Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Mrs. Brimley unlocked the front door and walked wearily into her living room. Her husband was away on a trip to another city, hoping to find work, and it had been a long day for her at the department store where she worked. She was very tired and her feet hurt, but she still had to get supper for her children, who were staying with a sitter down the street.

She sniffed the air. Where is that good smell coming from? she wondered. As she walked into the kitchen, she noticed that the oven was turned on. She peeked in, and the delightful smell of potatoes and ham became stronger. Who could have done this? she wondered. She saw that the table was set and the breakfast dishes had been washed. Then she noticed a small card on the kitchen counter. It simply said, "I did it in the name of the Lord." There was no signature.

As the family ate the delicious supper that evening, Mom told the kids about the secret helper. "I bet Mrs. James did it," suggested Adam.

"No," said Kara. "How could she have gotten in? It must have been Gina, our sitter."

"But she was with us all day," argued Adam.

"I'd like to know who did it, too," said Mom, "but whoever did all this for us didn't want us to know who he or she is. It wasn't done for praise-or even to receive thanks. It was done as a service to God, and He'll give the reward. I, for one, am very grateful."

"Well, I'd want at least a thank you if I did all that work," insisted Kara.

"Me, too," agreed Adam.

Mom smiled. "It's nice to be appreciated for what we do, but which is better-a reward of thanks from people, or a reward from God?"

"Both would be nice," said Adam with a grin, "but I know
you're right. A reward from God is more important."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Could you do a kind deed for someone? Would you be willing to let God receive all the thanks and praise, and wait until you reach heaven to get your reward? Acts of Christian service done in secret often bring people's attention to God and His love and care. Why not be one of God's "secret servants"? Don't wait-try to think of a secret service project you can do today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:4

[Soldier4Christ]

"Jared! Get up!" Grandpa Blake called. "The sheep are coming!" Jared instantly jumped out of bed, pulled on his jeans and shirt, and grabbed his camera. His grandparents had talked about the sheep ever since Jared arrived at their Montana cabin, and he was eager to see them and get some pictures. "The shepherds lead the sheep up into the mountains," his grandfather had explained. "It's quite a sight to see and hear."

As soon as Jared opened the front door, he heard the sheep. "It's a sheep choir," he said with a grin. "Their baas are all different."

A shepherd walked in front of the sheep, and two sheep dogs ran along side, keeping them in line. That will make a great picture, Jared thought. He ran out into the road and aimed the camera at the coming sheep.

"No!" the shepherd yelled. "Get out of the way!"

"Jared, come back," called Grandpa. "You have to stay here off to the side. Otherwise, you'll distract the sheep." So Jared hurried back to the house and quietly watched from the porch. He snapped several pictures as the sheep went by.

"That was cool," exclaimed Jared when the last sheep was out of sight. "I hope the shepherd knows I didn't mean to distract the sheep."

Grandpa smiled. "I'm sure he knows you just didn't realize that if a stranger gets in front, sheep can lose their focus on the shepherd and scatter."

 'I guess sheep don't concentrate too good, do they?" asked Jared. He frowned. "The Bible compares us to sheep, doesn't it? Does that mean we don't concentrate too good, either?"

"I'm afraid we don't sometimes," said Grandpa. He put
his arm around Jared. "Tell you what-when things come along to distract you from
following the Lord, think of the sheep," added Grandpa. "Let them remind you to
concentrate on Jesus. Don't allow anyone or anything to cause you to lose your
focus on Him."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What do you concentrate on-what do you think about? Put your focus on Jesus, your Shepherd. Don't let friends talk you into doing things that are wrong. Don't allow yourself to watch TV that influences you to accept wrong lifestyles. Concentrate on Jesus and what pleases Him. Follow Him by obeying His Word-the Bible. He's the one who supplies all you need.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

[Soldier4Christ]

"Kelsey, would you share your testimony next week?" Mr. Hilton asked after the Bible club meeting.

