Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"I can't wait to get started skating," said Jenny as she and her father reached the lake a few blocks from their home.

Dad smiled. "Well, you'll have to wait a little longer," he said. "I want to check the ice before you go out on it. Wait here." Jenny put on her skates while Dad slowly moved along edge of the lake, examining the ice.

Becoming restless, Jenny stepped out and began gliding toward the middle of the lake. There was suddenly a loud creaking and groaning. "Jenny! Stop right there. Hold still!" Dad rushed back to the spot where he had left her. "Lie down on the ice," he called. "Quickly!" Jenny was very frightened, but she did as her dad said. "Okay, " he called, "now creep toward shore-creep very slowly." Jenny felt more like getting up and hurrying off the ice, but she obeyed her dad. When she finally reached shore, she was trembling from cold and fright. Dad put an arm around her until she'd calmed down. "If you had waited, I'd have told you the ice wasn't thick enough," he said gently.

"I'm s-s-s-sorry. I didn't m-mean to get so far out, but the ice l-l-l-looked thick enough!" stuttered Jenny as she removed her skates and pulled on her boots.

"You can't always know what something is like by looking at it, Jenny," said Dad. "C'mon. Let's get home and have some hot chocolate."

As they were walking home, Dad remembered a conversation they'd had earlier. "Jenny," he said, "when we were on our way to the lake, you told me you haven't yet met the girl who just moved in across the street, but you've seen her and are sure you won't like her, right?" Jenny nodded. "You decided the ice was safe just by looking at it, but you were wrong," added Dad. "Do you think you might be wrong about her, too?"

"Maybe," admitted Jenny. As they neared home, she turned to her father. "Dad, would you mind if I go across the street and introduce myself to that girl who moved in there?"

"Actually, I think I'll come with you and meet her
parents," replied Dad.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you decide what people are like just by looking at them? The Bible says God looks beyond people's outward appearance and sees their hearts. Follow His example. Don't judge kids by the color of their skin or hair or by the way they dress. The way they think and believe and act and speak are the important things. Get to know them. Find out what they're really like.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

[Soldier4Christ]

Jessica's hands skillfully peeled the skin off a peach. Then she passed the fruit to her mother, who slit it with a knife, broke it apart, and removed the pit. "Too bad peaches don't grow around here all year long," said Jessica with a sigh. "Then we wouldn't have to do all this canning."

"That would be nice," agreed Mom as she cut another peach in half. "But just thinking of the enjoyment we'll get from eating these peaches next winter makes this job more pleasant. We'll have enough peaches stored up to last till after the cold weather is gone."

"That thought does help-a little," said Jessica as she slid the skin from another peach. "A very little!"

"Did you know that Jesus talked about storing up things?" asked Mom.

"Oh, Mom!" exclaimed Jessica. She giggled. "Jesus didn't do any canning."

"I'm sure He didn't," replied Mom with a smile. "He was talking about storing up things in our hearts, not in cans."

"In our hearts?" asked Jessica. "Like Bible verses maybe?"

"Yes," agreed Mom. "He also talked about the thoughts and feelings we store up. Jesus said you can tell what a person has stored in his heart by the way he talks. Good thoughts and feelings about people and about God will be evident from the kind words we speak. It's as though our mouths overflow with whatever is stored up in us."

Jessica reached over to pick up a shriveled peach, and showed it to her mother. "Storing up bad thoughts would be like canning bad peaches," she said. "Yuck! Who would want to eat them? They should be thrown out."

"You're absolutely right," said Mom. "Let's get rid of
them as fast as we can!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What do people hear from the storehouse of your heart? Thinking of God's goodness and greatness, thinking of Bible verses, and thinking kind things about others will help you store up good things in your heart. That will, in turn, make a difference in the way you speak and act.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"A good man (person) out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good." Luke 6:45

[Soldier4Christ]

 Cool Tool or Destructive Weapon?

"I love this MP3 player that Aunt Caroline gave me for my birthday," said Chelsea as she tucked the earphone into her ear. "Now I can listen to my music anytime, anywhere, without bothering anyone else."

