Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"What's wrong with the car?" asked Nate as he dropped his bike on the lawn and joined his father. Dad had raised the hood of the car, and he was removing something from the engine.

"Just checking to make sure the oil level is up where it belongs, and it's fine," replied Dad. He put the oil stick back in place and closed the hood. "Ever hear the saying, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'?"

Nate shook his head. "No. What does it mean?"

"It means it's better to keep a car from breaking down than to repair it," said Dad. "Or it's better to prevent a cold than to cure one."

"I get it," said Nate. "It's better to prevent any kind of problem than it is to have to fix it, right?"

"Right," agreed Dad. "That's a good principle to keep in mind."

After dinner that evening, Dad reached for the family Bible. He smiled at Nate. "Time for a spiritual 'ounce of prevention,'" said Dad. "We try to prevent problems with equipment or with our health-even with friends and family. We want to take good care of them, but it's even more important to take care of our souls. There's nothing more valuable or important than they are."

Nate grinned at his dad. "So what are we going to read from the Bible today?" he asked. "That's the way we take care of our souls, isn't it?"

 "It's one way," said Dad, "but we need to do more than
just read. We need to follow God's directions. Spending time with Him each day
helps us to be constantly aware of Him and the principles He wants us to
follow."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you take care of your things and keep them in good condition so that they won't need repair? Do you also care each day for your soul and your relationship with God? Prayer, reading the Word of God, and applying His principles in your life will help keep you in tiptop spiritual condition.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 42:2)
"My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God."

[Soldier4Christ]

Shane rubbed his eyes hard with his fists. Don't be a baby, he told himself. Just because you can't go to summer camp is no reason to cry. He stuffed the camp application in his pocket, straightened his shoulders, and went into the house.

"Is that you, Bill?" called his mother.

"Naw, it's just me," Shane said as he went to the family room where his mother was working.

"I thought it might be your dad. He's gone to apply for a job." Mom smiled at Shane.

"Won't do any good," mumbled Shane. "He's applied for a hundred already."

"Sooner or later he'll find one," Mom replied positively.

"Probably later . . . much later," Shane answered. Under his breath he added, "After summer camp." Then he blurted out, "Why doesn't God give Dad a job? We're God's children. I thought He took care of His children."

Mom nodded. "He does. The bills are paid. We have our home and each other. There may not be money for extras like summer camp, Shane, but God has given us many benefits."

"I can't see . . ." Shane stopped as Dad burst in.

"I got it!" exclaimed Dad. He swung his wife around and around. "I got the job! The pay is good, and the benefits are great!"

"Put me down," said Mom, laughing. "Oh, God is so good!"

"What are benefits?" asked Shane.

"They're things like hospitalization insurance, a retirement plan, paid holidays, and sick leave," explained Dad. "You might call them added blessings."

"Well, what did you mean when you said God has given us many benefits, Mom?" Shane looked puzzled. "He doesn't give us insurance and sick leave."

"I was talking about health, love, joy, eternal life, the
promise that He will supply all our needs-things like that," Mom explained. "He
provides salvation for us and gives us many additional blessings as
well."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you so busy looking at what you don't have, that you forget to be thankful for what God has given you? Every day you receive benefits-or blessings-from the Lord. Right now make a list of at least five benefits God has given to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 103:2)
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

[Soldier4Christ]

"I think Uncle Bob and Aunt Margaret are here," called Roberto when the doorbell rang. He went to let them in. "Hey, there, Joey. What have you got?" asked Roberto when he saw that little Joey had brought a toy with him.

"My new jet. Look!" Joey held it out, laughing, but his bright laughter quickly turned into a cry of fear when Roberto's dog, Buckey, came running toward them. Joey hid his face in his father's pants leg and screamed, and the rest of the family came to see what the trouble was.

"Buckey won't hurt you," said Roberto, trying to get Joey to turn around. "See-he's real gentle. See, Joey?"

