Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Jacob watched his father cut branch after branch off the fruit trees. "Won't that ruin the trees?" asked Jacob.

Dad stepped away from his work. "No, not at all. It will do just the opposite," he replied. "If I do this now, these trees will grow into straight, strong, and productive trees."

"That doesn't make sense to me," said Jacob.

Dad grinned. "Neither does the discipline I give you from time to time, but that's necessary, too."

Jacob frowned. "What does that have to do with pruning trees?" he asked.

"Well, you may not agree," Dad answered, "but just like pruning results in better trees, correcting you when you need it results in making you a better person." Jacob's frown grew deeper. "For example, when you take something that doesn't belong to you, as you did this morning," continued Dad, "it's very important that you be punished for that. If you get away with stealing little things now, you may try to steal bigger things when you're grown. The punishment you'd get then would be a whole lot worse than what I give you."

"Like . . . I might have to go to jail, right?" asked Jacob. Dad nodded. "It seems strange to think I'm lucky to be punished now," said Jacob with a sigh, "but I sure would hate to ever end up in jail!"

"And I'd hate for that to happen to you, too," said Dad. A twinkle came to his eye. "So what do you think? Shall I prune you a little more by giving you an extra dose of discipline for good measure?"

Jacob laughed. "No way!" he exclaimed. "Discipline is not
fun, but I did learn my lesson!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you get angry when corrected? God has given parents and others in authority the responsibility of disciplining you when you need it. It's done because someone loves you and wants you to be the very best person you can be.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 12:11)
"Chastening . . . yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Who is that, Tio Paul?" Carlos pointed to a picture. "Is he one of your buddies?" His uncle, who had joined the armed services, was home on a short furlough, and he was showing Carlos pictures of the military base where he was stationed.

Uncle Paul laughed. "No, he's not exactly one of my buddies," he said, "but he's a man I respect very much. That's a picture of my commanding officer."

"Your commanding officer?" asked Carlos. "Do you have to follow his orders?"

Uncle Paul nodded. "He's pretty much the boss of the entire military base," he said. He went on to tell Carlos more about life on the base and about the kind of work he did there.

Uncle Paul gave his testimony at Carlos' church on Sunday morning. He wore his uniform, and Carlos listened proudly as his uncle spoke. Uncle Paul started by telling the people about some of Carlos' questions. "When Carlos asked me if I had to follow the orders of my commanding officer, it reminded me of my spiritual Commanding Officer, the Lord Jesus Christ. I had to ask myself if I'm as careful to obey His orders as I am to obey the orders given to me in the army," said Uncle Paul. "God has given many orders. He commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He also commanded us to love one another just as He loved us, and to . . ."

As Carlos listened to his uncle talk about other commands given by God, he remembered some things that had recently happened. I sure didn't show any love to Joe when we had that fight, he thought, and I never have told him that I'm a Christian.

"Ask God to help you be obedient to the commands He's
given in the Bible," urged Uncle Paul, "and please pray for those of us in the
armed services who know the Lord. Ask Him to help us follow the orders from both
our military commanding officer and our supreme Commanding Officer, the Lord
Jesus."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Did you read today's Scripture? It lists just a few of the commands God has given. If you're a Christian, He expects you to obey them. Read each one again and ask yourself, "Am I obeying this command?" God's Spirit gives you the power you need to simply trust Him and obey.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 14:15)
Jesus said, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments."

[Soldier4Christ]

Shawn and his sister Kelly begged to be allowed to watch a TV show about a shipwreck. "I'll watch it with you," decided Dad. "I'm not sure what it will be like, and we'll just turn it off if it's something we shouldn't be watching or if it gets too scary for you two." He grinned at them.

"It won't scare me," Shawn boasted, "but Kelly will probably scream through most of it. She's a big chicken!"

"I am not!" Kelly scowled. "I won't be scared at all."

To Shawn's surprise, when the storm got really rough and it was apparent that the ship would go down, Kelly just yawned. And when the passengers made it safely to an island only to discover that it was inhabited by wild animals, Kelly smiled. Shawn couldn't believe it! "What's with you?" he asked. "Usually you scream and cover your eyes over nothing!"

