Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"I don't know why Dan had to invite Josh Blackwell to Bible Club at our house tomorrow," grumbled Tony as he hung up the phone. "I think Josh has issues with his mind-his mother's in a mental health facility."

   Mom frowned. "Remember when I had back surgery?" she asked. "What if your friends had said, 'Don't play football with Tony. He probably has issues with his back, like his mom'?"

"That would have been silly!" exclaimed Tony. "Your back doesn't affect mine!"

"Why is a sick mind different from a sick body?" asked Mom. Tony had no answer.

Josh did come to Bible Club, and when it ended, Tony invited the boys to try out his new archery set. Most of them were eager to try it and did quite well, but Josh hung back. "Here, Josh," said Dan after a while. "You try it."

Josh hesitantly took a turn, and when he missed the bull's eye, the boys hooted. He turned to slowly walk away, and another boy took the bow.

Just then Tony's four-year-old sister, Jodi, ran across the lawn. "Jodi! Keep out of the way!" screamed Tony-but it was too late! An arrow struck Jodi's forehead! Mom came running, and soon they were on the way to the emergency room.

"She needed six stitches," Mom told Tony when she brought Jodi home, "but she'll be fine." She sighed as she added, "I wish the wounds Josh received this afternoon would heal as easily as Jodi's."

"Was Josh hurt?" asked Tony in surprise.

"Yes," replied Mom. "He was hurt today-and many times in the past, too. The Bible says words can be like sharp arrows shot out by the tongue, and the book of James says the tongue is full of deadly poison." Mom shook her head sadly. "Words do a great deal of damage," she added. "You boys have hurt Josh badly." Tony stared at his feet, ashamed as he remembered the part he had played in "shooting arrows" at Josh.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know kids who have family problems? Who need friends? Who have been hurt by sharp word "arrows"? Be especially kind to them. Your love and understanding is needed. Remember that the Bible warns against hurting others with your tongue. Do you need to apologize to someone for words you have said? If so, do it today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 25:18)
"A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like . . . a sharp arrow."

[Soldier4Christ]

Chad sighed as he sat down at the kitchen table and began his homework. This sure has been a lousy day, he thought. Nothing went right. As he opened a book, the lights went out-not just in the kitchen, but in the whole house! "Hey!" Chad called. "What happened?"

"It must be a power blackout," said Dad, coming up from the basement where he had been working. "The street light out front is off, too."

Mom came into the kitchen and lit a candle. That helped a little bit. "Tell you what-let's build a fire in the fireplace," suggested Dad. "You kids can get your sleeping bags and put them in front of the fire."

"All right!" exclaimed Chad's brother, Peter. "That will be almost like camping out! Can we roast marshmallows, too?"

"Sure," agreed Mom, and soon they were all settled in the living room.

Dad and Mom told stories about things they had done when they were younger. Mom remembered a time when the power was out on their farm for over three days. "We had to do many chores by the light of kerosene lamps," she said.

Chad spoke up. "You know, when the lights first went out, I figured it was just another bad thing to happen today. But this has turned out to be fun."

"It sure has," agreed Peter, pulling a golden-brown marshmallow off a roasting fork.

Dad nodded. "When troubles come, we can either fret and get worried-or we can turn the problem into an adventure. We can look to God and ask Him to help us keep a good attitude and find ways to learn lessons He may be teaching us through our troubles. With His help, troubles can often be turned into worthwhile-and even happy-times."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
When something happens that seems like trouble, do you start to worry or complain? Next time, look for ways to turn that trouble into an adventure, knowing that God loves you and has a purpose for everything He allows in your life. Ask Him to help you have a happy attitude even when things don't go the way you'd like them to.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Philippians 4:4)
"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

[Soldier4Christ]

While Mom shopped on the first floor of a department store, Tim and his sister Kate rode the escalator all the way up to the top floor and down again. Mom had said they could do it one time-as long as they didn't push, or run up and down, or bother the other shoppers. "That was fun," Tim said when they got back to the first floor, "but I know what would be more fun, Kate!"

