Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Amy curled up in her favorite chair and began to read, but before long she slammed the book shut. It was not a good book-it contained a lot of bad language! But I have to read it for my class! Or do I? she wondered. I'm going to ask Mrs Rogers if I can read a different one.

After checking with her mother, Amy talked to her teacher, but Mrs. Rogers refused to change the assignment. "This book tells about life as it is," she said firmly. "You can't hide from life behind your cloak of religion, Amy."

"But the characters use really bad language," Amy protested. "I read the book far enough to know that the people in the story do terrible things, too."

"It's real life," Mrs. Rogers insisted. "They do things people have been doing since time began. And they use words you hear every day."

"But I don't have to read them or listen to them," objected Amy. "It should be my choice."

"You'll read that book or take a zero!" said Mrs. Rogers with a frown.

Amy blinked back the tears. She had worked hard for an "A," and a zero would bring her grade down. "Then I guess I'll have to take a zero," Amy said softly, and she left the room.

When Amy got home, she told her mother what her teacher had said. "Should I have done what she wanted me to, Mom?"

Mom shook her head. "No. You did the right thing, honey," she said. "I think maybe I should speak with Mrs. Rogers myself."

"No, Mom. Please," said Amy. "Some of the kids laughed when they heard about it, and if you go, it will just make it worse. It's not that important, and I should still get a good grade." 

Three weeks later, Amy came home with her report card. "Mrs. Rogers gave me a 'C' and made me miss the honor roll," she said. Tears filled her eyes. "It's not fair! I should have gotten at least a 'B,' even with the zero she gave me."

Mom didn't have to ask what Amy was talking about. She
knew. Gathering her sobbing daughter into her arms, she said gently, "Never
mind, honey. You may have missed the honor roll at Clayton Middle School, but I
think you've made the one in heaven." She brushed away Amy's tears. "I'm very
proud of you, and I know your Heavenly Father is, too," added Mom. Amy wiped her
eyes and smiled shakily as Mom quoted a verse Amy had recently learned:
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven."

[Soldier4Christ]

Amy curled up in her favorite chair and began to read, but before long she slammed the book shut. It was not a good book-it contained a lot of bad language! But I have to read it for my class! Or do I? she wondered. I'm going to ask Mrs Rogers if I can read a different one.

After checking with her mother, Amy talked to her teacher, but Mrs. Rogers refused to change the assignment. "This book tells about life as it is," she said firmly. "You can't hide from life behind your cloak of religion, Amy."

"But the characters use really bad language," Amy protested. "I read the book far enough to know that the people in the story do terrible things, too."

"It's real life," Mrs. Rogers insisted. "They do things people have been doing since time began. And they use words you hear every day."

"But I don't have to read them or listen to them," objected Amy. "It should be my choice."

"You'll read that book or take a zero!" said Mrs. Rogers with a frown.

Amy blinked back the tears. She had worked hard for an "A," and a zero would bring her grade down. "Then I guess I'll have to take a zero," Amy said softly, and she left the room.

When Amy got home, she told her mother what her teacher had said. "Should I have done what she wanted me to, Mom?"

Mom shook her head. "No. You did the right thing, honey," she said. "I think maybe I should speak with Mrs. Rogers myself."

"No, Mom. Please," said Amy. "Some of the kids laughed when they heard about it, and if you go, it will just make it worse. It's not that important, and I should still get a good grade." 

Three weeks later, Amy came home with her report card. "Mrs. Rogers gave me a 'C' and made me miss the honor roll," she said. Tears filled her eyes. "It's not fair! I should have gotten at least a 'B,' even with the zero she gave me."

Mom didn't have to ask what Amy was talking about. She
knew. Gathering her sobbing daughter into her arms, she said gently, "Never
mind, honey. You may have missed the honor roll at Clayton Middle School, but I
think you've made the one in heaven." She brushed away Amy's tears. "I'm very
proud of you, and I know your Heavenly Father is, too," added Mom. Amy wiped her
eyes and smiled shakily as Mom quoted a verse Amy had recently learned:
"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven."

[Soldier4Christ]

Josh was sprawled on his bed, looking at photographs. When his dad looked in, Josh glanced up. "Hey, Dad! I think I'll be a deep sea diver someday," he said. "Look at these pictures Uncle Wayne brought over this afternoon. He took them when he was deep sea diving in Florida."

