Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Right Treasure

Tom scowled as he furiously raked leaves. "I was gonna collect aluminum cans today to make a little money for a new skateboard," he muttered to himself, "but no! Dad says I have to help rake the lawn first, so here I am, doing dumb yard work." Just then, he noticed a large hole in the base of a big tree. "Look, Dad," he called as he knelt to peer inside. "I never noticed this before. This would be a good place to hide stuff."

Dad walked over to look. "Maybe there's a cache of jewels or a sack of stolen money inside," he whispered teasingly. He poked his rake into the hole, and they heard a scraping sound as the rake hit a metal object.

"Something is hidden in there!" cried Tom. Plunging his hand inside the cavity, he felt around and finally pulled out a small box. "Oh, boy! A real treasure chest!" he shouted. "I wonder who put it there." Eagerly, Tom opened the old box and looked inside. Then he let out a disappointed groan. The "treasure" turned out to be a handful of multicolored stones, a rusty pocket knife, and a soggy, mildewed book about fishing.

"Somebody must have hidden these things, but then forgot about them," said Dad. "Look what happened to them. I hope whoever stored these here put most of his treasures in a better place."

"Yeah. When he got older, he probably got smart and put important things in one of those safe deposit boxes at the bank," suggested Tom.

"I was thinking of an even better place than that," said Dad. "Jesus said we should 'lay up treasures' in heaven, where they'll never be ruined or stolen." Dad shook his head. "We often put so much emphasis on things here on earth-things like houses and clothes and cars . . ."

And skateboards, thought Tom. He remembered how he had teased and begged for one. He'd grumbled when his parents didn't buy one for him and again when chores at home kept him from earning money to buy one himself.

"We need to remember that things won't last," continued Dad. As Tom looked at the rusty pocket knife, he realized that what Dad was saying was true. I still want a skateboard, he thought, but I guess it's not so important that I should make such a fuss about it. I'll try not to do that anymore!


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there something you want very much? Maybe it's a toy like some of your friends have, or maybe it's something you saw on television. Things you have on this earth don't last; treasures stored up in heaven do. When you serve God by serving others or by telling them about Jesus, you are doing what the Bible refers to as "laying up treasures in heaven"-priceless treasures you will never lose. What can you do today to serve Jesus and store up lasting treasures?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys. Matthew 6:20

[Soldier4Christ]

 Anyone for Garbage?

"I'm starving!" announced Brad when he came home from school. "I like staying for basketball practice, but it sure makes me hungry. What's for supper?" He peered into the pot simmering on the stove. "Oh, good! Spaghetti! My favorite!" Brad smacked his lips. "When do we eat?"

"Soon. You can take out the garbage first, and then go wash your hands," said Mom, getting out the waste basket that was kept under the sink. "Wait a minute," she added as he reached for it. She went to the table, took a plate from it, and carefully scooped some garbage from the bag onto the plate. "Okay, Brad. You can dump the rest," she said, handing him the waste basket.

Brad stared in disbelief at the peelings, coffee grounds, and crumpled papers heaped together in one soggy mess on the plate. "What in the world is that for?" he asked.

"It's for your supper, Brad," said Mom. "The rest of us are having spaghetti."

"My supper!" Brad stared at her in wonder. "I'm not eating smelly garbage!"

"Why not?" asked Mom. "I learned today that garbage is what you've been feeding your mind, so why shouldn't we feed garbage to your body, too?" She reached up, took some magazines from the top of the refrigerator, and held them out to Brad. "I found these under your bed when I cleaned your room today."

Brad was embarrassed. When he had brought the magazines home, he knew they contained pictures he shouldn't be seeing. He hadn't been able to look at them without feeling guilty, so he had stuffed them away out of sight. "Finding these upset me-and just think how the Lord must feel about your looking at them," added Mom.

Brad took the magazines and added them to the trash in the waste basket. "I'm sorry! I won't get any more," he promised. "Honest." He hesitated. "May  I . . . may I dump that plate of garbage, too? Please?"