Uncle Bob soothed Joey as he hoisted him into his arms. "Joey, look. He won't hurt you," repeated Uncle Bob. He bent down and began to pet the dog. After a few moments, Joey turned to look and finally reached out to touch the dog, too. His tears turned into a smile when Buckey quietly licked his hand.

Roberto's mother smiled at Joey. "Buckey isn't nearly so terrifying from that secure place in your daddy's arms, is he?" she asked. Joey shook his head.

Uncle Bob smiled. "You're safe with me, Son," he said, "and I'm reminded that I'm safe, too-safe in the arms of Jesus. Big worries seem a lot smaller when I remember that."

"Wow!" exclaimed Roberto. "Lots of kids at school are scared lately. My teacher says that's natural-that it's a scary world. It would be cool to actually be in Jesus' arms!"

"In a way, everyone who has given his heart to Jesus is in His arms," said Dad. "Remember your memory verse from last week?"

"I remember," said Roberto's sister. She quoted it. "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

Dad nodded. "This may be a scary world," he said, "but
with Jesus, you're safe, no matter what happens."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do things like news of war or threats of terrorists make you afraid? This can seem like a scary world. If you know Jesus, remember that He cares for you. He's more powerful than anything you face, and nothing can happen without His permission.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Deut. 33:27)
"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

[Soldier4Christ]

Carl blinked to hold back tears as he and his father drove home from hockey practice. The coach had passed out the list of those who had made the school's team. "I'm really sorry you didn't make it, Carl," said Dad.

"Me, too," said Carl between sniffs. "I really tried, Dad, and I did yard work all summer to earn money for skates and a helmet."

After a few minutes of silence, Dad spoke again. "It must not be God's plan for you this year," he said. "You've had to struggle with math and keeping your grades up, Carl. Next year may be easier."

"I don't think there will be a 'next year' for hockey," Carl answered. "Not for me!"

"Of course there will be a next year," encouraged Dad. "You have to be patient."

Carl shrugged. "I already did my best, and it wasn't good enough," he said. "I might as well forget it."

Just then they stopped for a red light. After waiting a moment, Dad sighed. "Look at that-we've got a red light," he said. "Now we can't go home-and Mom has supper waiting for us, too!"

Carl looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Dad?" he asked. "A red light won't keep us from getting home. It will turn green in a minute. You know that!"

"I don't think so, Carl." Dad shook his head. "I don't think there will be another green light-not for us."

"Come on, Dad," Carl protested. "You know better." Just then the light changed, and Carl gave his father a questioning glance as they continued on their way.

Dad grinned. "That traffic light is like God's plan for your life, Carl," he said. "Red lights are for our benefit-to keep us safe as we travel. Sometimes we get a red light in life, too. We need to remember that God can see where we can't. He sees what lies ahead in our lives. Perhaps He sees some reason why this isn't a good year for you to be on the hockey team."

Carl sighed. "I suppose you're right, Dad," he said.

Dad nodded. "I wouldn't want you to run a red light in traffic-nor in God's plan, either."

"Okay, Dad," agreed Carl. "I'll just have to wait and see
if I get a green light for hockey next year."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you get upset or impatient when things don't go the way you'd like them to go? Do you get discouraged? God has a plan for your life, and no one can stop it but you! Trust Him and move ahead as He leads you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Jeremiah 29:11)
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil."

[Soldier4Christ]

As Luke and his dad watched a basketball game on TV, they shouted and cheered. Luke jumped up and down when his favorite player made one basket after another. "I think that guy is the best player ever!" declared Luke when the game ended.

The next day, Luke challenged Dad to see which of them could make the most baskets as they played out on the driveway. They made up a game with just the two of them and shot several hoops each. "Hey," said Dad when he stopped to catch his breath, "your hero of last night would have made that last basket! Why didn't you make it?"

"Very funny, Dad," said Luke. "I was too far from the basket. I'm doing my best, but he's a pro-he's been playing for years. Besides, I bet I couldn't be that good in a hundred years!"

