Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Hannah walked into the house with a big grin on her face. "Mom," she called, "we had the best time in school today!"

"What did you do that was so much fun?" asked Mom with a smile.

"Oh, we had a substitute teacher today. It was so funny!" Hannah laughed. "Some of the kids switched seats, so all day long the sub was calling them the wrong names. Pete and Joel told her our teacher always lets us out for recess early. She believed them, so we got out five minutes before everyone else! Not too smart, was she?"

Mom frowned. "How would your substitute know who the kids are or where they were supposed to sit?" she asked.

Hannah shrugged. "I suppose our teacher left a seating chart with everybody's name on it."

"But how would the sub know if the kids were in the right seats or not?" asked Mom. "Or that they were lying when they said you were supposed to be let out early for recess? No one corrected them, right?"

"I . . . I . . . I guess she couldn't have known," admitted Hannah.

"Why didn't you tell her?" asked Mom. "It really wasn't very nice-or funny-to fool her and laugh at her!"

"Oh, well. She's just a sub," replied Hannah with a shrug. "It doesn't matter."

"Oh, yes, it does matter!" exclaimed Mom. "When she's teaching your class, you are under her authority and must respect and obey her. It's not only common courtesy; it's a command from God!"

Hannah's eyes widened. "It is?" she asked in surprise. "I know the Bible says to obey your parents, but it doesn't mention teachers, does it?"

"It tells us to obey anyone who is in authority over us," said Mom, "and that includes substitute teachers."

"I . . . I didn't think about that," said Hannah. "I'm
sorry. I'll remember next time we have a sub. I promise."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
How do you treat substitute teachers in school or Sunday school? If you decide to have a little "fun" when you have subs, make sure it's fun for them as well as for you! If you or your classmates give the substitute a bad day, it isn't funny to God. He says you must not only obey your parents, but you must also respect and obey anyone who has authority over you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities." Romans 13:1

[Soldier4Christ]

"We've got work to do before we go fishing," said Dad as he and Robb reached their camp site. "We've got to get the tent up."

"All right!" exclaimed Robb. He eagerly helped his father stretch out the tent and set it up. Then he pounded the stakes into the ground on one side while Dad worked on the other side. Soon they were ready to get out their poles and catch some fish.

Fishing was good, and they hardly noticed that it was getting cloudy. They were surprised when a light rain began to fall. A rather strong wind had come up, too, so Robb and his dad headed back to the tent. "Oh, no!" exclaimed Robb when they reached their campsite. "One side of our tent fell down. Hey . . .  it's my side! What happened?"

Dad stooped over and picked up a stake that was lying on the ground. "I'm afraid you didn't pound these deep enough," he said, "and the wind and rain took the tent down. But come on . . . let's get this back up."

Putting up the tent was rather uncomfortable this time because they had to work in the rain. Robb felt like it was his fault. "Sorry, Dad," he apologized.

"Don't give it another thought," said Dad. "It's no more your fault than mine. I should have checked the stakes before we left."

When the rain stopped and they were finally able to cook their fish, Robb grinned at Dad. "We studied some verses in Sunday school-something about being rooted in Christ and established in our faith," said Robb. " Our teacher said if our spiritual stakes go deep and we're very familiar with the things God teaches, we won't be easily fooled by false teachers or quick to wander away from God. I guess we wouldn't collapse like this tent did."

Robb's father smiled broadly. "Well," he said, "you may
not be too great at pounding in a tent stake, but if you continue listening and
learning as well as you did last Sunday, I don't think I'll have to worry about
your spiritual stakes."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you firmly convinced that what God says is true? It's important to "pound your spiritual stakes" deeply by listening well in church and Sunday school, studying Bible lessons-and above all, obeying what God says. Learn to check what you hear with what the Bible says and become firmly "established in the faith."


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught." Colossians 2:7

[Soldier4Christ]

David gasped and choked. He turned so Alex couldn't see his face. David knew he shouldn't be smoking, but he didn't want Alex to laugh at him.

"How'd ya like it?" Alex spoke to David's back.

