Sermons4Kids

[Soldier4Christ]

 Beautiful Feet

"I hate my feet!" declared Madison. "They're too big."

"Well, not everyone can have small feet," replied Carli, her older sister, "and I don't think you'd want to do what the Chinese did years ago-wrap up your feet so tight that they can't grow."

Madison glanced at her long feet and frowned. "Did they really do that?"

"Yes, they used to." Carli nodded. "A book I was reading last week told a story about a Chinese lady. She had her feet bound when she was very young, and they hardly grew at all. She was proud of them, but when she was older, she had to be carried to lots of places. Her feet were too delicate to walk over rough or uneven ground."

"That might not be too bad," said Madison, still staring at her feet. "Maybe mine should have been bound."

"Well, you wouldn't be able to skate or ski . . . or even run," said Carli. "You wouldn't like that." She grinned at her sister. "But you know what?" she asked. "You can still have beautiful feet."

"Yeah, right!" exclaimed Madison in disgust.

Carli laughed. "No, really," she said. "The Chinese lady in that story I read found out that a small size didn't make feet beautiful, but something else did."

"Sounds weird to me," insisted Madison.

"To make a long story short," continued Carli, "the lady became a Christian. After she got married, she and her husband became missionaries to their own people-the Chinese."

"And?" prompted Madison when Carli paused.

"Don't you see? This lady was using her feet to spread God's Word, and the Bible says that people who do that have beautiful feet," explained Carli. "That's how you can have beautiful feet, too."

"Where in the Bible does it say that?" Madison wanted to know.

"Somewhere in Romans," answered Carli. "Let's go ask Mom to help us find it."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you witness for the Lord at school, at play, and even at home? That's what makes beautiful feet in God's sight. He wants you to use them to carry the message of salvation to other people. He wants you to spread the news of the wonderful gift He offers to all who will believe on Jesus. When you do that, you will have beautiful feet in the sight of God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace. Romans 10:15

[Soldier4Christ]

 Like a Homing Pigeon

Matt leaned against the shed door, staring up at the sky. His friend Kyle walked over. "What are you looking for?" asked Kyle.

"I'm looking for Bettina to come flying in," answered Matt. "She's my homing pigeon, you know," he added, seeing Kyle's puzzled look. "We've been training her with short flights ever since she was young, remember? This will be her longest flight yet-three hundred miles."

"Wow! Where's she coming from?" asked Kyle.

"My aunt took Bettina home with her-to Ohio," answered Matt. "Aunt Kate was going to release her this morning."

"Well, you don't expect that bird to fly three hundred miles in one day, do you?" asked Kyle. "That's impossible."

Matt shook his head. "No, it's not," he said. "Homing pigeons can fly fifty or sixty miles an hour. She'll make it today if . . . Hey!" Matt pointed to the sky. "I bet that's her now!" he exclaimed. Sure enough, a bird was coming closer and closer. "She's home! All right!"

Bettina floated down to her cage where food and water awaited her. Matt looked her over as she ate. "Good bird!" he said. "You didn't even stop along the way."

Kyle raised his eyebrows. "How do you know she didn't?" he asked. "You weren't there."

"No, but her feet are clean-there's no dirt or mud or bits of grass on them," replied Matt, "so she probably didn't stop at all."

Just then Matt's father came home, and the boys told him about Bettina. "She'll be a good homer," said Matt. "She came in clean."

"Great!" said Dad. He looked thoughtful. "Did you boys know that we're sort of like homing pigeons?" he asked, then smiled at the questioning glances the boys gave him. "We're on our way home to heaven, and we need to come in clean, too," Dad explained. "Do you know what I mean?"

"I think so, Dad," replied Matt. "If we mess around with the sins of the world, we'll get dirty. Is that it?"

