Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

Jim threw his school books on the counter, took an apple from the fruit bowl, and looked over to the corner where a small dog lay in a basket. "How's Alpha, Mom?" he asked. Alpha was a little dog that looked like a dust mop with no handle, and she had developed some distressing symptoms. First she'd had a cough, then a lack of appetite, then a lump on her neck, and finally a nasty sore.

"I took her to the vet," said Mom. "He gave me some medicine for the sore-but he said he didn't know what caused it. We need to take her back if it doesn't get better. Then he'll x-ray her neck to see if it shows what's happening in that area."

A couple of days later, Jim was doing homework in his room while his mother worked in the kitchen. "Jim," she called, "Alpha keeps pawing at her neck, and I want to check it. Come hold her still for me." Jim hurried to help, and a few minutes later, he was surprised to see Mom pull a sewing needle from poor Alpha's neck. "Alpha must have swallowed this needle, and it lodged in her throat," said Mom. "It's a good thing it worked itself out, or it could have been the end of her!"

"So that's what caused all those symptoms!" said Jim as he gently patted the whimpering dog. "Now you'll get better, Alpha," he added encouragingly.

Before many days, Alpha was fully recovered. "That dog reminds me of people," said Dad as he watched Alpha romp in the yard. "All those symptoms she had were not her real problem. The needle was her problem. Once that was removed, she got well again."

Jim looked at his father. "And why does that remind you of people?" Jim asked curiously.

Dad smiled. "People have symptoms, too," he replied.
"Symptoms such as pride, envy, and anger-all a result of a sinful heart. People
often try to cover up the symptoms with good works, but the only real cure is to
remove the problem-to remove the sin in their hearts. And the only way to do
that is through the Lord Jesus Christ."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is your life filled with symptoms of sin? Such things as those listed in the story above? Or perhaps things such as discontent, the inability to behave properly, a critical spirit, or lack of friendliness? Do you know what the cure is? It's found in God's "medical dictionary"-His Word. Come to Jesus and let Him take away your sins. They're the real cause of your symptoms.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions (sins) from us. Psalm 103:12

[Soldier4Christ]

"Here's ten dollars," said Mom as she put money and a shopping list into Joey's hand. "That will be a little more than you need. Get everything on the list, and you may keep the change."

"All right!" exclaimed Joey. He took the money and headed for the store. He got the items for his mother and paid for them, pleased to hear that he'd have a whole dollar and twenty-seven cents to keep for himself.

As Joey started home, he pulled the change from his pocket. He looked at it in surprise. Wow! he thought. I have five dollars and twenty-seven cents! The cashier gave me the wrong amount. Great! I'll buy some candy and save the rest for Saturday when I go to the amusement park with Steve. Joey felt a little uncomfortable with his decision. He knew most of that money didn't really belong to him, but he hesitated only a moment before he headed for his favorite candy shop.

After Joey got home, he worked on his model car while his mother peeled potatoes and listened to her favorite radio preacher.

"I'll close my message today with a true story about the importance of honesty," said the speaker. Then he told about a pastor who noticed that he'd been given too much change by a bus driver. As the pastor rode along, he was tempted to put the extra money into his wallet without saying anything, but he knew that would be wrong. "As that pastor left the bus, he returned the extra money," continued the speaker. "'You made a mistake on my change,' the pastor told the driver.

"The bus driver shook his head. 'That was no mistake,' he replied. 'It was a test. You see, I visited your church last Sunday when you were preaching on honesty, and I wanted to see if you practice what you preach. I think I'll come to hear you again.'"

Oh-h-h-h! thought Joey. Maybe God is giving me a test,
too! He got up and went to get the money. He was sure Mom would agree to let him
go and return it right away.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you thought no one would know when you did something dishonest? Don't forget that God always sees and knows, but you never know who else may be watching you, too-perhaps even testing you. When you cheat, lie, neglect your work, or do other wrong things, you displease God, and you are a poor testimony for Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Judge me, O Lord . . . according to my integrity (honesty) within me. Psalm 7:8

[Soldier4Christ]

"Hey, Steve! How many raffle tickets do you need?" asked Logan as the boys walked home from school.

