it wasn't the kind of party you should be going to. We're sorry you can't understand that."

Jon sighed. "I do understand better now," he said. "When you won't let me do things, I'll try to remember that you have your reasons." He grinned. "If I forget, you can tell me, 'No cheese today.' That should remind me."

Mom smiled and gave Jon a quick hug. "I'm glad you have a little better understanding about why we make the rules we do," she said. "God has placed us over you to teach and protect you. We're doing our best to teach you about Him and how to live for Him. Someday, we won't be able to make decisions for you. You'll have to choose to do right by yourself." She handed Jon a small bowl of grapes. "Here, take these grapes to Marc. I'll take the snacks to the living room."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you ever think your parents make rules just to keep you from having fun? They have greater knowledge and experience than you do. Rules are actually a sign of their love for you as they follow God's directions to bring you up in the way you should go.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Colossians 3:20)
<p>"Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord."

[Soldier4Christ]

 Model Building

After supper one evening, Chad helped clear the table and then covered it with old newspapers. "I'm going to work on my new model car," he said. Chad grinned as he removed it from the box. "Just look at all those pieces! And these decals are awesome!"

Chad began to work, but it wasn't long before he went to find his father. "Can you help me with my model car, Dad?" he asked.

Dad looked up from his newspaper. "Sure," he agreed. "Can you manage it by yourself until I finish this paper?"

"I'll try," replied Chad, but when Dad went to help him a little later, almost nothing had been done.

"What's the problem, buddy?" asked Dad.

Chad sighed. "I can't understand these instructions at all," he said.

Dad smiled and took the instruction sheet. "Okay," he said after glancing at it, "let's figure it out together." They got to work and soon were busy reading instructions, finding pieces, and fitting them to one another.

After a while, Chad's mother reminded him that he needed to do his homework. "Okay, and I need to learn a verse for Bible club tomorrow, too," said Chad. He sighed. "I like Bible club, but it does take quite a bit of my time." He turned to his dad. "Thanks for helping," added Chad. "I never would have gotten this far without you. Like I said . . . I didn't understand the instructions."

Dad nodded. "Then trying to put this model together without my help would be a little like trying to live your Christian life without help from God's servants," he said. "That's something to remember as you learn your verse. Your Bible club teacher and our pastor and Sunday school teachers all help us understand God's instructions on how we should live. We need to remember to thank the Lord for them."

Chad thought about it. "I guess you're right," he agreed. "There are lots of things in the Bible that I don't understand by myself." He grinned and added, "And you and Mom help, too."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you thank God for those who help you understand His Word? He wants you to go to Him to learn His ways. One method of doing that is to read the Bible for yourself. But God has also provides godly men and women who can help you understand passages that are difficult for you. Listen to them, learn from them, and thank God for them. Let them help you discover the instructions God has for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Teach me Your way, O Lord. Psalm 27:11

[Soldier4Christ]

 Five -Finger-Discount

As Scott returned a miniature car to the shelf at the department store, he saw Cameron and Jason, two schoolmates, coming down the aisle. "Hi, guys," he greeted them. "What are you doing?"

"We're playing five-finger-discount," Jason announced.

"Five-finger-discount?" asked Scott. "What's that?"

Cameron grinned. "You find something in the store that you can pick up with five fingers, and you hide it in your hand," he explained.

Jason looked around and whispered, "The discount comes when you walk out of the store without paying for it."

"That's stealing," gasped Scott.

"Sh-h-h-h. You trying to get us arrested?" Cameron looked around nervously. "It's okay-it's just a game," he added. "Besides, sometimes it's the only way to get what you want." He grinned. "C'mon. Try it."

Scott hesitated. Then he cupped his hand around the little car he had been looking at. It would be so easy to just take it and get the "five-finger-discount." If he didn't, it might be sold before he earned money to buy it. Scott quickly set it back down. "I'd better go," he said.

"Well, think about it," said Jason. "You can come back for it tomorrow."

For dessert that night, Scott's mother made his favorite-chocolate fudge cake. Mom sat down and looked at her piece. Suddenly she got up and put it back on the cake plate. "I take dessert because it tastes so good," she said. "Then when I get on the scale at the end of the week, I get upset that my diet isn't working. Sometimes it's hard to resist immediate pleasure regardless of what it will cost me in the long run."

Scott knew just what she meant. He had been tempted to steal just for the immediate pleasure of having that little car. He knew the car would have cost him a guilty conscience and many uncomfortable moments even if he hadn't gotten caught. I'm not going back for that car-not even to look at it-until I have enough money to pay for it, he thought. And I'll ask Dad if I should tell anybody else what Jason and Cameron said they were doing.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are there things you think you really, really want right away-just to please yourself? Are you ever tempted to help yourself to some of them? Even if you don't get caught-and you might-the immediate pleasure you'd receive isn't worth the long term results. Today's Scripture, speaks of the many things King Solomon had, but he says they're all "vanity"-like chasing the wind, temporary and useless. Only God can give lasting pleasure.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

[Soldier4Christ]

Nate jumped off the school bus and ran home. He burst into the kitchen
when he got there. "Mom! Mom! Guess what!" Nate ran through the house yelling
until he located his mom. "I won the math trophy! I did it!" His eyes shone as
he held out a trophy for her to see. "I got a gift certificate to The Ice Cream
Palace, too," he added. "That's my favorite place."
 

"That's wonderful, hon . . ." Mom began, but Nate wasn't listening.

"I've got to call Gregory and tell him," he said as he picked up the phone.

Mom smiled and waited patiently for Nate to finish his call. Then she admired his trophy. "By the way, what did Gregory say?" asked Mom.

"Oh, he thought it was great. He's still my best friend, you know," said Nate. "I wish he hadn't moved away and that we still went to the same school."

"That would be nice," agreed Mom. She looked thoughtful. "A lot has happened since he moved a year ago, hasn't it? We weren't even going to church back then, but now we've all come to know Jesus." Nate nodded. "I can understand why you wanted to call Gregory right away and tell him that you won the trophy," continued Mom. "That's certainly good news, but you have even better news than that. Have you shared it with Gregory?" 

"Better news?" asked Nate. "Oh! You mean I should tell him about Jesus, right?" Nate and his parents had talked before about ways for him to share the good news of salvation with his friend-but he hadn't done that yet.

Nate sighed. "I'm a little afraid to come right out and tell him," he admitted, "but I do want Gregory to know Jesus, too." He got up and picked up the phone. "I'm going to do it right now! I'm going to call him back and tell him I've got the best news of all!" He paused. "Can I invite him to spend this weekend with us?" he asked eagerly. "I think his mom will let him come. He could go to church with us and learn more about Jesus. Would that be okay?"

Smiling, Mom agreed.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you shared the good news of your salvation with those around you? It's the very best news there is, and you have the responsibility and privilege of telling other kids about it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 1:16)
<p>"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes."