Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

"Molly!" hollered Jeff. "Don't touch those." But it was too late. Molly pushed the first domino and the rest of them tumbled down, one after another. What had taken Jeff a long time to set up had tumbled over in just a few seconds. Molly giggled, clapping her little hands. "You are such a pest, Molly," Jeff said angrily. "That was mean and stupid. I wish you'd go away!" Molly's happy face crumpled with disappointment and then tears. She ran off sobbing.

Their dog, Rags, wandered over to Molly, her tail wagging. When Rags licked Molly's face, she kicked the dog. "Pest!" she exclaimed. "Go away!"

Then Jeff heard his mother's voice. "Time out, Molly!" said Mom, and Molly's protests died away behind her closed bedroom door.

Jeff pushed the dominoes into a pile and started to set them up again. As he worked, his anger died away. He began to feel really bad about what he had said to his sister, and he had an idea. "Molly," Jeff called when he finished setting up the dominoes. "Come here!" Molly slowly came into the room looking unhappy. Jeff pointed to the dominoes. "I built this for you," he said. "Go ahead, Molly-you can start it."

"Really?" asked Molly as Mom came to watch. Jeff nodded. Delighted, Molly pushed over the first domino. The rapid click of dominoes filled the room as they toppled against each other.

"You know," Mom said thoughtfully, "people are like those dominoes."

Jeff had a puzzled look on his face as he stared at the fallen dominoes. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Molly told me what happened before she kicked Rags," said Mom. "When we get angry, words come quickly, and our reactions often affect more than one person." Mom patted the dog. "Or creature," she added.

"Like . . ." Jeff looked embarrassed. "When I got mad and said mean things to Molly, I made her angry, too, so she took it out on Rags. It was like the dominoes-from me to Molly to the dog."

"Yes," said Mom with a smile. "The Bible tells us to be careful about what we say to one another. Our words should build each other up rather than knocking them down."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you careful about the things you say? What you say to one person may affect the way he treats other people. Try saying nice things to someone today and then notice whether or not the tone of your words is passed along to others. Take pleasure in doing this, knowing that God is pleased when you follow His advice in this matter.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good. Ephesians 4:29

[Soldier4Christ]

Jack sat on the porch steps, one arm propping up his chin, the other poking at the snow with a stick. When his mother opened the door to call him in for lunch, she noticed his glum mood. "Problems, Son?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

Jack laid down the stick and went inside. "Nothing, I guess," he mumbled.

Mom looked at Jack as she placed corn dogs and chips on the table and poured hot chocolate. "It's a beautiful day, you have several new things to play with and keep you busy, and school's out for a few more days. But you don't look happy, so I know there must be something wrong."

"That's just it!" exclaimed Jack. "Vacation is almost over. School starts next week, and I haven't gotten anything done."

"What do you mean?" asked Mom. "What didn't you get done?"

"I was going to finish my model ship and learn how to ski during vacation," said Jack. "I was going to surprise Dad by cleaning the garage and vacuuming the car. I was even planning to shovel Mrs. Patten's walks and driveway for free, but I never got around to it. She ended up hiring someone." He sighed loudly as he dragged his corn dog through a glob of mustard. "I had fun this vacation, but I just realized I wasted a lot of time."

Mom nodded. "I understand how you feel," she said. "I've often felt that way myself-lots of people do. People live only so long, you know, and as they get older, they sometimes realize how much time they've wasted, living for themselves instead of living for God. It's sad when they don't realize it in time to do something about it."

"But what can they do?" asked Jack. "They can't travel back in time and do things right. That's what I wish I could do."

Mom smiled. "Well, there is something they-and you-can do," she told him.

Jack looked up. "What's that?" he asked.

"You can stop moping about the past, which you can't change, and start shaping the future," she said. "You can wisely use the time you do have left-not only during this vacation, but throughout your life."