"None," Steve replied. "I don't buy raffle tickets."

"I don't mean buy them," Logan said. "I mean how many do you think you can sell?"

"None," repeated Steve.

"What do you mean, none?" objected Logan. "We all have to sell them to earn money for our class project. If you don't, you won't be doing your share!"

"It doesn't seem right to sell them to other people when I don't believe in them myself," said Steve. When Logan scowled in reply, Steve wondered if he should give in and sell the tickets. It doesn't seem to bother other Christian kids in my class, so maybe it shouldn't bother me, either, he thought. After all, David's right when he says I should do my share. But I really think Dad's right, too . . . that buying raffle tickets is like gambling, and that's not a good thing.

That evening, Steve asked his dad what he should do. "Well . . . have you heard of Eric Liddell?" Dad asked after a moment. Steve shook his head. "Eric was expected to win a gold medal in the 100 meter race during the 1924 Olympics," said Dad, "but when he learned the race would be held on Sunday, he refused to run. He felt it was important to honor God by keeping a day special for Him-more important than winning a race. Later, he was able to compete in the 400 meter race and win a gold medal." Dad smiled. "Many athletes ran in those Olympic races and won medals, but Eric is the one who is most remembered today-not for running a race, but for being a man of principle. That means he was a man who did what he believed was right."

Steve slowly nodded. "I really don't want to sell the tickets," he said, "but I want to do my share for my class. Maybe . . . maybe I could earn money for our project some other way-like by washing cars at home instead of selling raffle tickets. I'll ask my teacher if that would be okay."

Dad smiled. "People may not understand because their
principles may not be the same as yours," he said, "but you need to do what you
believe is right."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you refuse to let anyone talk you into questionable things-such as listening to certain types of music, watching TV shows your parents don't allow you to watch, or doing anything that's against what you believe is right? Learn how God wants you to live, and then live that way. Be a person of principles-God's principles-and stick to them.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Whatever is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:23

[Soldier4Christ]

"How was Bible club?" asked Mom as Pete and Mike arrived home.

"I'm on the game committee for a party we're having in a couple of weeks," Mike replied. "After I learn my verses for next time, I'm going to hunt up some games." He headed for his room.

Mom looked at Pete as he turned on the TV. "Did you enjoy club, too?" she asked. "What was the lesson about?"

Pete looked up. "Oh . . . ah . . . something about some queen. I was in the back row and didn't hear so good." He turned his attention back to the TV.

"Are you on a committee for the party?" asked Mom.

"Nah. They wanted me to help with decorations, but I'm not into that," mumbled Pete. "I guess I don't like Bible club as much as Mike does." He turned off the TV and stood up. "Can I go over to Kelly's house?"

"I guess so," agreed Mom, "or do you have Bible verses to learn, too?"

Pete shrugged. "I can do that later." He put on his coat and looked at himself in the hall mirror. His mother watched as he tipped his head and smiled. His reflection smiled back. Then he scowled, and the reflection scowled, too. He pulled a funny face and then laughed at the funny face he saw in the mirror. When Pete noticed his mother watching, he grinned at her.

Mom smiled back. "Life is a little like a mirror," she said.

Pete's eyebrows shot up. "How's that?"

"Like a mirror, life gives back pretty much what you give to it," explained Mom. "If you give it a little, you get only a little out of it. If you put a lot into life's activities, you'll find you enjoy them far more and get more out of them, too." She pointed to his Bible lying on the table. "Take Bible club, for example," she added, "and Junior choir and school and your ball team and church and . . ."

   "And everything," interrupted Pete. He picked up his Bible. "Okay, I get the point," he said thoughtfully. "You're saying I'll like Bible club better if I learn the verses we were assigned . . . and I bet I'll like the party better if I help with it, too. Right?"