"Oh-h-h, I don't know," Kelsey responded dejectedly. "I don't really have anything to share. I mean . . . when people give testimonies, they tell about all the bad things they did before they were saved. They have a lot to thank Jesus for since He saved them from all that stuff." Kelsey sighed. "I didn't do a lot of horrid things before I was saved, so what would I talk about?"

Mr. Hilton smiled. He knew Kelsey was remembering a rally to which he had taken his Bible club. First a professional football player had told about his life as a drug addict before he'd been born again. Then a lady had shared her testimony as to how she had been in the very act of committing suicide when a friend stopped in and won her to the Lord. "Kelsey, perhaps you have more to thank God for than any of the people you've heard giving testimonies," suggested Mr. Hilton. "Since you accepted Jesus into your heart at a young age, you can talk about how thankful you are to God for protecting you from getting involved in some of the horrible sins you've heard people talking about."

"But won't that be boring?" Kelsey wondered.

"Oh, no," Mr. Hilton assured her. "Other kids in our Bible club may also think they have little to testify about. Hearing what you have to say may help them realize how blessed they are, too. And who knows-some who are not saved may see the value of accepting Jesus now, while they're young."

"Well . . ." Kelsey hesitated. "Okay. Plan on my
testimony next week," she agreed. "I'll tell them why it's good to accept Christ
when they're young-in fact, the sooner the better!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel you have nothing exciting and worth saying about your salvation? Did you trust in Jesus before you got involved in a life of sin? Then you have a wonderful testimony! Tell others how thankful you are that you haven't experienced much of the evil in the world. Encourage them to give their lives to Jesus while they're young. Speak up boldly for Him!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." Psalm 107:2

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Perfect Dad

"It's time to dismiss our class, but before we go, let's pray to God, using the prayer Jesus taught us," said Mrs. Mac. "Last week we talked about the meaning of the words and phrases. Think about them as you say them today." The boys and girls in the Sunday school class stood up and together recited the Lord's Prayer.

As the children were leaving, Mrs. Mac smiled warmly at Ben, a new boy in the class. "We're so glad you came today," she said. "We hope you'll come again."

Ben shrugged. "You all said that prayer just now-that one that says, 'Our Father which art in heaven.' Well, I don't want to have anything to do with God if He's a father!"

"Why is that, Ben?" asked Mrs. Mac gently. "What makes you say that?"

Ben scowled. "Because fathers don't treat people right, so I don't want one," he said angrily, but his eyes filled with tears. "You know what my father did?" added Ben. "He left my mom and Sheila and me when I was five years old. He's never shown up since. So who wants another father like that!"

"Oh, Ben. I'm sorry!" said Mrs. Mac, putting a hand on Ben's shoulder. She was silent for a few moments as she silently prayed for the right words to say. "Ben," she said at last, "we compare God to many things. But because God is perfect, no human example can ever describe Him properly." Ben still looked glum. "Ben, tell me about your mom," suggested Mrs. Mac.

Ben's face lit up as he thought about his mother. "Mom's great!" he exclaimed. "She loves Sheila and me, and takes good care of us."

"Well, think of God as someone who loves you and cares about you even more than your mom does," said Mrs. Mac. "The Bible tells us that even if a mother forgets her child, God does not forget. I'm so sorry your earthly father left you, but I want you to remember that God will never leave His children."

"Really?" asked Ben, hope shining in his eyes.

"Yes, really," said Mrs. Mac. "If you know Jesus, be sure to pray for your dad. Maybe some day, he'll come back. I'll pray for him, too."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has God blessed you with a loving mom and dad? Then thank Him-and know that God is even more loving than your parents. Perhaps you've been abandoned by your father or mother. Be assured that God, who is the perfect Father, will never forget His children. He loves you so much He sent His son Jesus to provide the way for you to become part of His family. Trust in Jesus today!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I (God) will not forget you. Isaiah 49:15

[Soldier4Christ]

An Extreme Makeover

And the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind. Luke 8:35a (NIV)

There is a television show called, “Extreme Makeover.” Have you ever seen it? “Extreme Makeover” is a show about people who are not happy with the way they look. Perhaps they think their nose is too big, or they think their teeth are not straight enough, or they don't like the way their hair looks. The TV show promises that after the people have an extreme makeover, they will look better and will feel better about themselves. It will improve their self-image and their life will be better because of it.