"I enjoy listening to music, too," said Mom. "It helps me worship God and encourages me to think about Him during the day while I'm working. Maybe I can borrow that when I go for my walks in the morning."

"No way! You better get your own," Chelsea protested. "My friends helped me download some music off the computer. You probably wouldn't like it. It's not music grownups usually listen to."

Mom held out her hand. "I'd like to listen just a bit." Reluctantly, Chelsea handed the MP3 player to her mother. After listening several minutes, Mom nodded. "Let's talk about your music," she suggested. "What attracts you to it?"

"My friends all listen to it," Chelsea stated. "It's fun. It's cool. I like that style."

"What about the words?" Mom asked. "Do you like them?"

Chelsea squirmed. "They're not so bad. Besides, I just ignore some of it. I don't have to listen to Christian music all the time, do I?"

"No. Some secular music is very enjoyable," agreed Mom, "but we do need to remember what God says in Philippians 4:8. He commands us to think about things that are rooted in righteousness, purity, truth, and virtue." She looked at the MP3 player. "This music doesn't meet God's standard," added Mom. "Everyone has different style preferences, but no matter what type of music you like, the message is crucial. It's a very important part of any music."

"I . . . I suppose I should pay more attention to the words," admitted Chelsea.

Mom nodded. "We should not listen to music that fills our minds with ungodly thoughts and lies." She held out the MP3 player. "This little device is a cool tool, but it can become a dangerous weapon to destroy our sense of right and wrong. We must choose wisely."

Chelsea hesitated. "Mom," she said at last, "you want to learn how to download music? You can help me replace these songs with some new ones that meet God's standard."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you careful about the music you choose to listen to? There are many songs with nice tunes, but the words or messages may be evil. Listen to the words to determine if they are lies or truth. Music is a powerful tool that can be used to encourage your spiritual growth, or it can be destructive as it influences your thought life and behavior. Choose music that will focus your thoughts on what is good, true, lovely, honest, and praiseworthy.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19

[Soldier4Christ]

Alicia sat at the window of her grandmother's house, watching birds at the feeder in the back yard. "Look, Grandma!" she called. "A squirrel climbed up there, and he's taking the food you put out for the birds. They all left."

"I know," said Grandma. "It almost seems like it's a 'first come, first served' event." Alicia wanted the birds-especially the beautiful red cardinals-to get the food, so she watched to see what would happen.

The squirrel sat eating for a long time. Mourning doves came, but the squirrel sat erect and made a loud noise that frightened them away. Blue jays flitted around the feeder and tried to get the seeds that had been put out for them. Though they scolded at the squirrel, it made little or no difference. He refused to move. Woodpeckers approached the area. One perched on a branch just above the feeder; another sat on top of the birdbath. The squirrel ignored the sounds they made. Then the woodpeckers flew to the feeder and began to eat. The squirrel seemed surprised and moved slightly to one side. The woodpeckers continued to make loud sounds and edged closer and closer to the squirrel until he left, leaving the feeder available to all the other birds.

"Wow!" exclaimed Alicia. "That squirrel is bigger than the birds, so he sat right there and wasn't going to let any birds get their birdseed. I'm glad those woodpeckers chased him away."

Alicia's grandmother nodded. "That squirrel's behavior
reminds me of some of Satan's tricks," she said. "Satan doesn't want Christians
to get to their spiritual food-the Bible. So he puts all sorts of things in the
way. Sometimes it's schoolwork, sometimes it's friends, and sometimes it's even
church activities. But the Lord is stronger than Satan. He will provide
opportunities to spend time in His Word and to learn about Him. It's up to us to
watch for them and take advantage of those times-to 'eat' and grow spiritually
as we listen to God and do what He says."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you get to your spiritual "feeder" each day? Or does Satan help you find excuses to not read your Bible? Does he show you reasons to skip Bible club or Sunday school where God's Word is taught? Ask God to help you, even in planning the hours of your day, so that you'll learn from His Word and receive spiritual food regularly.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." Psalm 119:16

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can I go look around in that antique store, Mom?" asked Marcy, referring to a store that had recently opened a short distance from her home.

"I'll go with you," decided Mom, so they set off.

