Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Whole Flower

"Mother-r-r!" wailed Alyce. "Mrs. Purdy gave me a flower from her garden, and Kirk took it and wouldn't give it back. Then he tore it all up!"

"I gave it back," said Kirk, a smug look on his face.

"One petal at a time!" exclaimed Alyce.

"You always pull daisies apart anyway," said Kirk. "I was just being helpful. You could have said your stupid rhyme as I handed you each petal." Then he chanted, "He loves me . . . he don't. He'll marry me . . . he won't. He . . . "

"You were just being mean," interrupted Alyce.

"Kirk, you had no business taking your sister's flower," said Mom. "When you go to get these things I need, you can stop at the florist's and use your own money to buy her another one." She handed him a list.

After Kirk was gone, Mom told Alyce that their youth pastor had called. "He'd like you to play the piano for the primary department this Sunday," said Mom.

Alyce frowned. "I'll be in the nursery on Sunday," she said. "That's enough."

After supper that evening, Kirk jumped up from the table. "We'd better get going, Alyce," he said. "We have junior choir practice tonight."

Alyce shook her head. "I'm not going this week," she replied. "I have to work in the church nursery on Sunday, so I'm busy enough."

"Well, I hope you're not too busy to help hunt for pop cans at the park to make some money for the special offering Sunday," said Kirk. "All week we've been talking about doing it, but haven't had time. Tomorrow's the only day left."

"I told you-I'm busy enough this week," grumbled Alyce. "The other kids can contribute a little more money this time. I shouldn't have to do everything!"

"One petal at a time," murmured Mom softly. Alyce looked at her curiously. "You didn't want just one petal of a flower at a time. You wanted a whole flower, and God wants a whole life-a whole person," explained Mom. "It seems to me that you want to give Him your babysitting services one week, your money another time, and maybe your voice the week after that-'one petal at a time.' Now . . . maybe that's all God will require in any given week, but He wants your whole life to be available to Him all the time."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is your whole life available for God's use every day of every week? Be ready to do His will-to serve Him in any way He asks of you. It may be through helping with chores at home, offering friendship to a new neighbor, giving some of your allowance money to meet a need, or finding a way to earn extra money to give for God's work. Maybe He won't give you opportunities to serve Him in a lot of different ways each week, but always be available. Serve Him with your whole heart and life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Psalm 143:10

[Soldier4Christ]

 Who Notices?

Jordan struggled with the heavy snow that had fallen. He had to finish shoveling the walk before he could go sledding with his friends. "Ugh!" he gasped. "I hate it when the snow is so wet like this! It's so hard to throw."

As Jordan leaned on the shovel to catch his breath, his gaze fell on the sidewalk where it continued past Mrs. Barans' house. The snow lay in deep drifts, and her windows still had the curtains drawn. Mrs. Barans must still be asleep, he thought. She can barely get around anymore. How's she going to clear her sidewalk? With renewed energy, he went back to work. And when he came to the edge of his yard, he kept going and did Mrs. Barans' walk, too. Walking slowly to the garage to put the shovel away, Jordan looked back at the neatly cleared walk. Mrs. Barans is going to be so happy when she sees that! he thought.

As Jordan headed out with his sled later that day, he saw Mrs. Barans at her mailbox. She was moving very slowly, and he thought again how glad he was to have helped her. "Hi, Mrs. Barans! Your walk sure looks nice," called Jordan.

She waved back and smiled. "Hi, Jordan. Yes, my nephew often comes and clears it for me when we get a heavy snow. I really appreciate his help!"

"But it wasn't . . ." began Jordan, but Mrs. Barans was already headed back in, and didn't hear him. "How do you like that," Jordan mumbled to himself. "I do the work, and someone else gets credit for it!"

That evening, Jordan was still stewing over it. "Mom, next time you see Mrs. Barans, could you mention that I was the one who cleared her walk this morning?" he asked. "She thinks her nephew did it!"

Mom was silent for a moment. "When you did the walk this morning, did you do it just so she would thank you?" she asked.

"No, I just I thought she could use the help," said Jordan. "But it's not fair!"

"Well, that may be true, but . . . are you sorry you helped her?" asked Mom.

Jordan shook his head. "No . . . but it would be nice if she knew about it."

"Yes," said Mom, "but what's even nicer is that God knows what you did. I know He's very glad you were so thoughtful and kind. He's the keeper of all the good deeds and loving words of His children, and some day He'll reward them." She smiled. "Rewards He gives are far nicer than anything Mrs. Barans could give you."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you doing and saying things that will pass the test of time-things that will build rewards for you in heaven? Do you wonder if anyone notices when you're kind, helpful, and loving? You can be sure that God does. It doesn't really matter if anyone here knows. It's enough that God knows, and He'll reward you for what you've done for Him.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Revelation 22:12

[Soldier4Christ]

 Grandma's Attic

"Oh, look at this!" exclaimed Jill's Aunt Jesse as they were cleaning Grandma's attic. "Here's a box of souvenirs from when I was in high school!"

Jill took a long piece of yarn from the box. "This seems like a silly thing to have kept," she said with a laugh. "Where did it come from?"

"I wrapped that around Tom's ring so I could wear it on my finger," Aunt Jesse replied with a smile. "I haven't thought about him in years." As she sorted through the other things in the box, she told Jill about each item, remembering the person who had given it to her, or the event it reminded her of.

"Are you related to an elephant, Aunt Jesse?" teased Jill with a grin. "They say elephants never forget, and I don't think you do, either!"

Aunt Jesse laughed. "Well, I've heard that everything you experience is stored in your brain, but sometimes it takes something like a souvenir to bring it into the part of your mind where you can use it." She stretched her arms. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired and thirsty. Let's take a break."

They went to the kitchen and got some cookies and milk. "What do you have in your attic, Jill?" asked Aunt Jesse as they ate. Jill started thinking about the attic at her home, but Aunt Jesse leaned forward and tapped her on the head. "What I mean is, what do you have stored up here?" she said. "I hadn't seen the things stored in Grandma's attic for years, but they brought back good memories. Like her attic, your mind is storing things, too."

"Yeah," agreed Jill. "Sometimes a song pops into my head, even if I haven't heard it for a long time!"

Aunt Jesse nodded. "Bible verses do the same thing. Even if you haven't thought of a particular verse for years, something may suddenly bring it to mind. So . . . are there plenty of Bible verses in the 'storage area' of your brain?"

Jill shrugged. "I try to learn as many as I can," she said, "but I'm so busy with school work and soccer and everything."

"Don't get too busy to store the important things," cautioned Aunt Jesse. "Once memories are in place, things we see or hear can bring them back. When you've memorized God's Word, He can use people and events to bring it to mind as you need it. That's one way the Holy Spirit helps you each day."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has something reminded you of a verse you've memorized? It happens often. For example, perhaps you've been tempted to keep something that didn't belong to you, and "You shall not steal" came to mind. Maybe you wanted to disobey your mother, and then you recalled the verse that says, "Obey your parents." As you memorize God's Word and relate it to everyday things, you're making it part of your life. As you grow older, it will come back to you in times when you need it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:16

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Blank Page

"Hi, Mom," said Derek as he came into the house. "Want to see the picture I painted at school today?" He held out a paper with a scene of a lake and trees, with mountains in the background.

"This is really good, honey!" exclaimed Mom. "You're a good painter."

Derek beamed. "I think I'll be an artist when I grow up," he said. "I love to paint." He went to a drawer and took out a fresh piece of paper and some paints.

"Well, that would be great," said Mom with a smile, "if that's what you feel the Lord wants you to do." She pointed to the paper Derek had spread out on the kitchen table. "Have you ever looked at your blank paper and wondered what it will look like when your painting's done?" she asked.

"Sure. All the time." Derek grinned at his mother. "But it doesn't always turn out the way I imagined it. Sometimes I do good, but other times I mess it all up."

Mom nodded. "Our lives are like this blank paper," she said. "And our actions are like the brush that applies the colors to the page, making something beautiful or something ugly."

"But the brush doesn't paint by itself," said Derek. "It's the artist who chooses the colors and paints the picture. Whether it turns out good or bad depends on what he does."

"That's right," agreed Mom. "In our 'life pictures,' we can either let Satan be the artist and 'paint' things our own way, or we can let the Lord be the artist holding the brush-controlling our actions."

Derek looked at the blank page. "I never thought about my life like that," he said thoughtfully. "I think everyone's life would turn out better if they let God hold the brush!"

"I do, too," agreed Mom. "We need to give each day to the Lord and constantly yield to Him. Then we'll be pleased with the picture of our lives-and He will, too."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Who is "holding the brush" as pictures are painted on the pages of your life? Is God pleased with those pictures? Do they show kindness, obedience, and God's love? If not-if you've messed up-ask the Lord to forgive you and take control. Ask Him to help you, from this day forward, to do the things that please Him. Let Him, in His own way and time, make your life beautiful.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Present yourselves . . . as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:13

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Measuring Stick

Ryan stood next to the wall, holding himself as straight as possible. His father made a chalk mark just above his head. When Ryan stepped aside, Dad began to measure the distance from the floor to the mark. "Let me do it," pleaded Bernie, Ryan's little brother. Bernie was studying measurements in school, and he had been running around measuring things all week. When Dad smiled and moved to the side, Bernie climbed on a chair to measure Ryan. "Wow!" marveled Bernie after a moment. "You're almost six feet tall already."

"What?" exclaimed Ryan. "That can't be right." He looked at the stick Bernie was holding. "What kind of measuring stick are you using, anyway?"

"It's one I made," said Bernie proudly, holding up the brightly painted stick. "Dad was using the yardstick, so I made my own. I think it looks about right."

"Well, it's wrong," said Ryan scornfully. "You have to use a regular yardstick, don't you, Dad?"

"That's correct," agreed Dad. "An inaccurate measuring stick will give the wrong measurements. You can't use your own ideas about how long a foot is." He was thoughtful as he compared the yardstick he'd been using to Bernie's stick. "This one is definitely off by quite a bit." Dad shook his head. "A lot of people use their own self-made measuring sticks," he added.

"They do?" asked Ryan. "I don't know anybody who made himself a measuring stick . . . except for Bernie here."

"I wasn't thinking of an actual measuring stick. I was remembering that many people use their own ideas to measure how good they are," explained Dad. "They expect to get to heaven because they think the good things they do outweigh the bad ones. Their 'measuring stick' is their own rules. The correct 'measuring stick' is God's rules."

"That's found in the Bible, right?" asked Ryan.

Dad nodded. "It says, 'All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.' We all fail to measure up to His standard, which is perfection. That's why we need forgiveness. It's why we need Jesus to save us. God says it's only through faith in Jesus, the perfect Son of God, that we can get into heaven."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
What are you using to measure your fitness for heaven? Do you look at your life and think you're not so bad-that, in fact, you're pretty good? You need to use God's measure. His standard is perfection-or what the Bible calls righteousness. Everyone comes short of this-no one is perfect. But when you receive Jesus as Savior, God will declare you to be righteous-or good-as Jesus is. Trust in Him today! (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be found in Him, not having my own righteousness . . . but that which is through faith in Christ. Philippians 3:9

[Soldier4Christ]

 No Throwaway Friends

"Emma, don't forget that you need to clean your closet," reminded Mom.

But the closet was the last thing on Emma's mind as she finished a snack after school. "Katy Carter told Amy that I looked like I used an egg beater to comb my hair this morning," said Emma. "She's been saying lots of stuff like that lately. None of the kids like her anymore, and I'm never going to speak to her again!"

"That wasn't a nice thing for her to say," agreed Mom, "but instead of dumping her so quickly, maybe you could try to find out if she's upset about something unhappy going on at her home. Or maybe she's having problems at school. After all, you've been friends since kindergarten."

"Well, not anymore," declared Emma, and with that, she stomped off to her room. She scowled when she opened her closet door, but remembering her mother's words, she got busy and started to clean it.

When Emma returned to the kitchen, she was clutching something furry in her arms. "Look what I found in the back of the closet," she said, holding out her old teddy bear.

Mom smiled as she patted the bear. "That old thing," she said fondly. "You used to take him everywhere you went."

"Teddy was my best friend," Emma recalled.

Mom took Teddy from Emma's arms. "Look at him now," said Mom. "The color is rubbed off his nose, the fur is gone from the back of his head, and . . . oh, yuck . . . he doesn't smell very good! I think it's time to get rid of him." Mom walked toward the wastebasket.

