Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 Aliens

"Aliens! There go the aliens!" Ginny and her friend Alicia cringed as the taunting cries followed them. They had once again refused to join the activities of a certain group of classmates. The two girls had so often separated themselves from the bad behavior of other kids their age that they had been dubbed "aliens" by some of them.

Ginny sighed. "My mother keeps reminding me not to give in to the temptation to be like those kids," she remarked, "but I don't think she knows what it's like for us in school these days."

"Yeah," agreed Alicia. "My mom keeps saying I should 'just say no' to drugs and smoking, but nobody has even asked me to say 'yes,' yet. If they did, I don't think it would be so hard to say 'no.' I don't want any part of drugs. But sometimes I feel like going along with some stuff the kids do-like looking at the magazines they pass around. Or laughing at some of those bad jokes they like to tell. If we did that, maybe they wouldn't call us names all the time."

At home that evening, Ginny told her parents about the name-calling. "Ever since that movie, 'Aliens from Outer Space,' came out, the kids have been calling Alicia and me aliens because we don't do the things they do," she complained. "I wish that movie had never been made."

"I know it's hard, honey," sympathized Mom.

Dad nodded. "But I guess it's not so strange for them to call you that," he said with a smile. "You really are aliens, you know."

"Dad!" exclaimed Ginny. "We are not!"

"Yes, you are," insisted Dad. "You girls have both accepted Jesus as Savior, so now you're not 'of the world' anymore. You're just passing through it. You're different, because you live for Jesus, and your citizenship is really in heaven."

"Wow! I'll have to tell that to Alicia," said Ginny with a sigh.

Mom nodded. "If kids call you names, remember you're not an alien to God," she suggested. "Perhaps that will make it easier to bear."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do kids pressure you to join in ungodly things? Do they tease you when you refuse? Perhaps you don't find it hard to say "no" to such things as smoking, drinking, or doing drugs, but you're tempted to laugh at dirty jokes, show disrespect to a teacher, or do some other thing you know is wrong. Don't do it. If you belong to Jesus, you don't belong to this world. Live to please Him even when you're not accepted by others. Act the way a citizen of heaven should act.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

[Soldier4Christ]

 Footsteps in the Snow

"I don't see why I can't go to the mall with my friends," complained Leah. "I know it has a poor reputation and that some tough kids hang out there, but we'll just window shop and talk. We won't be doing anything wrong." Mom sighed and shook her head. Still grumbling, Leah put on her boots and coat. "I'm going to see if the ice is hard on the pond," she said.

When Leah reached the pond, she tested the ice with her foot. It was firm at the edge, but when she cautiously moved forward, it cracked. No skating yet. So Leah headed home, taking the back way.

As Leah reached the house, her mother was just coming out. "Melissa was playing out here, but I don't see her anywhere," Mom said with a worried look.

 The pond! thought Leah. Maybe she followed me. She dashed to the place where she had left the yard to go to the pond. Seeing not only her own footprints in the snow, but also a set of tiny ones, she ran down the hill as fast as she could. As she approached the pond, she saw her little sister step out onto the ice. It held at the edge, and Melissa took another step. "No, Melissa!" yelled Leah, and Melissa waited. When Leah reached her, she took her hand and led her back off the ice. "Come on, honey," said Leah. "The ice isn't hard enough, yet."

Mom met them at the top of the hill. "You know you're not allowed to go to the pond by yourself," she scolded as she hugged her little daughter.

"I thought Leah was there," said Melissa. "I was just following her."

Later that day, Leah again begged for permission to hang out at the mall with her friends, but her mother refused to let her go. "Even if you don't do anything bad, you need to be careful where your footsteps lead," said Mom. "Take your friend Heidi, for example. She's just a new Christian, and may not be able to resist temptation to join in some of the things the tougher kids do there at the mall."