"Well . . . if you're sure you don't want any more garbage-for your body or your mind," agreed Mom. "But only if you're absolutely sure!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you refuse to look at bad pictures and read bad books? Do you refuse to watch or read things that use sinful words and ideas-things that make your mind and heart unclean? Using such materials is feeding your mind on the world's garbage. If you've done that, ask God to forgive you and to help you choose only pure, good things to read or watch. Learn today's key verse, and make it your promise to God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes. Psalm 101:3

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Crooked Arrow

Scott shuffled along half-heartedly as he and his father went out to practice with their new bows and arrows. Usually, he enjoyed doing things with his dad, but today, Scott was angry. He had been grounded because he had gone with his friend Pete to play games at an arcade in a nearby mall instead of doing homework at Pete's house as he said he would.

Dad shot first. His arrow sliced gracefully through the air, but it completely missed the target. Scott didn't bother to hide his snickers. "Okay, hotshot," Dad said with a laugh, "let's see you do better!"

Scott took careful aim. He gave his father a superior smile as he hit the bottom corner of the target. After several more tries, both of them could hit the target with a fair amount of accuracy. Then Dad saw a bent arrow. "I wonder what happened to this one," he murmured. "Why don't you try it, Scott? Let's just see what happens."

Scott tried it. The crooked arrow flew in a crazy arc and was lost in a tangle of prickly blackberry bushes. "I'm not going after that one!" exclaimed Scott as they rounded up other wayward arrows.

"We'll leave it," agreed Dad. "Crooked arrows aren't much good. That's why I don't want you to be one."

Scott frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Well," said Dad, "in Psalm 127, God says that children are 'like arrows in the hand of a warrior.' God gives parents the job of keeping those 'arrows' nice and straight. I think you've learned the verse that tells parents to train their children in the way they should go, right?"

Scott nodded. "Proverbs 22:6," he said, proud to have remembered.

"Yes," said Dad. "It's an important job because when we send you off on your own, you must be able to 'hit the target' in life-to live in a way that is pleasing to God. If we don't straighten you out when you head in the wrong direction now, you'll find yourself in some pretty thorny situations some day."

As they finished collecting arrows, Scott looked at the berry patch. He began to feel almost glad about having been punished. Dad was just obeying God, he thought. And Scott definitely did not want to grow up "crooked."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you willingly submit to your parents when they punish you? Even when you feel they are too severe? God has given them the tremendously important job of raising you properly. They need to "straighten" you out when you start down the "crooked" path of sin. Don't make their job more difficult. Don't argue, talk back, or get angry. Instead, thank God that they care how you turn out. Learn the lesson they're giving you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him. Proverbs 22:15

[Soldier4Christ]

 Changing Winds

"Look at the wind!" exclaimed Sue as she stood at the window. "The trees are swaying back and forth, and some of the branches are breaking off."

"Wow! It is blowing hard!" agreed Todd as he came into the room. "I've never seen such a big wind!"

Dad joined them at the window. "You can't really see wind," he reminded them. "You only see what it does."

"It's making that garbage can roll down the street," remarked Sue.

The three of them watched in silence for a few minutes, then Dad said, "Jesus compared the blowing of the wind to becoming a Christian. We can't actually see the wind, and we can't actually see Jesus coming into somebody's life."

 "It's His Spirit that comes in, isn't it? And spirits are invisible," said Todd. He looked at Sue. "That's why you still look the same," he told her. "You have a turned-up nose and freckles just like before you invited Jesus into your life at Bible Camp last summer." Todd had always loved to tease his sister about her freckles, and it used to upset her. Now Sue just grinned and made a playful face at him.

Dad smiled. "We see what the wind does, though," he said, "and we also see what Jesus does in a person's life, He changes that person. When someone becomes a Christian, he has a new desire to please the Lord and be obedient-and not do things that aren't pleasing to God."

Sue nodded. "I still do bad things sometimes, but I try not to," she said. "When I know I've done something wrong, I feel guilty and ask Jesus to forgive me. Before I was saved, I didn't really care very much."

"I used to tease you just to make you mad-that was wrong of me," Todd admitted. "Now you don't usually get mad anymore when you're teased."