At the store, Marcy saw all sorts of interesting things-old bottles and jars, antique oil lamps, old dishes and cooking utensils. The walls were lined with shelves holding old books and knickknacks. While her mother looked at them, Marcy walked over to get a closer look at some dolls.

One of the dolls looked really ancient. It had tin eyes that were scratched, the paint on its wooden body was peeling, part of its mohair wig was gone, and it wore old, tattered clothes. Marcy looked at the card tied around the doll's arm and gasped when she saw the price. "I can't believe anyone would pay so much for an old beat-up doll like this," she said in a near whisper.

The owner of the store, who stood nearby, heard her comment. "That doll may not look so good anymore," he said, "but it's very old, and that makes it valuable to a doll collector." Marcy nodded and moved on.

"Those dolls were so old and expensive!" exclaimed Marcy as she and her mother walked home. "Maybe they once belonged to some of the old ladies we see when we visit at the nursing home-but I think they were even older than that."

"Older and expensive, but not as valuable as the people we visit," said Mom. "Those old folks are getting worn-out too, but they're still special and precious."

Marcy smiled. "Like Mrs. Murphy?" she asked. "I always learn a lot from her stories about when she was growing up on a farm."

"And I especially value her prayers for our family," said Mom. "Those people are very valuable to God, too. His Word reminds us that we need to honor our elders. I hope we'll always remember to do that."

 Marcy nodded. "I better take good care of my dolls,
too," she said. "Then maybe they'll be really valuable someday-but not as
valuable as people, of course."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you see value and worth in old people? Do you honor and respect them as you should? Thank God right now for all the elderly people you know. They are of more value than any prized antique. Listen to them and learn from the experiences and wisdom God has given them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God." Leviticus 19:32

[Soldier4Christ]

"Look over there, Elliott-under those tall weeds!" said Becca as she and her brother explored behind the barn at their new home in the country. She pointed to some plants. "Are those tomatoes?" she asked.

"They look like 'em to me," replied Elliott.

Elliott and Becca began pulling up weeds that had grown more than waist high. To their surprise and delight, they found other vegetables as well as the tomatoes. "Cool!" exclaimed Becca. "Let's show Mom and Dad!"

"How about that!" said Mom when the kids took their parents to see the hidden garden. "Somebody must have planted a garden here earlier this year, but it obviously hasn't been cared for in a long time. I didn't know these plants were here. I could only see the weeds."

Dad nodded. "How would you kids like to be in charge of this garden?" he asked. "It will take work. You'll need to water the vegetables-and those weeds will come back if you let them."

"We won't let them!" declared Elliott, and Becca nodded eagerly. "We'll hoe and pull weeds and water our garden. You'll see!"

Dad smiled. "Good!" He looked pleased. "You know
something? Our hearts are a little like gardens," he added thoughtfully. "When
we trust Christ as Savior, He forgives our sins and gives us the Holy Spirit,
who produces such things as happiness, joy, patience, and self-control in the
gardens of our hearts. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, He keeps the weeds of sin
from taking over again."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What's in the garden of your heart? Is the fruit of the Spirit growing there? (See today's Scripture.) Are there weeds of sin-things like lies, cheating, disobedience, or selfishness? Don't allow those things to grow and cover up the fruit God wants you to have. Confess sin immediately in order to renew the joy of your salvation and your fellowship with the Lord.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"You shall be like a watered garden." Isaiah 58:11

[Soldier4Christ]

Anthony played all afternoon with a friend who lived down the street. When Mom called him home for supper, Anthony came in whistling a happy tune. Mom smiled. "You certainly are in a good mood this evening," she said. "Did you and Seth enjoy your day together?"

"We sure did!" exclaimed Anthony. "I just spent the whole afternoon with my very best friend in the whole wide world."

"I see," said Mom. "How do you know he's your very best friend in the whole wide world?"

Anthony thought a moment. "Well, we always have fun playing games or talking or just hanging around," he replied. "We help each other, and we cheer each other up when we're feeling bad. We'd rather spend time together than with any of the other guys. That shows we're best friends."