There is nothing new about extreme makeovers. There are many examples in the Bible of Jesus performing an extreme makeover. The big difference is that Jesus wasn't concerned about a how big a person's nose was or how straight their teeth were -- he was concerned about what was on the inside. When Jesus did an extreme makeover, it was from the inside out. Our Bible lesson today is about one of the people who received an extreme makeover from Jesus.

Jesus and his disciples sailed across the lake from Galilee. When they reached the shore and stepped out of the boat, they were met by a man who was possessed by demons. For many years he had been homeless and naked and lived in a cemetery outside of town. As soon as he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and cried, "I beg you, don't torture me!" He said that because Jesus had already commanded the demons to come out of him and he was completely under the control of the demons.

There happened to be a herd of pigs nearby. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. When the demons went out of the man and into the pigs, the entire herd of pigs ran off down the side of the hill into the lake and drowned. Those who were tending the herd of pigs saw what happened and went into town and told everyone what they had seen. The people of the town went out to see for themselves and they found the man who had been possessed by the demons sitting at the feet of Jesus. He was fully dressed and no longer possessed by the evil spirits. The man's extreme makeover was complete.

Jesus is still performing extreme makeovers today. If we put our trust in Jesus and invite him into our heart, he will do an extreme makeover in our life. The Bible says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) That is an extreme makeover!

Dear Father, we thank you for the new life we have in Jesus. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Good Example

"Look at all the people!" exclaimed Austin. "This traffic is terrible!"

"Yes," replied Dad. "Today's parade better be good, or I'll wish I'd stayed home." He inched forward with the traffic. "A lot of cars are turning here," he added. "Looks like a good idea to me. Maybe they know of a place to park around the corner." He made a right turn, following the car in front of him.

Immediately the traffic speeded up, but instead of finding a place to park, they found themselves on a long ramp leading to a freeway. "Oh, no," groaned Dad. "I didn't see the sign for the freeway! Now we'll have to go a few miles before we can get back off." He scowled at the car ahead of him. "Thanks a lot, Mister," he growled. "You led me wrong!"

Mom laughed merrily. "So it's his fault?" she asked.

"What about the car behind us?" asked Austin. "I noticed that they followed along, too. Is that your fault, Dad?"

Dad grinned. "No," he said. "They should have watched where they were going." Everybody laughed.

"Hey, Austin, Dad sounds like you," teased Austin's brother David. "Last night you said it wasn't your fault you got in trouble at the Sunday school picnic because you were just doing what some older guys were doing. At the same time, you didn't think it was your fault when Gracie copied what you did." David motioned toward their little sister.

"All right . . . all right. We've already dealt with that problem, so we can forget it," said Mom.

Dad nodded. "There's a lesson for us here, though," he said. "We tend to forget that God has given each of us a measure of intelligence, and He wants us to use it instead of blindly following the crowd."

"Yes," agreed Mom, "and on the other hand, God expects us to live in a way that would be good for others to follow."

They were approaching an off ramp. "I don't know about that guy ahead of me," said Dad, "but I'm going to get off here and turn around." As they left the highway, Austin looked to see if the car behind them would follow. It did.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you using the intelligence God gave you to think for yourself instead of following the crowd? Are you also accepting your responsibility to be a good example to others? Don't use the excuse that "everybody's doing it." Instead, be able to say, "I believe this is what God wants me to do." Others are following you. Lead them in the right way.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

[Soldier4Christ]

 Power Failure

"I just put new batteries in my flashlight, but it still won't work!" complained Shana. "I need a flashlight for our Brownies campout next week."

