Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

As Brad was walking to church one day, he met his old friend Jason. "Hey,
Brad," called Jason, "what are you doing these days?"
 

"Well, I'm about half way through dental school," Brad replied. "I'm home for the summer, and I'm on my way to church now. Why don't you come along? You used to come to Sunday school with me."

"Me? Go to church? You kiddin'?" mocked Jason. "I haven't been to church since we were kids."

"Well, come with me for old times' sake," pleaded Brad.

"I've got other things to do," retorted Jason. "I'll wait to go to church until I'm too old to do anything else."

"You know, Jason," said Brad, "you've never had time to wait for anyone or anything . . . but you are waiting to do the most important thing of all. You're waiting to trust in the Lord and to give yourself to Him."

Jason shrugged. "Yeah . . . well, I've got lots of living to do before I start thinking about being a Christian," he said.

"But living without the Lord isn't really living, Jason," responded Brad. "You can't be really happy or content until you're a Christian."

"So you say," grunted Jason. "Well . . . been nice seeing you, Brad-sermon and all. I've got to run now. See ya around." With a wave of his hand, Jason jumped into his car and drove away.

The next day, the newspaper reported a fatal car
accident. As he was driving, Jason had apparently decided he couldn't wait for a
train. He tried to beat it, but he didn't make it. When Brad read about it, he
wiped a tear from his eye. "Jason thought he had lots of living left to do, but
he didn't," he said. "He thought he could wait until later to become a
Christian, but now it's too late."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been waiting to give your life to Jesus? Why are you waiting? Life is uncertain. Accept Christ today. You may not have another opportunity.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Isaiah 55:6)
<p>"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near."

[Soldier4Christ]

Jeff didn't bother to study for his history test. His friend Noel, who
took the test at an earlier hour, supplied him with the test questions and
answers. "This sure beats studying," said Jeff as he gave Noel some baseball
cards for helping him.
 

A few days later, Jeff had a surprise. Somehow, his parents learned that he had cheated. "Jeff," said Dad, "I'm sure you know that cheating is not right. It's sin."

"I don't see what the fuss is all about," grumbled Jeff. "Everybody cheats a little." He scowled. "Now I suppose you'll ground me."

"Yes, and you'll have to tell your teacher," said Dad.

"Tell Mr. Ward!" exclaimed Jeff. "Then Noel will be in trouble, too, and he'll be mad at me."

Dad sighed. "You both need to learn that cheating is a losing game," he said.

A few weeks later, a sixth-grade essay contest was announced. "The prize is a trip to New York City," said Jeff. "I don't have much chance of winning, but everybody is required to enter."

When Jeff returned home the day the winners of the contest were announced, Mom asked him who won. "Noel Reemer," replied Jeff, sadly. "At first, anyway."

"Noel Reemer!" exclaimed Jeff's sister Maggie. "He always says he gets low grades in English. How could he possibly win? Was his essay any good?"

Jeff nodded. "So good that I remembered reading it before," he said. "It was first written by George Campbell, the famous author. Noel just copied it."

"Copied!" echoed Maggie.

Again Jeff nodded. "When I saw Noel, I told him I'd read it before. He just winked at me and said, 'If Noel Reemer can help you with history, George Campbell can help me with English.'"

"But you both got into trouble for that!" exclaimed Maggie. "Doesn't he remember?" Jeff shrugged.

"Your teacher needs to know about this," said Mom. "Not telling isn't fair to the other kids in the contest."

"I know, so I told her," said Jeff, "and now Amy Shaw is
the winner." He sighed. "Now Noel is mad at me again. Dad's right-cheating sure
is a losing game!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Did you ever cheat and think you got away with it? You didn't. Cheating is always a losing game. Do you think you can't stop? You can. It may be hard, but as you yield to God, He  can give you power to be honest.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 8:21)
<p>"Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men."

[Soldier4Christ]

'Scuse me, said Dave as he reached right across his sister's plate to get
the salt.
 

"The next time you do that," scolded Paige, "I'll wipe my knife on your shirt."

"Watch your manners!" exclaimed Mom. "Dave, if you want something, please ask to have it passed."

"But it's quicker to get it myself," retorted Dave.