Leah was quiet and thoughtful. "You mean . . . like I knew I shouldn't go farther out on the ice, but Melissa didn't," she said finally. "And I might know the danger in certain situations, but newer Christians might not?" Mom nodded. "Okay," agreed Leah. "I get the point."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you setting a good example for others, especially for those who have not been Christians very long? Could they easily go wrong if they follow your footsteps? Be sure to lead them into good situations. Ask God to make you sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Ask Him to make you a help to them rather than a "stumbling block" as they learn how God wants them to live.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

[Soldier4Christ]

 Not a Snitch

Shannon stood still as her mother pinned up the hem of her colonial costume. She was going to wear the brown dress in a "Faith of Our Fathers" program at church. "Mom, do you remember Kathi Klein?" Shannon asked. "She's dropped out of Sunday school. She says she's got better things to do than hang around church."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," replied Mom. She eyed the hem line. "Okay. The hem of your dress is ready for sewing."

"I saw Mrs. Klein today," said Shannon, slipping her costume off. "We talked a while. She's real nice." Shannon handed the dress to her mother and picked up a book. "Mom," she added hesitantly, "I'm sure Kathi's using drugs. In fact, I know she is. She as good as admitted it when I asked her about it the other day. But I don't think Mrs. Klein suspects a thing."

"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Mom. "If you're sure about it, we should tell her."

"No way," said Shannon. "I'd get a reputation for snitching."

"Hm-m-m," murmured Mom as she began hemming the costume. Then she asked, "What part do you play in the program next week?"

"Paul Revere's wife-you know that," replied Shannon. She grinned. "My husband," she said, "is noted for having warned his fellow Americans that the British were coming. Thanks to him, they were prepared for the battle."

"Well, Mrs. Revere," said Mom with a smile, "your husband was a snitch when he carried his message throughout the land, wasn't he?"

"Of course not!" exclaimed Shannon. "His country was in danger, and he was being patriotic."

"So sometimes people should tell, right?" asked Mom.

Shannon was startled. "I . . . well . . . sometimes, I guess. But . . . what should I say to Mrs. Klein, Mom?"

"I'm not sure," said Mom. "Let's pray about this and then get advice from our pastor or from the Christian counseling service downtown. I'm not sure just how to handle it, but I do know we must do something to help Kathi."

Shannon nodded. "Even if she does think I'm a snitch," she agreed.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a friend or relative who uses drugs-or is involved in some other dangerous activity? Is anybody doing anything about it? Do you know a caring adult who would try to help if he knew? Ask God if it's time for you to speak up and, if so, to whom you should tell the problem. Maybe, like Esther, you've been placed in your position in order to help someone. When a serious problem is involved, telling is helping; it's not snitching.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

[Soldier4Christ]

 Water of Life

"Hey!" said Ellen. "What's going on here?" She had turned the kitchen faucet as far open as she could, but all she got was a sputtering sound. She thumped her glass on the counter with disgust. "I'm so thirsty I could croak!"

"When I got home from town, I found a notice on the door saying the City Water Department would be working on our street today," explained Mom. "If I had known earlier, I'd have filled some containers. But you won't die of thirst. There's juice in the fridge."

Soon Ellen's thirst was satisfied, but when her brother Mike came in and reached for the juice jar, it was empty. "Do we have some milk?" he asked.

"Sorry. I emptied the carton this morning," said Mom.

Mike groaned, and staggered to a chair. "Water! Water!" he cried weakly.

Ellen laughed. "Cut the dramatics," she said.

Mom went to answer a knock at the door. It was Molly, their next-door neighbor. She walked in with a gallon jug of water. "I thought you might be needing this," she said.

Mike reached out and eagerly poured and drank a whole glassful of water. "Oh, thank you, Molly," he said, clasping his hands together. "You saved my life!"

"Oh, brother!" groaned Ellen, giving Mike a playful shove. "Here we go with dramatics again!"