Sue slipped her hand into her father's as a rather large branch cracked and fell off a neighbor's tree. "I'm glad the wind doesn't always blow this hard," she said.

"I am, too," agreed Dad, "but I'm even more glad that Jesus is always in our hearts. Even though we can't see Him, we know He's there to help us live the way we should."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there evidence that Jesus has come into your life? If you were saved at a very young age, you may wonder if you really changed at all. God says you did. Some changes are more obvious than others, but God sees your heart. He knows if you have a new desire to please Him. He knows if you're sorry when you sin. Make sure you're really born again. Then ask God to help you show others that He makes a difference in your life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
If anyone is in Christ . . . old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

[Soldier4Christ]

 Ladybug or Mosquito?

Everybody likes Lance, Lori thought jealously. He's so popular both with the kids and the teachers at school. He gets along with Mom and Dad much better than I do. Even Timmy likes Lance better than he likes me. As Lori thought about it, three-year-old Timmy pulled at her arm. "Play with me," he begged.

"No," answered Lori crossly. "Play by yourself."

"Lori!" Mom called from the back yard. "Come help me weed the flower beds."

Lori left Timmy and went out on the patio. "Do I have to?" she whined.

"Yes, you do," replied Mom, so Lori unwillingly joined her mother in the garden. "You can start over there," said Mom, pointing to the end of a row. 

Lori pouted as she slowly pulled weeds. She swatted at a mosquito. After a little while, she noticed a ladybug on one of the plants. "Look, Mom," she said. "A ladybug. Shall I whack it?"

"No," said Mom. "Ladybugs are our friends. I read somewhere that they eat harmful insects that destroy crops. The article said they're sometimes caught and shipped to farmers and fruit-growers all over the world, and then released in the fields and orchards. So don't hurt it. Thank God for ladybugs."

"In other words," said Lori thoughtfully, "mosquitoes are just pests, but ladybugs are popular because they're helpful?" Mom nodded.

Just then Lance came out on the patio. "I finished cleaning the garage, Mom," he called out. "Timmy wants me to take him to the playground. Is there something else I should do, or is that okay?"

"That'd be great!" said Mom. "Thanks, Lance."

"Mom, why does everybody like Lance so much?" asked Lori as she watched her brothers start down the sidewalk.

"Well . . . why do you think?" replied Mom.

"I guess because . . ." As Lori hesitated, she saw another ladybug. "Because he's helpful and does nice things for people," she decided. "He's like a ladybug, right?" Mom nodded. "I'll tell him that," said Lori with a grin. "Do you think he'll like being compared to a ladybug?" To herself, she added, Maybe if I'm more helpful, people will like me better, too. I'm going to find out! I'm going to be like a ladybug instead of like a mosquito!


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Which are you like-a mosquito or a ladybug? Are you "pesky," or are you "helpful"? Do others like to have you around? Think about it. With God's help, become a more useful person. When you're asked to do a chore you don't feel like doing, don't grumble while you work. Breathe a prayer, asking God to help you be pleasant. Then depend on Him-and smile! Look around to see what you can do to help before you're asked. Others will appreciate it, God will be pleased-and you will, too!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Pursue the things . . . by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19

[Soldier4Christ]

God's Lost and Found

"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10 (NIV)

Does your school have a "Lost and Found?" I'm sure does. Kids are always losing things. Early in the school year, there probably isn't very much in it, but it won't be very long until the "Lost and Found" is running over like this box. Let's see what we can find in our "Lost and Found" box.

Look! Here is a shoe. How in the world can a person lose one shoe? Wouldn't you think they would notice that they were only wearing one shoe?

Here's a pair of glasses. Now, how can a person who wears glasses do their homework without their glasses? Well, I guess that's a better excuse than telling your teacher the dog ate your homework. Teachers never believe that one.

Hmm...here's a lunch box. I was always losing my lunch box when I was in school. That is why my mom started making me take my lunch in a brown paper bag.

Here's a nice pair of wool mittens. Maybe the person who lost these isn't too worried about them right now, but when cold weather gets here, they will sure wish they knew where they were.

