Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Did you know there are only three kinds of people in this world?" Caleb asked his Sunday school teacher one day.

"And what would they be?" asked Mr. Ken.

"Those who can count and those who can't," said Caleb with a grin.

Mr. Ken hesitated a moment and then burst out laughing.

"I don't get it. Why is that so funny?" asked Lon, one of the boys in the class.

"I said three kinds of people," repeated Caleb, "but I named only two-those who can count and those who can't. So I'm obviously one who can't. Get it now?" Lon and a couple of the other boys joined in the laughter.

"We might also say there are only two kinds of people," said Mr. Ken, "and it wouldn't be a joke. There are those who are friends of God and those who aren't."

The boys were silent a moment. Then Caleb nodded. "I'm a Christian, so I'm a friend of God, right?" he asked.

"Me, too," said Justin, and most of the others nodded.

Mr. Ken smiled. "Good-and are you growing in your friendship with God?" he asked. "Think about the kids at school-how can you tell which ones are friends?"

Caleb remembered seeing girls jumping rope, boys rough-housing and wrestling in the grass, and groups of older students busily talking and laughing with one another. "That's easy," he said. "They hang out together."

Mr. Ken nodded. "That's how friendships grow-through
time spent together," he said. "When you put your faith in Jesus, you made the
commitment to be God's friend. Now you need to 'grow' that friendship by
spending time with Him. You do that by letting Him talk to you as you read and
study His Word-the Bible. You talk to Him through prayer. As you do this and
yield yourself to Him, you'll find you treat other people in a more loving way.
The decisions you make from day to day will reflect His love and show that you
are His friend."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you growing in your friendship with God? He says His friends follow His commands, so be sure to set aside time to learn what pleases Him. Your friendship with God will influence the things you value, the way you treat others, and how you spend your time and your money. Let what you do with your life each day reflect the fact that you are a friend of God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." John 15:14

[Soldier4Christ]

Todd grabbed his pole and bait. He hurried out the door and ran most of the way down to the river. When he reached his favorite spot, he saw a boy already sitting there. "Bummers!" Todd grumbled to himself. He hesitated, then decided to stay at that spot, anyway. "Catchin' anything?" he asked as the boy jerked his pole, popping his line completely out of the water.

The boy looked up. "Naw, this isn't a very good spot," he said with a shrug. Todd couldn't believe his ears! This was the best spot on the whole river! "I've been sitting here all morning without any bites," the boy complained as he again jerked his line up.

"Well, you have to be patient," said Todd. "How often do you keep popping your line out of the water like that?"

The boy shrugged. "Oh, every few minutes," he said. "Just checkin' to see if a fish has eaten the worm yet."

"You fish much?" asked Todd, sure that he already knew the answer.

The boy shook his head. "Never did fish before," he answered. "I just wanted to give it a try."

"What's your name?" Todd asked.

"Pete Fisher," came the reply.

Todd sat down. "Pete," he said, "we've gotta talk."

At dinner that night, Todd told his family about Pete. "His last name is Fisher," said Todd, "so he thought he oughta learn how to fish. I'm going to help him."

Dad grinned. "I'm reminded of the Peter in the Bible. He
was a fisherman, too, you know. One day Jesus came to Peter and said, 'Follow
Me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Todd, you have a perfect opportunity to
'fish' for Pete. Your friendship can be the bait, God's Word can be the hook and
line-and if you let God work through you, He may use you to 'catch' Pete. Be a
fisher of men, Todd, not just an ordinary fisherman."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you go fishing? You should if you're following Jesus. Being a "fisher of men" doesn't require handling wiggly worms or slippery fish! It may require a smile, some time, and perhaps an invitation to some activity. It requires prayer, a knowledge of God's Word, and sharing it. And it's more satisfying than fishing for ordinary fish. Be a "fisher of men"-a "fisher" of other boys and girls.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Then He (Jesus) said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" Matthew 4:19

[Soldier4Christ]

Todd thought about his dad's suggestion that he be a "fisher of men"-and especially, a "fisher" of his new friend, Pete. I'm going to do it, Todd decided. I want Pete to know Jesus, too. So each day Todd would bring up a Bible verse he had learned, or he'd ask Pete to go with him to church or Bible Club or perhaps to a Sunday school party. Pete always refused, and he often acted a bit annoyed when Todd would quote a Bible verse. Todd was frustrated. "I give up, Dad," he said one evening. "Pete never wants to come to church, and he's getting sick of me asking all the time. I don't think he likes it when I share Bible verses, either. I'm gonna quit!"