Dad peered over Josh's shoulder. "What unusual plants and animals!"  exclaimed Dad. "They're fascinating, aren't they? And what vivid colors!" Together they examined the pictures. "God must have a wonderful imagination in order to create such a variety of life forms," added Dad.

"Uncle Wayne says the farther down in the ocean you go, the more beautiful it gets," said Josh as he picked up another picture. He paused and turned to his dad. "Why do you suppose God made such interesting creatures and then hid them down deep in the ocean where most people don't ever see them?"

Dad thought a moment. "I'm not sure," he said, "but when I see these pictures, it reminds me of what a great God we have. And somehow it also reminds me of the riches to be found in the Bible." Dad smiled. "I used to think personal devotions weren't important. I figured I'd already heard all those Bible stories-and biblical principles-in church and Sunday school."

"You probably had," said Jason. "I have, too."

"Well, I'm sure we haven't actually heard all of them," said Dad, "though we have heard many. Uncle Wayne has seen the ocean many times, and yet he decided he wanted to explore it more thoroughly-to go down deep to see what he could discover. Do you think he was rewarded for his efforts?"

"He sure was," said Josh as he shuffled through the pictures again.

Dad nodded. "The point is . . . if you and I explore
God's Word and study it, He'll reward us, too," he said. "God will reveal
knowledge, insights, and wisdom to those who are willing to dig deep into His
Word."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you aware that the Bible has much to teach you? It holds a tremendous amount of knowledge, and as you spend time reading and studying God's Word, He will teach you new things from it. He'll help you learn more about Him and help you understand things that happen in life-and there will always be new things to learn and to put into practice.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

[Soldier4Christ]

Jeremy sighed as he perched on the arm of his dad's chair. "Is something wrong, Jeremy?" asked Dad glancing up from his newspaper.

"I'm tired of trying to be nice to Logan. He's always bugging me," grumbled Jeremy just as his younger brother, Blake, dashed into the room. "Today in Sunday school, Logan kept poking my arm. Why can't he grow up? He . . ." 

"Dad! Can we go and look at my rocks now?" asked Blake, interrupting his brother. "It's been a whole week since I put them in my rock tumbler!"

"Blake, the directions say it takes five or six weeks to polish stones," Jeremy reminded him. "If you take them out now, they won't look much different than they did when you put them in."

"That's right," agreed Dad. "We'll change the grinding agent pretty soon, but the rocks have to tumble for several weeks before they're smooth and shiny."

"Okay," said Blake. He sighed as he left the room. "I'll leave 'em alone."

After a moment, Dad murmured, "I guess Logan isn't polished yet."

Jeremy's head shot up. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Didn't he accept the Lord at Bible camp last summer?" asked Dad. Jeremy nodded. "He's a new Christian, and it takes a lot of 'polishing' to make us like Jesus," explained Dad. "We're all in different stages of spiritual growth. Those of us who have learned some lessons about how to behave need to have patience-especially with new Christians."

"You're saying I need to be more patient with Logan, right?" asked Jeremy.

Dad nodded. "The Bible talks about iron sharpening
iron-and I think that's a little like a grinding agent polishing rocks," he
said. "Maybe God wants Logan's shortcomings-and yours-to work like grinding
agents to polish each other. So next time Logan starts poking you, politely ask
him to stop. Develop patience as you get to know him better and try to help him
learn more about the Lord."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
How patient are you when you don't like what someone does?  Remember the "polishing process" isn't finished-for you or anyone else. None of us is perfect yet-we won't be until we reach heaven. Ask God to help you to become more like Jesus and to be kind and patient with others as He is.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

[Soldier4Christ]

Every fall the wild plum trees across from the Raburn home were loaded with juicy, tangy, sweet plums. The Raburns made the fruit into jellies, jams, sauces, and smoothies. "Wild plum season is the very best time of the year," declared Tricia.

 One summer it was unusually cold and dry. The plums shriveled and dropped off, one by one. "They look like prunes," complained Tricia.

Bob picked up a withered plum. "No jelly this year," he said disgustedly.

Tricia popped an "okay-looking" plum into her mouth. Then she made a face. "These things are no good at all!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, well," said Bob, "at least we get lots of good plums most years."