"I'd probably be scared," admitted Kelly, "except that my friend Amy saw this program before, and she told me about it. I know what happens-the story has a good ending."

When the program ended, the evening news came on. As reporters talked about accidents and terrorists and of a war possibly starting, Kelly shivered. "Now, those are real horror stories," she said.

"Yeah," Shawn agreed, "and those things are true, not just made-up. That's what makes them so scary."

"We really don't have to be scared, though," said Dad.

Shawn looked at him curiously. "Why not, Dad?" he asked. "Just because we're Christians doesn't mean bad things couldn't happen to us, does it?"

"No," replied Dad, "and I don't like the idea of war or of other seemingly bad things happening, but the Bible says we don't need to be troubled. God is in control, and we who are Christians will eventually be in heaven with Christ. All the sufferings of this world will seem unimportant compared to the joys of heaven." He smiled at Kelly. "I know there's a good ending ahead."

"Wow, Dad-that's cool!" exclaimed Kelly. "I'm glad our
family knows Jesus. Scary things aren't so scary when you know there's a good
ending!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do scary things make you fearful? Do you worry that something bad might happen to you? If you know Jesus as Savior, your life on earth will be followed by eternal happiness in heaven. Thinking about your joyful future will help you not to be so scared.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 14:1)
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Some kids asked me to join their club," reported Tamara after her first day at a new school. "They call it their 'Fun Club,' and they all play together at recess. I think it will be fun." She laughed at the play on words.

Before long, Tamara knew that joining the group was a mistake. A boy named Tyson seemed to be in charge, and he and some of the others were unkind-even cruel- to several kids who didn't belong to the club. "I'd quit," said Tamara when she told her parents about it, "but I'm afraid of Tyson. He says anyone who doesn't do what he says will be sorry. I'm scared to make him mad."

Dad shook his head. "What do you think God wants you to do?" he asked, and Tamara sighed. "Do you remember the shark?" asked Dad.

"The shark?" Tamara knew Dad was referring to the time they had visited an aquarium. As they walked the aisles between huge tanks, it almost felt as though they were right in there with the fish and other marine life. Suddenly a huge shark with teeth bared had shot right toward Tamara. She had screamed and jumped back, much to the amusement of the people around her. "What does that shark have to do with Tyson?" asked Tamara.

"He's sort of like the shark," said Dad. "He's very menacing. At the aquarium, there was a shield-a barrier-to protect you from the shark attack, and there's also a shield to protect you from the attacks of people like Tyson."

"There is?" asked Tamara. "Like . . . my teacher, maybe, or the school principal?"

"Absolutely!" said Dad. "Let them know if Tyson threatens you, but even better, talk to God about it. You're His child, and He says He's your shield. Obey God and trust Him to keep you safe from that bully."

"But . . . but bad things sometimes happen to Christians, too," said Tamara fearfully.

"That's true," said Dad, "but don't be afraid to trust God in any circumstance. He loves you and truly will protect you. He'll allow only what is for your good. Mom and I will be praying for you, too. Okay?"

"Okay," agreed Tamara. "I'll quit that club
tomorrow."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
When you're with kids who want you to join them in doing wrong, are you afraid they'll make fun of you or even hurt you if you refuse? Don't be afraid. Obey God and trust Him to guard you with His invisible shield of loving protection.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 28:7)
"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped."

[Soldier4Christ]

"What's our story about tonight, Mom?" asked Meredith. Her family had gathered, as they did every night, for a story, Bible reading, and prayer.

Mom smiled. "It's a story about a blind man in Africa. He heard about a doctor who could operate on eyes. Listen. . . ." Mom began to read. "Ktiba walked many miles, and with much help, he managed to reach the government hospital. 'We'll do what we can to help you,' the doctors told him, and after a number of tests, they finally operated on Ktiba's eyes. It took a long time, but the day finally arrived for the bandages to be removed. Ktiba waited nervously while the nurse and doctor worked. Then . . . 'I-I-I can see!' exclaimed Ktiba. 'I can see!'

"And what did the once-blind man do?" read Mom. "Did he just enjoy his sight? No, he went around to all the villages and found other people who were blind. He led them on the long walk to the village where the doctor was working. 'I have brought many people to you,' said Ktiba. 'They need to see, too.'"