"What's that?" Kate wanted to know.

"Let's try going up the 'down' escalator. Bet you can't do it," Tim challenged.

Kate shook her head. "Mom wouldn't let us do that!" she exclaimed.

But Tim was determined to try it. "Watch this," he said.

Kate watched, and she saw that each time Tim got near the top, someone got in his way and he was moved farther down again. It was obvious that some of the people riding down the escalator were annoyed with him, but he didn't seem to care. He just kept right on trying-until he bumped into the store manager.

Without a word, the manager took Tim's arm and accompanied him back down. Tim knew he was in real trouble when he spotted his mother waiting at the foot of the escalator. He was right. Mom scolded him severely, and he had to apologize to the store manager-and he knew there would be more punishment to come.

"It sounds like you worked very hard to go up the 'down' escalator," observed Dad when he heard about Tim's escapade, "but all you got for your efforts was a good scolding and punishment, right?"

Tim nodded. "I would have made it if nobody had stopped me," he mumbled.

Dad shook his head. "You remind me of people who insist that they can 'ride' up to heaven on their own efforts. They try so hard to be good, but all that's waiting for them is eternal punishment. Perhaps you could have made it all the way up that escalator, but no amount of effort will ever gain heaven for anybody. We get there only by trusting Jesus-never on our own."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been trying to earn God's favor by doing good works? Good works are fine, but they will never get you to heaven. God wants you to trust His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Savior. Jesus is the only way to heaven.

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Titus 3:5)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."

[Soldier4Christ]

What will this be? wondered Stacy as she tore away the wrappings from a birthday present her aunt had sent. "Oh, good! A scrapbook!" she exclaimed. "I can put all my favorite drawings and awards and stuff in it. This is so cool!"

   Soon Stacy was eagerly at work, sorting through old school papers and drawings. "These math facts look so easy now," she said, tossing aside an old test.

   Mom smiled. "They didn't look so easy a year ago, did they? I remember that you studied hard, and then we prayed together about each test."

Stacy was thoughtful for a moment. Then she nodded. "I remember that."

"Why don't you save a few of those papers to help you remember how God answered prayer?" suggested Mom.

As Stacy set aside a few of the old tests, her dog came in and began sniffing the pages. Stacy laughed. "I guess Bootsie wants us to put something in the scrapbook so we can remember her," she said.

   "Not a bad idea," replied Mom. "It's good to remember all of God's blessings, whether they're work He's given us, family, pets, friends-or whatever."

   Stacy nodded. "Bootsie has sure been a good pet. I'll put a few pictures of her in my scrapbook." She held up another snapshot. "Here's one of our house. I'll put that in, too." Stacy soon had several pages finished. "Look at my scrapbook now, Mom," she said. "It will remind me of lots of good times."

Mom went to look. "Very nice! Instead of calling it a scrapbook, you could call it a 'God's Goodness' book," Mom suggested. "When we read God's Word, we learn how He answered prayer and cared for people way back in Bible times, and that's good. But it's also good to look back on our own lives and see how God blessed us in the past. When we do that, we often find it's easier to trust Him for the future as well."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you worry about your next math test, science project, making new friends, or keeping old ones? Take a moment to look back and see how God blessed you and how He helped you in the past with schoolwork, a family problem, or other difficulties. He has not changed. You can trust Him with your concerns today and for the future.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 77:11)
"I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old."

[Soldier4Christ]

Nathan tossed and turned, and he knew it was the lie he had told that kept pricking his conscience and was keeping him awake. He punched the pillow, snuggled deeper under the covers, and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. But he could not turn off the little voice in his head. Tell your mother you're sorry. Tell the truth . . . tell the truth . . . tell the truth.

Nathan finally gave up. He scrambled out of bed and stumbled into the next room. His mother looked from the computer as he burst into sobs. "What's the matter, honey?" she asked. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Nathan shook his head. "N-n-no," he choked. "I . . . I told you a lie. I s-s-said I hadn't been playing in Mr. Field's barn, but I had. I'm s-s-sorry." Nathan sniffed loudly. "I won't play there anymore without p-p-permission."

