Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can I have something cold to drink, Mom?" asked Tara as she came in from the backyard one hot afternoon.

"How about ice water?" suggested Mom. "I think that's all we have. We're even out of milk." She opened the cupboard and took out a box of powdered milk. "Or if you like, you can mix up some chocolate milk."

Tara took the box, mixed some of the powder with water, and added chocolate syrup. Then she joined her mother at the dining room table. "I need some advice," said Tara. "There's a new girl at school-Amy. She's okay, but she dresses kind of weird. It's easy to be nice to her when it's just the two of us or when our teacher assigns us to work on a project together. But when I'm with the other girls and they make fun of her, I don't know what to do."

"What do you think God wants you to do?" asked Mom.

Tara sighed. "I know I should be friendly," she admitted, "and I am . . . sort of. I don't make fun of her. But I don't want to lose my other friends." She took a sip of her milk. "Yuck! This tastes awful!" she exclaimed. "What did I do wrong?"

"Did you use ice when you made it?" asked Mom. Tara shook her head. "You didn't heat it, either, did you?" Tara again shook her head. "When I make chocolate milk for you, I serve it either hot or cold," said Mom. "It doesn't taste good lukewarm. And you know, I think that may be your problem with Amy. I think you're being a lukewarm friend."

"What do you mean?" asked Tara.

"You extend your friendship when you have nothing to lose," said Mom, "but you hold it back when others are watching. You're neither hot nor cold, but somewhere in between-afraid to take a stand for what you know is right. The Bible warns us against becoming lukewarm Christians."

Tara studied her glass of milk, tasted it again, then
pushed it away. "No more lukewarm milk for me-and no more lukewarm
Christianity," she said firmly. "I'm going to be friendly . . . never mind what
anybody thinks."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you willing to be bold and stand for what you believe? Or do you sometimes try to stay on the good side of everyone, whether they're right or wrong? Remember-what others think about your behavior isn't nearly as important as what God thinks. Don't be a lukewarm Christian. Boldly stand up for what you believe and do what God says is right.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." Hebrews 10:38

[Soldier4Christ]

"Grandma asked if you could help clean her garage this week," Mom told Ben, "and Mr. Hill wants you to sweep his shop."

Ben nodded. "I'll sweep Mr. Hill's shop-he pays good," he said, "but I've got lots of stuff to do. I won't have time to do Grandma's garage." He hesitated. "I won't have time to go with my Sunday school class to pass out tracts at the mall, either." Mom frowned. She had noticed that Ben always seemed to have time for himself but was "too busy" to help others . . . unless they paid him.

The next afternoon, Ben's sister Erin helped prepare supper. When it was ready, Mom quietly told Dad to come and eat. "Isn't Ben eating?" Erin asked.

"He's busy having fun right now," Mom replied. "He can eat later."

When they had finished supper, Mom called Ben to come and eat. "About time," he said as he came in. "I'm starved!" When he saw three dirty plates and only one clean one, he frowned. "Did you eat already? Why didn't you call me?"

"You were busy playing," Mom answered, "and I didn't think you'd mind having leftovers. At least . . . that's what you generally give other people."

"But everything's cold, and . . ." Ben's voice trailed off as he stared at the table. "All the drumsticks are gone, and there's not much of anything left."

"Well, everyone was hungry tonight," responded Mom. "But like I said, lately you've been giving out leftovers." Ben looked at her curiously. "You don't seem to have time for anyone but yourself, except maybe for a few leftover minutes now and then," explained Mom. "I figured it was your turn to get leftovers."

"But I don't like leftovers," Ben wailed.

"Do you think Grandma does?" asked Mom. "You didn't have even 'leftover' time for her. You have time only for 'paying' jobs. And what about God? How much time do you set aside for Him?"