"It might be quicker, but it's not good manners," said Mom, "and good manners are important-to your own well-being as well as to others."

"And to the Lord," added Dad. As Paige started to leave the table, he stopped her. "Before you leave the table, Paige, you ask to be excused-remember?"

"Let's make a game to help you," suggested Mom. "I'll make a chart. You'll each get twenty-five check marks to start, and each time you use bad manners-like reaching in front of someone or interrupting when someone's talking-we'll erase a mark. At the end of each week, the winner gets a special treat and we'll start over."

Dave spoke lazily. "You might as well give the prize to Paige right now! I'll never remember all that!"

"Yes, you will, Dave," said Dad. "We'll all help you."

The plan worked well. At the end of the first week, Dave was only a few points behind Paige. "Hey, this is kinda fun," he decided. "I'll beat you next time, Paige. I'm getting gooder and gooder at remem. . . ."

"Better and better-not gooder and gooder," Paige interrupted him sarcastically. "Oops!"

Mom erased a mark behind Paige's name. "I'm afraid you forgot the rule-don't interrupt."

At the supermarket the next day, Mom met the mother of one of Dave's friends. "I just want to tell you how well-mannered Dave is whenever he comes over to play," Mrs. Jones said. "I think he even taught my son a few things."

When Mom reported the conversation to the rest of the
family, Dave grinned. "Wow! Hey, Paige-I think I should get extra points for
that," he teased. "Then I'd beat you next week for sure!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you use good manners with your family? Ask God to help you to be kind and considerate both at home and when you're with other people. Be thoughtful and courteous toward "all men"-in other words, toward all people.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Titus 3:2)
<p>"Speak evil of no man, to be . . . gentle, showing all meekness unto all men."

[Soldier4Christ]

How was school today? asked Mom when Tony got home one afternoon.
 

"It was okay, I guess," answered Tony.

"You don't seem quite sure," said Mom. "Was it a hard day?"

Tony shrugged. "It's just that Miss Roberts teaches that humans evolved from lower creatures," he replied. "I said that I believe God created the world, including people. Some of the kids think I'm crazy, and I'm sure Miss Roberts thinks so, too. She says she believes in God and the Bible, but that we should just be concerned about important things. She says it's not important whether you believe in creation or in evolution."

"It is important," said Mom. "The very first chapters of the Bible tell us that God is the one who created all things-and as you said, that includes people."

"Yeah, but Miss Roberts says that's just the first chapter or so. She says we should spend our time thinking about things like God's love and . . ." Tony paused as he looked out the window. "There goes Nick-that new kid," he muttered. "The first day I met him, he said he was going to sell his bike and asked if I wanted to buy it. I said I did, and he promised to hold it for me. I even gave him five dollars to hold it, like you said I could. But you know what he did? Today he told me he sold it to another kid! I really wanted it!"

"Well, that's too bad," sympathized Mom. "Did he give your money back?"

"Yeah," said Tony, "but I didn't want the money back. I want the bike. It's disgusting! See if I ever believe him again!"

Mom looked thoughtful. "You know, Tony," she said, "you can't believe Nick because some of the first things he said to you were a lie. Now what about God? If the very first words in the Bible are a lie, do you think we can ever be sure God is telling the truth in the rest of the Bible?"

Tony thought for a moment. "You're right, Mom," he said.

"The very first verse is important-and it's true," said
Mom. "God never lies."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has anyone tried to convince you that intelligent people don't believe such things as the biblical account of creation-that it's not important to believe that part of the Bible? Never forget . . . the Bible is true from cover to cover. God does not lie.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 33:4)
<p>"The word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done in truth."

[Soldier4Christ]

Mom, may I have another cookie? asked Matt as he sniffed the air.
 

"No more now, Matt," answered Mom. "You've had enough. You can have a couple for dessert after dinner tonight."

"Okay," said Matt, but he looked longingly at the cookies as they cooled on the counter. They smelled so good and tasted even better. He was still standing there, looking at the cookies, when his mother took another cookie sheet from the oven. "The more I smell these cookies, the more I want one," moaned Matt. "Can't I have just one more?"

Mom shook her head. "It would be easier to wait if you'd go play instead of standing there where you see and smell them," she said. "Remember the Bible verse you learned last week?"