"Let me have a look," replied Dad. He removed the batteries. "I think I see the problem." Shana peered more closely at the batteries in Dad's hand. "Look here on the end of the battery-the place where it makes contact with the second battery. See this piece of clear plastic?" asked Dad. Shana nodded. "The batteries have to touch each other, but this plastic ruins the contact." Dad quickly removed the plastic and wiped the contact points clean. Then he replaced the batteries in their proper position. "Now try it," he said, handing the flashlight to Shana.

Shana flicked the switch. "All right!" she exclaimed. "It's working now! Look how bright the light is! Thanks, Dad!"

Dad grinned. "How about letting me borrow your flashlight next Sunday?" he asked. "I could use it in my class of boys."

"Sure," agreed Shana, "but what will you do with it?"

"It's going to make a good illustration for the Sunday school lesson I'm teaching," Dad told her. "That piece of plastic came between the two batteries and stopped their power, right?" Shana nodded. "That's something like what happens when sin in our lives comes between us and God's power to work in us," explained Dad. "It stops our fellowship with God. When His power is cut off, we can't shine for Him."

"So . . . both sin and plastic can make a big power failure," said Shana thoughtfully. She smiled and added, "I know how to get rid of both of them. You rip the plastic off to get rid of it from the flashlight, and you confess what you've done wrong and turn away from it to get rid of sin in your life."

"Exactly right," agreed Dad. "I should take you along to teach my class!"

Shana laughed. "No, thanks," she said. "I'll stick to my girls' Sunday school class. You can just take my flashlight."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you shining brightly for Jesus every day? Or is there sin in your life, hindering God's power? Such things as lying, cheating, swearing, stealing, disobedience, jealousy, selfishness, and gossip are sins that spoil your fellowship with God. Confess your sin to Him, and let God's power light up your life. Be sure there's no sin between you and the Lord. Let your light shine brightly for Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Shine as lights in the world. Philippians 2:15

[Soldier4Christ]

Brent sat on the sandy beach, watching the ocean waves come in and go out again. He watched the sandpipers on the moist sand, looking for food. They seemed to sense when the big waves were about to hit, and seconds before the water reached them, they flew away. Then they returned when the water receded, once more finding food. Over and over they repeated the action. "Those are smart birds," Brent told his dad, who had come to join him. "When the waves go out, they come for food, but when the waves come in, they leave before the water can touch their feet." He laughed. "One waited too long, though. He got caught and got his feet wet."

Dad nodded. "Do they remind you of anybody?"

"Should they?" Brent gave him a questioning look. "Who?"

Dad smiled. "Actually, I was thinking of myself," he said. "Those birds usually keep away from the water, and I need to stay away from sin. I know there's sin all around, and like the sandpiper that got caught by a wave, I sometimes allow sin to 'catch' me."

   "Me, too, I guess," admitted Brent, "but sometimes I can't help it if I get involved in something that's not good. It's not always my fault."

"I know what you're saying-I've been there, too,"
answered Dad, "but we really have no excuse when we sin. God knows we may have
difficulties because we have to live in the world, but He reminds us that we are
not of the world. Jesus even prayed for us and asked the Father to keep us from
the evil one-from Satan. He also promises that there will always be a 'way of
escape' when we're tempted." Thoughtfully, Brent nodded. "The sandpipers back
away from the water," added Dad, "and we need to back away from
sin."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Who are you closer to-the world or the Lord? Be careful! God warns that friendship with the world is a dangerous thing! Stay far from worldly things-from things Satan can use to trap you and involve you in sin. Each day, depend on God for strength to resist evil when temptation comes.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4

[Soldier4Christ]

Sabrina waited to hear her name called as speaking parts were being assigned for the church Christmas program. She was sure she was the perfect one to take the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus. No one can memorize the lines as well as me, she thought. And Mom can make me a better costume than anybody's.

"Holly," Mrs. Roberts' voice interrupted Sabrina's thoughts, "I think you would be a good Mary."

Sabrina gasped! Holly! She stammers sometimes, thought Sabrina. What kind of a Mary would she be! Sabrina scowled. Well, that's just fine with me, her thoughts ran on. Who wants to be in a dumb old play anyway! When Mrs. Roberts offered her another part, Sabrina made excuses and refused to be in the production at all.