Mom closed the book and Dad spoke. "Good story," he said, "and it has a good lesson for us. Who can tell me what that would be?" No one spoke for a moment. "Just like the blind man brought others to the doctor for help, Christians should bring others to the Great Physician, and that's . . ." Dad paused.

"Jesus!" exclaimed Meredith.

"Right." Dad nodded. "People who don't know Him are spiritually blind, and they're even worse off than those who are physically blind. Those of us who know Jesus have received spiritual sight, and we have a responsibility to bring others to Him. If they will trust in Him, they will receive spiritual sight, too."

Like Julie, thought Meredith. She doesn't even go to
Sunday school. Isobel goes only when her mom makes her go. I'm sure neither of
them know Jesus as Savior, and I haven't done anything to bring them to Him. I
should tell them about Him. If I invite them, maybe they'll come to Sunday
school with me, too.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know the joy of having brought someone to Jesus? As you read today's Scripture, did you notice that when Jesus called men to follow Him, they brought others? That is the job of every Christian. Andrew brought Peter. Philip brought Nathanael. Whom have you brought to Jesus?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (John 1:42)
"And he (Andrew) brought him (Peter) to Jesus."

[Soldier4Christ]

Dan liked to play quiz games on Uncle Tim's computer. "I made up a new quiz for you," his uncle said one afternoon. "The code name is 'Heaven.' Try it out while I run a few errands for Aunt Kristen."

After Dan punched a few keys, a message came up on the screen: "Take this quiz to see if you will go to heaven. First question: Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" Dan felt uncomfortable. He knew he hadn't done that even though Uncle Tim had talked to him about it many times. After a moment's hesitation, he punched "No" into the computer.

Then the computer asked a series of questions about church attendance, grades in school, community projects, and gifts to charities. By the end of the quiz, Dan was satisfied with himself. I've done lots of good things, he thought. I ought to get a pretty high score.

Just then the computer displayed this message: "The result of your test is found in Matthew 25:41." Seeing a Bible on Uncle Tim's desk, Dan picked it up, found the verse, and read, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Dan slammed the Bible shut! "What a dumb quiz!" he growled. "How dare that computer tell me I'm going to hell. What a hunk of junk!"

Just then Uncle Tim walked in. "Hi, Dan," he said. "I heard what you said just now." He smiled at Dan. "If you had been able to answer 'Yes,' to the first question-God's test-here's what would have happened." Uncle Tim punched a few keys, and another message appeared: "Matthew 25:34. Come . . . inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Dan looked thoughtful. "You mean that no matter how I answered the other questions, it wouldn't have made any difference when I got to the end?"

"None at all," said Uncle Tim. "I set it up that way because accepting Christ is the only way a person can get to heaven."

After a moment, Dan sighed. "You told me that before," he
said, "but this is the first time I've ever been witnessed to by a computer.
I'll think about what you said."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Would you pass God's test about whether or not you're going to heaven? Do you trust in Jesus as Savior? The answer to that question is the only thing that determines where you will spend eternity.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 John 5:12)
"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

[Soldier4Christ]

"I don't know why I bother to go to my Sunday school class parties," grumbled Lisa as she and her mother watched their new puppies. "Miss Hansen is nice, but at the bowling alley today, she spent most of her time with Tina. I think she visits her during the week, too, and she gives her all kinds of help in class. I wish she'd pay more attention to me."

"You're talking about the new girl?" asked Mom.

Lisa nodded. "She uses bad language all the time." Lisa knelt beside Mom at the puppy pen and watched as Goldie began feeding her puppies. "You know, Mom, I don't swear, and I'm polite to everyone. I'm always at Sunday school and don't cause any trouble. I even know my memory verses and where to find things in the Bible. But do I get anything for it? No! Tina gets all the special attention!"

"Is Tina a Christian?" Mom asked quietly.

"Well, she says she is," muttered Lisa.

Mom pulled a puppy away from Goldie and held it out toward Lisa. "Would you like to hand feed this puppy?" asked Mom.

"She doesn't need it, Mom," said Lisa. "Goldie was just feeding her."