His mother hugged him. "I'm sorry you lied to me, Nathan, and you know that means you'll be grounded for a few days-we've talked about that before. But I'm glad you've confessed," she said. "Let me show you something. Look at this word I just typed. What's wrong with it?"

Nathan looked at the computer screen. He grinned through his tears. "You made a mistake. You spelled forgive 'f-o-r-g-e-v-e.'"

"Can you fix it for me?" asked Mom.

"Sure! You know how to fix it, too, Mom," said Nathan. He pressed a couple of keys. "There! Now it's spelled right!"

Mom nodded. "If I ignored my mistake, it would have never been corrected, but when you took the necessary steps to correct it, it was easily fixed, right?" Nathan nodded. "Ignoring sin doesn't take care of it, either," continued Mom. "When we sin, we must be sorry and do exactly what you just did. Confess it. When we confess our sin to God, He forgives and forgets it."

"I already confessed what I did to God." Nathan yawned. "I sure do feel better now that I've confessed to you, too," he added. "I think I can sleep now."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you ignoring a sin in your life? Are you sorry for it? Do you want God's forgiveness and His help to not repeat it? Then confess it to Him. It may mean you have to apologize to someone, too. Why not do that right away? You'll be glad you did.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can I go with you, Dad?" asked Jennifer when she heard Dad say he was going to make a down-payment on a new car. Dad agreed, and they started out. "Exactly what is a down-payment, Dad?" asked Jennifer.

"When we were at the car dealer's the other night, Mom and I talked to the salesman about the kind of car we wanted," said Dad. "We told him what make, what color, and what extras we would like for our car."

"Yeah, I remember that." Jennifer nodded. "You said you wanted a blue one with air-conditioning and power steering and a CD deck and . . . I don't remember what else."

Dad smiled. "Right now the dealership doesn't have the car we want, so they'd have to order it from the factory," he said. "We decided to think and pray about it, and now we're ready to have the salesman go ahead and order it. To show him I'm serious about buying the car, I'm going to give the him some money-called a down-payment-toward the price. If a down-payment were not required, people could just go there all the time and order cars and then not buy them when the car comes."

"But if you give him some of the money it costs, he knows you'll come through with the rest of what you still owe?" asked Jennifer. "He knows you wouldn't want to lose the money you put down now."

"Right. A down-payment is like a guarantee that the rest will be coming." After riding in silence for a while, Dad added, "You know, Jennifer, God has made a down-payment to you."

"To me?" asked Jennifer.

Dad nodded. "Yep. You've trusted Jesus as Savior, right? God says He's given every Christian the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that they'll have a future with Him in heaven."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Did you know that all who have trusted Jesus as Savior have God's promise, or guarantee, that they'll spend eternity with Him? If you know Jesus, thank Him for giving you a very special down-payment-His Holy Spirit living within you!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (2 Corinthians 1:22)
"Who(God) also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."

[Soldier4Christ]

Emily rummaged through her jewelry box. "Chelsea! You took my cross necklace, didn't you?" she asked angrily.

"Of course I didn't take it," replied Chelsea. "Why would I?"

Emily scowled. "I left it right here in my jewelry box, and it's gone," she said. "I just have to wear it today! I've got an English exam, and it always brings me luck."

Turning her head, Emily saw her mother standing in the doorway. "Our Savior's cross was never meant to be a good luck charm," said Mom quietly.

"Oh, Mom," said Emily, "I know why the cross is important-but it's not bad that something good seems to happen every time I wear it, is it?"

"If you wear the cross to remind you of what Jesus has done for you, that's fine," replied Mom, "but it's not good if it causes you to feel there's something magical in that object. When it comes to tests, you should rely on studying and on God's help in remembering the things you've studied."