"Todd, what was one of the very first things you taught Pete about fishing?" asked Dad.

Todd grinned, remembering. "Not to keep popping his line out of the water to see if a fish took the bait," he replied. "He didn't know much about how to bait the hook so the fish couldn't just steal it, either."

Dad nodded. "You need patience for fishing, and you need to bait the hook properly. Those things are important when you fish for men, too. I think you've been worrying too much about whether Pete has taken your bait. Maybe you're even using the wrong bait."

"The wrong bait?" asked Todd.

"I think so," said Dad. "Don't give up on Pete, but you don't have to quote verses or ask Pete every day to go to church with you. Why don't you first strengthen your friendship? Spend time together. Pray for him. Share what you enjoy at church and at the parties. Maybe he'll become interested enough to come sometime. But be sure you don't lie to make it sound like it's just all fun. You must be honest."

During the next few weeks, Todd practiced what his dad had suggested. Finally, he felt the nibble he'd been waiting for. "Dad!" he shouted as he burst into the house. "Guess what happened today!"

"Well, I know you planned to go fishing after school, so I'd say you caught a fish," said Dad with a smile.

"Well . . . at least I got a nibble!" Todd beamed. "And
his name is Pete! He said he'd go to Bible club with me this
week."

[Soldier4Christ]

Todd thought about his dad's suggestion that he be a "fisher of men"-and especially, a "fisher" of his new friend, Pete. I'm going to do it, Todd decided. I want Pete to know Jesus, too. So each day Todd would bring up a Bible verse he had learned, or he'd ask Pete to go with him to church or Bible Club or perhaps to a Sunday school party. Pete always refused, and he often acted a bit annoyed when Todd would quote a Bible verse. Todd was frustrated. "I give up, Dad," he said one evening. "Pete never wants to come to church, and he's getting sick of me asking all the time. I don't think he likes it when I share Bible verses, either. I'm gonna quit!"

"Todd, what was one of the very first things you taught Pete about fishing?" asked Dad.

Todd grinned, remembering. "Not to keep popping his line out of the water to see if a fish took the bait," he replied. "He didn't know much about how to bait the hook so the fish couldn't just steal it, either."

Dad nodded. "You need patience for fishing, and you need to bait the hook properly. Those things are important when you fish for men, too. I think you've been worrying too much about whether Pete has taken your bait. Maybe you're even using the wrong bait."

"The wrong bait?" asked Todd.

"I think so," said Dad. "Don't give up on Pete, but you don't have to quote verses or ask Pete every day to go to church with you. Why don't you first strengthen your friendship? Spend time together. Pray for him. Share what you enjoy at church and at the parties. Maybe he'll become interested enough to come sometime. But be sure you don't lie to make it sound like it's just all fun. You must be honest."

During the next few weeks, Todd practiced what his dad had suggested. Finally, he felt the nibble he'd been waiting for. "Dad!" he shouted as he burst into the house. "Guess what happened today!"

"Well, I know you planned to go fishing after school, so I'd say you caught a fish," said Dad with a smile.

"Well . . . at least I got a nibble!" Todd beamed. "And
his name is Pete! He said he'd go to Bible club with me this
week."

[Soldier4Christ]

Paul looked up when Mrs. Brown, his next-door neighbor, stepped out of her house as he was walking by on his way home. "Paul, the after-school Bible club in my home starts the day after tomorrow, so I'd like these invitations passed out today," said Mrs. Brown. "Could distribute some of them for me?"

   "Sure," agreed Paul. "No problem." He took several of the invitations and hurried home.