"Yes, but that won't be much comfort when you want plum jelly this winter," murmured Tricia.

"I guess not," Bob agreed. After a moment, he added, "It's like Pastor Gray said yesterday."

"He talked about plums?" asked Tricia with a grin. "I must have missed it."

"He was talking about serving God," replied Bob. "He said sometimes people witness or do something to serve God and then feel like they've done their duty and quit. He said we shouldn't think we're finished-we should keep it up." Bob picked up a withered plum. "I mean . . . look-we don't care how many good plums these trees made last year, do we?"

"I guess not," said Tricia. "I think they should have kept on making them."

"Well, maybe that's how Jesus feels when we stop witnessing or serving Him," said Bob. He grinned. "I've got an idea! Every time we wish we had plum jelly this winter, it can remind us that we should witness to our friends."

"Okay," said Tricia, "and let's check up on each other and see if we really do it. Deal?"

Bob nodded. "Deal!" he agreed.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What have you done to serve Jesus lately? Have you shared a Gospel tract? Invited someone to Sunday school? Perhaps you witnessed in the past, but someone made fun of you or no one listened, so you quit. Maybe you helped in Sunday school or sang in junior choir, and you figure you've done your share. Don't "dry up"! Keep serving Jesus so God can produce "fruit" in your life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit." John 15:8

[Soldier4Christ]

The children in Paul's class were stunned. A classmate had been killed in a car accident. "Sometimes it makes us feel better to remember good and happy things about a person who has died," Miss Kendall said. "Would anyone like to mention something special about Jonathan?" So several students shared things they liked about their friend.

Allison spoke first. "Jonathan played his horn really good," she said.

"He was smart," offered Jason. "He could figure things out real quick."

"He was a nice-looking boy, too," said Marcy.

"Jonathan was a good person," said Dylan. "He always went to church."

Paul fidgeted in his seat. The things the kids said were true, but nobody had mentioned the most important thing of all. Do I dare tell them? he wondered. He hesitated a few minutes longer, then slowly raised his hand.

"Paul?" His teacher smiled at him.

"My dad always says people are like cars," began Paul nervously. He gained more confidence as he went on. "When my brother Steve wanted to buy a car, he brought it home to show my dad. Steve pointed out how nice it looked and said he liked the CD player and stuff. But Dad wasn't impressed. He kept saying, 'What about the engine? It's what's under the hood that really counts.' But Steve didn't listen, and now his car won't run half the time." Paul paused, surprised at the long speech he was making.

"That's interesting," said Miss Kendall kindly, "but would you like to say something about Jonathan, too?"

"What I wanted to say was . . . we've heard a lot of
good things about Jonathan, but I'm glad I can tell you he's not like Steve's
car," said Paul. "He didn't just look good. A couple of months ago he told me he
trusted Jesus as his Savior. That made him good in God's sight, and that's what
really counts."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is your life like a car that's good "under the hood"? Being helpful and kind, attending church and Sunday school, and doing all sorts of other "good" things may help you look good to others, but not to God. You must receive His righteousness-His goodness-by believing in Jesus as Savior. Give your heart and life to Him today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"To him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness." Romans 4:5

[Soldier4Christ]

Toby stretched, yawned, and turned off the alarm. For several minutes he argued with himself. One voice in his thoughts said, Get up. It's time for Sunday school. Another voice said, Why? Your folks don't go. Sleep a little longer. In the end, the wrong voice won. "I'll never be missed," Toby mumbled as he pulled the blanket over his head. "Those guys don't care if I come or not."

At recess time the next day, Toby tripped over a tree stump and broke a toe. "Oh-h-h-h!" he moaned as the doctor checked it out. "It hurts so bad!"

Doctor Bradford nodded. "It will hurt for a while," he said, "but it will heal just fine. Give it time."

When Toby went to the mall with his mother on Saturday, his saw his Sunday school teacher there. While Toby's mom paid for her purchases, Toby and Mr. Burns talked. "I see you're limping. Did you hurt your foot?" asked Mr. Burns. "Is that why you missed Sunday school?"

"I broke my toe last Monday," Toby answered. "I didn't come Sunday because . . . well . . . I just figured I wouldn't be missed anyway."