Sabrina sat in the front row the night of the program. She had come to laugh at Holly's mistakes. Mrs. Roberts will be embarrassed for making such a dumb choice! she thought in disgust as Holly walked up front wearing a drab outfit that looked like it was made from a feed sack. What a peasant!

Hesitantly, Holly began reciting from Luke, chapter one: "For He . . . hath regarded . . . the low estate. . . of his handmaiden . . ."

Low estate, thought Sabrina. That sure fits Holly! Suddenly
another thought struck her. It fit Mary, too! Sabrina tried to push that thought
away, but she couldn't. In her heart, she knew that if she had gotten the part,
she would have mouthed Mary's words to make herself look good. Holly's a good
Mary! The unwanted thoughts persisted. Mary was willing to obey God and carry
out His commands. Holly's like that, too. Feeling ashamed, Sabrina prayed
silently, asking God to forgive her proud spirit and help her be humble like
Mary-and Holly.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you're better than some people because you're more talented than they are? Do you think you should be the one chosen to bring special music, answer the questions, or lead in prayer because you do it best? Jesus wants humble servants who are willing to do their best so that He will be honored. Does that description fit you?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave." Matthew 20:27

[Soldier4Christ]

"I sure don't like spiders, do you?" Shana asked her friend Courtney. A spider had stretched its web across a section of fence in Shana's back yard, and the girls had gone to look at it.

"Ugh! No! I hate those things!" Courtney shuddered. "They're creepy."

"The web sure is pretty, though," observed Shana as they studied it. All the silvery strands of the beautifully constructed web connected to make a lacy pattern. Dew drops on the web sparkled in the morning sun.

"How do spiders know how to make such a pretty web?" wondered Courtney.

Shana shrugged. "I don't know," she said.

Just then an insect buzzed around their heads. When Shana swatted at it, the bug flew into the web. Quick as a wink, the spider dashed out from a corner of the web and spun strands of webbing around the insect until it was held fast.

"Wow! Did you see how fast that spider moved?" marveled Courtney.

"Yeah, and it sure made quick work of a bug that might have bitten us," replied Shana. "Some bugs eat garden plants, too, and some carry diseases. Every bug that's caught by a spider is one that can't hurt us." The girls headed for the house. "I guess it's like my mom always says," added Shana. "God created everything with a purpose in mind."

Courtney nodded. "I never thought of that before," she
said. "Looks like spiders are good for something after all! I guess God knew
we'd need them." She grinned. "I suppose that means we should be thankful for
them, too, doesn't it?" she added. "Now that's going to take some doing! But
I'll try!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever thanked God for spiders? In their own quiet way, they're helping man every day. Stop and think how each creature fits into God's creation. It will help you appreciate the greatness of God and all He has made. Thank Him for making everything "good."


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good." Genesis 1:31

[Soldier4Christ]

Candy chattered excitedly on the way home from Sunday school. "We're going to have a party," she said. "Miss Weaver asked if I wanted to help with the decorations, and I said I would! I'm going to get pine tree boughs, and she's going to use them with some red candles and ribbons."

"Where do you think you're going to get them?" asked her brother Sean. "We don't have any pine trees . . . we don't even have a Christmas tree yet."

"It shouldn't be hard to find some branches," replied Candy confidently.

But finding branches was more difficult than Candy expected. Some places that sold Christmas trees didn't have any boughs, and others would give her boughs only if she bought a tree. Now what am I going to do? she wondered.

Walking home from school one day, Candy saw a pile of boughs at a Christmas tree lot. She had an idea. Instead of asking for free branches, I'll buy some, she thought. They shouldn't cost much. Candy hurried home to get money from her piggy bank. Then she sped back to the Christmas tree lot.

When Candy asked if she could buy some of the boughs, she was disappointed. "They're not for sale," the owner told her. Sadly, Candy started to walk away, but the man called her back quickly. "Honey, they're not for sale," he said. "They're free. Help yourself." Candy eagerly accepted all she could carry.