"Well, a person dying of thirst can be saved by getting a drink of water," said Mike. He looked thoughtful. "Is that why Jesus is called the Living Water? Because He can save people who are dying?"

"Good thinking," said Mom. "People have a spiritual thirst that's even greater than the thirst for water. They have a thirst for love, for forgiveness-for God. A drink of water can save us from physical death, and Jesus, the Living Water, can save us from spiritual death. But what if you hadn't taken the water Molly offered you, Mike?"

"I'd still be thirsty-but a bright boy like me would never be that foolish," declared Mike.

Mom smiled. "Well, it's even more foolish when people don't reach out and take the Living Water that Jesus offers," she said. "It's free and good, and it will give everlasting life-but only to those who accept it!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you feel unsatisfied even though you have many good things in your life? Do you have a thirsty soul-a spiritual thirst? Jesus can satisfy that thirst. Will you trust Him and in faith accept Him as Savior? He wants to save you from eternal death and give you the gift of eternal life. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. John 4:14

[Soldier4Christ]

 Bad Breath

The big garbage truck Brent and his mother were following slowed down as it approached a stop light. Brent strained forward against his seat belt so he could read the bumper sticker on the back of the truck. "This truck has bad breath," he read. Brent laughed. "That's funny!"

"Yes," agreed Mom as the light changed. They continued to follow the truck until it stopped at a house. Then as Brent and his mother passed the truck, its huge jaws opened up and a man dumped bags of garbage into its big mouth. "No wonder that truck has bad breath," observed Brent with a grin. "It swallows gross garbage."

Mom nodded. "Yes," she agreed, "and it makes me think of a conversation we had just last night." She glanced sideways at Brent to see if he would know what she was talking about.

"That wasn't a conversation, Mom," said Brent. "That was a lecture! You said I couldn't go to see that movie all the kids are talking about. You said I would become a garbage collector if I filled my mind with junky stuff like that."

Mom smiled. "Well, I see that you understand, but that's not exactly what I said," she replied. "That man is getting rid of garbage for us, and I'm thankful for him. There's nothing wrong with being a garbage collector."

"Yeah, I know," agreed Brent.

"What I was actually saying is that you would be more like a garbage container-more like that truck that's swallowing the garbage," added Mom. "Then your life would have bad breath. I don't think you want that to happen."

Brent wrinkled his nose. "No, I sure don't," he said. "I told the guys today that I wouldn't be going to see that movie."

"Good for you," approved Mom. "That makes me very proud of you. Now I won't have to worry about you having bad breath." They both laughed.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do friends want you to watch bad movies or TV shows or to read bad books? The temptation to follow the crowd may be strong, but God wants you to keep your mind and body pure. Proverbs 4:14-15 says, "Do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it . . . turn away from it." That is very wise advice. It's important to turn your thoughts, as well as your actions, away from evil. Fill your mind with worthwhile thoughts that will be pleasing to your heavenly Father.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Best Banana

"I wish Renee would dress nicer-she always looks messy," said Tara when she saw the girl who lived next door out in her yard. "She's way overweight, too!"

Mom frowned, but to Tara's surprise, she didn't scold her for criticizing Renee. After a moment, Mom just said, "I want you to try some bananas."

"Bananas?" asked Tara. "How come?"

"I was talking today with Maria Sutton-she's a missionary to Panama, you know," replied Mom. "She told me they have four kinds of bananas in Panama. There are crinkly red ones, small yellowish ones with big brown blotches, tiny green ones, and the kind we buy at the grocery store. I thought it would be fun to try them all, so she took me to a store where we could buy all four kinds, and I got some of each."

"Did you try them?" asked Tara, becoming interested. "Are they good?"

Mom went to the cupboard and took four bananas from a basket. Tara pointed at the red one. "That one's pretty! Can I try it?" she asked. Mom agreed, so Tara peeled it and popped a good-sized piece into her mouth. She made a face. "That's bad enough to choke a cow!" she sputtered.