Jack sat quietly for a moment and then began wolfing down his corn dog. "I have to hurry," he explained, "so I can go talk with Mrs. Patten."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
How have you been spending your Christmas vacation? Did you have a lot of fun? That would be good-there's nothing wrong with having fun. But be sure to look for worthwhile, helpful things to do, too. More importantly, how are you spending your life? You're young-your life is before you. Live in such a way that when you come to the end of life, you won't feel like it's been wasted. In other words, live for Jesus now while you're young and for as many years as He gives you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Forget(ting) those things which are behind and reach(ing) forward to those things which are ahead. Philippians 3:13

[Soldier4Christ]

"Come here, little crab. I have something you'll like. Come on. Try it," Philip coaxed softly. "A little closer now. That's right. Keep coming. Another nibble. Closer. Closer."

There was a sudden splash in the water. "Gotcha," shouted Grandpa. Holding up the dip net, he exclaimed, "This one is huge, Philip! Good job! Okay . . . toss that chicken wing back in and let's do it again."

Philip always had a great time when he visited his grandparents in Florida, and the thing he enjoyed most was catching crabs for their annual seafood cookout. When he and Grandpa went crabbing, they didn't have to bother with hooks, sinkers, or even poles. All Philip had to do was tie a piece of raw chicken on a long string and then toss the chicken into the shallow waters of the river. When he felt the tug on his string, he very slowly pulled the bait toward him, inch by inch. The crab, nibbling the chicken, would follow it right up to the edge of the water. Then in one swift motion, Grandpa would scoop the crab into the dip net.

"Here's another one, Grandpa. Get ready!" Philip warned. He laughed as Grandpa scooped up the crab. "Crabs must really be dumb to get caught like this," observed Philip.

Grandpa smiled. "I'm not sure how intelligent crabs are," he said, "but it occurs to me that even though we are more intelligent than crabs, we often get caught-just like these crabs did today."

"Caught?" Philip looked up at Grandpa. "How do we get caught?"

"Satan tosses out all kinds of things that look great to us-popularity, lots of money, good times," explained Grandpa. "Just like you coax the crabs, Satan tries to coax us to sin. It's as if he's saying, 'I have something you will like. Try it. It's so good. Just try a little more.' If we're not careful, Philip, we get caught up in sin. What seems harmless at first can end in disaster."

Philip nodded. "I guess you might say we could end up in hot water, just like these crabs will tonight," he said with a little grin. "Right, Grandpa?"

"That's right," agreed Grandpa. "We must not follow Satan's temptations. There are always strings attached."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you realize how dangerous it is to "sample" sin-to just try it just once? When you intend to simply "try" something wrong and see how much you can enjoy and get away with, you're liable to get caught up in it. If you immediately say no to temptations that come your way, you can avoid getting involved in sins that can quickly pull you into more serious trouble.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin. Proverbs 5:22

[Soldier4Christ]

"I'll pick you up after school and take you to see Grandpa in the hospital," Mom told Marc and Lisa as they put on their coats.

Marc tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "Is . . . is he g-going to die?"

Mom took a deep breath. "I don't know, honey. But Grandpa is in God's hands, and He'll take care of him. God knows what's best for all of us."

"But it can't be best for Grandpa to die," Marc protested tearfully.

"It doesn't seem that way to us," Mom replied, "but we're looking at it from our point of view. We have to accept that God may choose to take him home to heaven. We can be thankful that Grandpa knows Jesus and would be so happy to see Him." Marc nodded, but he wasn't entirely convinced.

As Marc and Lisa left for school, Lisa handed him some money. "Will you keep this for me, Marc? I want to buy Grandpa a card before we go to the hospital, but I don't have a good place to keep my money."

Marc nodded and stuffed the money into his pocket. The day crawled by for him. He couldn't concentrate on lessons, and every few minutes he asked God to take care of Grandpa.

After school, the children climbed into Mom's car. "Is Grandpa any better?" asked Marc.

Mom shook her head. "He's about the same."