"Yes, spiritually dirty," agreed Dad. "When that happens, we need to confess and forsake our sin. Better yet, remember Bettina, and don't mess with sin at all."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you on your way to heaven? If so, will you "come in clean"? Are you keeping pure and unspotted from the sins of the world? Even though you might be saved, unconfessed sin will rob you of rewards and make you ashamed when you stand before God. Confess any sin, turn from it, and ask the Lord to help you keep pure and clean.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Keep yourself pure. 1 Timothy 5:22

[Soldier4Christ]

 The Onion

As Stephanie opened her eyes one morning, she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt anger rise within her as it did so often lately. Dad came home drunk again last night, she remembered, and he was yelling at Mom as usual. Stephanie reluctantly sat up in bed. "I hate him," she muttered. "Why does he have to drink?"

As Stephanie tiptoed quietly out of her room and down the hall, she saw her father, asleep on the couch. He'll be there all day, she thought with disgust as she went into the kitchen. Her mother was already there, peeling vegetables.

"Good morning," Mom greeted her, smiling. "How did you sleep?"

"Oh . . . fair, I guess," muttered Stephanie. She shrugged, and her eyes filled with tears. "I heard Dad come home. How do you stand it, Mom?" she blurted out angrily. "How can you stand the way Dad gets drunk?"

Mom thought quietly for a moment. "I struggle with it," she admitted, "but I'm learning to trust the Lord to help me deal with it. I used to be quite bitter about it, especially before I was a Christian, but the Lord has shown me that I need to forgive. The feelings of bitterness or resentment didn't go away quickly, however, so I'm learning to deal with it one day at a time." She picked up an onion. "If we'd peel one layer at a time off an onion, some tears would come with each layer, right?" she asked. Stephanie nodded. "But if we kept on doing that, what would eventually happen?" asked Mom.

Stephanie wrinkled her brow. "What would happen?" she repeated. "Well . . . after a while, we'd run out of onion. There wouldn't be any left. Is that what you mean?"

Mom nodded. "Yes, and dealing with bitterness is something like that," she said. "It takes daily prayer, and it can take weeks, months, and sometimes years before it's all gone. But if you keep trusting the Lord for help, you'll see victory as you deal with bitterness one day at a time."

"So you're not really over it?" asked Stephanie.

Mom gave Sophie a hug. "My 'onion of bitterness' is gone," replied Mom, "but because your dad has not yet repented, I still need to forgive him each time he slips. Now, let's pray together for Dad and forgive him once again."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you angry about things that are happening to you that you cannot change? Does that anger keep growing and growing inside you? That's called bitterness. Every day, you need to ask God to help you overcome it. It will take time, but as you learn to trust Him-accepting His forgiveness for you, and granting forgiveness to others-you will have victory.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. Ephesians 4:31

[Soldier4Christ]

 Seeds, Flowers, and Heaven

"It's a nice sunny day, so let's plant those seeds Grandma sent," suggested Mom.

"Okay!" agreed Caleb. "I'll get them." He ran to fetch the brightly-colored packets, and soon he and his mother were burying tiny, brown seeds in the rich, dark earth. "I wonder if there will be flowers in heaven," said Caleb suddenly. His grandmother had recently died, and Caleb knew she was now in heaven.

Mom smiled. "I hope so!" she said.

"It's hard to understand what heaven is like, isn't it, Mom?" asked Caleb. "I know Grandma is there now, but . . ." He paused. "We'll still have bodies, right?" he asked. "I know Pastor Holmes said Grandma left her body and went to be with Jesus, but he said her body would be raised up again some day." Caleb hesitated. "But I think of how crippled and sick Grandma was," he added, "and I wouldn't think she'd want that old body back."

"The Bible says that when our bodies are raised, they'll be changed," said Mom. "They'll be glorious, heavenly bodies."

"But . . . it doesn't seem possible that such a crippled body could ever become something so wonderful," said Caleb.

Mom thought a moment, then smiled. "Caleb, do you really think those seeds you're planting will grow into flowers?" she asked.

Caleb looked at his mother in astonishment. "Why wouldn't they?"