Mom nodded. "You know what?" she said in a quiet, gentle voice. "You just described my relationship with my best friend, too-except for one thing. My best friend did something extra special for me a long time ago. Something no other best friend could ever do."

"Really? What did your friend do for you?" wondered Anthony.

Mom smiled. "Because my best friend loved me so much, He died for me so I can spend eternity with Him."

"Oh! You're talking about Jesus, aren't you?" asked Anthony. "I never really thought about Him as a best friend."

"He'll be your best friend if you let Him," said Mom. "You can do some of the same kinds of things with Jesus that you like to do with Seth. You can include Jesus in everything you do. He's always there for you, just like a best friend."

"Yeah, He is, isn't He?" said Anthony thoughtfully. He
grinned. "I guess Seth won't mind much if he's only my second best friend,
especially after I tell him who my very best friend in the whole wide world
really is," he said. "And I'll tell him I don't mind if he makes Jesus his best
friend, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a best friend? Friends are special blessings-especially Christian friends. They have wonderful times together. Even more special is the friendship you may have with Jesus. He wants to be your friend, and He's the most faithful friend you can ever have. Make Him your very best friend.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hey, Mom, I'm home," Nate called as he bounced through the back door.

Mom greeted him with a smile. "How did school go today?"

"Okay, I guess," Nate replied. "We had a spell-down, though, and I goofed on the word 'martyr.' I spelled it m-a-r-t-e-r."

"Do you know what a martyr is?" Mom asked.

"Sure." Nate nodded. "A martyr is anyone who has given his life for what he believes. We learned in Sunday school that the first Christian martyr was Stephen. He was stoned for preaching the Gospel. We don't have any martyrs today, though, do we? Christian martyrs, I mean."

"Indeed we have!" exclaimed Mom. "I read somewhere that there have been more Christian martyrs in the last century than in all the centuries before!"

"There have?" Nate was surprised. "But why would anyone kill Christians?"

"In some countries, godless leaders and governments don't allow Christians to openly teach and practice their faith," said Mom. "Christians in those places are often arrested-or killed. That's happening even today."

"Have you known any martyrs?" Nate wanted to know.

"Well, when I was a kid, five brave young men and their families tried to take the Gospel to an uncivilized tribe in the jungles of Ecuador," replied Mom. "One of those men was from the church I grew up in. When they attempted to make a friendly contact with the natives, all five were killed."

"How terrible!" Nate shuddered. "It seems like such a waste. Couldn't God have kept that from happening?"

"Yes, He could have," said Mom, "but do you know what
happened after those men were martyred? Hundreds of young people who heard about
it dedicated their lives for Christian service. Later, other missionaries were
able to go to that tribe, and some of the very men who led the attack were won
to Christ." Mom smiled at Nate. "God's plan wasn't the same as that of those
five men, but He didn't allow their lives to be wasted."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Would you be willing to die for Christ? From man's point of view, such loss of life sometimes seems a waste, but God has a purpose in all He allows. He promises to honor those who are faithful. Will you trust God and give yourself wholly to Him, willing to live for Him or to die for Him?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." Luke 9:24

[Soldier4Christ]

Thwack! The baseball sailed over the outfield fence! "Home run . . . home run . . . home run," the crowd chanted as Jacob trotted around the bases, feeling like a real winner. The scoreboard flashed the winning run, and Jacob's teammates bounded onto the field.

On the way home, Jacob and his dad stopped to celebrate with double fudge ice cream cones. As they went into the ice cream shop, Jacob's friend Lance was coming out. Lance didn't stop to talk. "You know, Dad," said Jacob, "ever since I invited Lance to church and Sunday school and tried to talk to him about God, he's been avoiding me." Jacob sighed. "I think I might as well give up. I never know the right things to say, anyway."

Dad rubbed his chin as he thought about Jacob's problem. "Do you remember how you felt when you first started to play baseball?" asked Dad.

"Yeah." Jacob grinned. "I was pretty bad, wasn't I? I didn't think I'd ever learn to hit the ball."

"And what did you do to get better at batting?" Dad asked.

"Well . . ." Jacob thought for a minute. "I got glasses," he said, "so now I can see the ball."