"Where's my money, Marc?" asked Lisa as Mom parked in front of the card shop. Marc pulled it out of his pocket and gave it to her. Lisa smiled. "My friend Nicole took some money to school this morning," she said, "but this afternoon she couldn't find it. She thinks she lost it on the playground. I bet I would have lost mine, too. Thanks for taking care of it for me."

As Lisa paid for her card, Mom turned to Marc. "Lisa's right, Son," she said. "You were better able to take care of her money than she was. And God is the one who is best able to take care of Grandpa. Just like Lisa trusted you, we can trust God. We don't know why He hasn't made Grandpa better, but even if things don't turn out the way we'd like them to, we can be sure that God's ways are always better than ours. Grandpa is in God's care."

Lisa came up to them and handed Marc a quarter. "Keep this for me, will you, Marc? I might lose it."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you trust parents and grandparents to take care of you? Do you trust brothers or sisters with things that belong to you? How about God? Do you trust Him, too? You can trust God to do all things well regarding both yourself and those you love. The best and safest place in the world to be-both for you and those you love-is in His care.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He (God) is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12

[Soldier4Christ]

Jessie looked at the tiny crab in her aquarium. "You're still living in the same small shell, Hermie," she said. "Why don't you move into the bigger one Dad bought you? Are you scared to move, or what? Go on . . . move!"

   Jessie and her sister Kelsey had each received a little hermit crab for Christmas, along with an extra shell for the crab to live in. "The pet store owner explained that these crabs live in shells that have been abandoned by other sea creatures," Dad had told the girls. "As they grow, they have to move into bigger shells. He said your crabs were just about ready to move, so we got larger shells, too. Their new homes are all ready for them." Sure enough, a few days later, Kelsey's crab had moved into its new shell. Jessie thought her crab should move, too, but it had not yet done so.

   As Jessie was reading in her room the next day, her mother came to the door. "Mr. Sid called," said Mom. "He wants to know if you're going to the Sunday school rally on Saturday. He said you hadn't let him know."

   "Oh, Mom, I don't want to go," said Jessie. "I know I should, but . . . they're going to the mall to hand out tracts and invite people to our church. I wouldn't know what to say." As she plopped onto her bed, she decided to change the subject. "Mom, I think Hermie is scared to move to his new shell. I talked to him about it," she joked. "He listens, but he doesn't move like I told him he should."

   Mom laughed. "I'm sure he'll move when it's really necessary," she said.

"I don't know. I think he's scared to try something new," insisted Jessie. "He should do what I say."

Mom smiled. "Maybe you're a little afraid to try new things, too," she suggested. "Like . . . helping at that rally. It's different from the things you've done with the group, but if it's something God wants you to do, He'll help you do it." She gave Jessie a hug as she added, "Too often we're like Hermie. We hear what God says to us, but we fail to do what He says."

Jessie looked at her mother, then back at her little crab. "Okay, I'll call Mr. Hanks and tell him I'll be at the rally," decided Jessie. "I guess it's time to break out of my shell, too."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid to try new things for God? It's great to know what God says in the Bible, but the really important thing is to obey the Lord's prompting and do what He says. Search your heart. Is there someone He wants you to help? Someone He wants you to invite to Sunday school? Someone you should talk to about Jesus? Does it seem scary? God will always give you the ability and power to do anything He asks you to do. Remember that and do what He says.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

ABC's of Salvation

A is for Admit
Admit you're a sinner. Everyone has done things that displease a Holy God.  No one can live up to His standards.  He says no sin can enter heaven.  Something must be done to get rid of your sin.

Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Revelation 21:27 “There shall by no means enter it (heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

B is for Believe
Believe Jesus died on the cross for you.  God loves you and wants you to become His child.  He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to shed His blood to save you from your sins.  He took your place on the cross, and suffered the punishment you deserve.  Believe that He died for you, was buried, and rose again on the third day.

1 Peter 2:24 “Who Himself (Jesus) bore our sins in His own body on the tree (cross), that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness.”