"No, Mom!" Emma cried, reaching for the bear. "He's my friend, and I won't throw him away."

Mom stopped. "Well . . . okay," she agreed, "but if you want to keep him, you'll have to clean him up a bit." She looked into Emma's eyes as she added, "You're right-we shouldn't throw our friends away, should we?"

Emma hugged Teddy tightly. "I know you mean Katy," she said. "You're saying I shouldn't 'throw her away,' either. But . . . how can I 'clean her up'?"

"Talk with her . . . let her see that you care about her . . . be patient with her," suggested Mom. "Be sure to pray for her-and let her know God loves her."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been tempted to "throw away" one of your friends? Perhaps someone has been mean to you, or maybe an old friend is cross or gloomy lately. A real friend loves at all times-even when those they're with are unpleasant and hard to love. Display the kind of love you read about in today's Scripture passage. Don't throw anyone away.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

 Harmless Fun?

Samantha felt uncomfortable as Lucy read her horoscope, but all the other girls at the slumber party seemed to be having a great time. I think people use horoscopes to try to find out what will happen in the future, thought Samantha. I'm sure the Bible doesn't approve of doing that, but maybe God doesn't mind if we read them just for fun. "Oh, wow!" exclaimed one of the girls just then. She looked thoughtful. "No wonder I got such a bad grade in spelling! I should have read this yesterday-I could have saved myself the bother of studying." When Samantha heard that, she felt even more uneasy. She knew that only God knows what will happen. She didn't think He was pleased with what they were doing.

Then Julie, the girl who was giving the party, got out her Ouija board, and the other girls gathered around. Ouija boards are supposed to tell fortunes, too, thought Samantha. She liked this activity even less than the last one. "I don't feel like playing," she said, and she sat apart from the group and leafed through a magazine.

Samantha was relieved when Julie finally suggested a game called blind walk. "Samantha, you be my partner, okay?" said Julie. Samantha nodded happily.

When it was their turn, Samantha was blindfolded while Julie led her around an obstacle course. "No peeking, or you lose points!" warned Lucy.

Samantha found it rather hard to trust her partner not to run her into the wall. But she really wanted to win, so she moved quickly ahead and never peeked at all. It paid off-she and Julie won!

When Samantha's father picked her up the next day, she told him all about the party and the games they had played, including the activities that had bothered her. Dad nodded. "You were right to avoid those," he said. "The Bible says practices that try to foresee the future are wrong. God calls them an 'abomination.'"

"Even if they're only a game?" asked Samantha.

"Yes," said Dad. "Satan can use those kinds of 'games' to trick you into trusting your future to something other than God." He paused. "Trusting your partner in the 'blind walk' game you played, is a bit like trusting God for your future," he added. "Let Him lead the way. He doesn't want you to try to 'peek' by having any part in an activity that encourages you to trust in something else."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you read your horoscope or participate in fortune-telling activities? These may seem like harmless fun, but they can be dangerous. God's Word clearly speaks against them. Satan may occasionally make a good guess as to what will happen, but God is the only one who truly knows what your future will be. He does not choose to reveal it ahead of time. When you try to find out your future, you are showing God you don't trust Him. Don't make that mistake!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You! Psalm 84:12

[Soldier4Christ]

The Thankful Leper

Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" Luke 17:17 (NIV)

Last week I received this "Thank You" card. A friend of ours recently had a baby and we sent them a gift for the new baby. Inside of the card it says, "Thank you so much for your gift. It was just what we needed for our new baby." You know, it really made me feel good that our friends took the time to send us a card to say, "Thank You."

Don't you just hate it when someone does something nice for you and your mother prompts you by saying, "Now, what do you say?" You knew what to say, didn't you? We all know what to say, but unfortunately, we sometimes forget to say it. That is what happened in our Bible lesson today.

Our Bible story today is about ten lepers. Do you know what a leper is? No, it is not an animal with spots on it. That's a leopard! However, a leper does have spots. A leper is a person who has a disease called leprosy. This disease causes sores all over the body. Leprosy was very common in Jesus' day, and people who had this disease were thought to be unclean. They were required to stay away from other people because of the fear that they might infect them with their disease.