Mr. Burns shook his head. "Oh, Toby, you were missed," he said "When you're absent, there's a big gap in our class." He pointed to Toby's foot and asked, "Your toe isn't very big, is it? But when you broke it, did it just bother your toe or did your it affect your whole body?"

Toby made a face. "For a couple of days, I wasn't much good for anything," he said. "Dad said I acted like I broke my back."

"So it affected your whole body," said Mr. Burns. "It's like that with Christians, too. Each one is important, even those who may think they're the 'little toe.' When one member hurts, we all hurt." He stood to leave. "You are important to our class, Toby. Don't ever forget that."

Toby grinned. "I won't, Mr. Burns," he said. "My toe
won't let me. Every time I take a step, I'll remember. See you tomorrow
morning."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who feels little and unimportant and needs your encouragement? Each Christian is a member of the "body of Christ," and you should share one another's joys and sorrows. Let others know when there's something you'd like them to pray about-and pray for them, too. Be glad when good things happen to others, and share your happy experiences as well.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." Romans 12:15

[Soldier4Christ]

"I wish my dad had time to spend with me like your dad does with you, but he's always so busy!" Sonya complained to her friend Bethany.

Bethany looked at the beautiful furnishings in Sonya's home. "Well, I wish we had as many nice things as you do," she said. "We don't have much money." The girls went on to compare and complain about their circumstances.

"I think you girls need something useful to do," said Sonya's mother after hearing their complaints for several minutes. "I need to make some visits for the church welcoming committee. How about coming along?"

The girls agreed, and at the first stop, a young mother invited them in. "You'll have to excuse this house," said Mrs. Marsh. "My kids are about to drive me crazy. I'll be glad when they're all in school. Then maybe I'll have some peace and quiet." Motioning for her guests to sit down, she continued, "I wish we had never moved to this town. Everyone is so unfriendly." For the rest of their visit, she continued to complain about everything and everybody.

When they left, Bethany whistled. "Wow! I wonder if she's ever happy about anything," she said.

A smiling lady answered the door when they made the next call. "We're so happy here," Mrs. Perry bubbled to her guests. "We're thankful we found a loving church family so quickly." As they visited with her, she went on to praise the church, the schools, and the people in their neighborhood.

"Mrs. Marsh and Mrs. Perry are so different!" exclaimed Sonya on the way home. "They  moved to town about the same time; their husbands work for the same company; they live in the same neighborhood; and they attend the same church. But one grumbled about moving the whole time we were there, and the other one is so happy about it. Why is that?"

"Well," said Mom, "God says we're to think about good things. It seems Mrs. Perry has learned to do that-to look for and think about what's good in any situation-and Mrs. Marsh has not."

"I guess not!" exclaimed Bethany.

"There are two 'tents' in which we can live," added Mom
quietly. "One is contentment, and the other is discontentment. It's not time or
money that determines how happy you are. It's which 'tent' you choose to live
in."

[Soldier4Christ]

"I wish my dad had time to spend with me like your dad does with you, but he's always so busy!" Sonya complained to her friend Bethany.

Bethany looked at the beautiful furnishings in Sonya's home. "Well, I wish we had as many nice things as you do," she said. "We don't have much money." The girls went on to compare and complain about their circumstances.

"I think you girls need something useful to do," said Sonya's mother after hearing their complaints for several minutes. "I need to make some visits for the church welcoming committee. How about coming along?"

The girls agreed, and at the first stop, a young mother invited them in. "You'll have to excuse this house," said Mrs. Marsh. "My kids are about to drive me crazy. I'll be glad when they're all in school. Then maybe I'll have some peace and quiet." Motioning for her guests to sit down, she continued, "I wish we had never moved to this town. Everyone is so unfriendly." For the rest of their visit, she continued to complain about everything and everybody.

When they left, Bethany whistled. "Wow! I wonder if she's ever happy about anything," she said.

A smiling lady answered the door when they made the next call. "We're so happy here," Mrs. Perry bubbled to her guests. "We're thankful we found a loving church family so quickly." As they visited with her, she went on to praise the church, the schools, and the people in their neighborhood.