Colossians 1:14 “In whom (Jesus) we have redemption (salvation) through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Acts 16:31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

C is for Confess
Confess your sinfulness to God, and turn from it.  Call upon Jesus to save you-trust in Him as your Savior from sin.  This may be a simple but sincere cry from your heart, or it may be expressed out loud.

Luke 18:13 “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:13 “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe in Jesus and have placed your faith and trust in Him, God has forgiven you.  Then you, along with all the others who believe in Jesus, will spend eternity in heaven with Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Right Path

"Are you reading your favorite fairy tale again?" Lauren asked her younger sister, Erin.

Erin nodded. "Want to hear it?" She cleared her throat and began "reading" the story without even looking at her book. "'When Hansel and Gretel woke up, the forest was very dark. 'How will we find our way home?' asked Gretel. She began to cry. Hansel picked up a pebble lying on the pathway. 'Look, Gretel, here are the pebbles I dropped,' he said. 'We can follow them back home.'"

"I know the story," said Lauren with a grin. "When Mom left for the store, she said to remind you to memorize your Bible verses. Have you done that already? You'll have to say them for her before she'll let us go to the zoo, you know."

"Those verses are too hard," whined Erin. "Besides, what good is learning a bunch of verses anyway?"

"Mom wouldn't like to hear you say that!" warned Lauren. "There are lots of reasons to memorize Bible verses. For one thing, God's Word helps us know right from wrong. It helps us make right choices." Erin continued to pout, so Lauren sat on the sofa beside her little sister. "Think of it like this," she said. "Bible verses hidden in our hearts are like the pebbles Hansel hid in his pocket and used to mark the path that would lead them home. The pebbles showed them the way to go, and verses we memorize help us know the way to go, too. When we follow God's Word, we can always be sure we are on the right path in life."

"They're too hard to memorize," insisted Erin.

"How did you learn the Hansel and Gretel story so well?" Lauren asked.

Erin shrugged. "I guess it's because I read it so much."

"Well, if you'll read your Bible verses over and over and over, I bet you'll remember them easily, too," suggested Lauren. "Try it."

So Erin got her Bible and curled up on the sofa again. "Psalm 119:35," she began. "Make me walk in the path of Your commandments . . . Make me walk in the path of Your commandments . . . Make me walk . . ."

When Mom came home, Erin jumped up and held her Bible behind her back. "Listen, Mommy," she said. Then she recited her verses perfectly.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you complain that memorizing Bible verses is too hard? Do you wonder why you even need to do it? Scripture you've memorized will often come to your mind and show you what to do when faced with a decision. As you learn God's Word and practice what it teaches, it will keep you from sin. David said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11). Put forth some extra effort today and memorize at least one verse. You'll be glad you did!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Your word I have hidden in my heart. Psalm 119:11

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Handful of Rice

"I know we're supposed to witness wherever we are, like Pastor said today," Bryan told his mother, "but it's too hard to do that in my class at school."

"Why do you say that?" asked Mom, scooping up some rice.

"Oh, Mom, there are thirty kids in my class, and as far as I know, Mason and I are the only Christians. What can just two of us do?" Bryan broke off and sniffed appreciatively. "What's cooking?"

"Chicken curry," said Mom.

Bryan frowned. "I don't remember having it before," he said. "Do I like it?"

"I think you'll like it," said Mom. "Aunt Alicia and Uncle Tom are coming over for lunch. We're having chicken curry and rice." She put rice in a pan and added water.

Bryan looked at the small grains that lay at the bottom of the pan. "That won't be enough rice to feed everybody!" said Bryan anxiously. "Uncle Tom eats lots, and I do, too. I know I like rice." He was hungry and he didn't want to run short of food!

"It will be plenty," Mom assured him. "You'll see."

When Mom called Bryan to come in for lunch, he decided to check the rice. He lifted the lid of the pan and peeked inside. "Wow!" he said in surprise. "I knew rice swelled when it was cooked, but I didn't think it would make that much!" Bryan eyed his mom suspiciously. "Mom! Did you add more rice after I went outside?"