One day, Jesus was walking through a small village when he saw a group of ten lepers. They stood far away from Jesus and called to him, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us." Obviously, they knew who Jesus was and that he had the power to heal them. When Jesus heard them, he called back to the lepers and said, "Go, show yourself to the priest."

As the lepers went on their way to see the priest, they looked at their skin and the sores were gone. Jesus had healed their disease. They were so happy that they ran up and down the streets singing and dancing. Suddenly, one of them stopped and went back. Praising God with a loud voice, he threw himself at Jesus' feet and said, "Thank You." Jesus said to him, "Weren't there ten who were healed? Where are the other nine?" Only one out of ten remembered to say, "Thank You."

God does so much for us! Every day he provides everything we need: food, clothing, and a place to live. Do we ever forget to say, "Thank You?" Let's stop right now and say "Thank You" and ask God to help us remember to thank Him every day.

Dear Lord, you give us everything we need, but we often forget to say "Thank You." We thank you now, and ask you to help us to remember to give thanks every day for all that you do for us. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 The TV Recipe

"Mom, can I watch 'Blazing Guns' on TV tonight?" Cody asked hopefully. "Almost all the kids are planning to watch it. Even my history teacher says it's worth seeing. He says it may be a little violent, but it has a very accurate historical setting."

"How about helping me make a cake, and we'll talk about it," said Mom, taking a chocolate cake mix from the cupboard. She poured it into a bowl, and studied the directions on the box. "We'll need two eggs, oil, and water," she said. Cody was already getting out the ingredients. "Now . . . about that movie-you think that since it has some good points, it would be okay to see it?" asked Mom.

"Sure." Cody nodded. "I can just ignore the bad stuff."

Mom cracked an egg into the bowl. "Let's see . . . I need one more egg," she said, reaching for the egg carton.

"I'll do it," said Cody eagerly. He took an egg, cracked it, and dropped it into the bowl. Immediately, the kitchen was filled with a terrible smell. "Whew!" choked Cody. "What's that smell?"

"It's the egg you just put in-it's rotten!" exclaimed Mom. She picked up the bowl and headed for the sink. "We'll have to dump this whole thing." Then she stopped. "On second thought . . . I know you really want chocolate cake! I guess it will be okay."

"Mom!" protested Cody. "You've got to be kidding! You know that cake is ruined!"

"So," said Mom, "you're sure that one rotten egg has ruined all this cake batter even though the rest of the ingredients in it are perfectly good?" Cody nodded. He held his nose, wondering what Mom was up to. He found out with her next words. "I'm sure God feels that way about your heart," she said as she threw the ruined batter into sink and started the garbage disposal. "The program you want to watch may have some fine things about it, but judging from the ads I've seen, I'm afraid it also has a lot of cursing and violence. Those ingredients don't belong in your heart any more than a rotten egg belongs in cake."

Cody sighed. "In other words, I need to listen to programs that have a better recipe-one that doesn't have anything rotten in it," he said. Mom nodded and smiled as she pulled another cake mix out of the cupboard.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
What ingredients are in the TV programs you watch? Are they good for your heart? Are they pleasing to God? Or do they contain sinful words, ideas, and pictures? Do you think you can ignore the bad parts? Be choosy. All of your experiences influence your mind. It needs pure ingredients to produce good thoughts that are pleasing to you and to God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Whatever things are true . . . noble . . . just . . . pure . . . lovely . . . meditate on these things Philippians 4:8

[Soldier4Christ]

 Heavenly Vacation

"Hey, Levi! Want to see where we're going on vacation?" asked Michael, holding out a colorful brochure. "This place has three waterslides, miniature golf, a bunch of arcades, and lots of other stuff."

"Wow!" exclaimed Levi. "I wish my family could go on a vacation like that." He snatched the paper to get a better look. "That place looks like vacation heaven!" Together, the boys looked over all the attractions.

That evening, Michael could hardly sit still. "Why do we have to wait until tomorrow to go? Let's leave tonight," he suggested.

"Calm down, Son," said Dad as he ruffled Michael's hair. "We're waiting until tomorrow to avoid traffic. Traffic jams are no way to start on a vacation."

"I wouldn't mind the traffic," replied Michael. "I'm just in a hurry to get to vacation heaven."