Have you ever lost something that was really important to you? What did you do? Did you just say, "Oh well, no problem, I can always get another one?" No, I imagine that you probably searched until you found what you had lost. In our Bible lesson today, Jesus tells two stories about people who have lost something very important to them.

The first story Jesus told was about a man who had a hundred sheep. One of his sheep strayed away from the flock and became lost. Every one of the man's sheep was important to him, so he left the ninety-nine and went to search for the one lost sheep. When he found it, he was so happy that he called all of his friends together and said, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep."

Next, Jesus told a story about a woman who had ten silver coins. Each of the coins was worth a day's wages. The woman counted her coins, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Oh no! I have lost one of my coins," she cried. Do you know what she did? She turned on every light in the house, swept the floor, and searched until she found the one lost coin. When she found the lost coin, she called all of her friends and neighbors together and said, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin."

Jesus told these two stories to demonstrate God's love for us. We are God's children, but sometimes we get lost. When that happens, God doesn't give up on us. He searches for us and he won't stop until we are found. In fact, the Bible tells us that God sent his son, Jesus, to seek and save the lost. And just as the people in the story rejoiced when they found what was lost, Jesus said, "There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

I'm glad that God loves us so much that he doesn't give up on us when we get lost, aren't you?

Father, we are your children and you love each and every one of us. We are thankful that you don't give up on us when we get lost. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Dee and the Dandelions

"There goes Morgan-that new girl," said Dee to her friends at recess. "She dresses funny! I saw her dad pick her up at school yesterday. He has a big scar on his face and looks like a criminal."

"What do you think he did?"asked Grace.

Dee shrugged. "Why knows? Robbed a bank maybe."

As Dee slid into her seat, she heard Grace whisper to Pam, "Don't play with Morgan-her dad's a bank robber."

The rumor flew and grew until nearly everyone in the class was whispering about Morgan and avoiding her. A little voice in Dee's heart said, Dee, what have you done? But she tried not to listen.

When Dee got home, she sprawled on the lawn to enjoy the sunshine. She saw a dandelion that had gone to seed, so she picked it and blew on it. The seeds floated off into the air like dozens of tiny parachutes. "Oh dear!" said Mom, who had come out with a glass of lemonade for Dee. "Those little seeds are going to take root and become more pesky dandelions! You better go pick them back up."

"Oops!" said Dee. "Sorry, but there's no way I can pick them up again. They're gone for good!"

Mom sat down in a lawn chair. "Well, if you hadn't blown them, the wind would have," she said. Then she added thoughtfully, "Those little seeds always remind me of words. Once we've said words, they're gone for good, too. The good ones bring happiness and help to people, and the unkind ones bring sorrow." Dee squirmed as she remembered what she had said about Morgan's father. "Before we say unkind things about anyone," continued Mom, "we should ask ourselves, 'Is what I'm about to say true? Is it helpful to anybody? Would God be pleased to hear me say it?'"

The little nagging voice of Dee's conscience seemed to be shouting now. Her words about Morgan's father had certainly been neither kind nor pleasing to God. They probably weren't even true! Dee got up to make some phone calls. She knew she could never entirely take back those words, but she had to try her best to undo what she had done.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
What kind of words do you speak? Are they true? Kind? Pleasing to God? Do they build, or do they destroy? Before you talk about other kids-or anyone-do you consider how your words will affect either the person you're speaking to or the one you're speaking about? Don't thoughtlessly blurt out anything that pops into your head. Ask God to help you speak only kind and helpful words.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

[Soldier4Christ]

 When the Flag Flies

Travis settled down to listen as his Sunday school teacher began to speak. "I read an article this week that told of some traditions in England," said Mr. Jensen. "It referred to several castles, or homes, that are available to the Queen. Sometimes she stays in one, and sometimes in another. Whenever she's in one of her homes, her flag flies over that roof. It lets her subjects know their queen is inside." Mr. Jensen paused as he looked at the boys. "You know, for those of us who are Christians, the King of kings lives within us," he added. "What are some things we could use as a banner-things that would show that we have Jesus in our lives? Who has an idea?"

Josh raised his hand. "We could carry our Bibles," he suggested when the teacher called on him.