"Which one?" asked Matt. "I've been learning a lot of verses."

"The one about getting away from evil," answered Mom.

"Turn from evil and do good," quoted Matt. "Is that the one you mean?"

Mom nodded. "Maybe you should practice what that verse says," she suggested.

"But cookies aren't evil," protested Matt.

"No, they aren't," agreed Mom, "but if you stay around the cookies long enough, you might eat one- and disobedience is evil."

With a sigh, Matt left the kitchen and went to his room. He was working on a model plane when his mother called him to come down for dinner. "You were right, Mom," he said as he sat down at the table. "The cookies quit bothering me after I got away from them."

"Good," said Mom. "It's always a good idea to get away
from the thing that tempts you."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do kids you know want you to cheat? Lie? Smoke? Be nasty to other kids? Is it hard to say "no" to these and other wrong things? Stay away from the wrong crowd and from places where you're tempted to do wrong. Find friends who will help you do what is righ


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 37:27)
<p>"Depart from evil and do good."

[Soldier4Christ]

Julie pedaled her bike slowly down the road to her grandpa's house. It was
a bright, sunny afternoon, and she wasn't surprised to find him working in his
garden. When she greeted him, he looked up with a smile. "How's my special Julie
today?" he asked.
 

Julie felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes as she walked slowly over to where Grandpa was weeding. "What's wrong?" asked Grandpa.

"I can't do anything as good as my sisters," Julie replied. "Lynn always makes straight A's. I studied as hard as I could for my English test, but I barely passed. Lydia always makes good grades, too, and she's a super good softball player. I struck out twice today."

Grandpa put his arm around Julie's shoulder. "You have talents of your own," he assured her. "Maybe you're so busy trying to be like your sisters that you don't appreciate the things you do well yourself." Grandpa pointed to his garden. "Do you see these carrots and potatoes and beans?"

Julie nodded. "Sure," she said.

"I'm going to use some of them for vegetable soup," Grandpa told her, "but what if all the vegetables in my garden decided they wanted to be potatoes?"

Julie laughed. "That couldn't happen," she said, "but if it did, I guess you'd have to make potato soup."

"But I wouldn't like that as well," said Grandpa. "I like the taste of all the different vegetables in my soup." He smiled at Julie. "I think, honey, that sometimes we forget that we're not all meant to be 'potatoes.' Just like God gives each vegetable a different taste, He gives each one of His children a different gift."

"So I shouldn't worry about grades?" asked Julie.

"Well, you should study hard and try to make good grades, and you should do your best at sports or whatever else you try to do," replied Grandpa, "but you should also ask God to show you the special talents He has given you. Ask Him to help you use your talents to serve Him. After all, the world would be a pretty boring place if all of us were 'potatoes.'"

"Yeah." Julie grinned. "Or if we were all 'carrots'-or
'peas'!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know that God has given you special talents? Maybe you're good in music or art, or maybe you have the ability to help sick people or entertain children. Your talents will be different from those of your friends and family, but you can serve God wit


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 12:6)
<p>"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us."

[Soldier4Christ]

Mom, I think I'll go for a walk with you, said Meg as she watched her
mother put on her walking shoes.
 

"Good," said Mom enthusiastically. "We'll take Chipper along, too." She slipped a choke collar onto the big dog and opened the gate.

As they walked briskly down the road, Chipper tried to race ahead of them several times. When Mom yanked his chain, he immediately stopped and waited. "Mom, why do you pull so hard on Chipper's chain?" asked Meg. "Doesn't it hurt him?"

"A little," answered Mom, "but it's necessary to do that in order to teach him to stay close. As long as he stays by my side, the chain stays loose. If he tries to go off his own way, the collar tightens to discipline him."

Meg reached out and patted the dog's head. "Don't fight the collar, Chipper," she said. "Just stay close and have a nice walk with us." She sighed. "I just hate the thought of the chain choking him," she added.

"I know," agreed Mom. After a moment, she said thoughtfully, "I wonder if God ever feels that way when He has to discipline us. Sometimes we need our collars tightened, too, you know."

"What do you mean?" asked Meg.