"How about feeding this one?" asked Mom, picking up another puppy.

"He doesn't need it, either," replied Lisa. "That little runt over there is the only one that needs to be hand fed." She pointed to a very small puppy.

"You're right," agreed Mom. She picked up the small, lonely pup and looked at Lisa. "Perhaps Tina needs to be hand fed, too."

Lisa frowned. "Tina!" she exclaimed. "Hand fed?"

Mom nodded. "You trusted Jesus quite a long time ago, and you're spiritually well fed," she said, "but Tina may be starving spiritually. Perhaps Miss Hansen is hand feeding her so that she'll get to know Jesus better."

Lisa looked guilty. "I suppose I should be helping Miss Hansen by being Tina's friend," she admitted.

"That sounds like a good plan," agreed Mom. She handed
the runt to Lisa. "For now, however, why don't you hand feed this hungry little
fellow?"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does it bother you if someone else gets more attention than you do? Maybe that person is spiritually starved and needs help to get to know Jesus-or to know Him better. Put others before yourself, and don't worry about getting attention.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 2:3)
"Let each esteem other better than themselves."

[Soldier4Christ]

Jaime looked at his little brother and burst out laughing. "Your shirt is buttoned wrong, Oscar!" he said. "See how one side is longer than the other at the bottom? Here . . . I'll help you fix it."

"I can do it myself," insisted Oscar. So Jaime left him and went downstairs for breakfast.

The rest of the family were already at the table when Oscar arrived. "Having a little trouble with your shirt?" Dad asked after thanking God for the food.

 Jaime looked at his brother and hooted. "I told him it wasn't right!" said Jaime. "I offered to help him, but he wouldn't let me." As Oscar's face puckered up to cry, Mom shushed Jaime.

"Come here, Oscar. I'll help you," offered Silvia, his older sister.

"I tried to fix it." Oscar sniffed. "The bottom is straight now."

"Yeah, now it's sagging halfway down the front." Jaime laughed, but a stern look from Dad quieted him.

"The problem is here," said Mom, pointing under Oscar's chin. "You started out wrong. When that's the problem, the way to fix it is to go back and start over."

"I don't like to start over," Oscar muttered as Silvia unbuttoned the shirt and then buttoned it correctly.

"Nobody does," answered Mom, "but it's often the only way to correct things. It gives you a whole new start, and that's something to be thankful for."

"That's like what we talked about in Sunday school last week," said Silvia. "The Bible says that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us and cleanse us. We can put our sins behind us and begin all over new."

"I can see that you listened well," approved Dad. "Good for you."

"Hey, Mom," said Jaime. He winked at Dad. "I'm sorry I
ate my pancakes so fast! I'd better start over new. Can I have another
stack?"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you truly sorry about having done something wrong? Perhaps you told a lie, disobeyed, or were unkind. Tell God about it. He loves you, and He's ready to "forgive and forget" and let you begin again, fresh and clean.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 32:5)
"I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Want to go to the mall?" asked Mom when Brad arrived home from school. "Conner needs new shoes."

"Sure," agreed Brad. Then his face clouded. "We've got a dumb new rule at school, Mom," he added. "No one can leave the lunchroom until they've been there at least fifteen minutes! I could eat and be out on the playground in five minutes if it weren't for that rule."

"Yes," said Mom, "but eating that fast isn't good for you." She motioned toward Conner. "Put Conner in the car seat while I get my coat and purse. I'll be right out."

Brad picked up the baby. "Seems like I should be able to decide how long I need to eat," he argued as he went out the door. "It's my body." As he put his little brother in the child's car seat, Conner fussed. Brad tried to buckle the straps, but Conner pushed them away and kicked his feet. Finally Brad gave up and returned to the house with the baby. "Conner doesn't want to be buckled up. Can't he just sit on my lap?" he asked.

"No, he has to be buckled," said Mom. "It's the law."

Soon they were on their way. "Look out!" yelled Brad as they were going through an intersection. Mom slammed on the brakes and stopped the car just in time to miss a truck that had ignored the yield sign. "He almost crashed into us," gasped Brad.