Mom smiled. "Of course not," she said. "A small amount of rice can feed quite a few people."

"Yeah!" agreed Bryan. "It's like Jesus feeding all those people with five loaves of bread and two fish."

"Not quite!" Mom laughed. "But I'm thinking you and Mason can be like rice."

"Like rice!" Bryan exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"A small amount of rice, after it's boiled, fills a whole pan," Mom explained. "Don't you think a couple of Christians, filled and 'boiling over' with the Holy Spirit, can reach out to a whole classroom?"

"Oh," said Bryan. "Yeah, I guess they could."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you sometimes think there's nothing you can do to witness for Jesus? Do you feel like you're too small, too young, too shy, or too badly out-numbered to make a difference? Remember, if Jesus could use one boy's lunch of five loaves and two small fish to feed more than five thousand people, He can also use boys and girls today to reach out to people. He can use you!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Quilt

Leanne slammed the screen door, threw her schoolbooks on the counter, and slumped into a chair at the kitchen table where her mother was working. "I hate school," she announced as Mom looked up from cutting a long strip of light blue material. "I don't even like recess," Leanne added. Mom raised her brows and quietly continued working. "What are you making with all those tiny pieces?" asked Leanne, pointing to strips of material laid out on the table.

"I'm starting a new quilt," replied Mom. She finished cutting a square.

"A quilt? Can I help?" asked Leanne eagerly.

"Sure," agreed Mom as she handed Leanne a piece of material. "This is marked-just cut it on the lines."

Leanne carefully followed the markings on the bright pink material. As she snipped, she thought about her problems. My life is basically ruined, she thought. Nothing seems to work out the way I hope. She glanced over at her mother. "Don't you want to hear why I hate school?" asked Leanne. She frowned as she noticed the pieces her mother was cutting. "I don't like that dark stuff," added Leanne. "Do we have to use it?"

Mom smiled. "It will look good in the quilt," she said as she picked up a picture from the table and held it up. "This is what the quilt will look like when it's finished. See where the dark pieces are used?"

Leanne looked at the picture. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "That's pretty!"

Mom nodded. "When you think about it," she said, "our lives are something like a giant quilt. Life is made up of lots of different experiences-some that we like and some that we don't. We see only snips and scraps, and we wonder how everything is going to work out. But God sees the beauty of fitting each piece together. We need to trust Him. He knows what He's doing-He knows the beautiful picture He has planned for our lives."

Leanne nodded as she considered her mother's words. I guess my life isn't really ruined, she thought to herself. I'll just have to trust God to work it out for me.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you wonder why God allows certain things to happen in your life? Why He lets your friends ignore you at times? Why He permits someone you love to die? Why He doesn't stop the pain you feel from a broken arm or leg? Why He allowed your bike to be damaged? Everyone goes through some difficult times, but even then, God is in control. Trust Him, and let Him use all your experiences to make something beautiful out of your life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

[Soldier4Christ]

Harvest Time

He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2 (NIV)

An old farmer sat on the steps of his small shack chewing on a piece of straw. He was approached by a passing stranger who was looking for a cool drink of water. Wishing to start a conversation with the farmer, the stranger asked, "How is your cotton crop coming this year?"

"I ain’t got none", replied the farmer.

"Didn’t you plant any?" asked the stranger.

"Nope," said the farmer, "I was afraid the boll weevils would get it."

"Well," asked the stranger, "how is your corn?"

"Didn’t plant any corn either," replied the man, "I was afraid there wasn't going to be any rain."

"If you didn't plant any cotton or corn, what did you plant?’ asked the man.

"Nothing," said the farmer. "I just played it safe!"

Well, I guess if you don't plant anything, it makes the harvest a lot easier, doesn't it?