Dad laughed. "That probably helped a lot," he agreed. "Anything else?"

"I practiced," said Jacob, "and I practiced and I practiced!"

Dad nodded. "A lot of things take practice-witnessing, for example," he said. "Most people feel like they don't know what to say at first, and they're nervous about how others will react. So keep practicing. When you feel discouraged by the way others respond, remember that God says His Word will accomplish its purpose."

"So I should try talking to Lance again?" asked Jacob.

"Sure." Dad nodded. "Why not?" he said. "You didn't give
up when you missed a baseball. Why give up when Lance turns you down? Pray about
it, and try again."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you willing to keep trying to win friends to Jesus? When they don't respond in the way you hoped, do you remember the promises God gives in the Bible? He says His Word will accomplish His purposes. He understands how you feel. Trust Him, and continue to witness to your friends.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"My word . . . shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

[Soldier4Christ]

Jeff, Brandon, and Steve sat on the steps in front of Meyer's Department Store. Each had bubble gum, and they were seeing who could blow the biggest bubbles. Splat! Brandon's great, big bubble popped, and he had gum on his face from ear to ear! "When I grow up, I'm gonna invent a bubble gum that doesn't stick to you when it pops!" he grumbled.

Jeff laughed. "I think someone already did," he said, "but I want to do something more important when I grow up. I think I'll be a pilot."

"And I'm gonna be a preacher," said Steve. He and Jeff waited to hear what Brandon wanted to be, but he remained silent. "How about you, Brandon? What will you be instead of a bubble gum inventor?" Steve prompted.

"I don't know." Brandon shrugged. "I haven't given it much thought."

Just then Pastor Hawkins walked up. "Hey, there, boys!" he greeted them. "You look in deep thought this beautiful morning."

"We're talking about what we're going to be when we grow up," Steve told him, "but Brandon here hasn't got any plans!"

"Yeah." Jeff grinned. "I guess he's just gonna be a useless bum."

Pastor Hawkins smiled. "Oh, I doubt that," he said. "You know, I plant lots of things in my garden. At the end of each row, I put a marker to show what I've planted, because when things first come up, I often can't tell whether they're green beans, wax beans, peas, or something else. But when they're bigger, I can tell what they are. That's the way it is with kids, too. Most of them don't know right away what they'll do when they grow up."

"How do they decide?" Brandon wanted to know.

"Well, all kids are different. Some can work problems
better than others. Some are stronger than others. Some can draw better than
others," said Pastor Hawkins. "One way God helps us know what we should be is by
the talents and abilities He gives us. So, Brandon, don't worry if you don't
know yet what you'll be. Just be willing to be anything God wants you to
be."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you wonder what you'll be someday-whether you'll be married or single, a farmer or a doctor, or perhaps a scientist or teacher? Be willing to be whatever God wants you to be. If you'll let Him, He will lead you!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"(Be) fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11

[Soldier4Christ]

Tessa put her baby doll in its cradle. "Night-night," she said and covered the doll with a blanket. She set her Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls on a rocking chair and pushed them gently back and forth. "One, two, three dolls," she counted. "That's how many old I am-one, two, three."

Tessa's new puppy, Darby, bounded into the room. Quick as a wink, he snatched Raggedy Andy in his mouth and ran around the room. "No! No!" yelled Tessa, and she ran after Darby. "Bad puppy! Give back my dolly!" She caught hold of one of Raggedy Andy's arms, but Darby thought it was a game. He held on tight and shook his head back and forth. He pulled one way, and Tessa pulled the other way. There was a loud ripping sound. Andy's arm came off and the stuffing started to come out.

Tessa got the doll away from Darby just as her mother came to the door to see what was going on. "Mommy," said Tessa, "may I have a Band-Aid? Darby's naughty. He hurt Raggedy Andy!"

Mom looked at the doll. "A Band-Aid won't make Andy's arm better," she said. "I'll have to sew it back on."

"A Band-Aid made my finger better," said Tessa.

Mom shook her head. "The Band-Aid kept your sore finger clean," she said, "but it didn't heal the sore."

"Then how did I get better?" asked Tessa.