"I . . .I . . . I'll clean Grandma's garage tomorrow,"
Ben promised as he took a leftover chicken wing. He hesitated. "I guess I should
go to the mall with my class, too." He sighed. "It's not my favorite thing to
do, but . . . I'll go."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you give "leftovers" to God and others? Do you sing or witness or help others only if it's convenient? Do you give God an offering only after you've used what you want for yourself? The Lord promises blessings if you give Him the "firstfruits." That includes giving Him some of your money and also giving of your time as you serve Him by serving and helping others.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33

[Soldier4Christ]

Jennifer raced home from the ice cream stand. She skipped and hopped and would have turned somersaults, but she didn't want to spill her snowcone. She had saved money all week for this triple tutti-frutti treat, and now she had enough money for another snowcone the next day! The girl at the stand had given her too much change! Jennifer did feel a twinge in her conscience. But after all, it's not my fault I got too much money back, she reasoned. It's not like I stole it! She eased her conscience with that thought.

As Mom read the paper that afternoon, she gave an exclamation of surprise. "Mr. Mullins died," she said.

"Who's he?" asked Jennifer.

Mom put the paper down. "He's someone I knew long before you were born," she said. "When I was a little girl, we raised chickens and sold eggs. One day a man came to buy eggs. After he left, I noticed he had given me a five dollar bill instead of a one. I knew I should return his money, but I didn't do it. Well, the years went by, and from time to time the memory of the money I owed to that man came back to disturb me. Finally, I asked God to forgive me, and He did. In fact, He did even more than that. He allowed me to find that man and repay what I owed him."

"And it was Mr. Mullins?" asked Jennifer when Mom paused.

Mom nodded. "After I repaid the money, I forgot all about it until just now. Believe me, Jennifer, if the Lord pricks your conscience about anything you've done, it will save you a lot of distress if you make it right immediately."

Jennifer had a huge lump in her throat, and tears were
in her eyes. She knew what she must do. I'll never be able to enjoy a snowcone
tomorrow, she thought. I'm going to go and give the money
back.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you kept money or a toy that isn't really yours? Have you told a lie, cheated, or disobeyed-and thought you got away with it? Does it make you feel guilty or uneasy from time to time? It should! God gave you a conscience to make you aware of wrong things. If you're a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you. Zacchaeus made "wrong" things "right." You need to do that, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Confess your trespasses (sins) to one another, and pray for one another." James 5:16

[Soldier4Christ]

"You sure told old Frazier off," said Nick, laughing loudly

Daniel shrugged as he climbed on the school bus. "So he thinks I cheated on a test? Let him prove it! Just because he's the teacher . . ." Daniel's cocky expression finished the sentence. All the way home, he and Nick amused the others on the bus by relating how Daniel had "let old Frazier have it."

When Daniel got home, his little sister Sydnie greeted him eagerly. "Look, Danny," she said. "Mommy let me make an after-school snack for you." She proudly held out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Daniel reached for it, then paused. "Oh, yuck! Look at your hands, Sydnie!" he exclaimed. "They're filthy! I'm not eating that. I'll make my own."

As they all sat on the porch and ate ice cream treats later that evening, Nick came up the street. "Come have some ice cream," Daniel called, but he soon regretted giving the invitation.

"Daniel sure told old Frazier off in math class today," Nick said with a grin. "He's really good at that kind of thing!" Daniel poked his friend in the ribs, but it was too late. Word for word, Nick repeated the incident-and discovered Daniel's actions were not appreciated by his parents.

"Isn't Nick the boy you've been inviting to Sunday school?" asked Mom after Nick had left. "Didn't you say you've been witnessing to him?"

"Yeah, I try," said Daniel, "but he doesn't seem at all interested."

"No wonder," said Dad. "You offered the Bread of Life-Jesus-with 'dirty' hands."

"Dirty hands?" repeated Daniel. "My hands aren't dirty."

"I'm talking about 'spiritual hands'-your life," said Dad. "From what we just heard, I gather it hasn't been a very good testimony for the Lord lately."

"Remember the sandwich Sydnie fixed for you today?"
asked Mom. "When food is prepared with dirty hands, it's unappetizing. That's
true of spiritual food, too. When it's offered with 'dirty hands,' people are
likely to refuse it."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have your friends rejected your witness? That will surely happen sometimes, and when it does, it's a good idea to check up on yourself. Are your "spiritual hands" clean? In other words, are you living the way God wants you to live, or do you just talk about Him? Be sure your life backs up the testimony you give with your mouth.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8

[Soldier4Christ]

"Oh, here's a letter for me!" exclaimed Tawana as she came in from school. Putting her books on the table, she picked up the envelope. "There's no return address. Who's it from?"