"You don't think so?" asked Dad.

"No, I don't think so," said Luke. "If I practiced night and day for a long time, I might come close, but basketball isn't really my strong game. I'm sure I'd never be quite that good!"

Dad smiled. "Do you know that the Bible says something of that sort?" he asked. "That trying hard to be good doesn't make us good enough?"

"Good enough for what?" asked Luke with a grin. "You mean the Bible says I'm not good enough to play professional basketball?"

Dad laughed. "You know that's not what I was saying," he replied, "but you answer your own question. What does the Bible say you're not good enough for?"

"For heaven," said Luke.

Dad nodded. "Many people think they're pretty good, but
all the things they consider to be good fail to meet God's standard-they're not
that good. The good news is that by faith in Jesus, we can receive His
righteousness and be made fit to spend eternity with Him in
heaven."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been trying to be good enough to please God? Have you been trying to live up to all of His standards? You can't do it on your own. Only Jesus lived a perfect life. Admit your need to Him and ask Him to make you fit for heaven. He will.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Isaiah 64:6)
"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

[Soldier4Christ]

Tom got up early one Saturday morning to help his father pour new cement in a portion of their driveway. "What do we do first?" asked Tom.

"We dig out the dirt and stones and then place boards all around the area where we want the cement," replied Dad. "They're called 'form boards,' and they'll hold the cement in place until it dries." He handed Tom a spade, and they got busy.

"Wow! That's hard work!" exclaimed Tom when they were finally ready to mix the cement. "I'm tired."

Dad smiled and nodded. "And we're not done yet," he said. "We'll take a break for lunch, and then we'll get the cement mixed and poured."

After lunch they got busy again, and soon cement filled the area enclosed by the form boards. Dad showed Tom how to smooth it with a trowel.

During family devotions that night, Dad read from Second Timothy. Then he turned to Tom. "I'm thinking of those form boards we used today," said Dad. "What were they for?"

"The form boards? They kept the cement where we needed it," said Tom. "Without the boards, it would have run all over."

Dad nodded. "Tell me . . . what will happen when we take the form boards out after the cement hardens?"

"Nothing," said Tom. "The cement will still stay in place when it's dry." He grinned. "It will be firm and hard, and I can play basketball on it."

"Right," said Dad. "Those form boards are something like the rules we establish for our family. The rules give you boundaries and help you know what is acceptable behavior. Then as you become more mature, some rules can be taken away."

"And then I won't 'run all over,' right?" asked Tom. "My behavior will be 'set' then."

Dad nodded. "We pray that it will. Of course, you're not
cement-you have a mind and a will of your own-so we do our best to teach you
God's laws, and we pray that when you're on your own, you'll yield to God's
Spirit and live the way He wants His children to live."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you understand that God gives parents the job of training you? They set up rules to help you know how to behave. They want to help you become stronger and firmer in godly character-and to help you learn to make good decisions on your own.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Prov. 22:6)
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

[Soldier4Christ]

Ethan looked around at the mess in his room. He had dropped his shoes in one corner and his shirt in another. There were games and books and magazines strewn around the room. He knew better than to leave things laying around that way-especially right now when his parents were trying to sell the house-but he got careless sometimes.

"Ethan," called Mom, "is your room in order? I just got a call, and some people are coming to look at the house."

Ethan looked around again. It certainly was not in order! "I'll clean it up," he called back. As he picked up one of the magazines, an article caught his eye. He sat down on the bed to read it.

When Ethan heard a car door slam, he jumped up guiltily and looked out the window. They're here! he thought. In a flash he picked up shoes and socks, shirts and jacket, and pajamas and dirty laundry. He tossed the whole armful into the closet. Magazines, games, books, and trucks soon followed them. Then he closed the door.

When Mom showed the people Ethan's room, the lady smiled pleasantly. "What is the closet like?" she asked.