Mom laughed. "Try the yellow, blotchy one."

Tara shook her head. "No, it looks even worse," she said. "I'll try . . . this one." She picked up a small green banana. "It's nothing special," Tara decided after tasting it, "but at least it's not as bad as the red one."

"Why not try the yellow and brown one?" urged Mom again.

Tara hesitated. "Well, all right," she agreed, "but it looks so horrible." Wrinkling up her nose, she peeled the banana and tasted a tiny piece. "Um-m-m! It's good!" she exclaimed, and she finished the whole thing. "Let's get more of those," said Tara. "They look so bad, but they taste so good!"

Mom nodded. "Appearance isn't so important, is it?" she asked. "It's the inside that counts. That's a principle we find in God's Word, and I hope you'll remember it when you look at Renee. She may need help with choosing clothes and finding a good diet, but from what I've seen of her, I'd say she's really a sweet girl. If that's correct, you should value her as a friend."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you judge others by the way they look? Think hard now! Is there someone you've judged that way? God says beauty is passing (Proverbs 31:30). Outer beauty doesn't last, so it's really not important. Don't decide if you want kids as friends because of their size or height, their stylish clothing, the color of their skin or hair, or by whether they're good looking. Learn what kind of people they are and what kinds of things they value. Remember God's warning against judging by appearance.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. John 7:24

[Soldier4Christ]

 Not Sticky Enough

As Kip and his sister Maggie rode home after a shopping trip with their mother, they saw a couple of kids walking along, holding hands. "There go Mr. and Mrs. Glue," said Kip. "They're so . . . 'sticky' all the time."

"Mr. and Mrs. Glue?" asked Mom.

Maggie nodded. "That's what the kids call them because they're so stuck on each other," she said. "Yvonne thinks everything Clay says is so-o-o cute. And she's always running her fingers through his hair."

"Yuck!" responded Kip. Just then he spotted someone else. "Oh, and there goes Bud Jones," he added. "He thinks he knows all about everything."

"He's okay," replied Maggie. "You just don't like him because he's smarter than you."

"Nobody likes him," retorted Kip.

"Brenda does, and that makes you mad, because you like Brenda," taunted Maggie as Mom turned into their driveway. "I don't see why you do. She's a snob."

In the kitchen, Maggie pulled a big bottle of glue from a bag. "I really need this for my science project," she said. "Snobby Brenda used up half of my last bottle."

"She's not a snob," said Kip. "She's pretty, and you're just jealous."

Mom sighed. "I have no doubt that the couple we saw earlier is too 'sticky,' as you put it," she said, "but I get the feeling that the two of you are not sticky enough."

"What do you mean?" asked Maggie. "You don't want me running around holding hands with some guy, do you?"

Mom smiled. "No, I don't," she agreed, "but I still think both of you need a little more 'glue' in your lives." Maggie looked at the bottle she held in her hand. "Not that kind," continued Mom, "but tell me-what does glue do?"

"It holds things together," replied Kip.

Mom nodded. "And the best glue-the best thing for holding people together-is love. God says we're to love each other. Were you two displaying God's love when you talked about your classmates? Were you showing love by fighting with each other? Think about it!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there plenty of "glue"-plenty of love-shown in your life? God commands those who love Him to also love one another. His love should be displayed in your actions and in your words and thoughts. How about it? Are your words critical of others, or are they helpful? Are the things you do and say kind, or are they hateful. Obey God's command. Display His love in your life.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you. John 13:34

[Soldier4Christ]

 Treasures that Matter

"What's the matter, honey?" asked Mom when Christy came into the house. "Your sad face tells me something is not right."

Christy's words came in a rush. "Mom, Abby's always bragging about her jewelry and clothes and all the places she gets to go and how much money she has. Sometimes she even goes to get her hair and nails done. I'm so tired of hearing about it."