Paul showed the invitations to his mother. "Mrs. Brown wants these passed out today, so I'm going to do it for her," he said as he put them on a table and went to get a snack. After finishing the snack,  he went outdoors to play. After supper, Paul did his homework and worked on a model car, completely forgetting about the promise he had made to Mrs. Brown.

The next day Paul's mother found the invitations. She was holding them in her hand when Paul burst into the house after school. He immediately began to tell her about a problem. "That Dylan!" Paul exploded angrily. "He told me he'd return a book to the library for me, and he didn't do it! Now I have to pay a fine. I think he should . . ." His voice trailed off when he saw what his mother was holding. Before she could say a word, he murmured, "But, Mom, I meant to pass those out last night. I just forgot."

   "I figured you had," said Mom. She shook her head. "You didn't feel very good about it when Dylan broke his promise, did you? Do you think that's the way Mrs. Brown feels, too-or would if she could see these right now? And how about God? What do you think He'd want you to do about it this?"

"I . . . I'm sorry," said Paul. "I . . . I guess I should still take these around the neighborhood after my snack, shouldn't I?"

   Mom frowned. "I think the time to do it is before your snack," said Mom. "What do you think?"

Solemnly, Paul nodded and reached for the invitations.
"I'll do it now," he said.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
When you say you'll do something, do you do it? It's easy to make quick promises, but if you can't help someone, or don't want to help, say so right away. Don't say you'll do something-causing someone to depend on you-and then fail to do it. Follow through on commitments you make. God always keeps His promises, and He wants you to keep yours, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers." 3 John 1:5

[Soldier4Christ]

When James woke up the day before school was to begin, he thought about all the fun things he could do on his last day of vacation. I'm spending the whole day outside, he decided. First of all, I'll take Buster for a swim in the lake. Buster was a big black dog who loved to swim.

While James was making his plans, his mother called him. "Are you awake, James?" she asked. "You need to finish weeding the garden this morning."

James had forgotten all about weeding the vegetable patch. If I hurry, I'll still have time to do other stuff, he thought. So after breakfast, he went out to the garden. Buster followed, holding a tennis ball in his mouth. "Sorry, Buster, but I have to weed the garden," said James. Buster lay down nearby, happy to be with James even if they could not play. By the time James finished weeding, dark clouds were filling the sky. Large raindrops began to fall, and lighting was cracking like a whip in the distance. "It's not fair that God let it rain on the last day of summer vacation," James complained to his mother.

"Sounds like you don't think God knows what He's doing," said Mom.

"But, Mom! I asked Him for a nice day today," replied James.

Mom looked thoughtful. "Didn't I see Buster lying near you all morning? He would have liked to play with you, but he was too loyal to leave even when you didn't do what he wanted. I'm sure he didn't understand your reason, but he wasn't angry. He just wanted your company." James nodded as he scratched Buster behind the ear. "Shouldn't we be loyal, too?" asked Mom. "We may feel like complaining when God sends rain and we want sunshine, but we must trust that He has a reason for what He does. We can be happy knowing He loves us and wants what's best for us."

James sighed. "So . . . I should be loyal to God, right?" he asked. He grinned and added, "I should be as loyal as a dog."

Mom smiled and nodded. "Being loyal to God is trusting
Him-no matter what," she said.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you loyal to God when things don't go the way you want? Or do you complain and blame Him? You won't always understand God's reasons for what He does or what He allows, but He always does have reasons and plans. They are always for your best.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hi, Kyle. " The voice startled Kyle, and he glanced up and saw his uncle.

Quickly, Kyle put the magazine he was reading behind his back. "Oh, Uncle Joe! I . . . I didn't hear you coming," he said.

Uncle Joe raised his eyebrows. "So I noticed. Say, do you want to go with me to the construction site of the new bank? I need to see the contractor."

"Oh, cool!" Kyle jumped up. "Let me ask Mom."

"I already did-she said okay." Uncle Joe turned. "Let's go."

"Okay! But wait a minute. I've . . . I've . . . I'm thirsty," said Kyle. Quickly, he slipped into the house and hid the magazine in his room. Then he stopped in the kitchen for a drink . . . after all, he had said he was thirsty.