As Candy helped decorate for the party the next weekend, she told her teacher about her experiences. "That's a good illustration of salvation," said Miss Weaver. "Some people think we have to buy-or earn-salvation by doing good works. But the Bible says it's a free gift. We can't buy it-it's not for sale. We can receive salvation only by trusting in Jesus as Savior." Miss Weaver smiled. "I think that would make a good topic for devotions at our party, don't you?" she added.

Candy nodded. "Sounds good to me," she
agreed.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you trying to "buy" salvation-to earn it by being good, going to church, or getting baptized? That won't work! Salvation is a gift from God. It must be received, not bought. Jesus paid the penalty for your sin. You can have salvation only by trusting in Him as your Savior.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

[Soldier4Christ]

"Won't Mom and Dad be surprised when they see the cake we've made to welcome them home!" exclaimed Heidi. She stirred the cake batter vigorously. "I can't wait!" Grandma smiled and nodded.

Just as Heidi popped the cake into the oven, the telephone rang. Grandma answered it, then returned to the kitchen with a sober look on her face. "That was your father, honey," she said. "Their flight was overbooked, so they can't come home tonight. They'll be on the early morning flight."

"But, Grandma," protested Heidi, "that's not fair! It will spoil our surprise!" Tears filled her eyes. "Besides, I've missed them so much, and I was counting on having them home tonight!"

Grandma held Heidi close. "I know you're disappointed, dear, but we still can have the cake when they get here tomorrow. And remember, God orders all things-even those that we can't understand-and all He does is right. "

Heidi frowned. "Mom and Dad always say that, too," she stormed, "but it still seems to me that if He really cares about me, He could have let them come home today."

"Heidi, we may not understand why things happen as they
do, but God's plan for us is always best," Grandma replied firmly. "Sometimes He
allows us to see why certain things happen, and sometimes He doesn't. For
reasons only He knows, He didn't allow the your parents to come today. But the
Bible says God knows the end from the beginning. We can-and must-trust Him even
when we're disappointed about something."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Did something happen to make you forget God is in control? You can be sure He knows what's happening to you-nothing happens by chance. God has a plan and a purpose for all He allows to take place. Trust Him with your disappointments.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"I (God) have purposed it; I will also do it." Isaiah 46:11

[Soldier4Christ]

"I'm so glad you're here!" exclaimed Heidi when her parents finally arrived home from their trip. "I was so disappointed when you didn't come last night." She sighed. "It wasn't fair for you to have to lose your seats!"

"Did you hear the news report last night?" asked Dad. Heidi shook her head.

"We went to bed early," said Grandma. "I haven't listened to the news this morning, either. Why?"

"Last night's flight never got to its destination," said Dad. "The plane crashed, and many passengers lost their lives." Heidi gasped, her eyes wide.

"Many others were seriously injured," Mom added.

"O-o-o-oh!" breathed Heidi. "That's awful!"

Grandma nodded. "Last evening you seemed to be quite upset with God," Grandma reminded her. "What do you think now, Heidi?"

"But I didn't know about the crash last night," Heidi defended herself. She paused. "Now I can see how good He was to have you come home today."

"God was-and is-good. But Heidi, He would have been just as good if we had lost our lives in that crash," Dad said gently. "Be careful not to judge God's goodness by how well things fit in with your plans."

"I . . . I suppose some Christians did die in the crash last night," said Heidi.

"Yes, and we should pray for the all the families who are hurting today. God's plan must be very hard for them to understand right now," said Dad. "We can see this time that our disappointment is for our good, but God often doesn't reveal His reasons for what He allows to happen."

"We can be assured of one thing," added Mom. "All things work together for good to those who love Him!"

Heidi nodded. "I'm sure I'll always remember that what
happened to disappoint me this time was really a good thing for me, and it will
remind me, too, to trust Him when I'm disappointed again."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are things going the way you hoped? Then "praise the Lord, for the Lord is good." Or do things seem to be going all wrong? If so, you can murmur and complain and be unhappy, or you can recognize that even though you can't understand God's reasons, He is in control and His plan is good. You can trust Him to make it work for your best and "praise the Lord, for the Lord is good."