Emily frowned. "I studied hard," she replied, "and I've prayed, too-but sometimes I wish we could really see God. My cross gives me something I can see."

"People often seem to feel that way," said Mom. "Many think that having a picture or a statue of Jesus in their homes will bring God's blessings. The Israelites were like that. They begged Aaron to make them a 'god' of gold like those they had seen in Egypt. They wanted to have a 'god' they could touch and see-an idol. God punished them for that. He wants us to place our faith and trust only in Him, apart from any object."

Emily nodded. "Well, I . . . I never thought of my little cross as an idol." She closed her jewelry box. "I guess I was using it that way, though," she admitted.

"When you find the cross, why don't you put it away for a while? Put your trust in God instead of in any object or good-luck charm," advised Mom. "Don't wear it until you can do so just as a reminder to yourself-and as a testimony to others-of what Jesus has done for you."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you ever tempted to rely on good-luck charms-a cross, a picture, a special Bible-instead of simply trusting God? It's wrong to give that kind of trust to things-even to religious objects. Worship God alone!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"We walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

[Soldier4Christ]

Bryce slammed his book shut. "This is the most boring book I have ever read!" he declared. "I like books that have lots of action."

"You should read this," said Mom. She held up a Bible.

Bryce frowned. "To tell the truth, I think it's boring, too," he muttered.

"Try reading the book of Acts," suggested Mom. "The story of the early church is exciting. It starts with a man breaking the laws of gravity and launching into space without a spaceship."

Bryce sat up. "Oh, Mom, you're kidding."

"No, I'm not," Mom replied. "Read the first chapter of Acts for yourself." She handed him the Bible.

Bryce took the book and began reading. "Oh," he said after a few minutes, "you're talking about Jesus going up into heaven."

Mom chuckled. "Right," she said, "and then there's the chapter about the man whose shadow was so powerful that people came from miles around to see it and have it fall on them."

Bryce frowned. "Are you talking about Jesus again?" he asked.

Mom shook her head. "Nope," she said. "Check the fourth or fifth chapter of Acts."

Again all was silent, except for the rustling of pages. Then Bryce looked up. "I remember hearing this in Sunday school! Tell me another one."

Mom thought for a moment. "Once there was an exciting jail break," she said. "It seems that a prisoner had contacts on the outside. The outsider apparently had a strange effect on the guards-and right under their noses, he led the prisoner out of the prison gates."

"Okay, where's that one found?" asked Bryce.

"I don't remember exactly-somewhere in Acts. You find it," Mom answered with a smile. "Bryce," she added, "as interesting as the book of Acts is, don't you think it would be worth your time to read all of it?"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you read any Bible exciting stories? Other parts of the Bible may not seem as exciting, but they're equally important and have many lessons for you. When you read Keys for Kids, don't only read the devotional story. Be sure to read the suggested Scripture as well. This will help you get in the habit of reading your Bible daily. Besides, it really is the best part.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97

[Soldier4Christ]

At the close of the children's program at Grace Church, Cameron went forward to indicate that he wanted to know Jesus as Savior. His pastor talked with him about it. "I'm glad you want to make things right with the Lord," began Pastor Holdredge.  He put an arm around Cameron's shoulder. "I remember that you came forward because you wanted to be saved one night about a year ago," he added. "Tell me-did the Lord save you that night?"

"I don't know." Cameron sighed. "I thought He did-I was even baptized. But I keep wondering-how do I know I really meant it when I asked Jesus to forgive and save me? Maybe I should do it again, just to make sure."

"If you're having doubts, I'm glad you came to talk about it," said Pastor Holdredge. "Salvation is certainly not something you want to guess about."

"So you think I ought to pray again and ask Jesus to save me?" Cameron asked.

"You're not saved by praying, Cameron-whether you pray one time or a hundred times. No matter how many good works you try to do, you can't save yourself," said Pastor Holdredge. "You're saved only through faith in Christ."

Cameron nodded. "You're saying that being saved isn't something we do-it's something God does for us, right?"