Mom looked thoughtful. "You're not jealous, are you?" she asked. Christy blushed a little. "Christy," said Mom after a moment, "I'm going to give you two gifts."

"Really?" asked Christy in surprise. "I have a feeling there's a catch to this."

Mom smiled. "Well, here's the first gift," she said. Reaching out, she pulled Christy to her and gave her a big hug. "I love you, love you, love you," Mom told her, using a favorite family phrase.

"Love you, too," replied Christy as Mom went to get her purse, "and I still think there's a catch."

Mom grinned, opened her purse, and handed Christy some money. "Here's your second gift."

"O-h-h-h!" squealed Christy. "I hear the ice cream truck coming. May I spend this for ice cream?" Mom nodded, and Christy hurried out, forgetting to look for a catch.

When Christy was ready for bed that evening, she went to tell her parents goodnight. "What do you have left of the two gifts I gave you?" asked Mom.

"Well, the money is all gone, and so is the ice cream I bought-unless it made me a little fatter," said Christy. She laughed as she hugged her mother. "But I still have your love, and you're not getting it back!"

Mom smiled. "You'll always have it, honey," she said. "I gave you those two gifts because I wanted you to realize that you have treasure far more valuable than the things your friend Abby tells you about. All earthly things are like the money I gave you. They don't last. Love does. And in addition to the love of your family, you know God's love. Because you trust in Jesus, you have eternal life. It also lasts forever-so you're really a very 'rich' young lady."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you care more for clothes, games, and activities than for good relationships? Be careful not to get your values mixed up! Earthly treasures are temporary-they don't last. The love of family and friends is far more important and lasting. Most wonderful and important of all is the love of God. So don't be jealous if other kids have more "stuff" than you do. Instead, thank God for all the blessings He has given you-and especially for His love and care.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist . . . of the things he possesses. Luke 12:15

[Soldier4Christ]

 Merging Traffic

"I guess Jana's okay, but . . . well, having a new kid join your class in the middle of the year just spoils everything," complained Haley when her mother picked her up at school one day. "I mean . . . we're in the middle of our science projects, and we have our skit for parents' night almost all practiced. We have nice, even teams in gym, too. And now somebody new comes along, and we have to make room for her."

"Surely adding one to your group can't be that bad," replied Mom as she slowed the car to turn onto the ramp leading to the highway.

Haley shrugged. "Well, it's not fun," she insisted. She braced herself as her mother suddenly hit the brakes, almost bringing the car to a stop. "It's nothing personal, Mom. It's just that we're already set with our groups."

Haley frowned as the cars on the highway roared by in the lane needed by those entering the highway from the ramp. "Hey!" she exclaimed as her mother came to a complete stop. "What's with all those drivers today? They're not moving over to let us in. We shouldn't have to stop! Don't they know they're supposed to let us merge into the lane with them?"

"They should know," said Mom. "There's a sign on the highway back there to tell them, but I guess they're busy doing their own thing and don't want to bother with anyone new in their lane." She glanced at Haley. "I imagine you can understand that," added Mom. "I'm sure it's nothing personal."

Haley blushed. She understood that her mom was comparing her attitude to that of the drivers who weren't letting them into the lane. Haley didn't know what to say.

Finally, they were able to move out onto the highway. "It doesn't feel very good when no one wants to make room for you, does it?" asked Mom.

Haley didn't answer immediately. "I guess we need some 'merging traffic' signs in our class," she said at last. "Maybe I should be the first one to slow down and let Jana in."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there a new person in your school or neighborhood? Has anyone "let him in"? Is there someone who doesn't seem to have any friends? Perhaps God wants you to be the one to make room for the newcomer or the lonely person. Think about how you would feel in his or her place. God says you should treat that person the way you'd want to be treated. Will you do that for His sake?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Luke 6:31

[Soldier4Christ]

The Gifts that Jesus Brings

Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Matthew 11:4-5 (NIV)

In our Bible lesson today we learn that John, even though he was in prison, was hearing about all of the wonderful things that Jesus was doing. He sent a message to Jesus by some of his friends. "Ask Jesus if he is the Messiah we have been expecting, or should we continue to watch for someone else?"