"Look at them! They're so small and ugly!" said Mom. "They don't look at all like the flowers in this picture." She pointed to the picture on the seed packet-a glorious mass of red, orange and yellow flowers. "Do you really think those seeds can turn into something as beautiful and as different as this?"

"Mom! Of course they can!" exclaimed Caleb. "You're not serious!"

Mom smiled again. "I want you to see that, just like seeds are changed into flowers that are so different from them, we will be transformed by God into something very different from what we are now," she explained.

Caleb was thoughtful as he glanced back and forth from the seed packet to the seeds he held in his hand. Then he nodded. "Glorious, heavenly bodies," he murmured. He smiled. "All right!"


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you wonder-even worry-about what heaven will be like? Do you find it hard to believe that God will give blind, deaf, and crippled people a perfect, heavenly body? Do you look forward to a perfect body yourself? Think of how God makes plants of all shapes and sizes and colors grow out of small, uninteresting-looking seeds. That's just a tiny glimpse of what He can do. You can be sure He will work even greater miracles with His children whom He loves.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
(The body) is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:44

[Soldier4Christ]

A Plan for Success

This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. Genesis 6:15-16 (NIV)

Have you ever put together a model kit like this one? I have built several models and they are a lot of fun to build. I have built model cars, planes, and boats. Some kits have a lot of parts and are very difficult to build. Some are a little easier. There is one thing that every model kit must have -- instructions! Suppose I were to give you this kit with the instructions, do you think you could build it? Well, you might need some time and a little help, but you could probably do it.

What if I gave you a set of instructions like these (hold up the Noah's Ark plan) and told you I wanted you to build a boat that was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Do you think you could do it? You would probably say, "No way! That is bigger than a football field! I can't build a boat that big!"

Well, that is exactly what happened to a man named Noah. I know you have heard the story, but every time I hear it, I learn something new. Maybe you will too.

One day God looked down on the world that he had created and he saw how mean and evil the people had become. It broke his heart to see the way people were acting. "I'm sorry I made them, he said, "I'll get rid of them all."

But God saw that Noah was different. God saw that Noah was a good man, so he decided that he would spare Noah and his family. God told Noah about his plan to send a great flood to destroy everything on the earth. He told Noah to build a big boat called an ark. God told Noah exactly how to build it. (Read Genesis 6:15-16) Then he told Noah after he had built the ark to fill it with animals -- two of every kind. Noah obeyed God. He built the boat and then he put two of every kind of animal into it. Then Noah and his family entered the ark and God shut the door.

Soon the rain began to fall. The raindrops made little puddles, then bigger puddles. The big puddles became streams and rivers, then mighty seas. Soon the whole earth was covered with water. The ark tossed up and down on the waves, but Noah, his family and all the animals were safe and dry inside the ark.

It rained for forty days and nights until finally, the rain stopped. It took many days for the flood waters to go down. When it finally did, Noah, his family, and all of the animals left the ark. Noah thanked God for keeping them safe.

God had a plan for Noah's life. Because he was faithful and obeyed God, Noah and his entire family were saved. God has a plan for your life too. God has told us his plan for us in the Bible. Listen to what he said, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." If we obey God's Word, his plan for our life will be successful too.

Father, sometimes it seems that the job is too big for us. Help us to remember that when we put trust in you, anything is possible. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Jingo and Judy

Judy's black and white kitten dug his claws into the leg of her jeans. She shook him off and started loading the dishwasher. "Meow," protested the kitten.

"What do you want, Jingo?" asked Judy. Jingo bounced to the closed door of the kitchen and scratched at it. "I guess you're ready to go outside," said Judy. The kitten meowed again and-according to Judy-smiled. "You said, 'Uh-huh,' didn't you?" she asked. "I'll open the door for you as soon as I finish putting the dishes in the dishwasher." But Jingo didn't like to wait. He attached himself to the leg of Judy's jeans again. "Ouch!" she exclaimed. "You quit that!"

Jingo dropped to the floor and trotted back and forth between Judy and the door. Finally, he stationed himself there and looked at Judy with enormous green eyes. "You're my person," he seemed to be saying. "Why don't you tend to me right now?"