"Heaven?" Dad smiled. "I don't imagine we'll have traffic jams when we reach the streets of gold," he said. "But that's not where we're going."

"Oh, yes, it is! That's what Levi called it when I showed him the pictures in the brochure," said Michael. "Water slides plus miniature golf plus arcades equals vacation heaven in our book."

"It sounds like you two have the wrong book," said Dad as he pulled out a chair at the table. "It's okay to be excited about this vacation, but you and I also have a 'brochure' telling about the real heaven. Have you shown that to Levi lately?"

"A brochure about the real heaven?" asked Michael. "I don't remember seeing one like that."

"Well, it's not actually a brochure," replied Dad. "It's a book-the Bible. It tells us about heaven and the only way to get there. It's been a while since you invited Levi to come to church and Sunday school with us. If you talk about the real heaven the way you described this vacation, maybe Levi would get excited about it, too."

Michael knew his father was right. "Hey, Dad," he said after a moment, "can you help me make a special 'brochure' to give to Levi? It could have a coupon for a free ride to church any time he wants one." Smiling, Dad nodded.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you brag about earthly places you're going to-or places you've gone? It's nice to share good information with friends, in case they'd like to visit those places, too. Do you also let kids know that you're excited about going to heaven? In the Bible, God has given us a special "sneak peek" at how wonderful heaven will be. He wants us to share the news of the wonderful place He's preparing for His children.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
may . . . tell of all Your wondrous works. Psalm 26:7

[Soldier4Christ]

 New Way to Walk

Zach watched as Eric walked around the picnic table on stilts and then jumped to the ground. "Want to try these?" asked Eric. He held the stilts while his young cousin climbed up on the picnic table to get on them. "You have to use your arms to help your legs take steps," instructed Eric. "It's kinda like being a marionette and pulling your own strings." He helped Zach get started.

When Eric let go of the stilts, they went flying from under Zach's feet. One crashed sideways, smacking Eric hard on the side of the head. Swear words exploded from his mouth as he winced in pain and grabbed his head with his hands. He kicked the stilt viciously.

"You swore!" said Zach in surprise. He looked suspiciously at his cousin. "I . . . I didn't mean to hit you with the stilts," added Zach. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay," replied Eric. "I know I shouldn't have lost my temper and said those words. Here . . . I'll help you get started again."

Zach wobbled dangerously when Eric again let go of the stilts, but before the afternoon had ended, Zach was able to keep his balance for quite a few steps at a time. "I can do it, Mom," he said proudly when his mother came out to watch. "I'm getting much better."

After Eric left to go home, Zach had a question for his mother. "Do you think Eric really meant it when he asked Jesus to forgive and save him after Bible school last week?" he asked. "When one of the stilts hit him, he swore just like he used to."

"Well . . . think about walking on stilts, Zach," said Mom. "You had to go carefully and think about each step while you learned that new skill-in fact, I guess you still do, or you'll fall, right?" Zach nodded. "Eric has to go carefully and think about his steps as a Christian. When he's not careful, it's easy for him to fall back into old habits."

"Well . . . he did apologize," said Zach. "That's new for him. And he didn't get mad at me even though I was the one who let the stilts get away from me."

Mom smiled. "He forgave you for falling with the stilts, Zach, and you need to forgive him for taking a fall in his Christian life. It's easy to fall, you know. We all need to help each other, okay?"

Thoughtfully, Zach agreed.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you patient with new Christians? Perhaps you grew up in a Christian home and never swore or reacted in a violent way. Perhaps you learned early to control your temper and treat people with love. But maybe not. Maybe you learned to walk the world's way, and now you need to learn to walk as a Christian. First look to God for the power you need to overcome your own bad habits. Then forgive and pray for Christians who are learning to walk as they should.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Ephesians 4:1-2)
Walk worthy . . . with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Perfect Teacher

Kari ran into the house waving a paper she'd brought from school. "Guess what special assignment Miss Peterson gave us to do," she said, out of breath with excitement. "Her projects are always so much fun!"

Mom smiled. She was used to hearing about Miss Peterson. Kari liked her teacher very much and talked about her constantly.