   "Right!" agreed Mom. "Exactly right!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you giving your best to the activities in which you're involved? Or do you prefer to do as little as possible-just enough for you to "get by"? Today's Scripture reading says to do everything "heartily, as to the Lord." Do you do your part in that way? When you do, you're serving God. You'll also find that you enjoy your activities more than when you take part half-heartedly.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10

[Soldier4Christ]

Janelle slipped a box of matches out of the kitchen cabinet, took a candle, and headed for her room. Mom will be mad if she catches me with this stuff, she thought, but after all, I'm old enough to do things like this and not start a fire. After carefully locking her door, Janelle lit the candle and placed it on her desk-a brand new desk! Her hand glided across the shiny top. I love this desk. It's so pretty-especially with a candle on it! I'm always going to take good care of it!

Janelle picked up a book and began to read. She had read only a page when she heard Angie, her little sister, outside her door. "Janelle, I want to come in," called Angie. "Open the door!" Janelle ignored her. Angie called louder. "Mommy! Janelle won't let me in her room."

With a fast beating heart, Janelle grabbed for the candle, knocking it over and burning her fingers in the process. To her horror, a piece of paper on her desk caught fire! But it was a small piece, and the flame went out quickly. She sighed in relief, picked up the whole mess, shut it in her closet, and unlocked her door. "Angie, why don't you play in your own room?" she said as Mom came to see what the trouble was. "I'm busy."

"Come with me, Angie," said Mom, taking the little girl's hand. Mom glanced into Janelle's room. "I think . . ." she began. Then she paused. "What happened to the top of your beautiful new desk?" asked Mom in surprise. As Janelle turned around, she saw an ugly, black spot where the paper had burned on the top of the desk, and a few minutes later, Mom had heard the whole story. "Do you realize you could have burned the house down?" exclaimed Mom.

"I . . . I just thought it would be fun to burn a candle for a little while," sobbed Janelle, "I never thought it would hurt anything. I'm so sorry."

"Honey," said Mom sternly, "sin often seems to be fun and exciting, but in the end something is damaged or someone gets hurt. You disobeyed the rules about using matches, and now you'll have to pay the consequences."

"I know." Janelle nodded soberly. "Next time I'm tempted
to disobey you, this spot on the top of my desk will remind me that I better
not!"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do the rules set by your parents sometimes seem silly or unimportant? Those rules, if kept, often protect you from harm. God's rules are like that, too. When He says things like "obey your parents," it's because He knows they have experience and wisdom that can help you. When He says "don't lie," "be kind," and "forgive," it's because doing those things helps you, too. He wants you to obey Him so you won't be hurt by the results of sin.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He who heeds counsel is wise. Proverbs 12:15

[Soldier4Christ]

When Patrick came in after school, he wore a scowl on his face instead of the smile he usually had for his mother. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"The kids in Jeff Martin's gang were passing around a note making fun of my last name," replied Patrick angrily. "It said, 'Who'd want a name like Steep? Only Steep the creep!'  And then some of them were chanting it after school. Well, I like my last name a lot better than theirs!"

"How did this get started?" asked Mom.

Patrick shrugged. "Jeff Martin and his gang are a bunch of bullies. I guess they pick on all the kids at times." He picked up his books and sighed. "Oh, well. It'll blow over, I suppose, but I'd sure like school better without those guys."

At suppertime, Dad listened as Patrick told him about the problem at school. "How did it make you feel to hear your name used that way?" asked Dad.

"Mad," said Patrick. "Mad and . . . and . . ."

"Hurt?" asked Dad. Patrick nodded. "Do you remember what Mom said after the plumber came last week?" asked Dad.

"The plumber?" repeated Patrick. "Ah . . . oh, I remember. She said his language was bad-that she heard him swear under his breath and use the name of Jesus."

"Yes," said Dad. "Don't you think the Lord must feel hurt when His name is used like that?"

"I guess so," replied Patrick. "I never thought about that before." He felt a little guilty because hearing God's name used in swearing had never bothered him very much. "I know when the kids chanted and mocked my name, it made me feel bad. I mean . . . it was really me they were mocking. So I guess when they swear and use God's name, it's really God Himself they're hurting."

"Right," said Dad. "I'm sorry about what happened at school, but if it helps you remember the importance of using God's name respectfully, it will be worth it."