"Good!" Mr. Jensen smiled. "Of course, just because someone carries a Bible, it doesn't mean he's a Christian," he added. "But for those of you who are, it does give a testimony-sort of like you're 'flying Christ's banner' for others to see. Use your Bibles in front of your school friends as well as your Christian friends. Who else can suggest something to use as a banner?"

Travis had an idea. "We should obey our parents," he said.

Mr. Jensen nodded. "And why should you obey them?" he asked.

"God says we should," replied Travis.

"In other words," said Mr. Jensen, "we should obey God, right? We should do what He says-and how do we know what that is?"

"It tells us in the Bible," said Logan. "That's where the Ten Commandments are found."

 "Yes, and they're very important," agreed Mr. Jensen, holding up his Bible, "but the Bible contains many other commandments as well. In fact, our lesson today talks about a new commandment Jesus gave His disciples-including us. Perhaps it's the best banner we could show others. It's the one Jesus says will show that we belong to Him." Mr. Jensen opened his Bible. "Turn to the thirteenth chapter of John," he added. "Look at verse thirty-four, and tell me what that new commandment is."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Did you find the new commandement?  If not, read today's Scripture again!  Jesus is speaking to His desciples, and He commands them to love others as He loves.  That's a lot of love!  It doesn't allow for unkind words or unfriendly treatment of others.  It requires respect and helpful, encouraging attitudes and actions.  If you love Jesus, you're His desciple, and when you show love as He commanded, you're flying the "banner of love" and indicating to others that He lives within your heart.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

[Soldier4Christ]

 God's Protective Gear

Bill walked into the house, his arms loaded. "Mom, I'm all signed up for football," he said, dropping a big pile of football gear on the table.

"Great!" said Mom. Picking up the mouth piece, she added, "Your helmet protects your head and face, but what's this for?"

Bill grinned. "It protects my teeth," he said. "We wear heavy padding, shin guards, helmets, mouth pieces-all kinds of protection."

"I'm glad of that!" Mom said firmly. "Don't forget any of it."

"I won't!" Bill assured her. "I've already learned how important it is. I forgot my mouthpiece when I went to practice the other day, but Coach Grimes wouldn't let me play without it, so I had to go get it. Good thing, too. When I got back, I got a good knock on my chin in the very first play. I might have been hurt without it."

That evening, Bill showed his football gear to his father. Dad nodded. "I wore all that stuff back when I played football, too," he said. After a moment he added, "I still wear special protective gear." Bill stared at him in surprise, and Dad grinned. "It's called the 'armor of God.' Do you know what the various pieces are?"

"Oh, that," said Bill. "One of them is a helmet-the 'helmet of salvation.' I learned that in Bible club."

Mom nodded. "And one is called the 'breastplate of righteousness.' It means we need to be right with God. Let's see . . . another says we're to have truth around our waists. That means we have to be honest in everything we do."

"And . . . uh. . . our feet are to be ready to take us to places where we can share the Gospel with others," added Bill.

"I know one!" Six-year-old Davy was eager to add to the list. "We need swords. My teacher said that's the Bible."

"Good! You remembered well," said Mom. "We also need the shield of faith to trust God, even when Satan tempts us to take our eyes off Jesus."

"Why do we need all that equipment?" asked Dad.

"Because Satan wants to get us," said Davy.

"Right." Dad nodded. "The armor of God is even more important than your football gear, Bill," he said. "It protects us from Satan, our worst enemy."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you faithfully put on the armor God supplies? Think about each piece. You may easily see the importance of the  "helmet of salvation" through Jesus Christ. But how about truth, righteousness, faith, the Bible, and readiness to spread the Gospel? All these are also important for your life. You need them when you're tempted, when you're afraid, when you face uncertainty-and yes, during the happy times of life. You need them to stand strong against the devil.


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]

 A Lesson from Lice

Sandra burst into the house after school. "Mom," she called, "the school nurse inspected all our heads today, and lots of the kids have lice! She says I don't have them-but I think I do because my head itches." Sandra was almost in tears. "I hate to think of bugs crawling on my head."

"Honey, I'm sure the nurse would know if you have them," comforted Mom.