"Miss Peterson gave us these pictures of birds, and we have to look them up in a book and color them," continued Kari. "I love to do that kind of stuff. I'm so glad I got her for a teacher this year. She's just perfect!"

Kari got out an encyclopedia and a book on birds. For some time she was busy coloring. But when she got ready to color one of the pictures, she was confused. The bird that Miss Peterson had labeled "blue jay" didn't look like the blue jays she found in the books. Kari took the problem to her mother. "Can you help me, Mom?" she asked. "Where can I find this kind of blue jay?"

"I think Miss Peterson labeled this wrong," said Mom after looking at the picture. "This isn't a blue jay. Let's look at your books and see if we can find a bird like this one."

But Kari, nearly in tears, shook her head. "Miss Peterson knows birds," she insisted, "and she said this is a blue jay."

"Just leave it then," suggested Mom. "You can ask her about it tomorrow."

When Kari came home the next day, she again got out the bird books. "Miss Peterson did write down the wrong name," she told her mother. "This is a bluebird, not a blue jay." Mom nodded, and Kari worked silently for a few minutes. "Maybe she's not perfect, Mom," added Kari with a sigh, "but she's still a really great teacher!"

Mom nodded. "Yes," she agreed, "and I'm glad you like her so much." After a moment she asked with a smile, "Do you know who the only perfect teacher is? The only one who never makes a mistake?" Kari looked puzzled and after a moment, she shook her head. "It's God," added Mom. "When He teaches us something, we know for sure it's right."

Kari thought about that as she worked. "I never thought of God as my teacher," she said. "I guess He's the best teacher of all."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know anyone who never makes a mistake? Every human occasionally makes mistakes-even the best earthly teachers, pastors, parents, or friends. But when God says something, you can be one hundred per cent sure that it's true. Let Him teach you through His Word, the Bible. Anything God says really is so.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
As for God, His way is perfect. 2 Samuel 22:31

[Soldier4Christ]

 One-Way CommunicationMelissa put down the receiver and let out a long sigh. "Phew! Janie's a nice kid, but she's an expert at talking non-stop!"

Melissa's brother Jake chuckled. "All I heard you say was 'mm-m-m' and 'oh' once in a while! Didn't she even ask about your broken arm?"

"She did," said Melissa, "but before I could answer her, she started talking about something else, and when she finished, she hung up so fast I could hardly squeeze in a goodbye." Melissa giggled. " In our social studies class, we had a lesson on communication, and Mrs. Butler emphasized that it's a two-way thing! Janie forgets that, and she always talks and talks. We have to practically scream for her to stop before any of us can get a word in."

Dad laughed. "I guess we're all like that sometimes."

Jake and Melissa shook their heads. "Not me!" they said at the same time.

"What about the way we talk to God?" asked Dad. "Don't we spend most, if not all, of our prayer time telling God what's going on in our lives, pouring out our problems, and asking Him for things we need or want? And perhaps occasionally remembering to thank Him for our blessings?"

"But that's what prayer is," protested Melissa.  "It's talking to God."

"Yes, it's talking to Him," agreed Dad, "but we also need to be quiet and hear what God says to us. For instance, if you pray that God will reveal His will for your life, shouldn't you stop and listen for His answer instead of rushing on to the next item?"

"Well, but . . . God doesn't actually talk to us, does He?" asked Jake. "I mean . . . we don't hear a voice or anything."

"He doesn't talk in a voice such as mine," replied Dad, "but He often talks to us through the Bible. As we read it and meditate on it, asking God to show us the things He wants us to know or do, He often quietly impresses on our hearts and minds promises found in His Word and principles He wants us to follow."

"Dad's right," agreed Mom with a smile. "Our conversations with other people shouldn't be one-sided, one-way communications, and neither should our times with God. Our quiet times should include a time of learning what God has to say to us."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a daily "quiet time" with the Lord? How do you spend that time? Do you read a portion of the Bible rather hastily and then spend time pouring out all your problems and worries? God wants you to bring your needs and concerns to Him. He wants you to pray for your family and friends. But don't forget that listening is just as important as talking. Your quiet time should include a time of silence when you listen to what God has to say to you through His Word.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
e still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

[Soldier4Christ]

 Dumb Excuses

"So . . . are you coming with me to our church youth retreat next weekend?" Molly asked her friend Allison one day.