Patrick nodded thoughtfully.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you use God's name only in a respectful way?  Many names or titles refer to Him- such as Lord, God, Jesus, and Christ.  They should always be used in a respectful manner, never "taken in vain"-in other words, never used disrespectfully such as in swearing or joking.  When God gave the commandments, He also gave a reminder that you are held responsible if you use His name in a wrong way.  His name is a wonderful, blessed name.  As you want your name respected, respect His.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Blessed be His glorious name forever! Psalm 72:19

[Soldier4Christ]

"Mom, this milk tastes terrible!" announced Sarah one morning.

"It does?" Mom checked the milk. "It's starting to sour," she said. "I'll get some when I go to the grocery store today."

"But I want milk now," pouted Sarah. She had an idea. "It isn't very sour. If I add some of that powdered chocolate drink mix, it should cover the sour taste."

"I'm afraid that won't work," said Mom, but Sarah insisted on trying it. She spooned some of the sweet, chocolate mixture into the milk. She licked her finger where a little of it had stuck. Yes! This is good! she thought. But after taking a big gulp of the chocolate milk, she groaned. It still tasted awful!

Later that morning, Sarah skipped off to Bible Club. She listened carefully as Mrs. Wilson shared a story Jesus had told His disciples. "Two men went into the temple to pray," began Mrs. Wilson. "One was a Pharisee-a man who did many good works, but he had a selfish heart. The other man was a dishonest tax collector. The Pharisee prayed first, telling God that he was glad he was good and not bad like the other man." Mrs. Wilson paused and looked around at the boys and girls. "The tax collector," she continued, "didn't even lift up his head. He just cried out to God, pleading for forgiveness of his sins. And do you know what Jesus told His disciples? Jesus said the tax collector-not the Pharisee-went home 'justified,' or forgiven. You see, the tax collector knew that only God could take away his sins, but the Pharisee was trying to cover up his sins with good works. He was really not a good man at all. He was proud and haughty-a sinner just like the tax collector. His good works didn't change his sinful heart."

As Sarah listened, she smiled and nodded. She remembered
the sour milk, and she understood that good things don't necessarily cover up
the bad. Good chocolate hadn't covered the bad taste of the sour milk, and good
works wouldn't cover up sin.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you obey your parents?  Behave politely?  Help with the chores?  Go to church?  Do you feel like you're a "good" person?  It may seem to you that you're good, but God says you're a sinner.  None of the good things you do can cover up the "sour taste" of your sin.  Only Jesus' blood can do that.  Won't you pray, as the tax collector did, asking God to be merciful to you?  Ask Him to forgive your sin and save you today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
God, be merciful to me a sinner! Luke 18:13

[Soldier4Christ]

Jessica and her friend Ryan shouted with glee as they stood back to admire the snowman they were making. A classmate, Aiko, came along. She grinned and stopped to help. Jessica scowled. "Go away," she said. "This is our snowman." Aiko's grin faded, and she slowly left. "She'd have wanted to give him slanting eyes," Jessica said loudly enough for Aiko to hear. At the window, Jessica's mother heard, too, and frowned.

A little later, another classmate stopped. "Beat it! You'd want to find a way to make him all black, right?" taunted Ryan as Jason backed off. Jessica snickered.

"Oh, who wants to help you anyway, Whitey?" retorted Jason.

Jessica angrily stomped her foot. "You stop calling us names!" she shouted. Again Mom frowned, and this time she went to call Jessica in.

"Mom, did you see our snowman?" Jessica asked as she came in the door. "We call him Mr. Snowflake!"

Mom smiled. "Really?" she asked. "Did you know there was once a man who was called 'The Snowflake Man'? Why don't you look him up in the encyclopedia? His name was Wilson Bentley."

"Cool! Can I use the computer instead?" asked , Jessica. Mom agreed, so Jessica hurried to see what she could find. "I found him," she reported soon. "His hobby was studying snowflakes. He took lots of pictures of them . . . each one was a perfect crystal, and no two were ever alike. But they were all beautiful!"