That evening, Brad and his parents talked over the events of the day. "I think God gave us a practical object lesson to show that laws are for our good," observed Mom. "We often don't like to obey them, but they do protect us. The 'buckle up' law probably kept Conner from getting hurt when we stopped so suddenly."

Dad nodded. "Rules and laws given by those in authority protect us, and commands or rules given by God do, too," he said. "Sometimes we feel like God's laws strap us down, but they really keep us from harm. It's wise to obey them."

Mom smiled. "Yes, and one of His commands is to obey those in authority," she said. "Try to remember that, Brad, whenever you want to do things your own way."

Brad sighed. "Like at lunchtime?" he asked. "Okay. I
guess I can handle fifteen minutes for lunch."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you complain about the rules that God gives in His Word? Do you think they're too strict or tie you down? Remember that God made you, and He knows what will keep you safe and happy. Obey His rules.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Romans 7:12)
"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

[Soldier4Christ]

Malia and the other girls in her Sunday school class watched as their teacher held up a vase. "I'm taking an evening pottery class, and I thought you might like to see the vase I molded a few days ago," said Mrs. Jordan. "It's dry enough to handle now, so it's ready to be scraped and rubbed and cleaned, and then it will be put into the fire." The girls watched as she worked on the piece of pottery. She used a knife and sandpaper to scrape and smooth the vase. Finally, she rubbed it with a soft sponge.

"That's a lot of work!" observed Malia.

Mrs. Jordan smiled. "True-and this is just the beginning," she answered. "After the vase has gone through one firing, a glaze will be applied. Then it will be put into the fire again." She held up the vase. "The reason I brought this today is because it reminds me of our lives," she said. "The Bible compares God to a potter and us to clay-He works on us. Sometimes He allows difficult things in our lives, and we need to let Him use those things to scrape off our bad habits and smooth us out to become more like Him. This vase has to go through fire, and Christians also face 'fires' of adversity-perhaps times of sickness or poverty or disappointment."

"I wouldn't like to be put through all those things," protested one of the girls.

Mrs. Jordan nodded. "I know, and I'm glad the Christian
life is not all hardship," she said, "but when problems and difficulties do
come, we need to be willing to let God take away bad habits, sinful thoughts,
angry words, and stubborn attitudes." She smiled as she held up the vase once
more. "I'm new at this, but even so, this will look much better when it's
finished," she added. "The wonderful thing is that God is the Master Potter-He
knows just want we need. He won't scrape or polish any more than necessary, and
when He's finished, the results will be beautiful."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you willing to let God teach and mold you through all the experiences He allows in your life? Trust Him through illness and disappointment, fun times and pleasant surprises. He's the Master Potter, and He works in your life because He cares for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Isaiah 64:
"We are the clay, and Thou (God) our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Bryce, look at all the birds at the feeder!" said Jan excitedly. "Aren't those red ones pretty?"

"Yeah-they're cardinals," said Bryce. "Oh, look! There's a big, frisky, gray squirrel-what's he up to?"

   The children watched as the squirrel ran to the pole and climbed up to the bird feeder. Then he began chattering and chattering, chasing the birds away. Soon he was eating from the bird feeder and dropping shells all over the ground.

When Dad came home from work, Jan and Bryce told him about the squirrel. "Can you stop him from stealing the birds' seed?" they asked.

"I'll try," promised Dad.

When the squirrel returned the next day, he was surprised. The pole was slippery, and he could not get up to the feeder. He tried again and again, but fell down the pole. Dad had put metal around the pole, and then he had put oil on it.

But the squirrel did not give up. The children watched as he climbed up a tree, then jumped from the tree and landed on the bird feeder.

That evening, Dad moved the bird feeder away from the tree-too far for the squirrel to jump to it from the branches. But the squirrel climbed the tree and tried jumping several times. Each time, he crashed to the ground with a "ka-plunk!" He finally gave up and sat in the tree, chattering and scolding whoever would listen to him.

"Interesting!" said Dad when Jan and Bryce told him about it. "Did you learn anything from him?"

"Like what?" asked Bryce. He grinned. "How to be a greedy thief?"

"No," said Dad, playfully boxing Bryce's ear. "Did you notice that he didn't give up just because things became difficult? He was not a quitter."