"Sometimes our sin nature wants us to go off our own way instead of staying close to God," said Mom. "We may decide to follow our own selfish desires instead of doing the things we know God wants us to do. That kind of attitude is dangerous for us. God will use His Word or circumstances to 'tighten the collar' and remind us to walk close to Him."

"If Chipper runs loose, he might enjoy himself, but he could get in a lot of trouble, couldn't he?" asked Meg. "He could get into something that would hurt much worse than the collar hurts him, right?" 

"Yes, and if we don't live in close contact with God, we
might think we're having a good time for a while, but we could get in a lot of
trouble, too," said Mom. "As we pray about decisions, and as we follow God's
instruction and teaching-and accept His discipline-we can enjoy our walk with
Him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you humbly accept the consequences when you do things you know are wrong? God often uses parents or teachers to discipline boys and girls. Be grateful for correction, even when it hurts.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 12:5)
<p>"Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him."

[Soldier4Christ]

Ben felt happy and carefree as he and his uncle took off on horseback for
a day's hunting trip on Uncle Mike's ranch-but late that afternoon, things
changed. Uncle Mike's horse suddenly reared as a pheasant whirled up right under
his feet! Experienced though he was, Uncle Mike fell from the horse and landed
flat on his back, and the horse galloped off toward home.
 

"I'll be all right," Uncle Mike assured Ben, "but I think maybe my leg is broken. If I can just get up on your horse, we can ride double back to the ranch."

Ben eagerly helped his uncle try to mount the horse, but it was no use. Uncle Mike's leg would not hold him up, and Ben wasn't strong enough to lift him. "You'll have to ride for help," said Uncle Mike at last.

"Ride for help!" exclaimed Ben. "It'll be dark soon, and I'll never find my way back to the ranch."

"Flash knows the way," Uncle Mike told him. "Just lay the reins over the saddle horn and don't try to guide him. Even if it gets dark, he'll find his way. Just trust the horse. Tell the boys I'm in Coyote Canyon-they'll know where to find me."

Ben protested, but Uncle Mike finally convinced him that it was absolutely necessary for him to go for help. He started off. It seemed to take a long, long time, and he shivered whenever he heard coyotes howl. At times, he thought Flash was surely going the wrong direction, but even then he didn't touch the reins. He let Flash choose the way.

Finally, Ben saw lights in the distance. Soon he was telling his story to Aunt Marta, and it wasn't long before some of the cowboys were riding off to help Uncle Mike.

"Flash is a great horse," declared Ben as he talked with his uncle the next day. "I would never have found the ranch by myself. I just trusted Flash to bring me home, and he did."

Uncle Mike nodded. "You know, that's a good example of
how we all need to trust the Lord," he said. "None of us can find the way to
heaven by ourselves-we need to trust Jesus. He's the only One who can take us
safely there."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you trusting Jesus? There's nothing you can do to find your own way to heaven. The Pharisee (in today's Scripture reading) mentioned all the "good" things he did, but it was the simple prayer of the publican that God heard. If you're not saved, make t


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Luke 18:13)
<p>"God be merciful to me a sinner."

[Soldier4Christ]

Why, God? Jolene's heart cried out as she hugged her baby brother, Scott.
He was adorable, but they had recently learned that he was deaf. "Don't blame
God, Jolene," Mom had said gently. "His ways are above our ways. We need to
trust Him even when we can't understand." But Jolene wanted to understand. After
all, we're Christians, she thought. Isn't God supposed to take care of
Christians? How can Mom and Dad be so calm? They treat Scotty like any other
baby.
 

"Are you ready to go to the parade, Jolene?" Mom interrupted Jolene's thoughts. "If we don't hurry we'll miss part of it." She held out her arms to the baby. "Come to Mommy, darling," she said.

"I don't see why you talk to him, Mom," Jolene said harshly. "You know he can't hear you!"

Mom sighed. "I've told you, Jolene," she said. "It's important for him to see our lips move and to feel the vibration of our words. Now brush away the tears and angry thoughts. Let's have a good time. Scotty will love the parade."

At the parade, people were standing three-deep in front of Jolene's family. She squatted down and tried to see past the people in front of her. "It would be so much better if I could see it all together instead of one row at a time," she wailed.

Dad handed Scott to Mom, and with a swoop, Jolene was up on her father's shoulder. She clapped her hands. "Now I can see the whole parade," she said, grinning down at her dad.