Mom laughed. "Open it and find out," she said.

Tawana did, and the letter was from her cousin Cecilia. It told all about the wonderful week Cecilia was having at camp-swimming, boating, playing games, taking part in skits. "Camp didn't cost me anything," wrote Cecilia. "I learned 300 Bible verses for Sunday school, and got to go for free."

"I wish our Sunday school had a plan like that," murmured Tawana. "I'd learn verses, too, if I could go to camp free."

"Memorizing verses to win a week at camp is fine," replied Mom, "but there's an even better reason to learn them. God can use them to teach you how to handle various things that happen in your life." Tawana wasn't sure. "Tell you what," said Mom, "I'll give you a list of verses to work on. Start learning them, and see what happens," Mom challenged.

"Okay," agreed Tawana, and in the next few days, she was surprised to see how quickly she could memorize verses when she really tried.

One day as Tawana walked to her friend Anita's house, a big dog started following her. She caught her breath-it seemed friendly, but she was afraid of dogs! Suddenly she remembered a Bible verse. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. She kept saying the verse over and over, and soon her fears were quieted.

As the girls played that day, Laura said some unkind things about another girl. Tawana was ready to agree and add her own comments when another verse came to her mind. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. Tawana bit her tongue and quietly told Laura she would really rather talk about something else.

"Mom, you were right," Tawana called out when she
arrived back home. "There are good reasons for learning verses, other than just
to go to camp."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you learn Bible verses even if nobody promises a reward for doing so? It's nice to receive rewards from people, but it's even more important to receive God's help in your daily life. Learn Scripture verses for that purpose. Try learning the Key Verse with each day's story in Keys for Kids. If that seems too much, start by picking one verse a week, and say it each day for that whole week.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11

[Soldier4Christ]

"Help! Help!" Todd screamed as his home-made raft rushed down the swiftly moving river toward the falls. He and his friends had built the raft and tied it to a sturdy elm tree. They often used it as an imaginary "tug-boat on the Mississippi." However, the rope had become badly frayed. When Todd jumped on the raft this time, the rope snapped, and the raft lunged out from the river's edge and headed rapidly downstream toward Drop-Off Point-a place where the river plunged fifty feet. Thinking someone might see him, Todd waved his arms frantically and yelled loudly.

Someone did see him! Todd's father was driving home on the road along the river. As he came around a curve, he saw something spinning around in the river quite a ways upstream. That looks like a raft, he thought, and there's someone on it. Quickly stopping the car, he kicked off his shoes and headed for the water. He was a strong swimmer, and he stroked toward the middle of the river and waited for the raft to reach him. How surprised he was to see his own son on it! Dad knew he would never be able to stop the heavy raft, so he called out, "Todd . . . jump! Jump, and I'll save you!"

Todd looked at the sturdy raft, and then at his father in the swiftly moving water. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave the raft, but he knew it would almost surely mean death if he didn't! He leaped into the surging water, and his father caught his arm. With strong, sure strokes, Dad towed him back to shore.

As they were drying off at home, Dad said, "You know,
you taught me something today. You had to quit trusting that raft and just trust
me to save you, right?" Todd nodded. "Well," said Dad thoughtfully, "my boss at
work has been telling me I have to quit trusting in my good works and just trust
Jesus to save me from my sins. He showed me that the Bible says we're all headed
for sure death, and we can't save ourselves. Just like you had to be willing to
jump and trust me to save you, we have to be willing to 'leap out' by faith and
trust Jesus to save us from our sins."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ? God says you're a sinner, and sin brings death-eternal death. But Jesus suffered that death for you, and by simply trusting Him, you can be rescued and receive eternal life. Accept Him as your Savior today!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

[Soldier4Christ]

While helping his grandfather in the garden, Aaron saw a strange-looking stone, full of tiny holes. "Look," said Aaron. "It almost looks like this stone is rotting away. Hey-maybe it's a fossil. We learned about them at school."

Grandpa took the stone and looked it over. "I think you're right," he agreed. "So what did you learn about fossils?"