"He sure wasn't," agreed Jan.

"Persistence-not quitting-is a quality God approves of,"
said Dad. "He says we should 'endure'-He wants us to stick to things we start,
even when it's hard."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you stick with your job until you've completed your assignment, or do you quit when the going gets tough? Satan wants you to be a quitter, but God is pleased when you continue, or endure, until you've finished your task to the best of your ability.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Timothy 2:3)
"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

[Soldier4Christ]

"I'm going to keep my Bible looking new as long as I can," Kerri told her mother. Kerri took the Bible from the box it came in and put it on a shelf.

"Well, I'm glad you want to take good care of it, but it won't do you much good on the shelf," Mom replied. "You need to read it." Kerri just shrugged.

Several weeks later, Kerri picked up her mother's Bible and leafed through it. "Mom, you got your Bible only a couple of weeks before I got mine, but mine looks much nicer and newer than yours," said Kerri. "How come yours is so old-looking already?"

Mom smiled. "You mean 'used-looking,' don't you?"

"Used-looking?" asked Kerri. "Well, maybe." Suddenly she broke out in laughter. "Look what you wrote in it," she said, showing her mother the Bible. "In the margin here it says, 'Another wonderful meal.' You must have just had dinner."

"No-but I write that phrase in my Bible quite often," said Mom with a smile.

"Why?" Kerri asked, as she flipped through more pages.

"God's Word is food for my spiritual life just like the meals I make are food for my physical life," Mom explained. "Following the principles set forth in the Bible gives strength, encouragement, and maturity. It helps us to grow in love, and it keeps us from sin."

   When Kerri saw her Bible on a shelf in her room that
evening, she picked it up. As she looked at it, she thought about her mother's
words. I'm glad this still looks nice, but I guess it's really more important to
use it and find out what God says, she thought. Then maybe someday I'll write
"Another wonderful meal" in my Bible, too. I guess I'll read a little tonight.
She sat down and began to read-and to think about the words she was
reading.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is the Bible a part of your everyday life? Don't forget that it's the main source of your spiritual food. Don't neglect those meals. Read God's Word, meditate on it, and follow His teaching.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Matthew 4:4)
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

[Soldier4Christ]

 Not Like Binky

I'm so bored, thought Brenda. My best friend is on vacation, and it's pouring down rain outside. There's nothing to do. With a sigh, Brenda took her devotional booklet from the magazine rack and began to thumb through it.

When Mom came into the room a little later, she smiled at Brenda. "I'm so glad to see you're having your devotions," said Mom as she sat down. Brenda just smiled back. Actually, she wasn't as interested in her devotions as she had been at one time-but she didn't want to admit it to Mom.

Four-year-old Tyler sat on the floor with Binky, the cat. "Stay here," ordered Tyler. When Binky ignored him and started to move away, Tyler grabbed his tail. Binky let out a yowl.

"Tyler!" exclaimed Mom. "Quit pulling the cat's tail."

"I'm not pulling his tail," said Tyler. "I'm just holding it."

"Let it go, then," ordered Mom. As soon as Binky was released, he turned and gave Tyler an indignant look before heading to his bed in the family room.

Brenda laughed. "I think Binky's mad at you, Tyler," she said. "You shouldn't pull his tail."

"I wasn't!" insisted Tyler.

"I have to agree that Binky was the one who was really doing the pulling," said Mom. She smiled. "From my devotions this morning, I learned that we're something like him."

"Like Binky? You're kidding!" exclaimed Brenda. "Your devotional book talked about a cat?"

"Not exactly," said Mom, "but it pointed out that there are times when we feel close to God. At other times, we may not feel so close to Him or be as interested in learning about Him or spending time with Him. When that happens, we're like Binky. God remains just the same, but we are the ones who move and pull away from Him." Brenda nodded her head as Mom stood up. "Brenda, after you finish your devotions, you can come to the kitchen and help me with dinner," added Mom as she left the room.