"Mrs. Marsh and Mrs. Perry are so different!" exclaimed Sonya on the way home. "They  moved to town about the same time; their husbands work for the same company; they live in the same neighborhood; and they attend the same church. But one grumbled about moving the whole time we were there, and the other one is so happy about it. Why is that?"

"Well," said Mom, "God says we're to think about good things. It seems Mrs. Perry has learned to do that-to look for and think about what's good in any situation-and Mrs. Marsh has not."

"I guess not!" exclaimed Bethany.

"There are two 'tents' in which we can live," added Mom
quietly. "One is contentment, and the other is discontentment. It's not time or
money that determines how happy you are. It's which 'tent' you choose to live
in."

[Soldier4Christ]

Andy trudged home, a grim look on his face. He knew his mother would take one look at his clothes and know he had been in another fight. And Dad would . . . well, Andy didn't know what Dad would do. But I don't care! thought Andy. Ever since Jase lied and got me in trouble, I can't stand that guy!

As Andy passed an empty lot, he glanced toward an old tree stump. He knew a swarm of bees had made a hive there, but there were none buzzing around. Good, he thought. I guess it's too cold for bees. Then he noticed a few lying on the ground. "All right! I've been wanting one of you guys for my insect collection," he muttered. "Here's my chance to get you without getting stung." He picked up a bee and carefully put it in his pocket.

When Andy arrived home, it was just as he expected. "Andrew James!" his mother exclaimed. "You've been in another fight! I suppose it was Jase again."

Andy felt bad when he saw the disappointed look on his father's face, too. "Well, he's always mean and says all kinds of hateful things," explained Andy.

"We've talked before about ways Jesus says we're to treat those who aren't nice to us. Using your fists on people is not one of them," said Dad. "I believe you said you wanted to please God in the way you behave toward Jase."

"Yes, but I . . . I just can't help it," mumbled Andy. He shoved his hand into his pocket. With a yelp, he jerked it out again, and a bee flew to the window. "I thought that thing was dead!" exclaimed Andy.

As Dad worked to remove the stinger from Andy's finger, he shook his head. "You know, Son, the hatred and unforgiveness you have for Jase is something like that bee. It's lying dormant-quiet and seemingly dead-in your heart, but when Jase provokes you, it flares up again. You need to give your hurt and anger to God."

"I've tried," said Andy. "It doesn't seem to work."

"You can't just say the words; you have to mean them,"
said Dad. "And do what God says-do good to Jase. I think you'll be surprised at
what happens."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Does anger, envy, or selfishness flare up in your heart from time to time? Did you think you had conquered it, but there it is again? Have you asked God to take it away-and really meant it? Perhaps you've prayed about it and said all the right words, but you never tried God's method of overcoming it-you've never replaced it with doing good to the other person involved.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can I fix supper?" asked Kris. "It'll be fun."

"Sure," said Mom, "but Dad has a business dinner tonight, so it will just be you and Doug and me."

"Let's have TV dinners then, okay?" asked Kris. "But can I make some extra potatoes? We have a box of instant mashed potato flakes, don't we? I know how to do them. And can I fix instant pudding for dessert?"

"If you like," agreed Mom. "I've made a salad-it's in the refrigerator. You can fix brown-'n-serve rolls, too. Think you can handle that?"

"No problem," said Kris. She went to work, and soon the meal was ready.

"You'll never guess what happened today, Mom," said Kris as they ate. "Instead of collecting our homework, Mrs. Derks just asked if we all had it done. This morning Natalie told me she hadn't finished hers, but when Mrs. Derks asked her, Natalie said she had it done!"

"Kids do that all the time," said Doug.

"Yes, but she's supposed to be a Christian!" exclaimed Kris.

"Yeah, well, you do wrong things too, you know," insisted Doug, "and you've been a Christian longer than Natalie has."

"Doug has a point," said Mom. "I'm not excusing what Natalie did, but don't be too hard on her."

"But, Mom," protested Kris, "she lied!"