"Great," David lied. "Just great." He glanced at his watch. "Hey-I gotta run. See you tomorrow." He walked quickly out of the alley and into the sunlight. Guilt tugged at his heart as he hurried toward home.

When David entered the house, he heard his little sister's voice. "But, Mommy, I didn't do it! I didn't."

"Tiffany," said Mom, "I know you did."

As David looked into his parents' room, the smell of perfume almost choked him. The carpet was sprinkled with powder, and tiny footprints led from the vanity to the door. "You'd better 'fess up, little sister," teased David. "You're caught for sure this time."

 "I just wanted to s-s-smell pretty for D-D-Daddy," sobbed Tiffany.

   Mom tried to hide her smile. "The whole house is going to 'smell pretty for Daddy.' Go sit in your room while I clean up this mess." She turned toward David. "And what have you been up to?" she asked.

David gulped. "I . . . I . . . n-n-nothing," he stuttered, a guilty look on his face.

Mom had been teasing, but now she could tell David really had been up to something. "Better 'fess up." She repeated the words he had used.

David looked at the floor. "Well, I just . . . I . . . I . . . Alex offered me a cigarette, and I took a few puffs," he confessed. "It was terrible, and I think I've learned my lesson." He took a deep breath and added, "I'm glad I confessed."

"So am I," replied Mom. "Be sure to talk to God about
this, too, and ask Him for help to resist temptation." As David nodded, Mom
continued, "I hope this is a lesson you'll never forget."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is something bothering your conscience? Do you need to 'fess up? If so, tell God about it right now-and tell your parents or whoever else is involved. Confess what you've done wrong and ask God to help you not repeat it. He wants to hear from you and to restore to you a clean conscience. It is a priceless possession.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

Juan picked up something from his closet floor and waved it at Eric. "Remember the game piece we lost when we played 'Spider' last time you were here?" asked Juan.

Eric nodded and held out his hand to take the object Juan had found. "Hey! You found it!" exclaimed Eric. He looked at Juan's closet. "It's a wonder you ever found it in there! What a mess!"

Juan set up the game board. "Let's have a game," he said.

"Don't you want to pick up this stuff first?" asked Eric.

"Nah. I'll do it later," replied Juan.

   Eric grinned. "You're a great one for putting things off," he said. "Remember the mess we made in the back yard a while ago? I had to rush home, but you said you'd pick it all up. Only you didn't."

"I know," said Juan. "Wow! My dad was so upset! I was grounded for a whole week, remember?" Juan grinned at Eric. "How come you always put things away so quick? You get me in trouble with my mom-she thinks I should be more like you. You're what she calls a 'cleanie.' That's a girl thing!"

"Hey! Watch what you say!" Eric pretended to be annoyed. "I just don't like to leave a mess like that. 'Take care of things right away' is my motto."

Juan jumped up. "Okay," he said. "You can help me clean this up-I'll surprise Mom." So together they put games in place and sorted out shoes, magazines, and even some dirty socks. "There," said Juan. "I took care of what I usually put off. Now how about taking care of what you keep putting off?"

Eric looked puzzled. "I told you-I don't put things off."

"Yes, you do," replied Juan promptly. "We've talked
about Jesus before, and you've even admitted you're a sinner and can't earn your
way to heaven. But you never will come right out and say you'll trust in Jesus
to save you. Okay . . . you like things to be taken care of right away, and this
is the most important thing you need to do in life. So don't put it off any
longer."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? Or have you been putting off that decision? Nothing is more important. Maybe you'll live a long time and have other opportunities to decide. On the other hand, this could be the last time you'll hear about Jesus. If you haven't done so before, won't you trust Him today?

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

[Soldier4Christ]

"Is your dad going to let you go to Jenny's all-night party?" asked Leslie as she and her friend Madison walked home from the park.

"No," said Madison, "and I'm not even sure why not. When Dad dropped me off at school this morning, he just said he didn't want me to go. I was late so we didn't talk about it any more."

"My parents said no at first, too," replied Leslie, "but I told them that was unfair and that they never trust me! They gave in and said I could go." She grinned. "Why don't you tell your dad how unfair he's being? Maybe he'll change his mind, too!"