When Jesus was asked the question, he answered, "Return to John and tell him what you have seen and heard. You have seen the blind receive their sight, the crippled and lame are able to walk, those with leprosy are being cured, the deaf are able to hear. Even the dead have been raised and the good news is being preached to the poor."

If you were blind, what better gift could you receive than to be able to see? If you were crippled, what better gift could you receive than to be able to walk? If you were dead, what better gift could you receive than the gift of life? Oh, by the way, that last gift I mentioned... the gift of life. That is the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus came to earth to give us life -- eternal life! What a gift!

Father, every good gift we receive comes from you. The greatest gift is eternal life brought down to us through your Son. Father, we thank you. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Two Kinds of Kernels

"We will pop the corn tonight," sang Paige merrily as the corn popped in the microwave. "Pop! Pop! Pop!" She was at a Sunday school class party. Her sister, Anna, joined in and they finished the song together. "See the kernels big and bright. Pop! Pop! Pop! They are dancing all about. 'Tis great fun without a doubt. They are asking to come out. Pop! Pop! Pop!"

Paige and Anna laughed at the face one of the girls made. "Our great-grandma taught us that song when we were little kids," explained Paige. "Back then, they popped corn in a big kettle on the stove." She stuffed some popcorn into her mouth. "Um-m-m! Good!" But a moment later, she removed a hard kernel. "Oops!" she added. "This one didn't pop. It's no good."

Shortly before the party ended, the teacher called the girls together for devotions. She held two kernels of popcorn in her hand, one small and hard and dry and the other puffed and snowy white. "I was just wondering," said Miss Martin, "how many popped kernels we have in this class and how many hard kernels are left." She smiled at the puzzled expression she saw on each face. "You see," she continued, "we're something like this popcorn. When we heated it in the microwave, moisture inside the kernels turned to steam and caused most of them to explode. They changed a lot, didn't they?"

The girls nodded. "But how is that like us?" asked Anna.

"Well, when people hear the Gospel and respond to it by accepting Jesus as Savior, a change takes place within them," explained Miss Martin. "God says they become 'new creatures' in Him. There's a change in attitude and in desires-and even in actions."

Paige raised her hand. "My uncle was saved a few months ago, and he's really different now," she said, "but . . . I'm not sure if I am or not."

Miss Martin nodded. "The question is, 'Do you believe in Jesus? Are you trusting in Him as your Savior?' If you are, there should be a desire in your heart to live to please Him even though there may not be a big, obvious change in the things you do." She looked around the group. "Search your hearts," she added. "If you're still unchanged, like this hard kernel, won't you accept Jesus tonight?"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Has your life been changed by God? If you were saved as a young child, you may not have experienced many obvious changes. But there should be a desire in your heart that would not be found in the life of an unsaved person-the desire to do God's will and please Him instead of pleasing yourself. Have you experienced that? Do you truly believe in Jesus and trust in Him as your Savior?


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation . . . behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

[Soldier4Christ]

 Underground Railroad

Karen burst through the back door. "Mom," she called, "guess what we talked about in school today?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "The underground railroad! People working with the underground railroad helped slaves escape. I wish I could have lived then and helped the slaves."

"Are you sure you'd have wanted to belong to that group?" asked Mom. "Being a part of the underground railroad was very dangerous. Some people were put in jail or even killed for what they did."

Karen thought about that for a minute. "I think I would have done it because no one should have to be a slave," she declared firmly. "I wish we could go back in time so I could help."

"I don't know that I'd really want to go back in time," said Mom, turning to her work. After a moment, she smiled and added, "Actually, you don't have to go back in time to help free slaves."