When they reached the construction site, Kyle and his uncle put on hard hats. Shielding his eyes, Kyle looked at men working high up on the tall steel frame. "Wow!" he exclaimed. "That looks scary!"

"Yes, it does," Uncle Joe agreed. "You'll never see a steel worker running or turning flip-flops or doing gymnastics on his job."

"I guess not!" Kyle stared the men above him. "They have to watch every step they take."

"Those steel workers way up there remind me of a Bible verse that says, 'See then that you walk circumspectly.' That means we need to consider all the circumstances and consequences of what we do. For Christians, it means to please God in the way we live," Uncle Joe explained. "The end of the verse says, 'Not as fools, but as wise.' It would be foolish for those workers up there not to walk carefully, and it's just as foolish for Christians not to live carefully."

Kyle slowly lowered his gaze and saw that Uncle Joe was watching him closely. Kyle's face turned red. "I know what's coming," he said. "You saw the magazine I was reading. I can't hide anything from you."

"From me . . . maybe you could, but never from God," Uncle Joe reminded him.

Slowly, Kyle nodded. "Never from God," he repeated
softly.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
How are you doing in your "walk"? When the Bible talks about your "walk," it's often referring to your life. Be one of those who walks carefully-one who behaves wisely. Watch your "steps"-your reading material, your habits, your language, your friends, every part of your life!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise." Ephesians 5:15

[Soldier4Christ]

"Brian, is something bothering you?" asked Mom as she got up to clear the table. "You've been unusually quiet this evening."

Brian sighed. "I came in third in our track meet today," he blurted out. "I was always first last year. I don't know what's the matter with me."

"I do," said Stephanie. "You're too fat."

"Stephanie!" Dad reprimanded. "That was not kind."

"Is she ever kind?" Brian asked sarcastically. He scowled at his sister. "You're not so skinny yourself," he added.

"That's enough!" scolded Mom. "You are both wrong-and right." She sighed. "It's wrong to say hateful things about one another-and, Stephanie, your criticism of your brother was not done lovingly. But, Brian, it's true that you have gained weight, and your remark about your sister didn't sound very loving, either."

"Well, she's always saying mean things to me," Brian defended himself.

"Look who's talking!" put in Stephanie quickly. "The meanest brother in the world!"

"I'm afraid you both have an attitude problem," said Dad sternly. "Jesus said we are to love one another, but I haven't seen much evidence of love between the two of you recently." He looked at Brian. "If you're honest, Son, I think you'll have to admit it would be a good idea to take off a few pounds, right?" Brian frowned, but he nodded reluctantly. "And, Stephanie, just like Brian needs to take off weight to run well, you both need to get rid of weights of selfishness and unkindness and learn to think of others and their feelings. A diet of praise and thanksgiving would be good for you-in fact, good for all of us. "

"Let's go on a diet," Mom suggested. "Let's all be
'weight watchers'-both physically and spiritually. Let's start now and say
things we're thankful for about each other."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does a bitter or rebellious spirit hinder your Christian race? Things like a sharp tongue, selfishness, or an unforgiveness bring defeat into the life of a Christian. Anything that keeps you from overcoming sin, serving God, or displaying Christ-like attitudes needs to be "laid aside." Check your life for things that "weigh" you down. Yield them to God and let Him remove them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

[Soldier4Christ]

Katie's Sunday school class was enjoying a slumber party at her teacher's cottage. "Sleep well," said Mrs. Gordon, "and be sure to bring your Bibles to breakfast tomorrow. We'll start the day with some spiritual food."

It was a sleepy-looking bunch of girls that assembled in the dining room the next morning. "We'll have a short time of devotions," said Mrs. Gordon, "and then we'll have our breakfast. We'll have bacon and eggs, cereal, sweet rolls-quite a variety this morning." She pointed to some of the things already on the table. "And be sure to try some of my own luscious strawberry jam!" she added as she held up a large glass jar.

"Jam!" exclaimed Katie. "That's a jar of pickles!"

"Pickles?" Mrs. Gordon looked surprised. Ignoring the green pickles in the jar, she pointed to the label. "Right here it says 'strawberry jam."

"That's what the label says," agreed Isobel, "but there are pickles, not jam, inside the jar!"