In our Bible reading today, Jesus sent out people to bring in the harvest. The harvest Jesus was talking about was not cotton, fruit or vegetables. He was sending out workers to bring people into the kingdom of God. He said that there were many souls who were ready to be harvested, but there were not enough workers. One reason it was hard to find workers was that it was very difficult work. Jesus warned that the workers in his kingdom would often be treated very unkindly.

Jesus is still looking for people who will work for him and bring people into his kingdom. That is what the church is supposed to do. It won't always be easy. In fact, it will be hard. Many people in the church are like the farmer in our story -- they are "just playing it safe." I have heard that eight out of ten church members have never invited anyone to church and that nine out of ten church members have never won anyone to Christ.

How about you? Are you willing to work for Jesus and invite people to come to church? Will you go and tell people about Jesus' love and that he died on the cross so that they could have everlasting life? There are many souls who are need to be brought into God's kingdom, but there just aren't enough workers.

Father, we want to be faithful workers telling others about Jesus and his love. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Kids and Cookies

When Nicholas arrived home, he was greeted with the delicious smell of cookies. "Yummy! Those cookies smell good, Mom! Can I have one?" he asked.

"Sure," agreed Mom with a bright smile. She pointed toward Nicholas' little sister, who had been born with a condition that required special care. "Today Emma sat up in the sling for the first time!"

"Yay!" Nicholas tossed his back pack onto the table and clapped. He slid down next to little Emma, who was propped up on pillows on the floor. Nicholas took Emma's hands and gently clapped them together. "Good girl, Emma! You did it! You sat up!"

Emma smiled with twinkling eyes as drool slid down her chin. When she was born, doctors had said she would struggle to do everything in life. She would grow like other children, but she'd never be able to walk and talk, nor even sit or crawl. But today, at the age of two, she had sat up with the help of a special harness.

Mom walked into the room with a plate of cookies and a glass of cold milk. "These are to celebrate," she said as she handed the plate to Nicholas.

 "Mom, you made them all different shapes!" exclaimed Nicholas, taking a star-shaped cookie. He grinned. "It's fun to have the different shapes."

Mom laughed. "Well," she said, "while I was getting ready to cut the cookies, I thought how different from one another you and your brothers and sisters are, and I decided to make all the cookies different, too." She took a bite of one. "God made most of you healthy and strong, but Emma needs special care. You all have the same parents and certain characteristics that make you who you are-just like each of these cookies has the same ingredients . . ."

"But are all different," interrupted Nicholas.

"Right." Mom smiled. "You kids are all different, but I love all of you the same. Best of all, God does, too."

"As much as I love these cookies?" asked Nicholas with a grin.

"More!" said Mom as she ruffled Nicholas' hair.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you wonder why some people are born with disabilities and others aren't? God knew what everyone would be like before they were even born. He knew what you would be like. Before your birth, you were a special person in God's mind, and you are very special to Him now. Thank Him for His wisdom in making you-and everyone else-just right.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

[Soldier4Christ]

Kip squirmed as he sat in the doctor's office. It had been a long time since he had gotten a shot, and he felt nervous. "Hold out your arm, Kip," said the nurse. "That's it. Ready for a little prick?" She plunged the needle into his arm.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Kip as the needle pricked his skin. "That stings!" The nurse pressed some gauze onto the sore spot and asked him to hold it there. "It stings now, and I know it's going to hurt even more later," he grumbled. "Why must I get these old shots anyway? I'm not sick!"

"No, you're not, but these shots are your armor," said the nurse cheerfully.

"Armor!" exclaimed Kip. "What do you mean?"

"They're your armor against your enemy-disease," explained the nurse. "They help protect you from getting sick, you know." She grinned. "You wouldn't want to go into battle without your armor, would you?"

"No, but . . ." Kip shrugged. "Okay," he said, "but if you think calling shots 'armor' will make me like them, I can tell you right now-it won't work!"