"I don't?" Karen's forehead crinkled. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Mom shook her head. "What is a person before he accepts Christ as Savior?" she asked.

"A sinner," Karen replied promptly.

"Exactly," said Mom, "and Jesus referred to sinners as being slaves to sin. Satan is the cruel master who enslaves them."

"But Jesus can set them free, right?" asked Karen.

"Yes, He can," agreed Mom, "but sinners need someone to tell them about Jesus and what He's done for them. We can be part of God's 'railroad'-His system for moving slaves of sin into the freedom He offers. And in our country, we don't have to work 'underground' when we talk about Jesus."

"Like . . . telling how He died on the cross and rose again?" asked Karen. She hesitated. "I guess the kids might make fun of me if I did that."

"That's true," agreed Mom, "so even though you don't have to work underground, you do need courage and boldness to speak up for Jesus." She gave Karen a hug. "I'll pray that God will give the courage you need to help slaves of sin escape to freedom in Him," added Mom.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you doing what you can to help point the slaves of sin to freedom in Christ? Or are you afraid someone will make fun of you? Ask God for the courage you need to tell others about Jesus. Then boldly speak up and be a part of God's "railroad" to help free the slaves of Satan-the slaves of sin.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. Acts 4:29

[Soldier4Christ]

 Beyond Understanding

Randy sighed. He looked sad as he sat with his dog, Kodi, in the waiting room of the veterinarian's office. "Missing Mom a lot today?" asked Dad.

Randy shrugged. "I miss her all the time," he said.

Dad nodded and gave Randy's shoulder a squeeze. "I know," he agreed. "I do, too."

"I just don't understand why Mom had to have cancer in the first place," said Randy angrily. "Everybody says God works everything out for our good, but I'd sure like to hear His explanation of why Mom had to die!"

Dad sighed. "It's something we can't understand," he said sadly, "but we need to trust God without knowing the reason for what happened."

Just then the vet was ready to see Kodi, so Randy and Dad led their happy, jumping puppy to another room. "Kodi, we're going to get you some shots so you won't get rabies or any of that kind of stuff," Randy told his dog. He scratched Kodi behind the ears. "It won't hurt too much!" Randy promised him.

However, when the vet came in and stuck the needle into Kodi's leg, the puppy yelped and jumped right off the table! Dad, the vet, and Randy all had to work together to calm the scared dog and lift him back up for his next shot.

"Kodi," grunted Randy, holding his dog down, "we're not trying to hurt you. We're doing this because we love you. You don't want to get sick, do you? Are you mad at me, Kodi?" Kodi stared at Randy with scared, sad, brown, dog eyes. Randy patted his dog. "I could tell you again why you're getting shots, but I can't make you understand," he said. "You've just got to trust us." As he spoke, a thought flashed through his mind, and he gave Dad a little, lop-sided smile.

When they were on their way home, Randy turned to Dad. "I've been acting like Kodi, haven't I?" asked Randy. "God knows the reason for what happened to Mom, but He knows we wouldn't understand even if He explained it to us."

"That's right," agreed Dad. "Let's try to remember that His ways are much better than ours, and He loves us-even more than you love Kodi."

Randy nodded as he hugged Kodi and scratched behind the puppy's ears.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you wondered why God let a hurtful thing happen to you? Do you get angry or try to figure out the reason? Tell God how you feel, and know that He understands and cares. Trust Him even when you don't see why some difficult thing had to happen the way it did.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways. Isaiah 55:9

[Soldier4Christ]

 God or Me

"We'll be late for church if Bette doesn't hurry," complained Peter. "She takes forever to fix her hair!" When they were finally on their way, Bette scowled at Peter and demanded that he close his window so the wind wouldn't blow her hair. "Don't you ever think of anything besides your precious hair? I like fresh air," grumbled Peter, but he closed the window.