Madison shook her head. "You know, Leslie, I really trust my dad," she said. "I guess since my mom left, I've realized how hard he's trying to make the right decisions for me. I know he has to say no sometimes." She paused. "Maybe you should trust your parents more," she suggested. "Did you ever think that when they tell you no it's because that's what's best for you?"

Leslie frowned. "Oh, that's what they always say," she muttered, "but I don't believe it. I think it's mean to boss kids around!"

As the girls turned to cross the street to Leslie's house, she saw her dog sitting at the end of their driveway. "Lady got out!" exclaimed Leslie. "I wonder if somebody left the gate open." The dog looked their way, then jumped up and came running to meet them. "Stop, Lady! No!" Leslie called out. Lady stopped right away. "Good dog!" approved Leslie when she reached her pet. "How did you get out?"

"You're sure mean to Lady-keeping her penned up in the back yard most of the time!" said Madison. "And like now . . . she just wanted to come across the street and meet you, but you wouldn't let her. That's mean!"

"Mean?" asked Leslie in surprise. "I'm not mean. Keeping her in the back yard keeps her safe-and if I just let her run across the street, she might get hit by a car."

"So saying no was really for her good?" asked Madison with a smile.

"Of course it . . ." Leslie stopped. "Okay . . . okay. I
see your point," she said. "I had to say no to Lady, and parents sometimes have
to say no, too."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Is your dad going to let you go to Jenny's all-night party?" asked Leslie as she and her friend Madison walked home from the park.

"No," said Madison, "and I'm not even sure why not. When Dad dropped me off at school this morning, he just said he didn't want me to go. I was late so we didn't talk about it any more."

"My parents said no at first, too," replied Leslie, "but I told them that was unfair and that they never trust me! They gave in and said I could go." She grinned. "Why don't you tell your dad how unfair he's being? Maybe he'll change his mind, too!"

Madison shook her head. "You know, Leslie, I really trust my dad," she said. "I guess since my mom left, I've realized how hard he's trying to make the right decisions for me. I know he has to say no sometimes." She paused. "Maybe you should trust your parents more," she suggested. "Did you ever think that when they tell you no it's because that's what's best for you?"

Leslie frowned. "Oh, that's what they always say," she muttered, "but I don't believe it. I think it's mean to boss kids around!"

As the girls turned to cross the street to Leslie's house, she saw her dog sitting at the end of their driveway. "Lady got out!" exclaimed Leslie. "I wonder if somebody left the gate open." The dog looked their way, then jumped up and came running to meet them. "Stop, Lady! No!" Leslie called out. Lady stopped right away. "Good dog!" approved Leslie when she reached her pet. "How did you get out?"

"You're sure mean to Lady-keeping her penned up in the back yard most of the time!" said Madison. "And like now . . . she just wanted to come across the street and meet you, but you wouldn't let her. That's mean!"

"Mean?" asked Leslie in surprise. "I'm not mean. Keeping her in the back yard keeps her safe-and if I just let her run across the street, she might get hit by a car."

"So saying no was really for her good?" asked Madison with a smile.

"Of course it . . ." Leslie stopped. "Okay . . . okay. I
see your point," she said. "I had to say no to Lady, and parents sometimes have
to say no, too."

[Soldier4Christ]

Brett looked up from his plate as he and his family were eating supper. "You know what?" he asked. "Today I remembered what Pastor Hughes said about witnessing and being the salt of the earth, and I decided to witness to Keith. He's always doing bad stuff. Like . . . he swears sometimes, and he's mean to the little kids, and today I saw him cheat. So after school, I told him he was a sinner going to hell, and that he should repent."

"Whoa! Sounds like you came on a little strong," said Dad. "What else did you tell him?"

"I invited him to come to church," replied Brett, "but he says he already goes. It must be a pretty stupid church he goes to if he isn't a Christian yet."

"I hope you didn't tell him that," said Dad. "Did you?"

"Well . . . sort of," said Brett.

"Brett, if you insult the person you're talking to, he'll probably just get angry and become completely turned off to the Lord," warned Dad.

Brett frowned. "I was just trying to witness," he said. He picked up the salt shaker and started to sprinkle salt onto his potatoes. After just a few shakes, the top fell off, and the salt came pouring out onto his food. Brett looked in dismay at his plate.