"Exactly," agreed Pastor Holdredge. "Trust in the Lord. Believe that Jesus loves you and died for your sins. Do you trust in Him, Cameron? Or are you counting on your prayers, or maybe on your baptism, to get you to heaven?"

Cameron thought for a moment. "I know those things won't get me to heaven," Cameron answered. Then with a smile he added, "I only need to trust and believe in Jesus. That's all! I'm going to stop doubting, and just trust!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know that Jesus died and rose again for you? That you can't do anything to save yourself? Are you trusting in Him alone to save you? If so, pick a verse-perhaps John 3:16, John 3:36, John 1:12, or Romans 10:9 or 13-and when Satan puts doubt in your mind, quote that verse. Trust what God says. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

[Soldier4Christ]

Darcy switched on the light and stared in surprise at some beautiful green plants she saw on a shelf. She was helping Grandpa Nelson, and he had sent her to get potting soil from the storage shed next to his greenhouse. As far back as Darcy could remember, she had helped Grandpa with his flowers and plants. One of the things he had taught her was that plants need light and water to grow. But these plants on the shelf were completely in the dark, and she saw that the soil in the pots was very dry.

"Grandpa, aren't those plants in the storage shed going to die?" Darcy asked when she returned to the greenhouse. "Why did you put them where they aren't getting any light?"

Grandpa smiled. "If that particular kind of plant is kept in the dark for a month, it will begin to bud and bloom almost immediately when it's brought out into the light. We can arrange to have it blooming just when we want it to, and I want those to bloom just before Mother's Day."

"I get it," murmured Darcy, "but it seems so strange to keep them in the dark so that they'll bloom later."

"Yes, it does," agreed Grandpa. He put down his trowel and smiled at Darcy. "You know, I think those plants are a picture of people. Sometimes God puts us in the dark so we can bloom, too."

"You mean like . . . when you were in the hospital?" Darcy asked thoughtfully.

Grandpa Nelson nodded. "It's always hard to be sick," he told her, "but while I had to lie still, I spent time praying and reading God's Word. I learned to be quiet and calm and just wait on God to work. So you see, I'd say that while I was 'in the dark,' the Lord gave me the 'bloom' of patience."

"And of prayer, too?" asked Darcy.

"That, too." Grandpa smiled. "If we allow Him to teach us to bloom, the dark places are all worthwhile."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever wondered why you had to be "in the dark"- why you had to face a death or divorce in your family, struggle with problems at school, or be sick? You can't run away from problems, but you can trust God to use them to bring the "bloom" of patience or of prayer-or maybe the "bloom" of love into your life. Allow Him to work through problems.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:3

[Soldier4Christ]

"I don't feel good," Naomi told her best friend, Kesia, at school one day, "so my mom's coming to pick me up."

"Well, get better fast, and I'll see you tomorrow then," encouraged Kesia.

But Naomi didn't come to school until the following week, and then she seemed very tired most of the time. She missed school and Sunday school often after that-and one day Kesia learned that Naomi was in the hospital.

Kesia immediately went to see Naomi. She took one of their favorite games and a book she knew Naomi enjoyed. They didn't play the game because Naomi didn't feel up to it, but Kesia could tell she was pleased to see her. As the days passed, Naomi didn't seem to be getting any better, and Kesia went to visit her several times. But the longer Naomi stayed in the hospital, the less Kesia visited. She finally stopped going to see Naomi at all.

"Who's your best friend now?" asked Mom one day.

Kesia looked puzzled. "Naomi, of course!" she replied.

"But best friends like to be together, don't they?" asked Mom.

Kesia burst into tears. "Mom, I can't go there. Naomi doesn't talk much-and she looks so different. I'm afraid she's going to die. What can I say?"

"You don't need to say much, honey-just be there for her," answered Mom. "Her mother told me Naomi wonders if you still care about her."

"But I do!" exclaimed Kesia. "I care so much it hurts!"