Before going into the church service, Bette went to comb her hair again, so Peter, Mom, and Dad sat down before she came back. Mom and Dad frowned as she slipped into the pew during the first hymn.

After church that night, Peter got out a magnifying glass. "It's fun to use this to look at stuff," he said. "It makes everything look really big."

"Let me see, too," said Bette, and Peter shared the magnifying glass with her.

Dad took a couple of little pieces of paper. He wrote something on one and gave it to Peter. "Look at this under your magnifying glass," said Dad.

Peter looked at it, shrugged, and handed it to Bette. She saw that Dad had written the word "God" on the paper. "Why did you want us to look at this under the magnifying glass?" she asked her father.

"Because God should always be magnified," explained Dad. He handed Peter the second piece of paper on which he had also written something. "Whoa, there," added Dad when Peter picked up the magnifying glass. "Don't put that one under your glass, Peter. It's not supposed to be magnified." Peter read it and handed it to his sister. Written in small letters was the word "me."

"Sometimes we tend to magnify 'me' instead of God," continued Dad. "If we do that, we might spend too much time on things like appearance or . . ."

"Yeah," broke in Peter with a grin, "we might comb our hair all the time and make everybody late for church."

"Or grumble when people don't behave the way we want them to," added Dad. "When we magnify God instead of me, we try to please Him in our behavior, and we don't point the finger at someone else."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you spend too much time in front of your mirror? God wants you to look neat, clean, and as attractive as possible, but remember that real beauty is found in "magnifying" God- in putting Him and others before yourself. Is real beauty seen in your actions? Is it seen in your attitude and in your words? Behave in such a way that what you say and do pleases God and brings glory to Him, not to yourself. He is the one who deserves praise.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3

[Soldier4Christ]

 Danger

The last evening of the winter church retreat was a blur to Steve. He and his brother John had ignored the "Danger" signs around the old mine and decided to explore the area. Steve dimly remembered seeing John drop down inside the fence that blocked off the mine, and then disappear with a dreadful, crashing sound. Steve vaguely recalled his frantic run for help, followed by an uneasy wait as men worked to get his brother out. Pastor Jack had called for help on his cell phone, and the wait for the rangers to come in a helicopter had seemed endless. Now as Steve waited for his father to return with news from the hospital, he wished he and John had obeyed the instructions to stay within sight of camp! How he wished they had paid attention to the "Danger" signs at the mine!

When Dad finally came home, Steve was relieved to hear that John would be all right. "I'm so sorry we disobeyed you Dad, and that we ignored the signs," Steve repeated over and over between sobs. "I'm so sorry."

 "I know, Son," said Dad. "I trust you've learned a lesson from what happened."

"I have, Dad. Honest, I have!" exclaimed Steve.

Dad nodded. "Calm down now," he said. "I think you've been punished enough-but we'll talk later about what happened."

John recovered rapidly, and soon he was back home. It was then that Dad had a serious talk with the boys about what had happened. "What did the signs at the mine say?" he asked them.

"They said, 'Danger. Keep out!'" replied Steve.

"Exactly," said Dad, "and when you boys didn't obey them, you had to pay the consequences. When you ignored that warning, you ignored God's warning, too. His Word also says, 'Danger. Keep out of sin, or you'll have to pay the consequences.' Not in those words, but one verse says, 'Be sure your sin will find you out.' You thought no one would know what you did, but your sin of disobedience brought unhappy consequences, didn't it?"

"It sure did," agreed John.

"Always remember that you can't get away with sin," added Dad. "Even if you don't see immediate consequences, God knows all about it, and sooner or later, the consequences must be faced."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think you can disobey, cheat, or lie-just once-and it won't matter? Do you think nobody will ever find out? God already knows, and very often other people find out, too. Sin is dangerous, and it has serious consequences. You may not see that right away, but you can't escape them forever. God says you'll "reap" what you "sow." Believe Him, and with His daily help, avoid falling into sin.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23