"Oh, no!" cried Mom jumping up to help. "I guess I didn't put the top on tight when I filled the shakers this afternoon!"

"You know, Brett," said Dad, "you got too much salt on your plate, and it spoiled your food. I think maybe you gave Keith too much 'salt' today, too. When you hit him with all that talk, you may have given him too much too fast, and it could spoil his interest in spiritual things."

Brett got up to get a new plate. "Do you think so?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so," replied Dad. "Why not apologize to him
tomorrow? Don't stop witnessing, but next time, try to be kind and tactful. Be
sensitive to the other person's feelings."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you witness to your friends? It's important that you do so. You may be the only Christian they know-the only one who will tell them about Jesus. Show love and concern when you witness. Your friends have feelings just like you do. If you think they need to hear some harsh thing, tell them lovingly. Pray about it, and then trust the Lord to give you the right words.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." Colossians 4:6

[Soldier4Christ]

Noah wore a big smile as he and Kyle walked home from school. Kyle looked at his little brother. "What are you so happy about?" asked Kyle.

Noah's grin grew even broader. "It worked!" he said. "Pastor Dunn said we should pray for our enemies, so I've been praying for Derek ever since he knocked me off the swing at school last week."

"Oh . . . yeah . . . well, that's nice," said Kyle.

"Derek's always mean-nobody likes him," added Noah. "Anyway, I've been praying, and today Derek had to go to the hospital to have his appendix out, and he won't be back in school for quite a while!"

"What has that got to do with your prayers?" asked Kyle in surprise.

"God got him back for all the mean things he's done to me," explained Noah.

Kyle frowned. "Don't tell me you asked God to make something bad happen to Derek!" he exclaimed.

"Sure. Like my Sunday school verse said-'Vengence is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' I asked God to repay Derek, and He did it!" Noah shrugged. "You don't think I'd pray for nice things to happen to him, do you?

Kyle laughed. "I don't think you listened to everything Pastor Dunn said about praying for your enemies," he said. "You're supposed to do good to them-be nice to them and not hate them. I think you should pray they'll be saved, too."

"But . . . but . . ." stuttered Noah. He sighed. "It just seemed so good for something bad to happen to Derek for a change."

"Well, you better keep praying for him," suggested Kyle, "and this time ask God to help him get better fast. Okay?"

"Okay, I will," agreed Noah. After a moment, he added, "But I still think it will be nice to not have him in school for a while!"

"Well," said Kyle, "that will give you plenty of time to
pray about your attitude."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who is not a nice person? Would you like to see something bad happen to him or her? Pray for that person, not against him. The Bible says you should love such a person, too-be nice and don't hate. It may not be easy at first, but after a while you may find that someone you thought was an enemy really isn't so bad after all. Try it!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Love your enemies . . . and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Matthew 5:44

[Soldier4Christ]

"Have you finished cleaning your room already?" asked Mom as Jeff joined her on the front porch. Jeff nodded, but he avoided his mother's eyes as he seated himself on the porch swing. He actually had not cleaned his room at all, but he intended to get it done before she checked later.

   Jeff waved at the neighbor boy. "You know, Mom," he said, "it seems like Patrick is always doing something wrong. He cheats sometimes when we play games, and he can tell the biggest lies! I've heard him swear, too."

"I guess you're saying you don't do those things," replied Mom, "but I assume you do sin sometimes. Right?"

"Oh . . . well . . . sure," admitted Jeff, and he remembered the lie he had just told his mother-but it seemed like such a "little" one. Anyhow, I didn't really lie, he thought. I just nodded. "The stuff I do isn't half as bad as what Patrick does, though," he told his mother.

"Don't think your sins are less important in God's eyes than Patrick's are," Mom warned. ""Besides, God doesn't compare you with Patrick. You are either guilty of sin or not guilty."

"What do you mean?" asked Jeff. "I don't get it."

"There are no big sins or small sins from God's point of view," explained Mom. "He says if we break just one small part of the law, we are as guilty as we would be if we broke every part. It's all just plain sin to Him."