"Then go be with her," encouraged Mom. "When Grandma died, many people told us how much they appreciated her. Others didn't say much, but it comforted us that so many people cared enough to come and be with us, remember?" Kesia nodded. "Let your presence comfort Naomi, too. Let her know you're praying for her," added Mom as she put an arm around Kesia. "It's hard, but Naomi really needs you now and you'll be glad you went. I'll go with you if you like." Kesia slowly went to get her coat.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who is very ill? Be a comfort to him or her. Visit if possible. Pick out a few comforting Bible verses to read. Send a card, a note, flowers, or a favorite item. Let your friend know he is still important to you. Your thoughtfulness will strengthen his spirit and give him hope.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:4

[Soldier4Christ]

Rick was frustrated. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get his math problem worked out. He slammed his book shut with a bang.

Dad looked up from the newspaper. "What's the problem, Rick?" he asked.

"This stupid math book is the problem," fumed Rick. "It has to be wrong! I don't care what the book says, the figures don't add up like they're supposed to. This thing won't come out right no matter what I do!"

Dad put aside the paper. "Let me take a look at it," he said. "Maybe we can solve the problem together." Taking Rick's book and paper, Dad compared Rick's work with the book's instructions and the examples in the text. "I see what happened," he said, pointing to the place where Rick had made a mistake. "What are you suppose to do here?"

Rick looked at the page. "Oh! Add!" he exclaimed. "But I subtracted." Rick reworked the problem. "How come I didn't notice that?"

"Maybe you didn't study your figures carefully because you were so sure the book was wrong," Dad replied. "The problem wasn't the book-it was you."

"I heard that," said Mom, coming into the room. "Mrs. Ellis had that problem, too. I was talking with her today, and she wasn't sure she could believe the Bible because in one place it says Jesus fed 5,000 people and in another place it says 4,000. She was sure the Bible was in error until I showed her that those were two separate events."

"There you have it, Rick," said Dad. "Someone else assumed the Book was wrong because she hadn't studied it carefully."

"Well, I may not know or understand all of the Bible, but I know it's never wrong," said Rick.

"Good," said Dad. "That's even more important than knowing that your math book is right. Now, how about studying both of those books a little more carefully?"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you make excuses for not reading God's Word? Do you tell yourself you might as well skip it because you don't understand all of it? You don't need to understand everything to believe it's all true. Ask God to give you wisdom as you read it. Look up unfamiliar words in a dictionary. The more you read God's Word, trusting Him to teach you, the more you will understand it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Every word of God is pure." Proverbs 30:5

[Soldier4Christ]

Camisha sneaked into the apartment. She didn't want her mother to see the small package she carried. She tip-toed around the corner and into her room-but there was her mother, putting a load of neatly folded clothing, fresh from the laundry, onto Camisha's bed.

"Hi, sweetie," said Mom. "What do you have there?"

"Hi, Mom." Camisha sighed. "I . . . ah . . . this was supposed to be a present for Mother's Day, but it didn't turn out right. Trust me . . . you don't want it. It's . . . it's ugly!"

"Suppose you let me be the judge of that," replied Mom. She held out her hand. "May I see it?" Camisha handed over the small object wrapped in layers of tissue paper. Mom unwrapped the gift-a small vase made of clay. It was a bit lopsided, and a piece had chipped off the rim. Its blue paint was streaky in places. Mom held it up and smiled. "I love it!" she said.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," muttered Camisha.

"No, I'm not," replied Mom. "I love this because you made it, and because it reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. Second Corinthians 4:7 tells us that we have a great treasure-the light of God's salvation-shining in our hearts. It says our hearts are like 'earthen vessels,' or clay pots, that are humble and imperfect."

Mom walked out onto the small balcony where she grew rose bushes in flower-boxes. She picked the largest and most perfect bloom, a fragrant yellow one with soft pink edges, and set it carefully in Camisha's clay vase. One velvety petal hung down and covered the chipped rim.