"Oh, it's quite large," Mom replied. Ethan had a sick feeling in his stomach as she went to the closet and opened the door. He cringed at the look on her face when several items tumbled out into the room.

When the people left, Ethan looked fearfully at his mom. "I certainly am disappointed today," she told him. "Whatever made you think you could get away with that?"

Ethan shrugged. "I was afraid you'd open that closet door," he said with a sigh.

"You don't have to be afraid when you're not hiding
things," said Mom. "Remember, God knows anyway. You can't hide anything from
Him." She gave Ethan a gently shove. "Now I want you to go and clean your room.
When that's done, report back to me."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you realize that God knows all you do-and even think? He knows all about you-nothing is hidden from Him. Does that seem scary? It isn't when you do your best to obey God and serve Him, but it should be scary if you plan to disobey Him. Don't hide sin. Confess it, turn from it, and be forgiven.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 139:3)
"Thou . . . art acquainted with all my ways."

[Soldier4Christ]

"What do think of the idea of spending a week at a resort that takes you back in time to the year 1800?" asked Dad. He held up a brochure. "That's what this place says it will do."

"That would be so cool!" exclaimed Cameron. "Let's go!"

Morgan wasn't quite so sure, but the rest of the family liked the idea, so they decided to try it. For one week they left electricity, running water, and all modern conveniences to live in a log cabin.

"What's there to do tonight?" asked Morgan the first evening. "I think we should have brought some games."

"We'll play games that the pioneer children played," said Mom. They did, and they discovered that the simple, old games were really lots of fun.

On the other hand, some things that had sounded like fun when they were home-splitting wood and bringing water from a well, for instance-proved to be a lot of work! Living pioneer style left them very tired, and they were ready to go to bed in the loft quite early.

"It's dark in here tonight," complained Cameron one evening. "That oil lamp isn't throwing much light."

   "That's because the glass chimney is all smoky," said Morgan. "Why don't you clean it?"

Cameron was ready to argue, but Mom interrupted. "It used to be a girl's chore to clean and polish lamps," she said, "so how about you taking care of that tomorrow, Morgan, while Cameron does other chores?"

The next day Morgan heated the water on the cook stove, shaved some lye soap into the hot water, and began to clean all the lamp chimneys. "You know what?" she said after working a while. "My memory verse last week was about letting our lights shine before men. I know that means we should be good testimonies for Jesus. I was thinking that just like smoke on these lamp chimneys messes up their light, sin in our lives will mess up our testimonies."

Mom smiled and nodded. "You're right," she said. "You're
cleaning the chimneys, and we all need to ask God to clean our hearts and
lives."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is the light of your testimony shining bright and clear, or is it hampered by sin in your life? Is jealousy, pride, selfishness, or disobedience hurting your testimony? Rid your life of sin by confessing it to God and asking Him to cleanse you. Let your light shine for Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (1 John 1:9)
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."

[Soldier4Christ]

"There won't be many more campfires this summer!" Mom sighed as she put down an armload of logs. "But," she added cheerily, "fall brings lots of fun, too."

Jase nodded. "I'm going to try out for the football team," he said. He glanced at his sister. "And Monica gets to start going to youth group this year."

Monica shrugged. "I'm not sure if I want to go," she said. "Do I have to?"

"Why wouldn't you want to go?" asked Mom. "It's a good place to develop close friendships with other Christians."

"Do my friends have to be Christians to be good friends?" asked Monica.

'Of course not," Dad said, as he carefully piled logs on the fire, "but there is something special about having Christian friends." He looked at the logs he had just stacked, and then knocked them apart with a stick.

"Those logs aren't going to burn good like that," said Monica. "One of the first things you taught me about building fires was to place them against each other."

"Do you remember why?" asked Dad.

"Because that way they create more heat and keep each other burning," replied Monica."

Right," said Dad. "Did you know that Christians are like logs? On our own, without the encouragement of other Christians, it's harder to 'keep burning' for Jesus. When cold winds blow, the warmth of close Christian fellowship encourages us to be true to God."