Mom nodded. "Like people," she said. "People are all different, too. They have different kinds of hair and eyes and skin. But they're all made by the great artist-God-and in His sight, each kind He made is beautiful. Unless we're going to disagree with God, we should consider each person beautiful, too." She looked solemnly at Jessica as she added, "I heard what happened when some other kids wanted to help with your snowman."

Jessica was quiet for a time. "Mom," she said finally, "I need to apologize to Aiko and Jason. I don't know why I was so mean to them. They're really lots of fun, and I'd like to ask them to come help me build another snowman. Okay?"

Mom smiled and nodded.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you're better than someone who looks different from you? Or better than someone who is poorer or doesn't seem as smart as you? God made everyone according to His own special plan and purpose. Don't say-or even think-someone is not as good as you! The Declaration of Independence states that all are created equal. Long before that, God declared that He made and loves all people equally.You're not better than anyone else, nor are others better than you!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men. Acts 17:26

[Soldier4Christ]

"Look at the assignment Miss Linda gave us in Sunday school today," said Grace, handing a paper to her mother.

Before Mom could read the paper, three-year-old Missy came bursting into the room. "Oh-h-h! Mommie! Look at my finger. It's blooded. That flower hurt me!" A drop of blood almost hid the thorn in Missy's finger.

"I'll check this paper in a minute," promised Mom, setting aside the sheet Grace had given her. Then Mom gently wiped the blood from Missy's finger, pulled out the thorn, and kissed the sore spot. Smiling, Missy went back outside.

Mom turned back to the paper Grace had handed her. "Find a need and fill it; find a hurt and heal it," she read. Mom smiled at Grace, "That's a very good assignment," she said. "Have you thought about it yet?"

"Yes, but I don't see how I can possible heal anybody!" protested Grace. "That's what doctors do."

"There are very many different kinds of hurts," said Mom. "Didn't Miss Linda talk to the class about that?"

Grace nodded. "Well . . . she said that besides physical hurts, there are what she called 'mental' and 'spiritual' hurts. But what can I do about them? I'm just a kid." Grace sighed. "I know there are lots of hurting people. Like Susan-her parents are getting a divorce. And Eric's big brother is in jail for pushing drugs. Mandy's dad is out of work, so she never has money for extra projects at school. But I can't do anything about those things."

"When Missy came crying to me a while ago, I didn't
really heal her finger, but maybe we could say I healed her pain by giving her a
lot of love so that she forgot it," suggested Mom. "That's the kind of thing you
may be able to do, too. Pray about it first, and the Lord will show you what you
can do. You may not be able to solve anyone else's problems, but with God's
help, you can encourage people and make their day brighter. And you can point
them to Jesus, the one who really can heal their hurts.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who is hurting? Will you demonstrate God's love by showing that you care? Smile at that person. Talk to him and pray for him-and let him know you're doing that. Look for opportunities to share something from God's Word. Don't expect to be able to solve all his problems, but you may be able to encourage him and help him feel better. Try to help at least one hurting person this week.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be of one mind, having compassion for one another. 1 Peter 3:8

[Soldier4Christ]

"Did you do anything yet for our Sunday school assignment?" Grace asked her friend Kerri as they walked home from school. "It's Thursday already, and I still haven't helped anybody who's hurting. Have you?"

Kerri shook her head. "No. Guess we'll just have to tell Miss Linda that we're not very good doctors," she said with a shrug.

Grace changed the subject. "How did you do on our math test?"

"Terrible," moaned Kerri. "I got an eighty-four."

"That's not too bad. Most of the class failed," Grace comforted her. "I don't think Julie got a single problem right! I don't know how she made it to fifth grade. She's so dumb!"

"Yeah. It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends. I think she should . . ." Kerri stopped in the middle of her sentence. She took a deep breath when Grace glanced at her. "Grace, how would you feel if you failed in everything and didn't have any friends and all the kids called you 'dumb'? You'd hurt, right?"

Grace blinked. "Kerri, you . . . you aren't suggesting that we try to heal Julie's hurt feelings, are you?" Kerri nodded her head solemnly.

"But, Kerri, we . . ." began Grace. She sighed. "Well . . . all right," she agreed reluctantly. "I guess we could see if she wants to come over and do homework with us tonight."