"We learned that when a living thing, like a plant or an animal, is buried in mud or clay for years and years, the material around it hardens as time goes by," replied Aaron. "Then the plant or animal dissolves away, leaving openings right in the hardened material. Those openings are exactly the shape of the plant or animal that has disappeared." He looked at the stone again. "I think there was a plant in this one. There's a leaf-shape here." Grandpa nodded, and Aaron continued. "This has gotta be real old-I guess it's as old as the hills." He looked at Grandpa. "That's what people always say," added Aaron with a grin. "How old is that?"

"We don't know for sure," answered Grandpa. "But God knows, because He existed long before the earth or anything in it."

"Yeah. He's older'n anybody, isn't He?" asked Aaron. "Even older than Jesus."

Grandpa disagreed. "No," he said, "Jesus is God, too. He was right there when the earth was made. Jesus, along with God the Father, made the earth and everything in it."   

"But Jesus was born in Bethlehem," objected Aaron.

"Yes, He was born as a baby many years after the earth was made, but before that, Jesus was up in heaven," explained Grandpa. "He is eternal. That means He has no beginning and no ending, because He is God."

"That's hard for me to understand," said Aaron.

"For me, too." Grandpa nodded. "But God said it, so I
believe it."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is it hard for you to understand things about God? This is true for everyone. As you grow older, you'll learn more and more, but there will be many things you won't understand until you get to heaven. Until that day, study God's Word and simply believe what He says.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him nothing was made that was made." John 1:3

[Soldier4Christ]

"Grandma, this isn't the way it really happened," complained Jessica as she held up her school newspaper. "I wrote this story, but they changed it!" Jessica thrust the paper toward Grandma.

"I'm sorry, honey," said Grandma, "but sometimes people change our stories. They think they're making them better. Sometimes they twist or leave out our words."

"But you can't change the facts," protested Jessica, "and they did. Amanda isn't my sister-she's my cousin. And we weren't coloring, either!. "

""Well, I guess that goes to show that you can't always believe what you read," said Grandma. She handed the paper back to Jessica. "But there's one book you can read and know that whatever it says is true. Do you know what book that is?"

Jessica nodded. "The Bible," she said confidently. "We learned John 17:17 in Bible Club. It says, 'Your Word is truth.' We talked about how the Bible is always true."

"Good!" Grandma smiled. "How else do you know God's Word is true-other than by the verse you quoted?"

"Well . . . I learned that things predicted in the Bible a long, long time ago have actually happened, down to the littlest details," replied Jessica. "Old Testament prophets told how Jesus would be born-and it happened exactly the way they said it would. And archeologists have dug up cities mentioned in the Bible . . . and . . . and . . . I just know in my heart it's true."

"That's because God the Holy Spirit helps you," Grandma
explained, giving Jessica a hug. "News reports quite often state something
wrong, but the Bible never does. We can always believe what it
says."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Whom do you rely on for truth? Your friends? Do they always tell the truth? Newspaper, television, or radio reporters? Your teachers? Respect them-they're in authority, but even they can be wrong. How about yourself? Do you always tell the truth? Be wise about whom you believe. God always tells the truth. Whatever He says in His Word-the Bible-is correct.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Your Word is truth." John 17:17

[Soldier4Christ]

Devin sat on the back porch, a pocket knife in one hand and a block of wood in the other. He studied the wood intently. After looking at it from all angles, he began to carve. He worked for quite a long time, and the shape of a duck began to emerge from what had been a plain block of wood.

"What are you working on?" Startled, Devin looked up. He had been concentrating so hard on his carving that he hadn't heard his grandfather's approach. Devin held out the block of wood for Grandpa to inspect.

Grandpa turned it over and over in his hands. "You're doing a good job," he said, handing back the half-finished duck. "Before you know it, the duck that's in your mind is what you'll be holding in your hands."

"I guess so," said Devin, "if I don't make a mistake and goof it up-or quit. I really like carving, but I wish it didn't take so long." He sighed. "A chip off here, another off there . . . it seems to take forever."