"What cold winds?" Monica asked.

"Pressure to cheat, swear, use drugs-or do other things that won't please God," said Dad. "When you're faced with those choices, won't it be helpful to have friends that understand?"

"I suppose," agreed Monica thoughtfully. "Okay, I'll give youth group a try for two reasons."

"What are they?" asked Dad.

"One is that I know you're right about needing Christian
friends," said Monica, "and the other is . . ." She grinned. "The other is that
I know you'll make me go anyway!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have Christian friends? Tough choices will come someday, and you will want someone who understands. Christian friends can give you godly encouragement-and you can be an encourager, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Hebrews 10:24)
"Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Specific directions and phone numbers are written on this note pad," said Mrs. Randall when Jayla arrived to baby-sit. "I shouldn't be home late."

Jayla smiled. "Okay," she said. "We'll be fine."

Later that evening, Toby begged for ice cream and Reuben wanted cookies. Jayla checked Mrs. Randall's notes. "Sorry, Toby, but your mom says no ice cream tonight," she said. "How about some popcorn? You may both have that." They smilingly agreed.

After a snack and a story, Jayla reminded Toby to take his medicine before going to bed "I don't want to," grumbled Toby. "I'll wait for Mommy. We can stay up till she gets home. It's not a school night."

"The notes your mom left say you have to be in bed by eight," Jayla explained. "Toby, if you take your medicine right away, I'll give you both a piggyback ride upstairs."

Toby grinned. "Okay," he agreed.

The boys were sleeping when Mrs. Randall came home. "How did it go?" she asked. "Did the boys give you any trouble?"

"No, I just followed your instructions and everything went fine," answered Jayla.

"Good." Mrs. Randall smiled. "I'm pleased with the job you've done. Would you like to baby-sit again next Saturday? We have to go to a banquet, so we may be out rather late, but I'm sure you can handle it."

"Sure," Jayla agreed, "but I'll have to check it out with my mother first."

When Jayla got home, she and her mother enjoyed hot chocolate while they talked. "I like to baby-sit at the Randalls," said Jayla. "Mrs. Randall left written instructions, so I could always check if I wasn't sure what to do. She asked me to baby-sit again next week. Is that okay?"

"It sounds fine," agreed Mom as Jayla put her cup in the
sink. "You can call her in the morning. Right now it's your bedtime-and by the
way, in case you haven't read a little today from the instructions God has
written down, don't forget to do that!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
God has given instructions in His Word-He's written down principles for you to follow. Read His Word, pray, and trust Him to show you what to do when you face problems. Then do what He says-follow His instructions.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 32:
"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go."

[Soldier4Christ]

Jayla called Mrs. Randall in the morning and agreed to baby-sit for her the next Saturday evening. "Great!" exclaimed Mrs. Randall. "The boys asked me this morning if you could come again soon!"

Later that week Jayla's friend Maria called. After talking with Maria, Jayla went to find her mother. "Mom, I don't know what to do," said Jayla. "Maria invited me to stay at her house overnight on Saturday. I really, really want to go, but I told Mrs. Randall I'd baby-sit. How can I get out of that? Maybe she still has time to get someone else."

"I can understand your problem," sympathized Mom. "I know you have fun with Maria, but just this morning I saw Mrs. Randall at the grocery store, and she told me how glad she was that you were the one who would be baby-sitting Saturday. Seems you made quite an impression!" She paused. "Maybe you need to check the instructions God has written down," added Mom. "Look up First Corinthians 4:2."

Jayla ran to get her Bible and quickly found the verse. "It says, 'Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful,'" she read slowly. "What's a steward?"

"Well, it's someone who has been put in charge as a manager," replied Mom. "One version of the Bible says 'those who have been given a trust' must be faithful. You've been given a trust-a task to do. God wants you to faithfully carry out your responsibility-both to other people and to Him. How do you think you'd do that in this case?"