"I know, but as Doug pointed out, she hasn't had much
time to become a mature Christian," said Mom. "I'm afraid in this day and age we
often get the idea that everything should be 'instant'-like much of this meal
is. Most of these things were very easy and quick to fix because they're
pre-cooked or instant foods. But spiritual maturity doesn't come that way. It's
more like the salad I made. That took quite a bit of time, and it takes a lot of
time to become a mature Christian, too. Perhaps you expect too much too soon
from Natalie. Give her time to learn and grow."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have friends who are new Christians? When you accept Jesus as your Savior, you are instantly saved-but you aren't instantly mature. Don't expect instant maturity from your friends, either. Learn to be patient as together you grow and learn more about God and what pleases Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"We who are strong ought to bear with the scruples (failings) of the weak." Romans 15:1

[Soldier4Christ]

Troy struggled to unscrew the lid of a small bottle of paint. He needed to use it on a model airplane he'd gotten for his birthday. His face turned red as he tried with all his might to turn the lid. When he failed, he became angry and impatient. He took the bottle out to the garage, picked up one of Dad's screwdrivers, and tried to pry the lid off. The screwdriver slipped and jabbed his finger. "Ouch!" Troy cried as he watched a trickle of blood run from the cut. He put the bottle down and went into the house for a bandage.

When Troy returned to the garage, Dad had just gotten home from work. "What did you do to your finger?" Dad asked, looking at the bandage on Troy's hand. Troy explained about the lid. "Did you read the directions on the bottle?" asked Dad.

"Directions?" Troy frowned. "To open a bottle?"

Dad picked up the paint and pointed to the writing on the top of the lid. "It says to push down and then turn."

Troy followed the directions and the lid came off easily. "Guess I should have paid attention," he said. "I didn't even see those directions before."

Dad watched as Troy got ready to paint. "Hey, Dad, this is like what you told me last week," said Troy.

Dad grinned. "I told you a lot of things last week," he said. "Which one are you thinking of?"

"You said the Bible gives us directions for life," replied Troy, "and that without those directions, we might do things that are wrong and then we're sure to get hurt. Like I hurt my finger when I ignored the directions on the bottle of paint, right?"

"Good thinking," said Dad, "only you can get hurt a lot
worse when you don't follow God's directions on how to live a Christian
life."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you read the directions God gives? Do you follow them? Or do you attempt to do things your own way? Read the Bible to learn what God says, and then be sure to follow His directions. Not following them can result in getting hurt-spiritually, and sometimes even physically.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only." James 1:22

[Soldier4Christ]

Jessica and her grandma sat in the front part of a pedal boat, and Amanda and Grandpa were in the back. At first they all pedaled together, but soon . . . "I'm tired," complained Jessica. She lifted her feet, and for a little while, Grandma pedaled for both of them. Then she stopped pedaling, too.

"My knees hurt," said Grandpa a few minutes later. He stretched his legs out on the side of the boat, leaving Amanda to pedal alone.

"This is too hard since you all of you quit," muttered Amanda. She soon stopped pedaling, and the boat soon drifted to a stop.

"Pedaling is harder than it looks," said Grandpa after they had drifted a little while, "but if we don't work together, we'll sit out here all day."

"Yeah, and I'm hungry," said Jessica. She lifted her feet and began to pedal again. The others did the same, and soon they were back at the boat dock.

"That was fun," said Amanda as they headed for a restaurant, "except when I had to pedal alone."

"That reminds me of a Bible verse," said Grandpa. "Galatians 6:2 says, 'Bear one another's burdens.' How can we do that?"

"By everybody pedaling," said Jessica promptly.

Grandpa smiled. "That's true when we're in a pedal boat," he agreed, "but how can we help bear other people's burdens?" he asked. "Like . . . well, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, for example."

"They like us to visit since they're shut-ins," said Jessica. "They liked the cookies we took them, too."

 Amanda nodded. "We can send cards and pray for them, too," she added.

"Their daughter cooks for them and cleans their house," said Grandma. "I know she appreciates all the help others give her elderly parents."

"It would be hard for her to care for them all by herself," said Jessica.

"Like having to pedal the boat all by myself," groaned Amanda.

"Working together makes life easier in all kinds of
situations," agreed Grandpa.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know any kids who are having a hard time? Maybe they've been sick, parents have lost their jobs, or school work is difficult. Pray for those kids, offer to help with homework, invite them to your house-and be sure to let them know Jesus loves them. Like a pedal boat, life is easier when people work together and help each other.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Bear one another's burdens." Galatians 6:2

[Soldier4Christ]

Kevin pushed open the door with "Dr. David Brown"-the name of his father-on it. As he entered the waiting room, the office nurse smiled at him. "Hi, Kevin," she said. "Your dad is almost done for the day. He'll be with you in a few minutes."