"God made you better. He created us in a wonderful way so that when our healthy bodies get hurt, they're able to fight the germs and infections," said Mom. She got a long piece of thread and put it through the eye of a sharp sewing needle. "We have Band-Aids and doctors to help us, but it's God who does the healing."

Tessa watched as her mother began to push the needle
back and forth through Raggedy Andy's arm and body. "I'm glad God makes me
better," said Tessa, "and you don't have to sew me!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you thank God for giving you a wonderful body? Thank Him for the doctors and medicine He often uses to help you when you're not well, but remember that it's God Who has the power to heal. Trust Him to heal you if that's what's best for you-and if not, continue to trust Him anyway, remembering that He loves you and knows what's best. Be sure to thank Him for His care for you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Psalm 103:2-3)
"Bless the Lord . . . who heals all your diseases."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Liar!" Tabitha clenched the receiver as she yelled into the phone. "You're a rotten liar! I hate you!" Tabitha slammed down the receiver.

"What was that all about?" asked Mom.

"Janelle said she wouldn't enter our art contest this year, but she did," Tabitha answered angrily. "I'd have won if she hadn't entered."

"But, honey, Janelle has as much right to enter the contest as you do," Mom reminded her. "I'm sure she enjoys winning, too."

"But she knows how much I wanted to win," wailed Tabitha, "and she said she wouldn't enter, but she did."

"That doesn't excuse the way you talked to her," said Mom. "You draw very beautifully, Tabitha, but calling people names is not beautiful."

"I don't care." Tabitha headed for her room. "She is a liar," she called back.

While Tabitha helped prepare supper that evening, her little sister Lori picked up a tube of biscuits. Suddenly . . . POP! A doughy mess oozed through the split in the tube. "Lori, what have you done?" Mom asked sternly as Lori's pudgy little fingers tried to push the dough back into the tube.

Tabitha laughed. "You can't put dough back after it's come out!" she said.

Just then Tabitha's brother came in. "I saw Janelle's sister," he said. "She told me you were mad at Janelle-but you shouldn't be. It was Janelle's sister who entered that picture in the contest. Janelle didn't even know about it. She was shocked when her name was announced."

Tabitha bit her lip. Oh, no! she thought. I wish I hadn't said those mean things to Janelle. Tabitha felt awful. "I . . . I didn't know. I'll . . . I'll a-apologize," she stammered.

"You need to do that," agreed Mom, "but you know, like
the biscuit dough that oozed out of the tube, words can't ever really be put
back. Perhaps that's why God warns us to be careful how we use our tongues." She
sighed. "I hope your hateful words haven't ruined your
friendship."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have unkind words or names popped out of your mouth? Have you been sorry about something said in anger, or perhaps simply said without thinking how it might hurt someone else? Have you wanted to take the words back? You can't do that . . . but you can and should apologize. Be sure to tell God you're sorry, too. Then follow His advice. Guard your mouth and tongue.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles." Proverbs 21:23

[Soldier4Christ]

Cammie moved a flower to a new location and carefully packed dirt around it. She remembered how careful she and Mom had been when they had transplanted flowers earlier. Even so, only a few of those had lived, so now Mom and Cammie were trying again.

"I hope these flowers do well this time," said Mom. "Let's make sure they get water and plant food when they need it."

Cammie nodded. "When we transplanted flowers before, it sure would have helped a lot if Ricky hadn't pulled some of them up, right along with the weeds," she remarked glumly. "I hope he'll be more careful if he weeds these."

"It wasn't just Ricky," said Mom. "Some of the flowers would have died, anyway. Some plants are harder than others to transplant successfully."

"I guess so," said Cammie as she finished with the last plant. Then she and her mother sat down on the porch step and looked over their work.

"They've got so many problems," added Mom.

Cammie lifted an eyebrow. "These flowers?" she asked.

"No!" Mom laughed. "I mean our foster kids-Ricky and Travis." The two brothers had recently joined Cammie's family. "They actually are a lot like these transplants," Mom said thoughtfully. "It's hard for kids to be moved out of their own home and into someone else's. They need a lot of special care. You can be a big help, Cammie. We talked about that before they came to live with us, remember?"