Jayla sighed. "Does that verse apply to kids, too?" she asked.

Mom smiled. "It applies to all of God's kids," she said, "whether they're big kids or little ones. The Bible says that even children are judged by their actions."

"Okay," agreed Jayla reluctantly, "I'll stick to my
promise. I can spend the night with Maria some other time."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What do your actions say about you? The Bible gives several examples-as in today's Scripture-of children who served God and others. You can do that, too. Your actions should show that you're dependable and that you carry out your responsibilities.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 20:11)
"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and . . . right."

[Soldier4Christ]

Kenny watched as his father began refinishing the old table Grandma had left to them. Dad spread finish remover on the table top. "You're making it look worse instead of better," Kenny said with a grin.

Dad smiled. "I'm not done yet," he said. Kenny shrugged and went out to play.

The next day, Kenny watched again as Dad worked on the table. This time Dad was sanding it. "That still looks pretty bad," observed Kenny.

Dad's reply was the same. "I'm not through with it," he said.

When Dad began applying stain the next day, Kenny nodded his approval. "Hey, maybe that will turn out okay after all," he said. But to Kenny's surprise, on the following day Dad began sanding the table top again! "Dad," objected Kenny, "you'll spoil it."

"Feel it,"said Dad, and Kenny rubbed his hand over the table top.

Kenny nodded. "It needs to be smoothed out some more," he agreed.

When the table was finally finished, Kenny was surprised to hear Dad say, "We're a lot like this table."

"Not me!" Kenny laughed. "This table has four legs. I have only two. And I sure hope you're not planning to use the sander on me!"

Dad smiled. "When we become Christians, not everything about us is perfect, is it?" he asked. Kenny shook his head. He certainly knew he wasn't perfect. "Just like I worked on the table, God keeps working with us-sometimes using difficult situations to rub off the rough places and make us more like Him," Dad explained.

Kenny was thoughtful. "Like the time I broke my arm?" he asked. He hadn't enjoyed that, but God had used it to teach him patience as he learned to use his left hand.

Dad nodded. "Things like that," he said. "We should yield
to God and learn from Him in whatever circumstances He allows us to go
through."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have difficult things happened in your life? Perhaps there's been a divorce in your family, or someone you love has been sick a lot. Perhaps you've been teased at school because you're a Christian. Allow God to use your experiences to make you a better, sweeter person for Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Job 23:10)
"When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

[Soldier4Christ]

I wonder what I'd do if I were in prison like those kids? thought Colby after watching a documentary on TV about some criminals not much older than himself. He couldn't get the report out of his mind. There had been interviews with young men who were in "solitary confinement." Those men were kept in cells all by themselves with no one to talk to.

"Hey, Dad, remember the TV report that we saw earlier tonight about those guys in prison?" asked Colby. "I sure wouldn't want to end up in a place like that!"

Dad shook his head. "You know, Colby, all those young guys probably said the same thing when they were your age. I'm sure none of them ever expected to some day be in a prison with no freedom." Dad paused for a few moments. "Remember when we were having trouble with rats in the barn last week?"

"Sure," said Colby. "You went to the hardware store and got the biggest mouse trap I've ever seen."

"That's actually a rat trap," answered Dad. "I baited it with cheese and set it in the middle of the barn floor. When those rats smelled the cheese, I don't think they thought about danger-they probably just thought about the good time they'd have eating the cheese."

"Like those men in prison, right?" asked Colby. "When they committed their crimes, I guess they weren't thinking about the trouble they'd get into."

"No." Dad shook his head. "Satan baited a trap with things that looked attractive to them," he said, "and they were caught. The good news is that God still loves those guys. I've read of several men who accepted the Lord while behind prison bars-but think how much better it would have been if they had accepted Christ as Savior while they were young."

Colby nodded. "They would have avoided a lot of
unhappiness if they had been saved and followed Jesus."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you figure you can have fun now and accept Jesus when you're older? What bait is Satan using to catch you in his trap-what sinful thing is he making look good? Be careful! Sin is a trap, and it makes you its slave. Jesus wants to set you free. Put your trust in Him today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth."