Mrs. Gordon smiled. "You're right, of course," she said. She looked at the girls around the table. "I hope none of you are like this jar-wearing a false label. Most of you wear the label 'Christian.' In many ways you walk and talk like a Christian, and that's good. However, just like a jar of strawberry jam must have jam inside, a Christian must have Christ."

Mrs. Gordon picked up her Bible and asked Katie to read
several Bible verses (see today's "Read" section). Then Mrs. Gordon spoke again.
"This passage tells us that if we do not have the Son, Jesus Christ, we do not
have life. We can't look inside one another, but God can. Does He see Christ in
you?" She paused for a moment. "You'll be leaving for home right after
breakfast, but if anyone here is wearing a false label, please see me before you
go. I'd like to help you make sure the inside matches the
label."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you call yourself a Christian? Saying you're a Christian does not make you one. To be a Christian, you must believe on Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Believe that He died for you, that He rose again, and that He will forgive your sins. Ask Him to give you eternal life. He will.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:12

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Church of the Open Bible," read Cody as Dad pulled away from the curb. The Davis family was on vacation and had decided the name of the church indicated there would be preaching from the Word of God. "We sure were wrong about this church!" added Cody. "We were the only ones there who had Bibles, and there weren't any in the church pews, either."

"No, but nobody needed a Bible," said Cheri. "All the preacher talked about was how important it was to elect a good mayor."

Dad nodded. "You're right," he said, "and that's a sad thing."

As they drove along the highway the next day, Cheri looked at the map. "There's a town up the road," she reported. "Can we stop to eat? I'm hungry!"

"Me, too," agreed Cody. "How far away is it?"

"Not very far. I think it's about five miles or so," replied Cheri. She was right, and soon they came to a highway sign that indicated whether gas, food, and lodging were available at the next exit. "Oh, no," groaned Cheri. "That sign says 'no services.' This town must be really small."

Cody groaned, too, and then began singing a silly little song they had learned at camp. "Here we sit like birds in the wilderness . . . waiting to be fed," they sang.

Dad grinned. "We're not doing so good." he said. "Yesterday we sat in church like 'birds in the wilderness' waiting to be fed spiritual food, but we weren't given any. Now we've come to a town with no place for us to eat."

Mom nodded. "It seems to me that people who attend that church would starve spiritually, just like we'd starve physically if we depended on this town to feed us."

"Yes, and I'm afraid they may not even realize they're missing spiritual food," added Dad.

Cody sat up straight. "Hey, look!" he said. "I see a
bunch of signs up ahead advertising restaurants in the next
town!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever had to skip a meal? Did you feel hungry? Have you skipped spiritual food? Don't neglect your spiritual life. God wants you to be spiritually healthy, and taking in the "milk of the word" helps you do that. So read your Bible, think about what it teaches, and put into practice the things you find there.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" 1 Peter 2:2

[Soldier4Christ]

"This knife will barely slice butter!" complained Mom as she fixed dinner.

Dad laughed. "I don't think it can possibly be that bad," he said, "but put it in my lunch pail. I'll sharpen it tomorrow at work."

After dinner, Liz approached her father. "Dad, I'm stuck on this math problem. Can you help me?" She held out her paper and pencil.

"I'll try," agreed Dad, but he soon handed the pencil back to her. "Don't you know how to use a pencil sharpener?" he asked with a grin. "This is so dull it hardly has a point at all." Liz quickly sharpened the pencil, and Dad helped her see what she had been doing wrong on the problem.

When they all gathered for family devotions, Dad read a few verses from Ephesians. "The dull tools we've had around here tonight made me think of the sword that never needs sharpening-the Word of God," he said. "Our knives and pencils become dull and need to be sharpened often, but God's Word is always sharp and powerful. Of course, we need to get that sword out and use it. Who knows how we do that?"

"Well . . . I guess we use it when we read it," suggested Liz.

"Yes," said Dad. "As we read, God often uses His Word to speak to us. At what other times do we use it?"

Liz's brother Isaac had a suggestion. "When we talk to other people about Jesus," he said.