Jeff frowned. "You mean I might as well do the things Patrick does because it's all the same to God anyway?" he asked.

"Of course not," replied Mom. "In Romans, God says we should not continue in sin-we should consider ourselves 'dead' to it. He says it should not have dominion over us-it should not be our master. Sometimes we forget, and we fail to live for God as we should. We all do commit sin, so instead of pointing a finger at others, we should confess our own sin to God, accept His forgiveness, and determine, with His help, to not do it anymore."

Jeff was quiet for a moment. Suddenly he jumped up. "I
didn't really clean my room," he confessed. "I'm sorry. I'll do it now." He
turned back. "And I'll think twice before saying I'm better than somebody
else."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Have you finished cleaning your room already?" asked Mom as Jeff joined her on the front porch. Jeff nodded, but he avoided his mother's eyes as he seated himself on the porch swing. He actually had not cleaned his room at all, but he intended to get it done before she checked later.

   Jeff waved at the neighbor boy. "You know, Mom," he said, "it seems like Patrick is always doing something wrong. He cheats sometimes when we play games, and he can tell the biggest lies! I've heard him swear, too."

"I guess you're saying you don't do those things," replied Mom, "but I assume you do sin sometimes. Right?"

"Oh . . . well . . . sure," admitted Jeff, and he remembered the lie he had just told his mother-but it seemed like such a "little" one. Anyhow, I didn't really lie, he thought. I just nodded. "The stuff I do isn't half as bad as what Patrick does, though," he told his mother.

"Don't think your sins are less important in God's eyes than Patrick's are," Mom warned. ""Besides, God doesn't compare you with Patrick. You are either guilty of sin or not guilty."

"What do you mean?" asked Jeff. "I don't get it."

"There are no big sins or small sins from God's point of view," explained Mom. "He says if we break just one small part of the law, we are as guilty as we would be if we broke every part. It's all just plain sin to Him."

Jeff frowned. "You mean I might as well do the things Patrick does because it's all the same to God anyway?" he asked.

"Of course not," replied Mom. "In Romans, God says we should not continue in sin-we should consider ourselves 'dead' to it. He says it should not have dominion over us-it should not be our master. Sometimes we forget, and we fail to live for God as we should. We all do commit sin, so instead of pointing a finger at others, we should confess our own sin to God, accept His forgiveness, and determine, with His help, to not do it anymore."

Jeff was quiet for a moment. Suddenly he jumped up. "I
didn't really clean my room," he confessed. "I'm sorry. I'll do it now." He
turned back. "And I'll think twice before saying I'm better than somebody
else."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Wow, Mom! I never knew all this stuff before!" exclaimed Luke as he sat on the floor, looking through some books. "Our class has to do a report on the heart, so I'm working on it. It's amazing how our bodies are made!"

Mom nodded. "What did you learn?" she asked.

"Well, it says here that in just twenty-four hours, the heart pumps thousands of quarts of blood, and makes it circulate through our bodies a couple of thousand times," Luke told her. "And listen to this! If all our blood vessels were laid end to end, a kid's would stretch over 60,000 miles, and an adult's would be closer to 100,000 miles! Wow! The heart is only about as big as a fist-yet it can do all that stuff." Luke paused as he wrote the facts on his paper.

"That's really amazing," agreed Mom. After a moment she added, "The Bible talks about our hearts, too-but it's referring to our thoughts, attitudes, values, and emotions instead of the actual organs in our bodies."

"Yeah. For Sunday school  we had to memorize a verse in Jeremiah that says our hearts are deceitful and wicked," replied Luke.

Mom nodded. "That's because we're all born with a sin nature," she said, "but the good news is that when we trust in Christ as Savior, God gives us a new, clean heart."

"Yep." Luke had heard about the need for a new heart as long as he could remember, and he had accepted Jesus as his Savior. "Mom, do you know what I'm going to do?" he asked. "I'm going to include that in my report for school, too. It's okay to do that, isn't it? After all, our teacher told us to put down everything we can find on the subject."