"Oh, I hope you won't quit," said Grandpa quickly. "I know it's a slow process, but the only way to get it right is to chip off just a little at a time." After a moment he added, "Aren't you glad God doesn't quit chipping away when He's working in our lives?"

"What do you mean, Gramps?" asked Devin. He smiled. His grandfather was always weaving God into their conversations.

"God sees in us what we can be-what we can develop into-just like you see a special object in a block of wood. Little by little, God shows us things that need to be dropped from our lives-chipped away to make us more like Him," explained Grandpa. "I guess you could say He's carving our lives, changing us a little at a time."

"And we're only partly finished, too, aren't we?" asked Devin with a grin as he looked at the half-finished duck he held.

Grandpa nodded. "Yes," he said. "The more we trust and
obey God, the more we become the person He wants us to be. He isn't finished
with us yet!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are there bad habits in your life that need to be chipped away? Obey God when He shows you what's right to do, and avoid the things He shows you to be wrong. Yield to Him as He works in your life. Be willing to make any changes necessary for you to be more like Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Continue in the things which you have learned." 2 Timothy 3:14

[Soldier4Christ]

Lauren's whole body shook with sobs. "Oh, honey," said Aunt Maria, comforting her, "see if you can stop crying so you can tell me what's wrong."

With great effort, Lauren did her best to control her crying. Her breath caught in her throat as she said, "Dad and Mom just told me they're getting a divorce. I think it's all my fault." Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

Aunt Maria put her arms around Lauren. "I can understand how hurt you are, but you must not blame yourself, Lauren. Your behavior had nothing to do with your parents' divorce."

"But if I had been a better daughter, maybe Dad and Mom would have gotten along," Lauren answered. "I haven't kept my room clean, and I haven't always obeyed them. I've caused them trouble and made them worry."

"Many children feel that way," said Aunt Maria, "but believe me, it's not your fault. You certainly should obey and be as helpful and cheerful as you can, but even if you failed to do that, it's not the cause of the divorce."

"Are you sure?" asked Lauren tearfully.

"Absolutely!" replied Aunt Maria. "I know you're hurting because of this, but blaming yourself won't help anyone." She picked up her Bible from the coffee table, and turned the pages. "God has some comforting words for those whose hearts hurt deeply. Here in Ezekiel, chapter thirty-four, it says, 'I will bind up that which was broken.' You're 'broken' now, honey. Your spirit hurts worse than your body. But God has promised to bind up your hurts."

Lauren wiped her eyes. "How will He do that?" she asked.

"Among other things, God will put into your life people-me and others-who will help you through this hard time," said Aunt Maria. "Pray every day, and read your Bible so He can help you by reminding you of His love. Little by little, you'll begin to feel better. Shall we pray together right now?"

Lauren nodded. Although she still felt very sad, she
prayed quietly while Aunt Maria prayed aloud.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you hurting because your parents are divorced? If you're blaming yourself for that, don't! It's something between only them. Divorce is not fun for anyone. Pray for healing for your parents, for their marriage, and for yourself and others who've been hurt by what's happened. God will help you through the hurting time if you'll trust Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3

[Soldier4Christ]

Michael's heart was heavy as he trudged down the road. Maybe I should run away-I bet nobody would even notice I was gone, he thought to himself.

 Lately, Michael had felt left out and alone in his family. When his older brother, Joe, got a home run in a ball game or an "A" on a report card, Mom and Dad made a big fuss over him. They were excited and happy. But when Michael did something special, it seemed like Dad or Mom just said, "I remember when your brother did that two years ago." Michael's younger sister, Elsa, got even more attention. Everyone in the family, including Grandma and Grandpa, always said how cute she looked in her pretty little outfits. They lovingly teased her about her curly hair, and they laughed at the cute things she said.

But . . . Michael sighed, no one thinks there's anything special about me. I'm just . . . well . . . just there.

Michael's thoughts were interrupted by someone crying. Glancing ahead, he saw a small boy standing beside a bike. "What's the matter?" asked Michael.

"I'm st-st-stuck," the boy answered through his tears.

Michael bent down to look and saw that the little boy's pants was caught in his bicycle chain. "I got stuck like that once," said Michael. "I think I can help you." He carefully worked with the material and chain. "Got it!" he exclaimed after a few minutes. "But your pants is a little dirty."