"Good," Dad approved. "We should be sharing with others what God says-especially about their need to know Him. When we do that, it's good to include Bible verses because God says His Word will always accomplish what He sends it forth to do. Any other ideas?"

"We use it when we think about it and apply its truths to our lives," said Mom. "For example, Grandma has been so ill lately, and I'm comforted when I remember God's promise to work everything for her best-and mine!"

Dad nodded. "Let's all be sure to use our 'swords' every
day," he said.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you using your "sword"? Open your Bible and read it daily. Think about what God says and how it applies to your life. Is He reminding you to trust Him through a difficult situation? Is He encouraging you to be helpful at home? To resist a particular sin? You'll find He gives you everything you need to live for Him, to defend yourself against temptation, and to win others to Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." Hebrews 4:12

[Soldier4Christ]

Shelly enjoyed meeting with the other members of her youth group's planning committee. It was fun to share ideas and think of ways to make their meetings more interesting. But she frowned a little when Cody offered his suggestion. "How about planning a missions program that reaches out to kids in our community?" asked Cody. "Let's give everyone in the youth group something to do-you know, get everyone involved."

Their leader seemed to like the idea. "Sounds good," Mr. Craig agreed. "And it will fit in nicely with the Bible study I'm planning for the next several weeks, too."

"But what about the kids who don't want to do anything?" objected Shelly. "How can we get them involved if they're not really interested? Or doesn't it matter? Do we really need them?"

"Let me ask you something, Shelly," replied Mr. Craig. "How important is your thumb?"

"My thumb?" asked Shelly in surprise. She laughed as she looked down at her bandaged thumb. She had broken it just a few days before. "I didn't think I used it much . . . until I couldn't use it at all," she said. "Now that it's broken, I see how much I really need it."

"God says that's exactly how it is with the body of believers-all who believe in Jesus are referred to as the Body of Christ," explained Mr. Craig. "Each member is important. Each has a job to do for the Body to function properly. It's our job to show all the kids how much fun it can be to serve God. When they see that, they'll want to be involved."

Shelly looked at her thumb again. "You're right," she
said with a grin. "God wants to use us all, and we sure do need everybody's help
to make our program work."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you realize you are important in God's family? Think of something you can do to serve God and help others. Can you show concern for them by mowing a lawn, raking leaves, or running errands? Can you spend a little time talking with someone who's lonely? Can you make a card to encourage someone? Discover what you can do, and then do your part.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"You are the body of Christ, and members individually." 1 Corinthians 12:27

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can I have a kitten? Please? Please?" Jessica begged. A big sign in their neighbor's front yard said, "Free Kittens," and Jessica persistently pleaded with her mother to let her have one of them. She squealed with joy when Mom finally agreed and they went to choose a kitten. Jessica picked the smallest one of the lot. "I'm going to name him Runt," she said.

A few weeks later, Mom and Jessica took Runt for his first visit to the veterinarian. "Well," said the vet, after checking the kitten, "Runt is a bit scrawny. What have you been feeding him?"

"Milk," said Jessica promptly, "and leftovers."

Mom nodded. "That's true-most of what he gets is leftover scraps from our meals."

"That may be the problem," said the vet. "Your leftovers probably don't have the right nutrients to help Runt grow properly. Try feeding him food made especially for kittens and see if he isn't soon healthy and strong." So on the way home, Jessica and her mother stopped at a store to buy the special food the veterinarian had suggested for the kitten.

"No more leftovers for Runt," Jessica told her dad that evening. "Only good, healthy kitten food."

"All right!" exclaimed Dad with a grin. "I'm sure Runt will appreciate that." After a moment he added, "Do you know who else shouldn't get leftovers?"

"You?" asked Jessica. She looked a little concerned. "I thought you liked them."

Dad laughed. "I do," he said, "though not quite as much as when things are served the first time. But I was thinking of God. Instead of giving leftover time or love or effort to God, we should give Him our best in whatever we do."