"Yeah . . . but one evening won't do it," Kerri said wisely. "Remember last year when you broke your leg? You had to go to the doctor again and again, and it took a long time for it to heal. I'm sure it will take quite a while for Julie get over all the hurt feelings she has, too."

"You mean we'll have to be friends with her for a long time?" asked Grace.

Kerri nodded. "Could be."

"Well . . . temporary friends aren't really friends anyway," decided Grace. She smiled. "Here's Julie's house now, so let's get started and invite her over. And let's really be her friends." As they walked up on the porch, Grace added, "We should tell Julie about Jesus, too, shouldn't we? Like my mom told me, He's the one who can really heal her hurts."

"Right," agreed Kerri. "Let's start by inviting her to
Sunday school."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know someone who needs a friend? Are you willing to be that friend-will you do it for Jesus? Today's verse says a friend loves at all times, and today's Bible reading tells some of the characteristics of love. Pray about it-ask God who He wants you to be friend to. Then be as helpful to that person as you can, and most of all, don't forget to introduce him or her to your best friend, Jesus.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17

[Soldier4Christ]

Jenny and her family were spending a week at Mountain View Bible Camp, and Jenny was having a wonderful time. "Can I please buy a camp tee shirt?" she begged one day. "Everyone else has one."

Mom smiled. "They are nice, so . . . sure. You can get one," she agreed.

Jenny hurried to the camp store and bought the tee shirt, which she promptly put on. "I just love it!" she breathed. On the front was a picture of the chapel with the words "Proclaiming His Word to the world." On the back was a mountain scene and the words "Mountain View Bible Camp."

All during camp, Jenny wore the shirt regularly. She was proud to be a part of the group. But when she got back home, she stuffed the shirt in a drawer and forgot about it. Mom didn't forget, though. From time to time she suggested that Jenny wear it. Jenny always refused. "I like it," she insisted, "but it just wouldn't look right here." And she quickly changed the subject.

"Mom," said Jenny when she got home from school one day, "next Friday is 'tee shirt Day.' Can I get a new one? Ple-e-e-ease?"

Mom shook her head. "Not this time," she said. "Wear your camp shirt. It's almost new."

"I can't wear that," protested Jenny. "Everyone else will wear shirts with cute sayings on them, or they'll be from exciting places like Fun Haven."

"Wasn't camp exciting?" asked Mom. "You loved your shirt when you were there."

Jenny bit her lip. "That's different," she said. "At camp all the kids wore shirts like that, but at school, well . . ." Her voice trailed off.

"At school it's not so comfortable to be identified as a Christian, right?" asked Mom. "But think about it. Wouldn't wearing your shirt be a rather simple and easy way to be a testimony for Jesus and to let kids at school see that you're a Christian?"

"I . . . I guess so," admitted Jenny. "Maybe I'll wear it to school after all."

Mom smiled. "Then you'll be proclaiming God's Word, just like your shirt says!"

"You know what?" asked Jenny. "Maybe by wearing my shirt,
I can interest some of my friends in attending Bible camp next summer,
too."




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you pleased to have kids at school know you are a Christian? Are you unashamed to do things that might indicate that you love God? Do you pray before you eat, witness when you can, and speak up for your faith in the classroom? Don't ever be ashamed of Jesus. Others need to know Him, too.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. 2 Timothy 1:8

[Soldier4Christ]

"Welcome, to our classroom," said Mrs. Nelson, Thomas' teacher. "The students have been working hard to prepare for Grandparents Day, and they'd like to read their essays to you. Katie, we'll start with you. Robert, Amanda and Thomas will follow, and then we'll hear from the next row."

"I like my grandma because she takes me shopping and buys me lots of stuff," Katie read. She went on to list several gifts her grandma had gotten for her.

Robert spoke softly. "I like my grandma because she bakes cakes and cookies for me. My grandpa gives me candy all the time. I like them both. The end."

"My grandpa never scolds me," Amanda read. "And he takes me out to eat whenever I want. Grandma lets me stay up late when I sleep there, and . . ."