"Oh-h-h, thanks," the boy said, sounding very much relieved. He looked up at Michael with admiration. "You're great!"

Michael began to whistle as he walked on. Maybe I'm
important after all, he thought. I can do things that help others, and then God
is pleased with me. That's most important of all. And . . . He remembered a few
nice things his parents had said to him. I guess sometimes Mom and Dad are
pleased with me, too.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you felt left out or unimportant? Kids sometimes feel that way, even when it's not so. And remember-you're important to God. So important that He sent Jesus to die for you so you could become a part of His special family. And so important that He even numbers the hairs on your head. He delights in each one of His children. He rejoices over you-you are very special to Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"God . . . will rejoice over you with gladness." Zephaniah 3:17

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom! Pepper sharpened his claws on the couch again!" called Debbie as she and her friend Tosha went into the family room to play a game.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Mom, coming in and inspecting the couch. "If we keep that cat, we're going to have him declawed!"

"We are going to keep him, aren't we?" cried Debbie.

"When did you get him?" asked Tosha. "I didn't even know you had a cat!"

"When Mom went to the corner store a few days ago, it was raining," replied Debbie, "and there was this wet kitten, meowing. The store clerk said he was a stray who needed a home, so Mom brought him back with her." Debbie picked up Pepper and stroked his fur. "He was trembling all over from being cold and wet and scared."

"Poor thing," said Tosha.

Debbie nodded. "We rubbed him down with a soft towel and fed him," she said. "Now he has a home and a family who loves him." She laughed and spoke to the cat. "You should be more grateful and not scratch the furniture."

Mom smiled. "Well, Pepper is just a cat," she said, "but we humans can be just as ungrateful sometimes."

"Who? Not us," protested Debbie, pretending to have her feelings hurt.

"Yes," said Mom, "all of us! I'm sure you both know we were in much worse shape than Pepper before we were saved. We were sinners with no hope. Then Jesus came, adopted us, and gave us a brand new life. In spite of that, we still do wrong things sometimes. You'd think we'd be more grateful."

The girls nodded. "We'll do better," declared Tosha, "won't we, Debbie?"

"Right," agreed Debbie. "After all, it's Thanksgiving time. We'll thank God-first for saving us, and then for all the other good things He gives us."

"Good!" said Mom. "Let's be sure to do that-not only on
Thanksgiving Day, but every day of the year. Most of all, let's depend on Him
for the power to show our gratitude by our actions as well as our
words."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you thankful for all God has done for you? Do you show Him you're grateful by doing the things that please Him and turning away from those that don't? Thank God for the sacrifice Jesus made for you. Thank Him for daily blessings. Thank Him that, through the Holy Spirit, He's given you power over sin. Show by both actions and words that you are grateful to God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1

[Soldier4Christ]

"It'll take a lot of work to fix up this dresser," said Mom as she handed Molly the sandpaper, "but I'm glad we bought it. It's old, but it will be beautiful once we've refinished it. You'll see when it's done, honey."

Molly nodded as she inspected her mother's latest flea market purchase-a beat-up antique dresser. Then she began pulling the drawers out to clean them. When she removed the second drawer, she heard something fall inside the dresser. She peered into the dark interior and pulled out an envelope. The flap was unsealed, and on the front was one word: "Harriet."

"Look at this, Mom," said Molly. "Someone left a letter in this dresser. Should we try to give it back? There's no address."

"Maybe there's something inside that will identify the owner," suggested Mom, "but that envelope looks very old, so I doubt we could locate her."

Molly pulled out the letter and began reading. It mentioned a couple of names and events, but there wasn't a single clue as to Harriet's identity-nor to the identity of the writer. "Letters don't make a lot of sense if you don't know the people they're written to or who they're from," observed Molly. "Probably the only person in the world who would have understood anything in this letter was Harriet, whoever she was. Or maybe if you knew the author, you'd know what he was talking about."