All too soon, the parade was over and they were on the way home. "Life is a lot like a parade," observed Dad. "We're like children in the crowd, and we can only see one moment at a time. God is above the crowd. He sees each person's entire life-the past and the future as well as the present. We wonder why Scott is deaf, but that's because we only see the present. God knows why, because He sees the whole picture."

Jolene patted her sleeping brother's hand. "I'll try to
remember that, Dad," she promised.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you questioning God about something that happened? God's ways are far above yours. Many of them are beyond your ability to understand. Simply trust Him to do what is best. His ways are right.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 3:5)
<p>"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

[Soldier4Christ]

I don't like camp! Don't go! Stay with me! Four-year-old Allie sobbed as
she clung to her big brother.
 

"I'm not going to be gone forever," Mark told her. "I'm just going for a week."

"No! Stay and play with me," the little girl insisted.

Gently, Mom pried Allie's hands loose from Mark's leg and picked her up. "Next Saturday we're all going to camp for Family Day," she said. "Mark will do fun things with you there, and we'll have a picnic." 

"Can we have marshmallows?" Allie asked.

Dad laughed. "Yes, we can have marshmallows," he said. "Get your tote bag, Mark. It's time to go."

As the door closed behind them, Dad and Mark heard the little girl's voice. "How long is it till Family Day?"

On Saturday, they all went to the camp, and Allie had a wonderful time. "I like camp after all," she decided.

A couple of weeks after camp ended, Mark's parents got a call they had been dreading. As Mom hung up the phone, her eyes were wet with tears. "Poppy is gone," she said. 

"Gone?" Mark repeated. "Gone where?"

"Gone home to be with Jesus," Mom answered. 

It took a minute for Mark to grasp the fact that his grandfather had died. "But I asked Jesus to heal him," Mark wailed. "I didn't want him to leave us."

Dad put his arms around Mark and Mom. "We are never ready to give up our loved ones," said Dad, "but we know it's not forever."

"Not forever?" Mark sobbed. "Death is forever."

"Oh, no!" Dad said. "Death is just a door leading into another world-for Christians, it leads to heaven. Someday we'll see Poppy there."

Allie tugged at her father's arm, wanting him to pick her up. "Don't cry, Markie," she said. "We'll see Poppy when we go to Family Day in heaven. He can show you all the fun things, like you showed me at camp. We can have a picnic, too." 

As she snuggled in her father's arms, she asked, "Do they have marshmallows in heaven?"

Through their tears, the family laughed
together.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has someone you love gone to heaven? When you feel sad and lonely, remember that, for Christians, the separation is not forever. You can see your loved one again. What a wonderful "Family Day" that will be!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Thess. 4:13)
<p>"Ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."

[Soldier4Christ]

Your friend Jon is really growing in the Lord, isn't he, Nolan? asked
Uncle Ken as Nolan helped him replace the porch floor.
 

"Yeah," Nolan answered shortly.

"He's quite a guy," Uncle Ken said between creaks and squeaks as he pulled nails. "His solo with the junior choir was great." Nolan didn't answer. As they worked, he was very quiet-too quiet.

Uncle Ken put down his hammer. "You haven't quarreled with Jon, have you, Nolan?" he probed.

Nolan sighed heavily. "No," he said, "it's just that he does everything better than I do. I used to sing solos, but now Jon sings them. He's the star student in Sunday school, too-he brings more visitors and learns more Bible verses. He even beats me at tennis."

Uncle Ken nodded. "Get the tape measure out of the tool box, will you, Nolan? Let's measure and cut the new boards," he said. After a moment, he added, "Nolan, what would you think if the hammer got mad when we started using the tape measure? Or what if the tape measure said, 'You left me in this hot, old box for an hour, so I'm not going to measure anything for you'? What if this saw said, 'I'm tired of cutting boards. If you don't let me pull nails, I won't work'?"

Nolan grinned. "They're just tools," he said. "They have to do what they're made to do."

Uncle Ken put down the saw and picked up the hammer. "Right," he agreed, "and Christians are tools in God's hands. We should be willing to do what we're designed to do-which is to serve Him any way we can."

Nolan squirmed. "But why does Jon have to do everything I do-only better?" he asked.