"No, I think I'll go with Mom and Dad to the college playoffs," replied Allison.

"But that's just one day," persisted Molly. "The retreat is for the whole weekend. It's going to be loads of fun! Why don't you come?"

"I . . . I don't have the right clothes for it," murmured Allison.

"Oh, you do too!" insisted Molly. "You have all kinds of clothes."

Allison grinned. "Besides, it costs too much," she added.

"You know that's not true!" exclaimed Molly. "Like I told you, a couple church families offered to sponsor the whole group, so it won't cost you a thing." She frowned. "You make up the dumbest excuses!" added Molly. But in spite of her best efforts to persuade Allison to go to the retreat, her friend stubbornly refused. Those who did go had a great time.

After attending Bible club with Molly one day, Allison was quiet as she and Molly walked home. "I don't get it," said Allison suddenly. "It seems like every time I go with you to Bible club, Miss Ellis bugs us to 'be saved.' I don't think I've done anything so bad."

Molly was thoughtful. "Maybe not," she said slowly, "but like Miss Ellis said-in fact, like the Bible says-no sin at all can enter heaven, so even the 'little' bad things you've done have to be forgiven."

"But Miss Ellis says Jesus paid the price for everyone to go to heaven," said Allison with a shrug. "If that's so, the price is paid for my salvation, right? So I don't need to worry about it." She smiled triumphantly.

Molly hesitated. "Remember the retreat?" she asked after a moment.

Allison sighed. "Yeah, I remember," she said. "It sounds like you had loads of fun. I wish I had gone, but I didn't. It's too late now, so quit reminding me of it."

"Well," said Molly, "the price was paid for you to go. You just made dumb excuses for not accepting the offer. It's like that with salvation, too. Jesus paid the price for you to go to heaven, but unless you receive the gift God offers, you won't go there."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you accepted God's offer of salvation? Or are you saying, "I'll think about it," or, "I want to do some fun things first"? Are you making some other excuse? Jesus paid the price for you to have your sins forgiven, but you must accept the free gift of eternal life He offers. Stop making excuses. Receive Jesus as Savior before it's too late!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
"Come . . . " says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Penny Drive

"Here's your 'Lovely Home' magazine," said Leah as she came into the house.

"Thanks," said Mom, and she began to look through the articles. "Listen to this," she added after a moment. "The writer of this article says pennies should be discontinued in our money system because nothing can be purchased for a penny anyway. What do you think about that?"

"I agree," said Dad. "Pennies are a nuisance-I don't like to be bothered with them, so I dump them in a jar on my dresser. It's almost full."

Just then Chad came charging into the house after his youth club meeting at church. "Guess what!" he said. "We're going to have a penny drive to get money for our missionaries. We can bring only pennies! Will you help me?"

Leah laughed. "Well, I guess the person who wrote that article in your magazine didn't know about the needs of missionaries, Mom," she said. She grinned at her father. "But you did, Dad," added Leah, "so what's your excuse for wanting to do away with pennies? I assume you have one?"

Dad laughed. "I'll do away with mine by adding my jar of pennies to Chad's offering," he said.

"We'll help him, too," said Leah, and each day, they all collected and turned in pennies.

"I've got $9.68 already," said Chad a few days later. He grinned at his dad. "They seemed worthless by themselves," he added, "but they can really add up, can't they?"

Dad nodded. "We changed our way of thinking about them," he said. "Perhaps we need to do that in a few other areas as well."

"Like . . . which ones?" asked Chad.

"Well," said Dad, "there's a passage in Corinthians that says God often uses something for which the world has no use." (See today's Scripture.)

"I think that's especially true when it comes to people," suggested Mom. "We often fail to recognize that all people are of great value to God. They're so valuable that He even knows how many hairs each person has on his head."

Chad looked at his father's balding head. "That's getting easier and easier when it comes to Dad," Chad teased.

They all chuckled. Even Dad!


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever taken a discarded object and made it into something useful? Or have you bought something no one else wanted and found it was just right for you? Perhaps you know a person who seems to be treated as worthless by many others-maybe because of a handicap or an annoying habit. How do you think God feels about that person? Learn to see value in all kinds of people as God does. Treat each one with respect.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10:30