"O-o-oh, I think I get it," replied Jessica. "That's why
you taught me to put part of my allowance in the church offering, right? And to
review my Bible verses before I get too sleepy every night." She grinned. "But
I'm glad you like leftovers," she added. "I think that's what we're having for
supper."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you give God your best? Or do you use your allowance to first buy what you want and then give Him leftover money? Do you spend time with Him only if there's a little time left at the end of the day? Do you do things you enjoy first and then offer leftover energy to help someone else? God told His people to bring Him their firstfruits-to give to Him first. That's what He wants from you, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God." Exodus 23:19

[Soldier4Christ]

As Becky nibbled at her breakfast, she thought about the big math test she would be taking later that day. She had studied hard, but she still felt nervous about it. Tests always made her nervous! "Not hungry this morning, honey?" asked Mom as she noticed Becky's nearly full cereal bowl.

"I keep thinking about that awful math test," Becky replied with a sigh.

"But you seemed to know how to work all of the problems when you were studying last night," said Mom.

"Yes, but it's different when you or Dad are quizzing me on them than when I have to do them on a test," replied Becky.

"If only Mom or Dad could go to school with you, you could just pretend they were quizzing you," said her brother Kraig. He grinned at her. "But never fear . . . I'll be there. That's just as good, isn't it?"

Becky had to grin, too. "No, it isn't," she said. "Sorry!" Kraig pretended to feel hurt.

Mom smiled. "Dad and I can't be there, but your heavenly Father will be with you all through your test," she said reassuringly. "He doesn't want you to worry. He tells us to give all our worries and anxieties to Him because He cares for us so very much."

"I know." Becky sighed. "But I still get nervous," she added.

Mom smiled understandingly. "Tell God how you feel," she suggested. "Ask Him to remind you throughout the day that He's right there with you. Ask Him to give you His peace so you can think clearly-and believe that He'll do it. Okay?"

"Okay," agreed Becky.

"All right," said Mom as she gave Becky a hug. "Now how
about eating some of your breakfast as evidence that you trust Him to help you?
It's hard to take a test on an empty stomach."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you get "butterflies in your stomach" over tests or oral reports? Do you continue to worry about someone who's sick or in a dangerous place? Remember that your heavenly Father cares for you. He's with you and wants you to give your worries to Him. Talk to Him about the things that concern you. Trust Him, and let Him give you His peace.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

[Soldier4Christ]

Phil looked up from his puzzle as his mother walked into the house with two bags of groceries. "Hi, honey," she said. "There are two more bags of groceries in the car. Will you get them, please? And I need you to get some other things, too. When I picked up my purse along with these bags, it was upside down, and several things fell out. Pick up that stuff, too, okay?"

"Sure, Mom." Phil nodded and hurried out to the garage. He took the bags of groceries into the house and set them on the cupboard. Then he went back to get the things that had spilled from Mom's purse. Along with several other items, he found four one dollar bills. Phil picked them up and looked at them thoughtfully. Then he put one of the bills in his pocket. "Here's your stuff," he said when he returned to the house.

"Thanks, Phil," said Mom. "Now I'd like you to take the swatter and get rid of these flies." She frowned. "Where do they come from?"

Phil grinned and got the swatter. "Gotcha!" he exclaimed after a moment. Then he saw a fly sunning itself on a window sill. "Mom, come see this fly," he called. "It looks like it is cleaning its face-just like our cat does."

"It does look that way," agreed Mom. "A man on TV was talking about flies the other day. He mentioned some interesting things. He said the flies' legs have brushes that they use to clean their eyes."

"Oh, yuck!" groaned Phil, making a face.

"The man described their eyes, too," continued Mom, "and they're amazing! He said they have 4000 simple eyes in each large eye."

"Wow!" exclaimed Phil. "That's weird."

"When I heard that, it made me think of a verse in the Psalms," said Mom. "David wrote, 'He who formed the eye, shall He not see?'"

As Phil put his hand into his pocket, he felt the bill.
God sees this, too, he thought. I better give it back-but if I give it back now,
Mom will know I was going to keep it. I'll leave and come back and pretend I
just found it. He started toward the door, then stopped. But God would see that,
too. With a sigh, he pulled out the bill. "I . . . I was going to keep this," he
confessed, "but . . . here it is, and . . . well, I'm sorry."