Once more the kitten started toward Judy. "You win, Jingo," she said with a laugh. "I'll open the door for you." She dried her hands, and with Jingo at her heels, she walked to the door. When she opened it, he bounded outside and made a beeline for his favorite spot in the sunshine.

When she was finished with her chores, Judy went to her room to do her homework. Soon she returned to the kitchen. "Mom, guess what?" she said. "I decided to learn my verse for Bible club, and Jingo gave me an example of what it means."

"Really?" asked Mom. "And what is that?"

"Well, Jingo knows he can't open the door himself, so he comes to me and gets me to open it for him," explained Judy. Mom smiled and nodded. "So the way to the outside is through me-it's like I'm the 'door' for him," said Judy. "That's like my verse. It says Jesus is the 'door' to God and heaven. We can't get into heaven by ourselves, but when we trust in Jesus, it's as though He opens the door to allow us into heaven some day."

"Good for you," said Mom, and she and Judy laughed together as they looked out the window and saw Jingo jump around on the grass, having the time of his life.

"Jingo is a lot of fun," said Judy, "and now he's been my teacher, too. I'm glad I have that kitten."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
How do you expect to get into heaven? Do you think you can get there by being a good kid? By obeying your parents? By faithfully attending church-and even giving to missions? By doing a lot of good deeds? It won't work. There's no way you can get into heaven except through the "door"-the Lord Jesus Christ. If you haven't come to God through Him, come today.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. John 10:9

[Soldier4Christ]

 Weak or Strong?

"Hi, Dad." Zach greeted his father as he entered his workshop. "Can you help me build a birdhouse now?"

Dad looked up with a smile. "I'm ready if you are," he replied. "Let's pick out some wood." He led the way to the bin of scrap wood. "I thought you were playing with Andy today," he said.

"He left," said Zach. "I wanted to do this, so I told him I had to do homework."

Dad frowned as they carried several pieces of wood over to the workbench. "You mean you lied to Andy?" he asked.

"Not really," replied Zach, shaking his head. "I do have homework, but I'll do it after we finish the birdhouse."

"But you purposely led Andy to believe that you were going to do the homework now," said Dad. "That's a form of lying, Son."

Zach shrugged. "Well, what was I supposed to say? 'Go home. I don't want to play with you anymore'?" he asked, handing Dad a board. "Anyhow, it was just a little lie. It won't hurt Andy's feelings or anything. He'll never know."

"All lies hurt the people who tell them," said Dad. "You could have just explained that you wanted time to work with me before doing your homework." He held up the piece of wood Zach had just handed him, and using both hands, he easily split it in half. Zach watched, wide-eyed. "Look closely at this wood," said Dad, holding the pieces out to him.

Zach looked and saw several tunnels criss-crossing through the place it had split. "Wow!" he said. "I guess those tunnels made the wood weak. I could probably have split it myself! What caused that?"

"Possibly carpenter ants," replied Dad. "They eat away at wood until it's weak and easily breaks apart." He looked at Zach thoughtfully. "Ants are little, but they can do a lot of damage," he continued. "Lies are like that. Lies-even so-called little ones-'eat away' at your strength as a Christian. They weaken your testimony."

Zach was startled. "I . . . I'm sorry," he murmured. "Should I call Andy and tell him to come back, Dad?" Then he nodded his head. "That's what I'll do. He can help us with this bird house."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you think it's okay to tell "fibs" or so-called "little white lies"? Do you think it doesn't hurt anybody if you tell them to your friends, your parents, or even to yourself? It does hurt. It's disobeying God, and it weakens your testimony for Him. Being honest is sometimes hard, but remember that God wants you to speak truthfully.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Do not lie to one another. Colossians 3:9

[Soldier4Christ]

 Camouflage Not Allowed

Evan leaned forward as he and his family travelled through the African game reserve. His excitement at seeing animals in their natural habitats was rapidly being replaced by frustration. "There's a spring-bok!" said their guide, pointing out the window.