Thomas was a little nervous and didn't hear all of Amanda's essay as he waited to read his own. Finally he stood to read his report. "I like my grandpa because he's my friend," read Thomas. "He always takes time to listen to me. He helps me when I need him. He scolds me when I'm bad, because he wants me to be good. But he always loves me, no matter what." When Thomas finished, his grandpa gave him a big smile.

"I'm very pleased with what you wrote," Grandpa told Thomas after school.

Thomas grinned. "I don't always like the scolding part," he admitted, "but I know you're right, so I'm glad you do it."

"You know, the things you like about me are also some of the things I like about God, Thomas," said Grandpa, putting an arm around his shoulder.

Thomas was surprised. "Really?" he asked.

Grandpa nodded. "God always listens to me when I pray, and He's there when I need Him," he explained. "He helps me say 'no' to bad things. If I don't, He disciplines me. He loves me even if I do the wrong thing. He doesn't give me everything I pray for, but He always does what's best for me."

Thomas nodded. "I guess I'm glad He doesn't always give us what we want," he said thoughtfully. "If He did, we wouldn't have moved to this town. I wanted to stay in my old house, but then I wouldn't have gotten to see so much of you."

"Nor I of you." Grandpa hugged Thomas. "I'm glad you like
both God and me for the right reasons," he added.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you love people for the right reasons? You should love them for who they are, not for what they give you or because you can get them to do what you want. Love them because God loves them and tells you to love others, too. Perhaps you dislike people who correct you when you're doing wrong. God knows you sometimes need correction, so accept discipline from those in authority along with the things about them that you enjoy.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Love one another fervently with a pure heart. 1 Peter 1:22

[Soldier4Christ]

"Oh, what a nice picture!" said Grandma as she looked at the puzzle Rebecca was putting together. "I like horses."

"So do I," said Rebecca. "I'm so excited about moving, because the house we're moving to is right next to a horse ranch!"

Grandma nodded. "I remember that," she said. She looked at Rebecca's brother. "How about you, Aaron?" she asked. "Are you eager to move, too?"

"No. I wanted to be on the school baseball team this spring," replied Aaron gloomily. "Besides, I'll miss all my friends here. I'll miss you and Grandpa, too." Aaron sighed. "I don't see why we can't stay right here!"

Grandma put an arm around Aaron's shoulder as Rebecca began working on her puzzle again. "I'll miss you, too," said Grandma, "but I know God has great things planned for you in your new place."

"I hate it when pieces won't go in!" muttered Rebecca. "This piece should go here! It's the right color and everything." She tried again to make the piece fit.

"The color is right," agreed Grandma as she looked at the piece Rebecca was holding, "but if it won't go in, you better look for a different piece." She pointed. "Try that one over there, Rebecca."

"This one?" asked Rebecca picking up another puzzle piece. She tried it in the space. "This one doesn't fit, either," she said.

"Turn it the other way," said Aaron.

Rebecca turned the puzzle piece. "Hey! It does fit," she cried. "Good job, Aaron."

Grandma smiled. "In some ways, life is like a puzzle, Aaron," she said. "It's hard for us to understand what purpose God has for us, but slowly the pieces begin to fit into place."

"But why can't staying here be a piece of my life puzzle?" asked Aaron.

Grandma shook her head. "I don't know," she said, "but I
do know it isn't good to try to force a piece into the puzzle when it doesn't
fit. We need to remember that God is faithful and will work everything out. He
knows just what pieces are needed in our lives and how they should fit together
to make a beautiful picture." She smiled at Aaron. "Trust Him with this piece of
your life, honey," she advised.




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you wonder why God allows certain things to happen in your life? You don't need to understand all the reasons for what happens, but you do need to accept what He allows, trusting Him to take all the pieces of your life and fit them together to make something beautiful.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

"Has anyone seen my pearl bracelet?" asked Mary one Sunday morning. "I don't like to wear my pearl necklace without the bracelet. They're a set."

"Big deal," scoffed Mary's brother Ben.

"You'll have to find it later," said Mom. "It's time to leave for church now."