"But can we please get some of the special stuff she said would kill them? Please?" begged Sandra. "I want to be sure I don't have any lice."

"Well, okay," agreed Mom. "If it will make you feel better, I'm sure it won't hurt." So they took a trip to the store to get the materials the nurse recommended.

"The kids all think Audrey and Steve Larson brought the lice to our school," said Sandra as Mom helped scrub her head. "They live in a dumpy old house and always come to school with greasy hair. Everybody is mad at them and started calling them the Licey Larsons."

Mom frowned. "I hope you didn't," she said. "After all, you don't really know the lice started with them, do you?"

"Well, maybe not . . . but lice can spread diseases, so we shouldn't take any chances by playing with Audrey and Steve, should we?" asked Sandra. "I wouldn't want to get some awful disease!"

"Cleanliness is extremely important in the prevention of disease," said Mom as she ran water to rinse away the soap. "We need to keep our bodies clean from dirt, but it's even more important to keep our hearts clean from sin. Little bugs, like lice, can cause a lot of trouble and make us shudder. But 'little' sins are even worse-we should also shudder over them. They make our hearts 'dirty' and lead to spiritual sickness."

Sandra took the towel Mom offered and began to dry her hair. "You mean I should play with Audrey?" asked Sandra.

"Well, think about it," said Mom. "Even if the problem did start with the Larsons, how do you think God would want you to treat them? Would He be pleased to hear the name-calling? Or would He want you to be nice to them?"

"He'd want me to be nice," admitted Sandra. She slowly hung up the towel. "I will!" she declared. "I . . . I'm sorry I wasn't nice today."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there some so-called "little" sin you should confess to God? Maybe you said something nasty, snubbed someone, or told a lie. Maybe you found something and kept it without trying to find the owner. Maybe you gave in to a temptation to copy someone's work and call it your own. Whatever it is, confess it right now and let God make your heart clean once again.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

[Soldier4Christ]

 Sheltered

Dark clouds covered the sky, and thunder boomed in the distance. "Look at Henny-Penny, Mom," said Michelle, pointing to the chicken near a little coop by the barn. "She's clucking for her chicks. I guess she wants to protect them from the storm." The mother hen stood in the doorway of the coop, clucking loudly, and the chicks were running to her from all directions. Michelle watched as Henny-Penny led her chicks into the coop and settled down, covering them with her wings. A heavy gust of wind and a spattering of rain sent Michelle and her mother scurrying into the house.

"We're under a tornado warning," Dad told them. "I just heard it on the radio. Let's go to the basement."

Even in the basement, Michelle and her family could hear the storm increasing in fury. The wind raged and howled, thunder roared, and lightning flashed again and again. Michelle moved close to her father, and he put a strong arm around her, hugging her close to his side.

At last the storm passed, and they all hurried upstairs, thankful that the house was still standing. Michelle went out to see if Henny-Penny and her chicks were all right. "They're fine," Michelle reported a little later. She gave her father a hug. "I was really afraid, Dad, but I felt safer with your arm around me. I guess I felt sort of like the chicks, safe under their mother's wings."

"Henny-Penny sheltered her chicks, and Dad sheltered you-but it's really God who shelters all of His children," observed Mom.

"That's right," agreed Dad. "You'll go through many kinds of storms in life, Michelle. There will be times when things get tough and scary, and I may not always be there to put my arm around you. But just remember what the Bible says of your Heavenly Father. Psalm 91 says, 'He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.'"

"God has feathers and wings?" asked Michelle.

Dad smiled. "God wants you to know that He's always there to watch over you in life's storms, so He gave an example that He knew you and I could understand," he explained. "Get it?" With a grin, Michelle nodded.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid of something-storms, darkness, a new school, getting hurt? Like storms in nature, the storms of life can be scary. The difficult things that happen in life can be very frightening if you try to handle them alone. Remember that God understands your fears, and He's right there to shelter you and take care of you. Trust Him to do that no matter what situation you face.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
He (God) shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. Psalm 91:4

[Soldier4Christ]

 Guilty, as Charged

"There has been a lot of note-passing going on lately," announced Devin's teacher. "You think I don't see it, but I do. So . . . anyone I see passing a note during the rest of the week will stay in at noon recess." Devin nodded. He had noticed a lot of the kids passing notes, too.