That afternoon, Kip sat on the porch steps and looked longingly toward his bicycle. "Can't I ride my bike as long as I stay close to home?" he asked his mother. She shook her head. Kip had disobeyed her a few days before, and as punishment, he was not allowed to ride his bike for a week. "I wish I had armor to keep me from doing wrong things," Kip said wistfully as he held a hand over his arm, which had gotten a bit sore.

"Actually, you do," said Mom. "It's good armor, too, but you need to use it."

"I have armor?" asked Kip, rather doubtfully. "Like what? Where is it?"

Mom smiled. She picked up a Bible and opened it to the sixth chapter of Ephesians. "We read about it here," she said. "People need shots as armor to fight off physical disease, and Christians need the armor of God to fight off Satan and the 'disease' of sin." She handed him the Bible. "There are so many pieces of armor that I think you could come up with quite a list. Why don't we start at the beginning-verse fourteen."

"Okay," said Kip. "Let's see . . . The first one says,
'Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth. . . .'"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
As you begin a new year, will you put on the armor of God every day? Being truthful and honest in everything, doing what is right in God's sight, sharing the Gospel with others, showing faith in God, reading and obeying His Word, praying for guidance-all these are like armor to protect you from Satan's attacks. God will bless you and give you victory over sin as you use the armor He has provided.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hey, Tom, I . . . ah . . . I invited Mitch to join us. He said he'd think about it," said Ben as he and his friends set up tents to camp out in Ben's back yard.

"You're kidding!" Tom paused and stared at Ben. "Why did you do that? He always acts so tough! He uses bad language, too. I wouldn't think you'd even want him to come!"

"I think he needs to come," said Ben. "Maybe if some of us kids are nice to him, he'll learn that God is more than just a swear word."

"That's a joke! Mitch is hopeless," insisted Tom. "He's not gonna change."

Mitch didn't come, but the other boys had a great time that night, eating hot dogs and chips and a huge watermelon and sleeping in their tents.

As the year passed, Ben continued to be friendly toward Mitch, but most of the boys didn't make any effort to welcome him. "I finally got Mitch to come to Bible club," Ben told his dad as they worked in the back yard the following summer. "He's coming to Vacation Bible School, too. He even learns the verses, but he still acts as tough as ever. The guys think he's a hopeless case. Could they be right?"

Dad shook his head. "With God, there is no such thing," he said. "He's able to change anyone."

"Look, Dad. Doesn't this look like a watermelon vine?" asked Ben pointing to a fairly large plant growing among some weeds near the fence. "It is one! There's a tiny melon on it. It must have started growing from the seeds of that melon we ate when we camped out here last summer!"

As Ben spoke, someone called to him from the sidewalk. He looked up and saw Mitch standing there, so he walked over to chat. "I was just wondering . . . um . . . those Bible verses we have to learn for VBS-and those questions we're supposed to answer," Mitch said hesitantly. "I don't understand what some of them mean. Could you go over them with me?"

"Sure!" exclaimed Ben. "Go get your worksheet."

 After Mitch left, Ben excitedly told his dad about it.
Dad nodded. "The watermelon seed finally took root here, and God's Word is
finally taking root in Mitch's heart," he said. "It took a long time, but no one
is hopeless as far as God is concerned."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who seems to be a hopeless case-hopeless as far as ever coming to Jesus? Nothing is impossible with God. He can change the person who seems totally uninterested. Keep praying for your unsaved friends, inviting them to church or Bible club, talking about Jesus, and showing God's love through the way you act. God changed Zacchaeus (see today's Scripture), and He can change your friends, too. Trust Him to bring results, and don't give up on anyone.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
With God all things are possible. Mark 10:27

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, wait!" Courtney called as she hurriedly tied her shoes. "I'll come, too."

Mom smiled as Courtney ran to catch up to her. "I enjoy having you walk with me," said Mom.

"I like it, too," Courtney replied. "It's . . . peaceful on Saturday morning."

"Why don't you come with me more often?" suggested Mom.