Cammie nodded. "I remember, but sometimes I still don't know what to do for them."

"Just continue to let them know we love and welcome
them," Mom answered. "Most of all, be sure to pray every day for them. God is
the only one who can make transplants bloom-whether they're kids or
flowers!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does someone you know seem to have a lot of problems? Do you wish you could help? You can! When you pray, God listens and helps. Maybe you have problems of your own. Pray about them, and ask others to pray for you, too. God acts when His children pray.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church." Acts 12:5

[Soldier4Christ]

"Where did Mom go?" asked Kaitlyn. She looked all around as she and Caleb made their way past the booths at the craft fair.

"She stopped at a booth back there," Caleb answered, "but she'll find us-or we'll find her. Don't worry." The two continued down the midway of the fairgrounds. "Mm-m-m. Do you smell what I smell?" Caleb asked.

"Smells like a bakery," Kaitlyn replied, "and there it is!" They walked up to the booth where delicious baked goods were displayed.

"Look at all those doughnuts, Kaitlyn," said Caleb. "And all those doughnut holes. I sure would like to have one!"

"We've spent all our money, remember?" Kaitlyn reminded her brother.

"Yeah, but the clerk's busy with those people over there," said Caleb. "We could just help ourselves to one. They won't miss one little doughnut hole."

"Caleb! Don't you dare take any!" warned Kaitlyn. "You know that would be stealing."

"But who would know?" teased Caleb. "I'm sure they didn't count every single doughnut hole. They'd never miss one."

"Maybe not," Kaitlyn admitted, "but God knows how many there are. After all, the Bible says even the hairs of our head are numbered!"

"Oh, so you were listening to the lesson at Bible club last week," said Caleb with a grin.

Kaitlyn looked at her brother. "Caleb! You never intended to take any at all!" she exclaimed. "You're just teasing-I can tell!"

Caleb laughed. "Yes, but let's go find Mom," he said.
"Maybe she'll let us have a little more money so we can buy a doughnut hole or
two."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you tempted to steal "little" things because you think no one will ever know? God doesn't say, "Don't steal big things." He says, "Don't steal." Whether you steal little doughnut holes or big, more important things, He knows what's going on. All stealing is wrong and matters to Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another." Leviticus 19:11

[Soldier4Christ]

While her mother went to get groceries, Carrie was supposed to wash the breakfast dishes and clean the kitchen. But it won't take long to do those few dishes, thought Carrie, so she sat down to enjoy a new book. It was almost noon before she suddenly remembered the work she had to do.

Carrie hurried to the kitchen and tackled the stack of dishes. She quickly ran the dishcloth across a plate. But egg yolk had dried on, and it didn't seem to wash off-it took a lot of rubbing before the plate was clean.

When Mom walked into the kitchen, Carrie was still scrubbing the plates. "I forgot all about the dishes," she confessed. "I got involved in my book and didn't realize how fast the time was going. Even then, I thought I'd be done before you got here, but this stuff doesn't want to come off!"

"That's because it got dried on," said Mom as she began to put groceries away. "You should have done your work first and read later."

"Right," agreed Carrie with a sigh as she continued working.

"Oh, well," said Mom after a few minutes, "look at the bright side. You've given me an illustration for my Sunday school class."

"Illustration?" Carrie asked. "What illustration?"

"I've been telling my girls it's important to trust in Christ right now," explained Mom. "Delay often makes things more difficult. The egg on these plates demonstrates that. If you had done the dishes right away, the egg yolk would have washed right off-but once it's set, it's difficult to remove. In life, people become set in their ways as they grow older, and then they often find it more difficult to simply accept Christ."

"So . . . that means it's dangerous to wait," suggested Carrie, "because people too set in their ways might never accept Him."

"You've got it," agreed Mom. "Pray with me that the
girls in my class will get the point, too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you put off giving your heart and life to Jesus? As a rule, the older people get, the harder it is for them to confess their sinful ways. You will probably be no exception to that rule. The Lord Jesus is waiting for you to come now. Confess your sin and believe in Him. Won't you do that today?


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