"Wait! I think I know where it is," said Mary. She dashed into her room and came out with the bracelet. "I forgot I had put it up on the book shelf! Now I'm ready to go," she announced, slipping it on her arm. She paused and admired a small pearl ring on her hand. "My ring and necklace and bracelet are a matched set," she added.

"What's does that mean? What's a match set?" asked her little sister.

"Matched," repeated Mary as they went out to the car. "They're a matched set. They all have pearls, so they match each other. They're something alike, so they all go together."

After church and Sunday school, Mary was eager to tell her parents about the lesson she'd heard that morning. "I showed Mrs. Peters my ring and bracelet and necklace," said Mary. "I mentioned that they're a matched set, and she said I should show the whole class because that's something like God wants for His children."

"He wants jewelry for them?" Ben was skeptical.

Mary laughed. "Of course not," she said, "but Mrs. Peters says that, in a way, He wants us to match Him. We're to be like Him."

"Be like God!" Ben's voice exclaimed from the back seat. "We couldn't hope to be as great as God."

"You're right, Ben," agreed Dad. "We could never be as great or powerful as God. We can't control nature or do miracles. But there is a way we can match up with God-at least a little."

"That's what Mrs. Peters said." Mary twisted the ring on her finger. "She said we should become more and more like Jesus. We should be more kind and loving and refuse to do wrong things. Stuff like that."

"Right." Dad smiled at her. "As we learn about Jesus,
the Holy Spirit helps us obey His teaching and makes us more like Him each day.
God is holy and righteous. We want to match Him as closely as possible.
"




HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you trying to match the example Jesus gave you? He was always loving, kind, and thoughtful of others. He treated people with respect. He cared for those who were poor, sick, and suffering, and He helped them. And He never, ever sinned! The more you follow His example, the more you'll "match" Jesus. Ask God to help you-you can't do it alone.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be holy, for I (God) am holy. 1 Peter 1:16

[Soldier4Christ]

"Can I go skiing with Jan and her family next Sunday?" asked Amy one evening. She hurried on as she saw her mother begin to shake her head. "They go skiing almost every weekend, but they worship God while they do that. Jan told me they feel His presence in nature-in the snow and hills and everything."

"That sounds good," Mom said, "but I wonder how much you'd think about God, if you were skiing instead of attending church."

Dad nodded. "What Jan's family does is up to them," he added, "but you're our responsibility. We don't think it's right for us to skip church in favor of skiing." Amy sighed, but she knew it was useless to argue.

Dad got up, added a log to the fire in the fireplace and stirred it with a poker. Suddenly, with a loud crack, a small piece broke off a log and flew out onto the hearth. Amy jumped and then laughed as she watched it glow for a few minutes before slowly fading and turning black.

"Did that scare you?" asked Dad as he used the brush from the set of fireplace tools to sweep up the ash that it left.

"For a minute," admitted Amy with a grin, "but it sure didn't burn long when it got separated from the rest of the logs, did it?"

"No, it didn't," agreed Mom thoughtfully, "and you know what, Amy? It seems to me the ember that fell from the fireplace is a good illustration of what can happen to God's children when they no longer meet with God's people."

"Aw, Mom," protested Amy. "What are you getting at anyway?"

"That ember was giving light and warmth when it was with the other coals in the fire, but all by itself, it soon grew cold," explained Mom. "God's people are like that. They give and receive strength for everyday living when they're together-when they unite in fellowship, worship, and prayer. But if they leave the fellowship of others and are all alone, they often grow cold, too."

Slowly Amy nodded her head. "But it doesn't hurt to miss church just once in a while, does it?" she asked. "Just so you get back soon?"

"Perhaps not," said Dad, "but it could be the beginning of a bad habit. We'll avoid that and ski on other days."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you worship regularly with God's people? It's true that you can worship God anywhere. That's great-you should worship Him when you see the marvelous creation He has made. But God knows you need the encouragement and warmth of fellowship with other Christians. You need the help you can get from studying God's Word with others and from praying with them. Be faithful in meeting with God's people each week.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . but exhorting one another. Hebrews 10:25