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good." Psalm 135:3

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mia, don't you need to get ready to go with your class to the nursing home?" asked Mom. "I thought Mrs. Wilson asked you to play the piano today. You have to leave in about fifteen minutes, don't you?"

Mia shrugged. "It's too late already-this month they're going earlier than usual," she said. "I told Mrs. Wilson I had other plans."

"That's too bad. Playing at the home would be a real service to the Lord," said Mom, glancing at a picture on the wall. It included the words: "Only one life; 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." Mia shrugged.

That afternoon Mia went to the mall with a friend. She returned with notebooks for school and a tiny stuffed dog as well. "This is Orville. Isn't he cute? He cost only a dollar," she said. "I didn't think I had any money left, but then I remembered the silver dollar Aunt Jo sent me. It was still in my purse, and I couldn't resist getting this little guy." Mia squeezed her little stuffed dog.

"You spent your silver dollar?" Mom was shocked. "I thought you knew that old coin was actually worth more than a dollar!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," admitted Mia, "but Orville was on sale!"

The following week, Mia and her mother passed a coin shop, and there were a number of silver dollars in the window display. A card beside each one told its current value. "I wish I had my dollar back," said Mia with a sigh.

Mom nodded. "I remember the day you spent it-it was the same day you refused to play at the nursing home," she said thoughtfully. "You know, honey, your life is a lot like a coin-you can spend it any way you want to, but you can spend it only once. You need to make sure you spend it wisely."

Soberly, Mia nodded. "Maybe I should rename Orville," she
decided. "I think I'll call him Silver Dollar to remind me to be careful how I
spend my money and my life."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
How are you spending your life? Are you using it in the best way possible? Are you accepting opportunities to sing for the Lord? To cheerfully do your chores? To work in the church nursery? To help someone? The things you do for yourself are soon gone. What you do for the Lord will be rewarded.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"If anyone's work . . . endures, he will receive a reward." 1 Corinthians 3:14

[Soldier4Christ]

Hannah scrunched her nose against the viewing window of the hospital nursery. Her baby brother was just five hours old. He lay snuggled in a blue flannel blanket and had a tiny knit cap on his fuzzy head. He whimpered as he nuzzled at the blanket with a groping mouth.

Daddy walked up behind Hannah and squeezed her shoulders gently. She smiled up at him. "So, Big Sister, how does it feel?" Daddy asked.

Hannah answered by doing a complete twirl on her tip-toes, right there in the hall of the hospital. "It feels great!" she said.

A little later, Hannah and her father walked hand-in-hand out into the crisp December air. The stars twinkled overhead like millions of Christmas lights. "Daddy, when Jesus was born, was he really as little as our baby?" asked Hannah.

"Maybe even smaller-our little guy is a pretty big fella," replied Daddy. "And you know, honey, the Lord Jesus didn't have a nice, modern hospital and little bassinet to sleep in, like Baby Timmy has. Jesus was born in a stable, far away from home. He didn't have all the comfortable things babies have today. But He had Mary and Joseph's love, and God's own love and care, too."

The cold air made Hannah shiver, and she pulled her scarf tighter. "My Sunday school teacher says Jesus knows just what it's like to live and grow like we do," she said.

"That's true, honey," said Daddy. "Since He came as a baby and grew up on earth, it helps us know He understands all that happens to us-both the problems and the good things. Isn't that great?"

Hannah nodded. "I guess He knows what it's like to have a
baby brother," she said with a little bounce. "When my very own baby brother
gets big enough, I'm going to make sure he knows all about Jesus being a baby,
too!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you realize Jesus understands all you're going through? He came as a little baby and grew up on earth just like you do. You can go to Him and know He understands your problems-hunger, temptations, tiredness, loneliness, and all the rest. He experienced those things, too, and He can help you when you go through them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15