The next day, Devin watched as Bob and Randy passed notes back and forth. They better watch it, he thought, or they're gonna have to stay in for recess. He decided to write a note to warn his friends to be careful.

As Devin slipped his note to Randy, Mrs. Barnes looked up. "Devin, Randy, and Bob-you will all stay in at noon today," she said sternly.

"Me?" exclaimed Bob. "What did I do?"

"I saw you passing several notes," Mrs. Barnes informed him. "You will stay in with the other boys." And so the three boys spent the noon recess at their desks.

That evening, Devin complained about his punishment. "I wrote one little note!" he grumbled. "The other guys wrote a whole lot more. It's not fair!"

"Really? How many notes did Mrs. Barnes say you could write?" asked Mom.

"Well . . . none," admitted Devin, "but I still think she could have let me play outside at least half the time since the others wrote so many more notes than I did!"

"Even though you wrote only one, you were guilty as charged, weren't you?" asked Dad. Devin had to admit that was true.

"So you did deserve to be punished then, didn't you?" asked Mom.

"A little, I guess, but I still wasn't as bad as the others," insisted Devin.

"Your argument reminds me of people who seem to think God should excuse them because they aren't as bad as other people they know," said Dad. "The fact is that all have sinned, and the Bible says if you break God's law in even one point, you're as guilty as if you broke the whole thing. You were clearly warned, Devin-you knew what would happen if you passed a note. God also warns all of us regarding the punishment we deserve. You can blame only yourself for ignoring the warning and suffering punishment at school, and those who ignore God warning can also blame only themselves when punishment comes!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you're pretty good-better than a lot of kids you know? God says all are sinners. Everyone deserves the "wages of sin"-eternal death. But the wonderful thing is that Jesus came to take the punishment for sin. Instead of suffering the eternal death you deserve, you can have the eternal life God offers you. Accept His offer today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10

[Soldier4Christ]

 Leaves and Kids

Miss Norris sighed as she surveyed her Sunday school class. Joey, a new boy, sat alone-the other boys ignored him. Across the room, Annie, with her sweet smile and simple mind, was left out of the conversation of a group of chattering girls. How can I encourage the kids to include everyone? Miss Norris wondered. Then she had an idea. "Since the leaves are changing color, I asked you to bring some in today," she said, pointing to the pile on the table. "Thanks for doing that." The children gathered around as Miss Norris began arranging leaves on the bulletin board. She picked one up. "This is a beautiful leaf," she said.

"I brunged it." Annie beamed, and several of the students snickered.

Picking up another leaf, Miss Norris looked thoughtful. "I don't think this one's quite as pretty," she said, "so let's throw it away. Okay?" Jason frowned. He wasn't very excited about colored leaves, but he didn't like having his choice discarded. "And here's one that's so much smaller than the others," added Miss Norris.

"I like that one," objected Maggie as Miss Norris brushed it into the trash.

Miss Norris studied another critically. "I was looking for maple leaves, not oak leaves," she said with a frown. "Let's dump this, too."

"What's wrong with an oak leaf?" asked Natalie, who had brought it.

"It's . . . different," said Miss Norris. She picked up the first leaf and compared the two. "See that?"

"Every leaf is different," said Caleb. Jason nodded and fished his leaf out of the trash. He put it with the others.

"Besides, it's much nicer to not have them all the same," declared Stephanie as she rescued the small leaf.