[Soldier4Christ]

Shannon had been memorizing verses for a contest her Sunday school class was having-a contest of the girls against the boys. Memorizing was easy for her, and she was doing her best to see that the girls would win.   

When she came home from school one day, her little brother ran up, wanting her to play with him. She pushed him away. "Leave me alone, Scotty," she scolded. "I have to memorize verses." When Mom asked her to set the table, she grumbled-saying she had to study her verses so the girls would win the contest. When it was time for her to do the dishes, she pouted. "How can I learn verses if I have to do all the work around here?" she muttered. Before Scotty went to bed, he again wanted her to play, and once more she scowled and told him to leave her alone and go away.

"Shannon," said Dad at last, "you've been learning lots of verses for your class. I believe you learned Ephesians 4:32. Can you recite it for me?"

Shannon beamed. She liked to have Dad quiz her on her verses. "Be ye kind one to another," she quoted.

"Good," said Dad. "Now, how about James 1:22?"

"Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only," replied Shannon promptly.

"That's right." Dad nodded. "Now let's think about what happened here this evening. Were you a 'doer' of God's Word? Were you kind to Scotty? Or to Mom?"

Shannon's smile was gone. She knew exactly what Dad meant, and she was ashamed. "You see, Shannon," Dad went on, "memorizing all those verses isn't worth much unless you also do what they say."

Shannon nodded slowly. "I'm going to start doing," she
promised. Then she grinned. "Hey," she added, "wouldn't it be great if we could
have a contest with the boys to see which group has the best 'doers' instead of
the best 'memorizers'? What nice kids we'd all become!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you a Bible verse "memorizer"? More important-are you a "doer" of God's Word? Memorizing verses isn't enough. You need to allow them to change your life. What's the last verse you learned? Put it into practice-be a doer of the Word.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (James 1:22)
"Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only."

[Soldier4Christ]

Megan sat at the dinner table and picked at her food. Even the brownies, her favorite dessert, didn't interest her.

It was Megan's night to do dishes. She silently loaded plates into the dishwasher and washed and dried pans. "What's the matter, honey?" Mom asked as she set aside a brownie for Megan and handed her the empty pan.

"It's Abby!" exclaimed Megan angrily. "I didn't think she was even going to try out for our class play, but this morning she did. Mrs. Parker offered her the lead part! Abby knew I wanted that, but she took it anyway. I got the part of her sister. I have only a few lines."

"Well, honey, maybe Megan wanted the lead part as much as you did," said Mom.

 "I doubt that! I think she just tried out because I did, and it was really mean of her to take the lead," insisted Megan. "I'm going to call her tonight and tell her I'm not coming to her stupid birthday party."

Mom watched Megan scrubbing at the pan the brownies had baked in. "Why don't you let that soak in soapy water till morning?" suggested Mom. "All those places where the batter stuck and baked on tight will come off quite easily then." After a moment she added, "I think you should let your anger 'soak,' too. Before you call Abby, why don't you pray about it tonight and see how you feel in the morning? Ask the Lord how He wants you to handle it. I'm sure He'll show you." Megan looked doubtful, but she agreed.

When Megan washed the brownie pan the next morning, she grinned at her mother. "You're right-this is easy to clean now," said Megan

"Good," said Mom, "and how about Abby?"

"Well . . . I'm still not very happy about her taking the part, but I'll admit that she wouldn't have taken it just to hurt me," said Megan, "so I guess you were right about that, too. I'm glad I didn't call her."

Mom nodded. "Any time you feel angry, remember the brownie pan and let your anger 'soak' with prayer before you say things you don't mean!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
When you're angry with someone, do you let your anger "soak" while you pray for a solution? The kind of love for others that God wants you to have is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. Instead, it is patient and kind.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 29:11)
"A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards."