Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 Rude or Respectful?

"Where are you guys going?" asked Greg when he saw two neighbor boys, Tom and Alan, coming down the walk.

Alan grinned. "Come along. You'll see," he said. Curious, Greg walked along with them. He was surprised when they stopped in front of a house a couple of doors down the street. Alan motioned toward some bushes. "Those will make a good hiding place," he said. Then he and Tom started up the front walk.

"Hey! We're not supposed to be here," protested Greg. The house belonged to Mrs. Wilson, and she had told the boys to stay off her yard.

"We're just gonna have some fun," explained Tom. "What's it hurt if we ring the doorbell and then hide in these bushes and listen to Mrs. Wilson complain?"

"Playing that kind of trick on each other is okay, but we shouldn't treat someone like Mrs. Wilson that way," argued Greg.

"Aw, come on. Even if she sees us, she can't see well enough to tell who we are," said Tom. "She'll never know who did it. Don't be such a scardy cat!" Tom and Alan went quietly up the porch steps. With Tom close behind, Alan punched the bell. Then they ran for the bushes, but Greg bent down, picked up a newspaper from the walk, and ran up the steps to the front door.

A moment later, the door swung open, and there stood Mrs. Wilson, squinting out of the dark hallway. "Yes?" she said in her quivering voice.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Wilson," said Greg, holding out the paper. "You didn't pick up your newspaper this morning, so here it is."

"Oh, thank you!" said Mrs. Wilson. "Aren't you kind! Do I know you?"

"I'm Greg Hunt." He turned and motioned to the other boys, and they stepped hesitantly forward. "This is Tom Newton and Alan Welch," added Greg. "We all live on this street."

"Oh, yes. I know all of your parents," replied Mrs. Wilson, "and I'm going to tell them what nice boys they have. Some children aren't nice to elderly people, you know."

"Yes, ma'am," said Greg. "We know." As he turned to go, he flashed a triumphant grin at his friends as they exchanged guilty glances.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you treat elderly people with the respect God wants them to have? Do you listen kindly when they talk about things that happened long ago? Are you patient when they can't do something as well as they used to? God loves old people as much as He loves young ones, and He is very specific about the way He wants the elderly to be treated. He wants you to show them the same honor and kindness you will want shown to you when you are old.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Honor the presence of an old man (or woman), and fear your God. Leviticus 19:32

[Soldier4Christ]

 Two Mirrors

"Don't forget to wash your face and comb your hair," said Mom when Joe got up from the breakfast table. "There's jam on your cheek, and your hair looks like you just got out of bed. Go look in the mirror."

"Okay," agreed Joe, and he grinned when he saw himself in the mirror that hung above the dining room buffet table. But by the time he got his books together, he had forgotten how he looked. Out the door he went-his face dirty and his hair uncombed.

When Joe arrived home after school that day, his sister was in the kitchen talking to their mother. "You should have seen Joe at school today," said Claire. "His face was dirty, and I don't think he even combed his hair."

"Hey! Quit talking about me!" objected Joe.

"Well, you were a mess. My friends called you 'Sloppy Joe' and laughed at you," declared Claire with a giggle. "It's kinda embarrassing!"

"I forgot to wash my face before school," admitted Joe, "but I washed it at recess time. Combed my hair, too. So there!"

Mom frowned. "You should have cleaned up right away when you saw you needed it," she said. "Don't leave the house tomorrow until I've checked you over!"

At family devotions that night, Dad read from the book of James (see today's Scripture). "How appropriate," said Mom. "The man James wrote about sounds like Joe this morning."

"Yeah," agreed Joe. "I saw myself in the mirror and knew I should wash my face and comb my hair right away. But I didn't, and then I forgot about it and went to school looking a mess."

"That's a good example of all of us at times," said Dad. "When we look in another mirror-the Bible-it shows us our sins and shortcomings and gives us instructions for Christian living. But as we read, we must not only see what's needed in our lives, we must do something to make the necessary changes."

"And we should do it right away, so we don't forget," added Claire, grinning at her brother.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you regularly look into God's "mirror"-the Bible? You should. That's the way to learn how to live the Christian life. As you look, do you see things in your life that need changing? Do you need to obey more promptly, be more friendly, or treat someone with more kindness? Do you need to stop complaining, quit lying, or stop unkind teasing? When God makes you aware of a problem, be sure to take care of it at once so that you don't forget.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

 It Takes Two

"Kip Hart makes me so mad!" said Andrew as he sat in the living room with his parents one evening. "He's always picking on me."

Just then Troy, Andrew's little brother, came into the room. "Play catch with me, Andy," begged Troy. He tossed a foam ball to Andrew.

"Not now," replied Andrew, tossing it back as he continued telling his parents about his problem. "No matter what I say or do, Kip won't quit bugging me."

"Catch this, Andy!" interrupted Troy, throwing the ball into Andrew's lap.

"I told you-I don't want to play right now!" grumbled Andrew. He tossed the ball back. Undaunted, Troy threw it to him again. "Stop it!" exclaimed Andrew, really annoyed. He grabbed the ball and threw it to the other side of the room. With a happy grin, Troy ran to retrieve it and once again tossed it to his brother. Andrew kicked the ball in Troy's direction.

"Troy," said Mom, "Andy doesn't want to play right now."

Troy looked at her. "Yes, he does," he said. "We're playing with the ball."

"We're not," objected Andrew. "You're the one who keeps throwing the ball."

"But you keep throwing it back," said Dad. "It takes two to keep it going. Just leave it alone, and Troy will soon stop bothering you." Andrew looked doubtful, but the next time Troy threw the ball, Andrew set it on the table. Troy took it and threw it again. When Andrew ignored it, Troy gave up and went off to do something else.

"Now . . . let's talk about your problem with Kip," said Dad. "It sounds like he enjoys seeing you get upset, and like Troy, he keeps after you. As long as you keep responding angrily to Kip's remarks, he probably isn't going to quit."

Andrew frowned. "Oh-h-h-h! I get it," he said after a moment. "Maybe I should just ignore him next time, right?"

"That would probably help," agreed Dad. "Or . . . you could try something else. The Lord advises us to be nice to our enemies and to pray for them. So maybe you should try responding to his insults with a sincere compliment."

"I doubt that would work," grumbled Andrew. He looked thoughtful. "But who knows? I probably should try it," he decided.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you remember that it takes two to quarrel? When someone irritates you, try saying something nice instead of responding in anger. You'll be surprised at the difference it makes, and you'll please the Lord by following His instructions to do good to those who aren't nice to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Luke 6:27

[Soldier4Christ]

 Risky and Dangerous!

Seth looked through the windshield at all the snow coming down. "I know it's snowing, Dad, but can't we go faster?" he asked.

Dad kept his eyes glued to the road. "It's too hard to see," he said. "It would be risky to try to pass anyone."

"Someone's passing us!" exclaimed Seth. "If he can pass, so can we."

"I'm staying right in this lane of traffic," declared Dad. "It's very slippery." He held the wheel tightly as the car swerved a little. "From what I hear, you're on kind of a slippery road yourself, Seth. Is it true that you smoke pot?"

Seth made a choking sound. "Did Cindy tell you that?" he asked.

"Your sister is worried about you," said Dad. "Do you smoke it?"

"I only tried it once," Seth replied quickly. "Some of the older guys stopped Mark and me on our way home and offered us the stuff. I didn't have to buy it, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it one time. They'd have made us look like jerks if we didn't. We just wanted to get them off our backs."

"And now that you've tried it, have they left you alone?" asked Dad. Seth shook his head, and Dad continued. "They first get you to just 'try it.' Then they want you to try it again and again. Once you're hooked, they sell it to you."

"Well . . . I have seen some kids give them money," admitted Seth. "Some are even younger than me."

"Even if saying no means you look like a jerk to some of the kids, that's a lot better than getting hooked and destroying your body and mind," said Dad as the line of traffic came to a halt.

When they finally started creeping forward again, they saw a lot of cars parked along the side of the road. One car was down the embankment, upside down, with the wheels still spinning. "That's the car that passed us!" exclaimed Seth.

Dad nodded. "To tell you the truth, Seth, I wanted to take off after that car when it went by us," he admitted. "I'm glad I didn't give in though. We all have to do what we know is right. I have to, and you do, too." Looking at the car in the ditch, Seth nodded.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you know that if you're a Christian, you have no right to do drugs? Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You have to say no even if they're offered to you for free! Don't try drugs even once. They're dangerous and addictive-people become bound by them and are unable to stop using them. Depend on God to help you handle any pressure put on you by those who sell drugs. Say no right from the start.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:20

[Soldier4Christ]

 Head and Heart X-Rays

Chad sat silently in Dr. Smith's examination room, his head pounding. I should have listened to Mom and Dad and stayed away from the construction site, he thought. "How did you say this happened?" Dr. Smith asked as he finished stitching Chad's forehead.

"I was running home from school and tripped over a crack in the sidewalk," Chad explained. "I fell and hit my head." He hoped his face wouldn't reveal the lie. He had actually tripped and fallen against a piece of machinery at the construction site.

"Well, you're going to be just fine," said Dr. Smith, "but I do want you to get an X-ray, just to be on the safe side."

Chad and his mother went to the X-ray department at the hospital. Chad's head still throbbed as they sat in the waiting room. I never had my whole head X-rayed before, thought Chad. I wonder how they do that. Suddenly Chad sat straight up. "Will this X-ray picture show my brain and all my thoughts?" he blurted out. As soon as he asked the question, he knew it was a foolish one.

"Relax, Son," said Mom, chuckling. Then she frowned. "Or are you afraid it might show thoughts that you don't want anyone to see?" Chad didn't answer. Leaning forward, he put his head on his hands, glad the X-ray couldn't show his thoughts. If it did, everyone would know he had lied.

By the time they were heading home, Chad was feeling better. "Your question back at the hospital reminds me of something," observed Mom. "We should never forget that God sees all our thoughts just like you imagined the X-ray machine might have shown yours, Chad. There's nothing we can hide from Him." She glanced at Chad, who wore a guilty expression. "Is there anything you should tell me?" Mom asked quietly.

Chad nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I . . . I . . ." He hesitated. "I lied, Mom," he admitted after a moment. "I hurt my head at the construction site on Main Street. I'm sorry." He was quite sure some punishment would be coming his way, but he felt better anyhow.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Would you be ashamed for anyone to know what you're thinking? Perhaps some of your thoughts are simply very personal and you wouldn't want others to see them. That's okay. But evil thoughts or hiding secret sins in your mind is wrong. Actually, you can't really hide them anyway-you can't hide anything from God, not even what you're thinking. As in today's Scripture, Jesus knows when your thoughts are good and when they're bad. Ask Him to help you keep them honest and pure.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
The Lord searches all hearts and understands all theintent of the thoughts. 1 Chronicles 28:9

[Soldier4Christ]

Just Say "No" to Temptation

"But God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:3-5 (NIV)

Yum, yum... these cookies sure do look good. I am tempted to eat one right now. Temptation -- that's a pretty big word, isn't it? What does it mean? Temptation is something that makes you want to do or have something that you know you should not. Eating a cookie isn't necessarily a sin, but it could be wrong in certain situations. Let me tell you a story that might help us to see how eating a cookie could be wrong.

One day Jason walked into the kitchen just as his mother put the last of a freshly-baked batch of cookies on a platter. "Oh boy! Chocolate chip cookies!" said Jason as he reached for a cookie.

"Put that cookie back!" said Jason's mother. "We will eat dinner soon and snacking will spoil your appetite. You can eat some cookies after dinner."

"Alright," Jason said as he put the cookie back on the platter. "I'm going to go outside and play with Bobby."

Jason and Bobby played for a while and then went inside to get a drink of water. The cookies were still on the kitchen table. "Look," said Bobby, "chocolate chip cookies! Let's eat one."

"My mother told me not to eat any cookies or it would spoil my dinner," said Jason.

"Aw, come on," Bobby pleaded, "one cookie won't spoil your dinner."

"Okay, I guess it wouldn't hurt to eat just one," Jason agreed. Just as they finished their cookie, Jason's sister, Susie, walked into the kitchen. "Mom made some cookies and they are really good. Do you want one?" So they all ate a cookie together.

That night at dinner Jason wasn't very hungry. His mother noticed that he wasn't eating. "You aren't eating your dinner. Is something wrong?" mother asked.

"No, I'm just not very hungry," Jason answered

"You disobeyed me and ate cookies before dinner, didn't you?"

"Yes, but Bobby said that it wouldn't really spoil my appetite and we only ate one... or two" Jason answered sheepishly.

"I am very disappointed," mother said. "Because you have disobeyed me, you can't go anywhere with your friends on Saturday. You will stay at home and help me clean the house."

Does that story sound familiar? It should, because it is very much like the story of Adam and Eve which we find in Genesis, the very first book of the Bible. God gave Adam and Eve a beautiful home in the Garden of Eden. They had all that they needed, but God expected them to follow his rules. He told them that they could eat the fruit from the trees in the garden, "But you must not eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden. If you eat its fruit, you will die."

Then along came the devil. "You won't die," he told Eve. "God doesn't want you to eat the fruit from that tree because he knows that if you do, you will be as wise as he is, knowing good and evil." So Eve ate the fruit and gave some to Adam. When God asked them if they had eaten from the tree, they began to play the "blame game." Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the devil, but God still punished them for the wrong that they had done. God made them leave the garden.

Did you know that the devil even tempted Jesus to do things that were wrong? When he did, Jesus answered him with Scripture. That is a good way to defeat the devil, isn't it? Read the Bible and when the devil comes around, just say, "No" to temptation.

Father, we want to be like Jesus. Help us to say, "No" to the devil when he tempts us to do wrong. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Greatly Reduced

"Look, Tracy! A bargain rack!" exclaimed Meg. "I'm glad Mom said I could choose my own dress. Maybe I'll find something here."

"Maybe, but be careful," warned her older sister. "That sign says these things are stained." Tracy pointed to small lettering on a sign above the rack, and read it aloud. "Slightly stained. Greatly reduced in price. All sales final."

"I'll look them over good. I'm sure . . . oh-h-h-h!" squealed Meg. "This one is just what I want for the church banquet." She lifted a dress off the rack and looked it over. Sure enough-there was a small spot right on the front of the skirt. "I'll wash that out," declared Meg. She tried the dress on and bought it.

After two washings, the stain remained. "Wow! I thought this spot was no big deal, but spot remover doesn't take it out, either!" moaned Meg. "Good thing I didn't pay much for this dress."

Mom nodded. "It sure is," she agreed. Then she frowned."Honey, I saw Sandy at the store today. She said you told her there wouldn't be room in our car for her to ride to the banquet with us. We'll have plenty of room."

"But . . . Linda is coming with me, and we don't really want Sandy to go with us," mumbled Meg. "It's no big deal."

Mom sighed. "No big deal? Like the spot in the dress?" she asked. "The small stain in your dress made it worth a lot less than it was before. A stain on a Christian's testimony can make it worth less, too."

"What do you mean?" asked Meg.

"Maybe what you told Sandy was 'no big deal' to you. You might consider it a little lie-only a small stain," said Mom. "But when Sandy finds out that you lied, the value-the impact-of your witness for Jesus will probably be greatly reduced. Do you think this will help her want to become a Christian?"

Meg looked at the floor. She knew her mother was right. "It's not too late to do something about this," added Mom. "What could you do to fix it?"

"Well . . . I . . . I know! I could call Sandy and tell her that we do have room and she can ride with us, okay?" Mom nodded, and Meg headed for the phone.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is there some sin-some "stain"-in your life? Even if it seems very small to you, it can greatly reduce the worth of your testimony. When others see you cheat, tell a lie, gossip, or do some other wrong thing, they are less likely to be influenced when you encourage them to come to Sunday school or when you speak up for Jesus. If there's a stain in your life, you can't get it out yourself. You need to confess it to Jesus. Ask Him to wash it away and make your testimony pure and clean again.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. 2 Peter 3:14

[Soldier4Christ]

 Foreign Words

"We had such cool visitors in our social studies class today!" Doug told his parents one evening. "Mrs. Berg invited a Vietnamese family to talk to us about their culture and to tell us what it's like to try to fit into the American way of life without losing their heritage."

"Interesting," said Dad. "What was the hardest thing for them?"

"Learning English," replied Doug. He got up and took a paper from one of his school books. "This is what their language looks like."

Mom and Dad looked at the foreign words. "I know it would be hard for me to learn this," said Mom. "And life would be confusing and scary if I couldn't talk to people or understand what they say to me."

"It sure would," agreed Dad, "and I'm sure it's just as scary and difficult for them to learn and understand our culture and language." He reached for the family Bible. "Time for devotions," he added.

Doug, who had started to get up, sat back down. "Okay," he said, "but you know what? Some of the things in the Bible are hard for me to understand-about as hard as some of these foreign words." He shrugged. "I know our Bible is written in English, but some parts of it still don't make sense to me."

"Tell me," said Dad, "did the Vietnamese family finally figure out what our English words mean?"

"Not all of them," replied Doug, "but now they understand a lot of the words and phrases we use."

"How did they learn them?" asked Dad.

"They studied and studied," said Doug. "They got help from some organizations, too, and different people taught them."

"In other words, they were persistent-they kept studying," said Dad. "We need to be persistent in Bible study, too. The more we study it, the better we understand it."

"And we need to ask for help," added Mom. "Your dad and I can help you understand some things, and Pastor Baxter and your Sunday school teacher can help, too. But most of all, God can help. Ask Him."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you find it difficult to read the Bible? Do some of the words seem like foreign words to you? Don't give up. Your parents or other Christians can explain meanings of hard words or of verses you don't understand. If they approve, use a translation you can understand more easily-one that has the kind of language spoken today.  The more time you spend in God's Word, the more you'll understand. God wants you to love His Word, so above all, ask Him to help you learn what He's saying to you.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
The Lord gives wisdom . . . knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

[Soldier4Christ]

 Because He's Lost

Nate kicked the ground in frustration. For the first time, Jason had accepted an invitation to go to Bible Club. The teacher had explained that people are lost in sin, and Jesus came to find and save them. But Jason didn't understand. "I don't get it," he said as he and Nate walked home. "It doesn't make sense! A perfect God wouldn't search for people, because He wouldn't need anything-especially not people who keep messing up all the time." Nate didn't know how to explain it any better than their teacher had.

"I've had enough God talk," added Jason. "You can stop at my house and play a while, can't you?" Nate nodded.

When the boys arrived at Jason's house, his little sister, Rosalie, ran up to them. "Jason!" she called. "Something awful happened! Ranger is missing!"

"Ranger's missing?" Jason began to panic. He really loved the family dog.

"I looked all around the neighborhood for him, but I can't find him," added Rosalie. "Can you go look for him, Jason?"

 "Yep, and I'll find him!" said Jason. "Help me, will you Nate? I'll go down the street one way, and you can go the other way. Okay?"

"Sure," agreed Nate, and the boys were off, calling Ranger's name and whistling for him.

Nate circled the block, and when he got back to Jason's house, he found Jason throwing sticks for the dog. "Ranger heard me call and came to me," said Jason with a grin. "I think he wanted to be found!"

After playing for a while, Nate had an idea. "Why did you have to look for Ranger?" he asked.

"Because he was lost," replied Jason, looking puzzled. "Besides, I didn't have to look for him, I wanted to! He's my dog-he belongs with me."

Nate grinned. "Right," he agreed, "and you know what? God didn't have to look for us, either. He wanted to because He made us, and we belong to Him. God loves you, Jason, even more than you love Ranger. God wants to find you, and He will-but you have to want to be found." Jason looked a bit startled. "Come over tonight and talk about it," encouraged Nate. "My dad will explain it better. Okay?"

 Jason nodded. "Maybe," he said thoughtfully. "I'll think about it."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever lost something really important to you and wanted to find it? That's how God feels about people-about you. If you don't know Jesus as Savior, you are lost in your sins and cannot find God on your own. The good news is that Jesus, who referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd, is seeking you. Believe and trust in Him today, and you will be found by Him.

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Thus says the Lord God: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out." Ezekiel 34:11

[Soldier4Christ]

 Heaven

"Mom, I wish I could explain colors to Lindy," said Jan with a sigh. "This afternoon I mentioned that the sky was so blue, and she said she wished she could understand what that meant." Jan sighed again. "I've tried and tried to explain it to her, but she just doesn't understand what I'm talking about."

"I know. Since she's always been blind, she can't always relate to what you're saying," said Mom. "Her other senses seem to be more keen than ours, though. For example, she recognizes a lot of people by their footsteps."

Just then Tyler arrived home from Bible club and came into the kitchen. "Can I please have a cookie?" he begged, reaching for the cookie jar.

"Just one," agreed Mom, ruffling his curly black hair. "What did you learn at Bible club, Tyler?"

"We learned about heaven," replied Tyler. "It sounds cool, but what's heaven really like, Mom? I don't understand it very well."

"Neither do I," said Jan. "My teacher tried to explain what it would be like, but . . ." She shrugged her shoulders. "I can't quite picture what we'll be doing there all the time. I suppose life will be lots different from life on earth."

Mom thought for a moment. "Jan," she said, "remember how difficult-even impossible-it is for Lindy to understand what colors are? In the same way, it's hard . . . and yes, impossible . . . for us to understand exactly what heaven is like. We won't totally know that until we see Jesus face to face."

"What if we don't like it there?" asked Tyler, half joking but with a note of concern in his voice.

Mom smiled. "Do you think Lindy wishes she could see-even though she doesn't really understand what it's like," she asked.

"Of course," chorused Jan and Tyler.

"From what people tell her, she knows that it's wonderful to be able to see," said Jan.

"And we know that heaven is going to be wonderful because of the things God tells us about it," replied Mom. "All our comparisons and descriptions and imaginings fall far short of the glorious reality of heaven."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have questions about heaven? Do you wonder-and even worry-about how life there will be different from your life here on earth? Today's Scripture reading is a limited description of heaven. Other Bible passages-such as Revelation 20 and 21-contain more information. Yes, heaven will certainly be different from life here on earth, but you can be sure that it will be wonderful-and far better than anything we enjoy here. Best of all, Jesus is there!


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. 1 Corinthians 13:12

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Roller Coaster Ride

"Got a little wet, didn't we?" Cayden laughed as he and his father finished their water log ride at the amusement park. "That was such fun! Let's go on the roller coaster next, okay?"

"The roller coaster!" Dad groaned. "You're sure we want to go on that? With all those ups and downs and curves, I never know what to expect."

"That's what makes it fun," said Cayden. "C'mon!"

"Well, all right," agreed Dad, so they headed for the roller coaster. "I've got a riddle for you," added Dad. "In what way is the roller coaster like life?"

"Like life?" Cayden looked at Dad curiously. "It's . . . ah-h-h-h . . . fast! People always say time flies."

"I hadn't thought of that," said Dad with a grin. "I was still thinking of all the ups and downs you go through on the roller coaster. Life is full of ups and downs, too. You never know what's around the next curve."

"I guess that's true," agreed Cayden as they got in line to wait for their turn to ride.

"Life can have a lot of unexpected events," continued Dad. "Some good; some bad. Some 'up' times-like when you discovered you knew most of the kids in your new school. And some 'down' times-like when you got sick and had to miss David's birthday party."

Cayden frowned. "Yeah . . . but at least all the ups and downs on the roller coaster are fun," he said. "The 'downs' in life sure aren't."

"No, but since we know Jesus, He's always there to help and comfort us-including during the 'down' times. He's there to protect us whenever we need Him," said Dad. "He'll never leave us to face the ups and downs of life by ourselves." Dad smiled as the roller coaster cars stopped. "Looks like we get to go on next," he said. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Sure thing!" said Cayden. "Let's go!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you going through a "down" time in your life? Does it seem like there are curves that are too scary? Are you afraid of what may be around the next bend? The things that are happening in your life are no surprise to God. He is always right there and is always faithful and ready to help His children. He'll never let you stay down. Trust Him through all your circumstances.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5

[Soldier4Christ]

 Secret Project

Wade took the glue his mother handed him and ran out to the shed. He worked for a while on his secret project, then ran back to the house to find his father. "Dad, can I use a hammer and some nails?" Wade asked. Dad helped him find what he needed, and Wade grabbed the items and ran back to the shed.

After working a little longer, Wade made another trip to the house. "Paint," he said. "I need paint. Can I use some of your paint, Margie?" His sister agreed, so Wade took the paint and darted out the door.

After school the following day, Wade's friend Bob came over to play. Mom set out shiny red apples and glasses of cold milk for the boys. "Thank you, Mrs. Trent," said Bob. And when it was time for him to go home, Bob politely thanked her for letting him come.

Mom was impressed. "Bob seems to be very polite," she said after he left.

"Yeah, he's like that," agreed Wade. "He even says thank you when our teacher hands papers back to him." Wade rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's good," approved Mom. "After all, God says we're to be thankful for everything. That means little things, too. We should give thanks to God-and to other people as well."

After dinner, Wade worked on his secret project for a little while. When he returned to the house, he was grinning. "Look," he said. "I'm finally done with my project. We learned how to make these in shop class at school." He handed out the things he had made. For Mom, there was a recipe holder; for Dad, a tie rack; for his sister, a jewelry box.

Wade beamed as his family exclaimed over the gifts and thanked him warmly. It made him feel good. It's really nice to have people thank you, Wade told himself. Aloud he said, "Thanks for letting me use your paint for my project, Margie. And thank you, Mom and Dad, for the glue and the hammer and nails. Now I'm going to start on another project." He decided not to explain that his new project would be to remember to say thank you-even for little things others did for him.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you thank others-and God-for things they do for you? Or do you assume they know you appreciate it-especially when what they do isn't a big, unusual thing? In today's Scripture,  nine lepers failed to thank Jesus for what He did for them. Perhaps they assumed He would know they were thankful, but He commended the only one who returned to say thanks. Don't take anything for granted. Make sure people know you're grateful-express your thanks to them and to God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Fair RewardLauren and Jimmy ran next door to show their report cards to their grandma. "Good job!" she exclaimed, and she gave them each a small reward.

"Grandma gave Lauren the same thing she gave me," Jimmy complained to his mother when he and his sister returned home. "That's not fair! I got better grades than she did, so I should have gotten more."

"That decision was really up to Grandma," replied Mom. "Maybe the reward is the same because she knows you both did your best."

After dinner, Mom baked some cookies. As she took the last pan out of the oven, Jimmy came to the kitchen to see what was baking. "Anyone who wants to try my cookies has to help clean up first," said Mom, so Jimmy started washing bowls and utensils. When Lauren followed her nose into the kitchen a little later, Mom repeated the message. "Anyone who wants to eat cookies has to help clean the kitchen." There wasn't a lot left to do, but Lauren got busy.

"Are the cookies ready?" asked Dad a little later, and Mom repeated the message one more time. Dad looked around, but everything had been washed-even the cookie sheets. Taking a sponge, he wiped the counters.

"Thanks for helping," said Mom, and she handed two cookies to each of them.

"Two for everybody?" objected Jimmy. "Lauren and Dad didn't do as much work as I did. Why do they get the same number of cookies?"

"They did all they could," said Mom, "or do you know of something else that needs to be done?" Jimmy shook his head, but he continued to scowl.

"Time for family devotions," called Dad a little later. "I think we'll read from Matthew tonight-the twentieth chapter (see today's Scripture reading). How about reading this aloud for us, Son?" Dad handed Jimmy the Bible.

When Jimmy had finished reading, Dad nodded. "Grandma and your mother gave equal rewards today-not for equal work, but for equal effort and willingness to work," he said. "God is like that, too. He knows everyone's ability and what opportunities each person has. He rewards according to faithfulness in responding to those opportunities." Dad smiled at Jimmy. "Aren't you glad God treats everyone fairly?" added Dad.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you get upset when you think you deserve more than others but they get just as much as you? Remember that rewards may be given for other reasons than the amount of work done or even the quality of the work. Today's Scripture indicates that they may be given for things like doing one's best and faithfulness in using each opportunity to be helpful. People don't always judge those things correctly, but God does. Rewards He gives for service for Him will always be fair.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
A faithful man will abound with blessings. Proverbs 28:20

[Soldier4Christ]

Who Says?

Matthew 4:1-11 (The temptation of Christ) and 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.

How many of you know how to play the game "Simon Says?" If Simon says to do something, you do it, but if Simon doesn't say to do it, you don't do it. Are you ready to play? Good, let's play.

Simon says, "Raise your hand."

Simon says, "Raise your other hand."

"Okay, put your hands down." Uh-oh! I caught some of you on that one, didn't I? Did Simon say, "Put your hands down." No! Well, let's try again.

Simon says, "Put your hands down."

Simon says, "Flap your elbows."

Simon says, "Clap your hands."

Touch your nose. Ooops! I caught some of you again. Let's try one more time.

Simon says, "Touch your nose."

Pull your ear! Good! I didn't trick you that time. You are catching on to the game now.

In the game of Simon Says, you do what Simon says to do , but in real life you should do what the Bible tells you to do. Did you know that the devil will try to trick you into doing what he wants you to do?

The Bible says, "Thou shalt not steal," but if you go to the store to buy something and the cashier gives you too much money back, the devil will try to get you to keep it. He will say, "That isn't stealing," but if we take something that doesn't belong to us, it is stealing, isn't it?

The Bible says, "Love your enemies," but when someone does something to hurt you, the devil will say, "Hurt them back, after all, they hurt you first."

The Bible says, "Thou shalt not lie," but when you accidentally break your mother's vase and she asks if you know how it got broken, the devil will say, "Don't tell the truth. If you tell the truth, it will just get you into more trouble."

Did you know that the devil even tried to get Jesus to do things that were wrong? When he did, do you know what Jesus did? Jesus answered him with Scripture. That is a good way to defeat the devil, isn't it? Just read the Bible and do what it tells you to do -- not what the devil tells you to do!

Dear Father, help us to do what Jesus did. Help us to do what the Bible tells us to do instead of listening to what the devil wants us to do. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Color Blind

"Slow down, Dad," warned Emma. She pointed to a cluster of bushes. "I see a policeman hiding back there."

"I don't need to slow down, honey," replied Dad. "I'm not going faster than the speed limit."

"Yeah, but when you see a policeman, don't you feel sort of uneasy anyway?" asked Emma.

Dad shook his head. "No," he said as they stopped at a red light. "I have no reason to feel uncomfortable. I don't have a guilty conscience."

"Last week, we talked about that in Bible club. My teacher compared the conscience to a traffic light that turns red when we're about to do something wrong, and green when we're doing right," observed Emma. "Of course, nothing actually turns red or green colors in front of our eyes, but we knew what she meant."

Dad nodded. "God has given each person a conscience," he said, "and your conscience works according to your knowledge of right and wrong. That's why you need to train it while you're young. Studying the Bible and listening to the advice of older Christians are good ways to do that."

"Well, I know a kid who does wrong stuff even though she knows better, but she says her conscience doesn't bother her," stated Emma. "My teacher says kids like that have run through the red light of their consciences so many times that they're becoming color blind."

The traffic light turned green, and Dad drove on. "When you run a red light-either with your car or by ignoring your conscience-you're apt to have a wreck," he said. "Wrecking your life is much more serious than wrecking a car."

Emma nodded. "Yeah," she agreed, "but you know something, Dad? Sometimes I'm not sure what color my conscience is showing me."

"When you're not sure what's right, observe the yellow caution light and slow down. Pray, and wait until you know what to do," advised Dad. "Don't go ahead unless you're sure it's okay."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have an uneasy feeling when you start to do something wrong? Then thank God for a tender conscience that's giving you a red light. When you get those warnings, don't ignore them and run the risk of becoming "color blind" to what's right or wrong. If your conscience gives a yellow light regarding some activity, don't plunge ahead. Get advice from God's Word, from parents or teachers, or from other responsible adults.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. Acts 24:16