"I guess I will," agreed Courtney. Then she grinned. "But maybe not every Saturday. I have to sleep in once in a while, you know." As she spoke, two large dogs bounded toward them, barking and growling furiously. Courtney squealed and darted to the other side of Mom. "So much for peace," Courtney muttered. "I . . . I don't like dogs." Courtney's heart was pounding as she hurried along.

"I know," said Mom, "but don't worry. Those dogs are behind a strong fence. I walk this way every day, and I've never seen them get out." Mom smiled down at Courtney. "You can trust the fence to hold them on the other side," Mom assured her. "They sound fierce, but they can't get to you."

When they returned from their walk, Courtney received a phone call from her friend Sara. After speaking with Sara, she frowned. "Sara wants me to go with her to a movie I know I shouldn't see, so I said no," she reported.

"Good for you." Mom smiled. "I'm pleased to see that you've built a strong fence to protect you when temptation comes." Courtney gave Mom a puzzled look. Mom smiled. "Remember the dogs this morning?" she asked. "Temptations can come charging at us just like those dogs did. A strong fence kept them from getting to us, and we also need strong fences to keep us from giving in to things we shouldn't do. Then those temptations are like barking dogs that can't hurt us. There are several things we can do to build fences to hold back temptations. . . ."

"I know," Courtney interrupted her. "Things like reading the Bible and doing what it says, learning about God in church, talking to Him in prayer, and having Christian friends, right?"

"Right," agreed Mom. "If you use those ways to build
strong fences, they'll be sure to hold and keep you safe."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
What temptations are coming at you? Are you facing situations in which you must choose between doing the right or wrong thing? Many temptations are hard to resist. You need to "build fences" now, before the temptations come, so they'll be like barking dogs that can't get to you.What things will you do today to build those strong "fences"?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
In the time of trouble He shall hide me in . . . the secret place of His tabernacle. Psalm 27:5

[Soldier4Christ]

"Look behind you, Mom," said Rhonda as she and her mother picked raspberries. "Down low. There are some berries you missed."

"Oh, yes. I see them, and they're nice ones." Mom bent to pick the berries.

"There are more in the bush behind those," said Rhonda.

Mom looked toward the berries Rhonda was pointing out, but she shook her head. "No, those aren't ripe enough, yet-but I see some hiding in the center of the bush you just finished."

Rhonda laughed as she turned to pick the berries Mom pointed out. "I guess we should pick each other's bushes," she said. After a moment, she added, "Remember when Carla and her mom used to come and pick raspberries with us?"

"Yes, I miss them." Mom sighed. "How is Carla doing since her mother left the family?"

"Not good!" replied Rhonda with a frown. "She's always whining and saying she'd rather live with her mother than with her dad. I get sick of hearing it. After all, this way she's still in the same house and the same school-and her friends are all here. But she doesn't see that she's better off with her dad."

"I guess it all depends on your viewpoint," suggested Mom. "You see Carla's problems from a distance, so you see things she doesn't see. But don't forget that she can see things you can't see. It's like these berries-we miss some good ones and mistake others for good. It depends on what direction we see them from, right?" Rhonda nodded slowly as Mom continued. "We need to remember that people see things in life in different ways, too. I believe Jesus wants us to be more understanding and less critical of others. I'm sure Carla misses her mom an awful lot."

"Well . . . I guess so. I think they were really close," admitted Rhonda. "Carla used to say she could tell her mom anything."

"I think God can use you to help make this change easier
for her," said Mom. "Try to see the situation from her viewpoint. Then show her
some good things about it and help her with the hard ones. She needs
understanding more than she needs criticism."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you annoyed when your friends talk about their troubles? Does it bother you because it spoils your fun to hear about sad things that are happening to them? Remember, the Bible says "a friend loves at all times." That includes being kind and understanding when friends complain about unpleasant things that happen to them. Ask God to help you see things from their viewpoint. Ask Him to help you be an encouragement to them regarding the things they're going through.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Give to Your servant an understanding heart. 1 Kings 3:9