Mom took the vase into the kitchen, added a small amount of water, and placed it on the window sill over the sink. Camisha was amazed. "Wow, what a difference the flower makes!" she exclaimed.

"Just like the difference God makes in our hearts," agreed Mom.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever felt like a handmade "clay pot"-a bit lopsided, chipped, and generally imperfect? Remember that when you trust Jesus as Savior, God puts the light of His Holy Spirit into your heart. He makes a huge difference in your life. As you trust in Him and reflect His power and glory, He adds beauty and purpose to what you do.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

[Soldier4Christ]

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and Grandma Holmes was hopeful. Maybe today someone will come for a visit, she thought. But then she frowned. Now, Vivian, don't get your hopes up again, she scolded herself. She tried to forget about anyone coming. But she couldn't help herself because of how lonely she felt.

It had been a few years now since she had come to the Westview Retirement Center-a home for senior citizens. It had been a difficult change, but she had to admit she was comfortable and well taken care of.

"I think I'll look for another good book to read," Grandma Holmes said out loud. As she reached toward the shelf, she thought she heard a knock on her door. Her heart began to pound. There it was again. Maybe I will have a visitor today, she thought. Excitedly, she hurried to the door. A smile spread across her face as she opened it. But no one was there. She looked down the hall and saw someone pushing a cart, bumping the wall every three or four steps.

Grandma Holmes gently closed the door, took a book, and slowly walked over to her favorite chair by the window. Vivian, I told you not to go and get your hopes up, she chided herself again.

When she thought she heard a knock at the door a few minutes later, she didn't go to the door. The knocking continued. "Grandma Holmes! Are you there?" called a voice.

Grandma Holmes sat up straight. Then she got up and hurried to the door. Opening it, she saw Melanie, her twelve-year-old great-granddaughter, smiling at her. "Hi, Grandma," said Melanie, giving her grandma a hug. "Mom dropped me off on her way to the dentist. Got time for a visit?"

With a thankful heart, Grandma Holmes nodded, and together they went in and sat down to talk.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who lives alone or who may be lonely? Have you thought about visiting that person? The Bible says love is the greatest gift you can show to others. Giving of your time is a wonderful way to show that you care about them-and especially that God does, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

[Soldier4Christ]

Great-aunt Louisa gave Beth a hug at the family reunion. "You're the spittin' image of your mother," she said. Beth tried to smile, but she was getting very tired of hearing this. All morning people had been making the same kind of remark. It seemed to Beth that the only things the older relatives talked about were how much Beth and all her cousins had grown and who they looked like!

Things looked brighter when Uncle John organized a softball game for all the kids. Maybe this reunion won't be totally boring after all! thought Beth as she raced toward the ball field. "I'll be the pitcher!" she shouted eagerly.

The game was really fun. Beth got two base hits and one home run. And because of her excellent pitching, her team won the game seven to one.

As everyone headed back to the picnic tables, Great-aunt Louisa cornered Beth again. "Well, young lady," sputtered Aunt Louisa, "you may look like your mother, but you certainly don't act like her. She has always been a perfect lady, but you just proved what a little tomboy you are!"

For a moment Beth felt annoyed, but she managed to smile. She was glad her mother came to her rescue. "Yes, Aunt Louisa, Beth may look like me," said Mom, "but we're very pleased that she inherited her father's athletic abilities."

On the way home that evening, Mom turned to Beth. "Dad and I are very proud of the way you acted today," said Mom with a smile. "I know you got tired of hearing over and over again how much you look like me, but you were very polite and friendly."

Dad nodded. "You acted the way God would want you to act," he said. "You reacted to Aunt Louisa with kindness. That's what Jesus would have done, too. By your actions, I'd say you resembled your heavenly Father today!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Who do you look like? More importantly, who do you act like? Most children acquire some physical traits and some personality traits from their parents. That's fine, but if you are a child of God, you should also be learning to act like Jesus would. Ask Him right now to help you behave in such a way that people will say you resemble your heavenly Father!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Be imitators of God as dear children." Ephesians 5:1