Before long, Kevin and his father were in their car, headed for home. "Dad, I heard on the radio that the President was having his annual checkup today," said Kevin. "When someone comes for a checkup, they usually feel good, don't they? So how do you tell whether they're sick or not?"

Dad smiled. "Generally, if the vital signs are all okay, the patient is healthy," he said.

"Vital signs?" asked Kevin. "Like what?"

"Oh, things like blood pressure, heartbeat, and clear lungs," said Dad. "I also check the patient's height and weight and look at his ears, eyes, nose, and throat. I ask if he has any complaints at all. If I suspect there's any problem, I order other tests."

"And that's why a checkup is so important?" asked Kevin. "Because there might be something wrong even if you feel good?"

Dad nodded. "The sooner illnesses are detected and treated, the better the chance of a cure," he said. As he pulled into the driveway, he added, "There's another kind of checkup that's even more important-and it's one we can give ourselves."

"We can?" asked Kevin. "What is it?"

"A spiritual checkup," replied Dad. "We should check the 'vital signs' of our Christian life. For example, we should see if prayer and Scripture reading have become regular habits. In general, we should have a positive attitude toward things of the Lord and other Christians."

"So like . . . if we're mad at some of them, that's a bad sign?" asked Kevin. "Or if we don't want to witness or go to church?"

"Good thinking," said Dad. "Those signs indicate that we
need to repair relationships as soon as possible-with God and with others. We
need to ask God to reveal any areas of sin in our lives." He smiled at Kevin.
"Let's both give ourselves a spiritual checkup today."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
When was the last time you gave yourself a spiritual checkup? Are you interested in learning more about God and what pleases Him? Do you talk with Him-do you thank Him for your blessings and tell Him your problems? Do you enjoy being with other Christians? Is all you do "acceptable" in God's sight, or are there things you'd rather He didn't see? Take regular "checkups" of your spiritual life. Ask God to show you if something is needed to improve your spiritual health.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Let us search out and examine our ways and turn back to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40

[Soldier4Christ]

Jenna glanced out the window just as elderly Mrs. Carlson tripped over the curb and fell to the ground. Jenna quickly jumped up and ran out of the house to see if her neighbor was hurt. Even though she was in obviously in great pain, Mrs. Carlson was trying to get up when Jenna reached her. "It's my back," gasped Mrs. Carlson. "I hope it didn't break it."

"Don't move," cautioned Jenna. "You might hurt yourself worse. I'll go call 911." She ran back into the house.

When Jenna returned, Mrs. Carlson looked up and smiled weakly. "I'm so glad you were here," she said. "You seem to know what to do, Jenna. Thank you so much." Soon the E-unit arrived, and Jenna watched as the rescue workers carefully lifted Mrs. Carlson into the vehicle.

The next Sunday, Jenna told her Sunday school teacher about the incident. "I'm sure glad I took a first aid class this summer," said Jenna. "I knew enough to have Mrs. Carlson lay still so she wouldn't hurt herself worse."

"That's great!" exclaimed Miss Berry. "It's good to know what to do in emergencies." She paused briefly. "You know," she added, "it's good to be prepared to give physical help when it's needed, and we should also be prepared to give spiritual help to those meet. We should know how to help someone find Christ."

Jenna was quiet. "I'm sure not all of my friends know Jesus, but I don't really know what to say or how to talk to them about accepting Him," she admitted. "Actually, I . . . I'm a little afraid to try because I might not know how to answer their questions or make it clear to them how to be saved."

"I understand how you feel," Miss Berry replied, "but
what you're learning in church and Sunday school and in any Bible study you've
done on your own is a little like a spiritual first aid course. You practiced
what you learned in your first aid class, and now you need to practice what
you've learned about God, too. Trust Him to give you the right words to tell
your friends about Jesus and what He did for you-and what He wants to do for
them."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid you won't know what to say if you try to tell friends about Jesus?It will be easier if you've prepared by regularly reading your Bible and memorizing verses. Listening carefully in Sunday school and church will help, too. Learn all you can about the Lord, and then speak up for Him. Share your testimony with your friends. They need Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Romans 1:16