"Good idea!" approved Mom. "Maybe someone in your class
will become interested in hearing more about the Lord and in learning how he or
she can have a new heart, too!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a new, clean heart? Thank God for the wonderful heart He placed in your body, but what about your thoughts and attitudes, and values-the person you are? God says your heart-your inner being-is wicked by nature, but He sent His Son Jesus to take the punishment you deserve. Have you trusted in Him? Why not do so today?

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God." Psalm 51:10

[Soldier4Christ]

Kevin waved the brown package excitedly. "Look what came in the mail!" he exclaimed. "I think it's a birthday present from Aunt Sue!" He eagerly ripped the paper off the package. Taking out a book, he frowned. "It's a book of missionary stories," he said unhappily. He tossed it on the table. Kevin liked to read mysteries or sports stories.

A couple of months later, there was a missionary conference at Kevin's church. When his parents had some of the missionaries at their home for dinner, Kevin listened attentively as one of them-a missionary to India-told about his experiences. "Several Indians and I were on our way to preach in one of the villages," said Mr. Jackson. "All day, we were aware of a leopard following us. We expected it to attack any moment, but to our surprise, it never did. It finally just quit following us and left us alone." He smiled. "I believe God kept us safe in answer to the prayers of many of His people back home." He went on to tell of another time God had kept him safe in a dangerous situation. Kevin would have like to hear more, but the missionaries needed to get to the church for the evening meeting.

Several days later, Kevin idly took a book from a shelf and turned a few pages-then suddenly sat up straight. "Mom! This book from Aunt Sue is written by Mr. Jackson!" he exclaimed. Soon he was eagerly reading.

"This book is really interesting," said Kevin, putting it down when it was time to go to bed. "I feel like I really know Mr. Jackson now. I hope he comes to our church again sometime."

"You feel like he's a friend, don't you?" asked Mom,
smiling. "You met Mr. Jackson briefly, but you got to know him better through
his book. That's something like our relationship with God, Kevin. Those of us
who have met Him-who have trusted in Jesus-can get to know Him like a friend as
we read His book-the Bible."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you sometimes wish you knew God better? Are you willing to do your part to get to know Him? Be sure to do your Sunday school or Bible club lessons. Listen to your pastor, even though you may not fully understand his sermons. There's a book to help you, too-the Bible. Read it regularly. It will help you get to know God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law." Psalm 119:18

[Soldier4Christ]

Scott stared out the plane window. He wished he could be excited about his first plane ride, but his thoughts were swirling like the thick clouds below. Why did God let Mom and Dad be in that accident? he wondered. I like going to Grandma and Grandpa's house to stay a while, but not when it's because Mom and Dad are in the hospital.

Just then the flight attendant arrived and offered peanuts and cokes, so Scott turned from the window. "Cheer up," encouraged his older brother, Colton, as he noticed Scott's frown. "Eat your peanuts. They'll help you feel better."

"I'm not hungry," said Scott. "I keep thinking about Mom and Dad."

Colton gave him a lop-sided grin. "I know, Scott. I really feel the same way-but we need to remember that God loves us and cares for us, and He knows what He's doing in our lives."

Scott nodded, but he wasn't sure he agreed. He nibbled at his snack, then turned with a sigh to the window again. Immediately the sigh became a long whistle. "Look, Colton!" he exclaimed. Pressing his nose to the glass, he stared down at the colorful fields and the cars and trucks that looked like tiny toys. "I didn't know it would look like that," he said. "See that train. It looks so tiny! Oh-h-h! I like this!" Scott's solemn face had brightened.

Colton leaned over. "It's great," he agreed. "You know what? All that stuff was down there all the time. You just couldn't see it because of the clouds." Scott grinned and nodded. "We can think of Mom and Dad's accident in the same way," continued Colton. "To us, the whole situation is 'cloudy,' and we can't see anything good in it, but you know who can, right?"

"You're saying that God can?" asked Scott.

"Right," replied Colton. "Remember what Dad told us when
they let us in to see him at the hospital? He reminded us that we accepted Jesus
as Savior by faith, and we need to also live by faith-accepting what God brings
into our lives. Mom and Dad are doing that, and we need to do it,
too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a "cloudy" outlook? Have things happened in your life that make you think nothing is going to turn out right? Don't let the hard things of life control your attitude. Remember that God's plan is always good. He sees all that will result from it even though you can't. Accept all that happens as from His hand.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"He (God) knows the way that I take." Job 23:10

[Soldier4Christ]

As Tom carried the cat out of his bedroom, he met his mother in the hall. She frowned. "I see you're up," she said. "Do you feel better?"