Mom nodded and smiled. "Yes . . . and you know what that
makes me think of? It reminds me of people who think the Bible doesn't make
sense. Their problem is they don't know the Author. The Bible is like a letter
from God to us. We can understand it only when we have a personal relationship
with Him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is the Bible a mystery to you? Do you have a hard time understanding it? Perhaps that's because you don't know the Author-God-but you can know Him! Trust Jesus as your Savior, and then get to know Him better by reading the Bible, which is His letter to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Timothy 3:16

[Soldier4Christ]

Aaron sat down and turned on the computer. As he waited, lines of gibberish flashed across the monitor. "Brian!" Aaron called for help from his older brother-the family computer whiz. "The computer's acting weird, and I have to do my report."

Brian came into the room and gave the computer some commands. After a moment, he frowned. "Can you use Garrett's computer?" he asked. "Ours has a virus, and it will take some time to fix it." Brian sighed. "I told Dad we needed an anti-virus program."

"That would have kept it from getting a virus, right?" asked Aaron.

Brian nodded. "It's a program to keep the computer from downloading destructive stuff in e-mail or from the Internet," he said.

Aaron went to check with Garrett, who lived down the street. "Help yourself," agreed Garrett when Aaron asked if he could use Garrett's computer.

"That's not homework," said Aaron as he watched Garrett clear his Bible and papers off the desk. "What were you doing?"

"Typing Bible verses I'm trying to memorize," said Garrett. "I print them on cards or stickers and put them where I'll see them during the day."

"What good does it do to learn all those verses," asked Aaron. "You could just as well read them from the Bible."

"Well . . . I have to learn some for Bible club and Sunday school," said Garett. "Besides, haven't you heard the verse about hiding God's Word in our hearts so we won't sin? Like . . . if I hear bad words or jokes, I'll hopefully remember the verses that say to think about good things. If I do that, the bad stuff won't stick in my mind."

"I guess those verses are kind of like your own personal anti-virus program if they keep your brain from down-loading bad stuff," suggested Aaron with a grin."

"That's it!" agreed Garrett, "and you know first hand
how important that can be, so you better start learning verses,
too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does your brain need some "anti-virus protection"? How many times a day are you exposed to ungodly words and ideas? How often are you tempted to say or do something wrong? God provided His "anti-virus" protection long before computers were invented. It's called the Word of God-the Bible. How about downloading some Bible verses into your life today?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11

[Soldier4Christ]

"This is going to be so pretty!" exclaimed Maggie as she helped her grandmother work on a quilt. "Mindy will love this!" The quilt was to be a wedding gift for Maggie's cousin.

Grandma smiled. "Each square is cut from one of Mindy's old shirts or dresses," she said. "I plan to make this kind of quilt for all of you kids." She stood up. "Come along . . . I'll show you something." She led Maggie to the storage room and opened a box half full of cloth squares.

Maggie recognized the material of some of her favorite clothes . . . and she also saw squares made from some of her not-so-favorite ones. "These are to make a quilt for me?" she asked, and Grandma nodded. "Wow! I didn't even like the outfits some of the those pieces come from, but when I see all the squares lying together in the box like that, they look great!" Maggie was amazed at how Grandma could take old, useless, outgrown clothes and make something lovely from them.

"You know, Maggie," said Grandma as they returned to their work, "our lives are something like patchwork quilts. God sees all the pieces of our lives-the good and the bad. As we surrender ourselves to Him, He cuts, shapes, and puts the pieces of our lives together to make something beautiful."

As Grandma was talking, Maggie remembered some of the worst days of her life-the day her grandfather had died, the big fat zero she had gotten in math one day even after she had studied hard, and the way her best friend had snubbed her just a few days ago. Maggie was sure God was the only one who could make something good out of those pieces of her life.

"God even takes the things we think are terrible and
uses them to make our overall lives more beautiful," added Grandma, almost as if
she knew what Maggie was thinking. Maggie nodded. She didn't understand how God
would do it, but she knew she could trust Him with all of her
days.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does it seem like no good could come from some things happening in your life? Maybe you came in last at the track meet, or maybe one of your friends lied about you. Maybe someone you love is sick. Whatever it is, let Jesus take all of the "bad," blend it in with the "good," and use it to make your life beautiful. Trust Him to do that.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, ÊÊand He delights in his way." Psalm 37:23