Brenda picked up her devotional book and began reading again. This time she paid close attention to each Bible verse. I'm not going to be like that cat anymore, she thought. She was ready to start moving back toward God.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you interested in learning more and more about God? Do you remember a time when you were eager to learn about Him through hearing or reading Bible stories? Do you feel like God is with you wherever you go, or do you sometimes feel like He's far off some place? God loves you and wants a close relationship with you. If He seems far away at times, you can be sure that it's you, not God, who has moved. Study His Word, think about Him, and live to please Him in all you do.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Draw near to God. James 4:8

[Soldier4Christ]

Juan, who had been sent to his room without dessert, plopped down on his bed. "So I forgot to take out the trash! So I was fifteen minutes late for dinner! So what?" he mumbled. "Every time I turn around someone is telling me to do this or don't do that."

Dad came into Juan's room a little later. "Do you want to help me plant a tree?" asked Dad.

"I guess so," Juan replied slowly. He didn't want to appear too anxious to cooperate with anything.

After digging a hole and planting the tree, Dad used stakes and twine to make several braces for it. "This will help it grow straight and tall," he explained.

As they walked back to the house, Dad asked, "How are you getting along with the braces on your teeth?"

Juan shrugged. "All right, I guess. They aren't as bad as I expected. A lot of the kids in my class have braces."

"When your teeth are straight, I'm sure you'll agree that it was worth the discomfort you feel now," Dad assured him. Then he added thoughtfully, "We put braces on our trees and braces on our teeth . . ."

"Brenda even has a brace on her back," interrupted Juan. "Her spine is curved."

Dad nodded. "God has given us braces for our lives, too," he said. "He wants us to grow straight and strong-spiritually and morally. Right now, Juan, there are many braces around you."

Juan looked puzzled, then he frowned. "I guess you're talking about you and Mom," he said.

"Yes, we provide some of the braces. We set rules for you and make many decisions for you, and we give you responsibilities," replied Dad. "Sometimes you resent these 'braces,' but someday you'll appreciate having had them."

This was a new thought to Juan. After a few minutes he asked, "When are you going to take the braces off the tree?"

"When it's strong enough to stand straight and tall by
itself," Dad said. Then he smiled and added, "And we'll remove your 'braces,'
too, when we see that you're able to consistently make right choices without our
help."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel like all areas of your life are controlled by someone else? Thank God for your "braces." They support you and help you learn to make right choices in many areas-such as what TV shows to watch, who to "hang" with, how to treat others, when to work and when to play, etc.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 144:12)
"That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth."

[Soldier4Christ]

"This is cool," said Matthew as he and his dad were playing a game on an Internet site. He grinned. "I like the Internet."

"It can be a lot of fun," Dad agreed.

A moment later the game was over, and Matthew held his hands up in victory. Then he frowned. "So Dad, why don't you allow me use the Internet when you're not around?" he asked. "I could play this game with my friends."

"Many Internet sites are good, like this one," replied Dad, "but there are a lot of bad ones, too. You can accidentally end up on sites with bad stuff, even if you don't mean to go there."

"But if I got on one of those bad sites, I'd just leave it," said Matthew. "I promise."

I know, Matthew, but it could still be harmful," said Dad. Reaching to the shelf above the computer, he picked up a camera. "Think about this camera. If I push the button, what happens?" asked Dad.

"It takes a picture of whatever it's pointed at," said Matthew.

"Right," said Dad, "and the image of that thing is transferred onto film. It can't be erased. It will stay right there whether we want it or not." Dad set the camera down and lightly tapped his head. "Our minds are kind of like film continuously taking pictures of the things we see," he said. "Scientists tell us that once we've seen something, it's imprinted in our memory forever."

"So if I see something bad, even by accident, my mind will take a picture of it and it will always be there?" asked Matthew.

Dad nodded. "That's why it's so important to avoid going places where we might see bad things, even accidentally," he said. "And that's why Mom and I want to help you and your brothers and sisters any time you're on the Internet."

"Okay, I get it," said Matthew. "How about another game? Are you ready to get beat again?"

Dad grinned and took the computer mouse. "No way!" he
exclaimed. "Now it's your turn to lose!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you use the Internet? It's important to stay away from sites where you might see things the Bible says are evil. Things you see, even unintentionally, can affect your thoughts and attitudes. Let parents and teachers help you avoid evil.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 4:14-15)
"Go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it . . . turn from it."