"Not much," said Tom, "but Lucky jumped on top of the hamster cage." Tom pointed behind him. "And look at my silly hamster. He's climbing the cage like he wants to get out. Ziggy doesn't even know there's a cat out here waiting to catch him."

Mom nodded. "He doesn't always know what's best for him," she said. "I'll put Lucky out, and you get back in bed. Would you like some juice?" Tom nodded as Mom took the cat.

When his mother came back, Tom was lying in bed staring glumly at the wall. "I don't see why I had to get sick today," he grumbled. "Our class basketball play-offs are after school, and I prayed all morning that I'd get well enough to go. Instead, I still feel lousy. It's not fair."

"I know it seems that way," said Mom sympathetically, "but . . ." She sat on the edge of the bed. "Tell me-why didn't you let your hamster out of his cage a few minutes ago?" she asked.

"Let him out?" asked Tom. "He might have been eaten up!"

"Being in the cage kept him safe," said Mom, "and sometimes the suffering God lets us face, keeps us safe and free from worse trouble."

Tom thought about Mom's words. He shrugged. "I can't see what kind of trouble it would be keeping me from today," he said.

Mom smiled. "Your hamster probably didn't see what trouble you were protecting him from, either," she said, "and maybe you wouldn't have gotten into trouble today. God might be teaching you some other lesson-perhaps to be patient or to trust Him. I don't know . . . but I do know He loves you and does what's best for you-just like you did what was best for Ziggy."

Tom sighed, but he nodded. "I'll try to remember that,"
he said.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you blame God when you don't like what happens to you? Do you think He isn't fair when things don't go as smoothly for you as for someone else? Let Him draw you closer through any suffering He allows you to face. Trust Him, knowing that He loves you and all His ways are right and good.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"The Lord is righteous in all His ways." Psalm 145:17

[Soldier4Christ]

The doorbell rang, and Lori ran to answer it. As she expected, it was her friend Kaitlin, who had come to work on a school project and then spend the night with Lori. "Kaitlin! Your new shoes are exactly like mine!" exclaimed Lori. "Cool! Look, Mom." She pointed to Kaitlin's feet.

The girls had a good time working on their project, sharing snacks, and trading jokes. It was late before they finished their work and got to bed. The next morning, they overslept and had to hurry to catch the school bus. "May I go home with Kaitlin after school, Mom?" Lori called as she ran out the door.

"Okay," agreed Mom. "Just be home in time for supper."

When Lori came home that afternoon, she plopped down on the couch. "You know what, Mom? I'm glad to be here," she declared. "Kaitlin's dad was home and not in a very good mood. Her little brother was being a real pest-she says he's always getting into her stuff. Her mom was at work and had left a whole list of chores for Kaitlin to do." Lori took off her shoe and looked at her heel. "Besides, my feet hurt. These new shoes rubbed a blister on my heel."

"Maybe they need to be broken in a little," said Mom. She looked at the label in the shoe. "This is size five and a half!" Mom exclaimed. "You should have a six."

Lori laughed. "No wonder my feet hurt," she said. "Kaitlin must have worn my shoes all day, and I wore hers."

"An Indian proverb says, 'Never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins,'" replied Mom. "I guess you just walked a day in Kaitlin's."

"I guess I did . . . in more ways than one," agreed Lori. "I've been at her house before, but I never realized what she has to put up with sometimes."

"We're often not aware of problems other people are facing," said Mom. "That's one reason we should criticize them less and pray for them instead."

Lori stood up. "Okay," she agreed, "but right now I'm
going to call Kaitlin and see how she liked walking in my
shoes."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you too quick to criticize other kids-or adults without trying to understand why they behave as they do? Perhaps you need to "walk in their shoes" for a while and think about what it would be like to live in their circumstances. Don't judge and criticize them; pray for them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Judge not that you be not judged." Matthew 7:1