"You're right," agreed Miss Norris with a smile. "'Different' doesn't mean 'worse.' Like Jason said, every leaf is different. God made them that way. And let's be sure to remember that He made each person different, too-He made each one special. Just like one leaf is no better than another, neither is one person better than another. These leaves can be a reminder of that, okay?" The children nodded. "Good," said Miss Norris, "and now it's time to begin our lesson." As the children went to sit down, she was pleased to see that nobody seemed to be left out this time.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you kind to everyone, even those who seem "different"? Look in the mirror. Have you ever seen anyone who looks exactly like you? Of course not, because you are different yourself. Just as you are unique, so is the person of a different race, the one with learning disabilities, and the one whose clothes aren't in style. God loves each one and wants you to have a loving attitude as well. He wants you to recognize that each person has special qualities given to him or her by God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
God shows no partiality. Acts 10:34

[Soldier4Christ]

The Dishonest Manager

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Luke 16:10 (NIV)

One day Susie's mother sent her to the store to buy a loaf of bread. She gave Susie two dollars and told her she could keep the change. When Susie paid for the bread, the cashier accidentally gave her too much money back. Susie knew right away that it was too much money. What should she do? Should she tell the cashier that she had made a mistake, or should she just keep quiet? What would you do?

James was going through the cafeteria line at school and looked down to see a dollar bill on the floor. There was no way of knowing who had lost the money, and no one would ever know if he just picked it up and put it in his pocket. What should he do? What would you do?

Hector found a money bag like this one containing $120 on top of a coke machine at his school. Wow! That is a lot of money. Just think of all of the things you could do with $120! What should Hector do? What would you do?

Every day we are faced with decisions which test our honesty. It may be a small amount of incorrect change, a dollar found on the floor, or a large amount of money such as Hector found at school. The amount of money is not important, it is a question of doing what is right.

One day Jesus told a parable about a rich man who accused his manager of wasting his money. He called him in and told to give an account of the way he had been managing his money. Sure enough, he had been taking some of the money for himself and cheating his employer.

Since the manager knew he was going to be fired, he came up with a plan that would make a lot of friends. He called the people who owed his boss money and asked them how much they owed. When they told them how much they owed, he told them they only had to pay a much smaller amount. As you can imagine, the people were very pleased to only have to pay a fraction of what they owed. The manager now had plenty of friends to help him when he no longer had a job.

Jesus told this story to show that "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." If you and I make sure that we are honest in the small things, then we can be sure that we will be honest in the big things. If people know that they can trust us in small things, they will know that they can trust us in the big things too.

Dear Father, help us to remember what Jesus taught about honesty -- and help us to be honest in every situation -- big or small. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Flying Too High

"Mr. Hillis read another story from Greek mythology to our class today," said David one afternoon.

"Really? Tell me what it was," begged Johnny at once.

David grinned. He knew his little brother loved stories. "Well, okay," he agreed. "These stories aren't true, you know. But this one says that once there was a father and son-called Daedalus and Icarus-and they were put in prison by the king. One day, Daedalus-the father-took feathers and made two pairs of wings so they could escape and fly away. He fastened the wings onto his son's back with wax-warning Icarus not to fly too near the sun because the heat would melt the wax and the wings would fall off." David paused.

"Did they fly?" asked Johnny impatiently. "Did they get away?"

David nodded. "Yep, they both flew away. But as Icarus flew higher and higher, he began to feel so powerful and so proud about actually flying that he forgot what his father had said, and he flew too near to the sun. Sure enough-the wax melted, just like his father had warned him. The wings fell off, and poor Icarus fell into the sea and drowned."

"How awful!" cried Johnny. Then he thought of something scary. "Hey, David, do you think that could happen when we take that plane trip next month?" he asked anxiously.

"Of course not," said David. "The planes wings aren't fastened on with wax."

Dad, who was also listening, shook his head. "Don't worry about the plane, Johnny," he said, "but that story does remind me of what can happen to people. In fact, it could happen to us if we're not careful."

David frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked. "We don't even have wings."

"No, but sometimes-especially when everything is going well in our lives-we might start feeling powerful and proud like Icarus did," explained Dad. "It's a big mistake to boast about how great we are and be really proud of ourselves and think we can get along without God. We need to realize that we're dependent on Him for everything-even those things we often consider our accomplishments. Happiness comes from trusting in God rather than in ourselves."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you boast about things you've accomplished-such as doing well in your exams or winning a prize in a contest? Or do you acknowledge that God is the one who made it possible? When you're faced with a challenge or difficulty, do you feel proud that you can "handle things," or do you turn to God for wisdom and strength? He doesn't want you to be proud of yourself. He wants you to humbly depend on Him for everything.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5