"How many hammers are in my tool box, Nolan?"

Nolan checked. "Two," he said.

Uncle Ken nodded. "And I use both of them," he said.
"God wants to use all His 'tools,' too. He doesn't have just one soloist or one
witness or one worker. A tool doesn't tell the carpenter when it will work or
what it will do. It simply lies in the carpenter's hand to be used as needed. As
God's tools, we do that, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you question the way God uses you? Do you tell Him what you will-or will not-do? Be a tool He can use, willing to do whatever He wants you to do-and don't be jealous of other tools He uses.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 Peter 4:10)
<p>"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another."

[Soldier4Christ]

Isaac's mother noticed that he had been spending quite a bit of time alone
in his tree house. When she asked why, he just smiled and said, "Oh, I like to
be alone sometimes."
 

"Isaac seems very secretive about his tree house," Mom told Dad that evening. "I wonder what's keeping him so busy out there."

Four-year-old Jana looked up from her picture book. "I know," she squealed. "I know."

"You do?" Mom was surprised. "What is it?"

"Can't tell. Big girls don't tell secrets," Jana reminded her parents. "Besides," Jana continued, "Isaac said that if I tell, I can't pray in his tree house when I get big-like he does now."

"Pray?" asked Mom. "I think you mean 'play,' Jana."

"Unh-uh. I mean pray," insisted Jana. "Isaac prays and reads the best stories. I heard him, but he made me promise not to tell or . . . oh, no! I told!" Jana burst into tears.

After the sobbing little girl had been comforted and sent out to play, Mom smiled. "Isaac is following Jesus' instructions to enter into a secret place of prayer," she said. "I'm glad."

Dad nodded. "We often talk about how God sees and knows all things. It's good to remember that some day He'll reveal the good things we do in secret, and He'll reward us. Isaac will be rewarded for what he's doing-perhaps here on earth, but if not now, he'll be rewarded in heaven."

"Yes," agreed Mom, "but meanwhile I guess we had better
keep his secret. It's a good one!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a secret time of prayer, or do you just pray when others do? When God gives rewards for good things you've done in secret, will you get a reward? If you're a Christian, try to do one good thing every day-secretly. Some day you'll be glad you d


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 6:6)
<p>"Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

[Soldier4Christ]

Nathan, how would you like Luke to be your father? As his mother asked the
question, Micah frowned.
 

"My father?" asked Micah. "He's my stepfather, but he can't be my real father. My real father died."

"Yes, Micah," said Mom, "but Luke loves you very much, and he would like to adopt you."

Micah was shocked. "Adopt me! But I don't want to be adopted. I just want to be Micah Brown!" he exclaimed. Then he stomped off to his room.

Later that week, Micah's stepfather talked to him about it. "I'd love to have you call me 'Dad,'" said Luke.

"A person can only have one father," replied Micah, "so you can't be my father, and I can't be your son. Adopting me and having me call you Dad wouldn't really make me your kid."

"Tell me," said Luke pleasantly, "you want to go to heaven some day, right?" Micah nodded. "But you know that only those who are children of God can go to heaven," continued Luke, "and no one is automatically born a child of God. We must be born again-or adopted-into His family, right?"

"Well . . . yeah," agreed Micah reluctantly.

"God becomes our Father," said Luke. "He gives us the privilege of being His children because He loves us. Micah, I'd like to adopt you-make you my son, and give you my name-because I love you."

"B-b-but I . . . I don't love you," stammered Micah.

"I know," replied Luke, "but I'm hoping you will. You know, the Bible says we love God because He first loved us. Somebody had to start loving, so God did that-but He adopts us into His family only if we decide we want Him to. Unless you decide you'd like me to adopt you, I won't attempt that, either, but I hope you'll think about it."

After a moment, Micah managed a little smile. "Okay," he
agreed. "I'll think about it."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Did you know that God loves you and wants to adopt you? He wants to make you His child and give you a new name-Christian. But God won't force His way into your life. He'll come in only if you want Him to. Will you invite Him to be your heavenly Father?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 John 4:19)
<p>"We love Him, because He first loved us."

[Soldier4Christ]

 Like Jinx

Sara frowned when she heard her mother and dad talking. "Can you stop at the mission store and drop off this box of clothes?" asked Mom.

"Didn't the truck come by today?" Dad wanted to know.

"Yes," said Mom, "but these were Sara's things. She didn't have them ready."

Sara didn't listen to the rest of the conversation. She went outside and sat on her swing. I suppose Mom is complaining to Dad just because I didn't clean my closet right away when she told me to, thought Sara, feeling dejected. Her collie, Jinx, came over to her, but Sara ignored her pet. She was thinking of all the things she did do right. She considered herself to be a very obedient daughter. I do all my chores every day, she thought. I make my bed before school and set the table for dinner almost every afternoon. And I help with dishes after supper most nights. She frowned. So what if I didn't clean that closet right away?

A few minutes later, Dad came out and sat down on the other swing. "Sara," he said, "I have to tell you I'm disappointed to hear that you didn't obey your mother when she told you to clean your closet right away."

"Sorry, Dad," replied Sara impatiently, "but I did get it done . . . just a little late, that's all. Is it such a big deal for you to stop at the mission tomorrow?"

Dad picked up a stick and threw it. "Get it, Jinx," he said. The dog was off on a gallop to retrieve the stick. Dad turned his attention back to Sara. "Now, that is immediate obedience. Jinx didn't say, 'I'll do it when I get around to it.' He just obeyed." After a pause, Dad added, "No, it's not such a 'big deal' for me to stop at the mission store. The big deal is the fact that your mother made it plain she wanted you to clean that closet right away, but you didn't obey her immediately."

"I . . . I would have if I'd known the truck was coming," murmured Sara.

"We want you to be ready and willing to obey without always asking for reasons," said Dad quietly. "God didn't say 'Children, obey your parents when you understand why.' He simply said, 'Children, obey your parents.' To be truly obedient, you must be immediately obedient."

Sara sighed and nodded. "Like Jinx," she murmured, giving her dog a hug.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
When your parents tell you to do something, do you do it immediately? Or do you put it off? Do you demand reasons? Do you argue that you'll do it later when you've nothing else to do? On this Mother's Day, make up your mind to do what God says-to obey your your mother and your dad. Obey them right away!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1

[Soldier4Christ]

As their parents sat on the patio, Ashley and Zac ran across the dark
lawn, trying to catch fireflies. Zac's voice rang out. "Leave that one alone!
That one's mine!"
 

Mom sighed. "There are hundreds of fireflies out there, but the kids want the same one," she said. "They quarrel so much lately-about everything."

Through the dark, they heard Ashley shouting, "Stop it, Zac! Don't put your firefly in my jar!"

Dad stood up. "Ashley! Zac!" he called. "Come here."

Still arguing, the children came through the darkness to the patio. "Do we have to come in already?" whined Ashley.

Zac lifted his jar. "I bet I got more than you," he said.

Ashley held up her jar and started to count, "One, two, three . . . oh no! What's that firefly doing?"

Zac peered closely at Ashley's jar. "It looks like . . ." he paused. "Mom! Look, Dad!" Ashley held the jar so her parents could see. "It looks like one firefly is eating another one," said Zac.

Dad nodded. "Could be," he said. "I've read that fireflies do that."

"Gross!" exclaimed Ashley. "That's horrible."

"Yuk! It sure is," agreed Zac.

"I don't know why that should bother you," Dad said. "You kids bite and devour each other, too."

"We what?" asked Ashley.

Zac frowned. "We do not," he said.

"What do you mean?" asked Ashley.

"With your constant quarreling, you're destroying each other's self-esteem and love for one another," said Dad.

Mom nodded. "Just today, Ashley, you were crying because Zac said ugly things about you to his friends, and Zac was angry and hurt when you laughed at the birdhouse he was building," she reminded them.

Ashley put her jar down. "I'm getting rid of these," she said as she turned to her brother. "Zac, I'm sorry."

"Me, too," mumbled Zac. He took the lid off his jar and released the fireflies.

Mom smiled. "I have a feeling that things are going to
get better around here."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you SHOW love to your brothers and sisters? That's what God says you should do-it's the opposite of "biting and devouring" one another. Don't constantly fuss and quarrel. Instead, love others as God says you should.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Galatians 5:15)
<p>"If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."