"Where?" asked Evan, straining to look in the direction the guide had indicated. "I don't see it." He plopped back in his seat. "Why am I the only one who can't spot any animals even after someone tells me where to look?"

"It's just that they blend so well with the trees and grasses," said Mom, "but I'm sure you'll learn to spot the animals soon."

"I don't know," moaned Evan. "If I had to depend on finding any for my meals, I think I'd starve to death." He managed a weak smile.

Dad grinned at him. "God gave wild animals effective camouflage, didn't He?" he asked. "That's just the opposite of the way He made us."

Evan rolled his eyes. "Dad!" he protested with a laugh. "No riddles right now."

"I think Dad is talking about Christians," suggested Mom. "He's saying that God doesn't intend for us to lead camouflaged lives."

"You've got it," said Dad with a grin. "God wants to shine His light, His love, and His good news through us to the world. He wants others to easily see Jesus by the way we live and talk."

Evan stared into the distance. "You're thinking about when we spend next week at Uncle Ron's house, aren't you?" he asked. Evan knew his uncle didn't believe in Jesus.

Dad nodded. "I'm praying that Uncle Ron will see Jesus in us," he said.

"Me, too," agreed Evan. He certainly didn't want to camouflage his Christianity in any way.

Just then, Evan saw a flicker of movement near a tree. He focused all his attention on the spot and finally made out a shape. "I see a giraffe-no, a whole bunch of giraffes-in those trees over there!" Evan beamed triumphantly. "Finally!" he said with a relieved sigh. Looking at his dad, he added, "And I do hope people-especially Uncle Ron-won't have as much trouble seeing Jesus when they look at us."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Is it easy for others to see Jesus in you? Do the things you do and say reflect what Jesus might do and say if He were living on earth today? Is your attitude toward parents, teachers, and friends the kind of attitude Jesus approves? Ask Him to use your life to show those around you what He is like. Don't camouflage your testimony by hiding the fact that you know Jesus. Let others see that you want to please Him in all you do.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Romans 1:16

[Soldier4Christ]

 Come into my Parlor

Tim sat on the back steps, deep in thought. He didn't know what to do about his friend's birthday party. "At midnight, we're going to watch a cool horror video!" Mark had announced. Most of the other kids had seemed very excited, but Tim had just sat there and said nothing. He knew they'd all call him a wimp if they could see what he was thinking, but he really didn't want to watch a horror film.

Pastor Jed, the youth director at Tim's church, had recently talked about such things. Tim recalled Pastor Jed's words. "Horror movies may sound like fun in a scary sort of way," Pastor Jed had told the youth group, "but there's a real danger in watching them. They cause nervousness or nightmares for some kids. Worse still, they harden some kids and make them insensitive to suffering and fear. They appear to be a factor in some of the horrible crimes that are committed." Pastor Jed had looked thoughtfully at the group. "I know you don't think such things could happen to you, but your eyes and ears are like doorways to your mind," he added. "It isn't worth the risk."

As Tim remembered those words, he noticed a large spider web on his mom's rose trellis. The web was a masterpiece of construction, and it glistened in the sunlight. Suddenly, it began moving, and Tim saw that a housefly was caught by a sticky strand at the very edge of the web. The motion of the trapped insect set up a vibration across the connecting network, and Tim watched in fascination as a big, brown spider picked up the signal and came scurrying out. In no time, the fly was snugly imprisoned in a cocoon of sticky bands.

The words of an old nursery rhyme popped into Tim's head. "Come into my parlor," said the spider to the fly. Tim grinned. That old fly didn't even know he was in danger, he thought.

"Well, I know of the dangers at Mark's party," Tim told the spider who was waiting for its next victim. "Wimp or not, I'm not going." Feeling better now that he had made his decision, Tim went to phone Mark.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
What do you allow to enter your mind through your eyes and ears? Are you aware of the dangers in watching bad movies, TV programs, and internet sites? Or of reading bad materials or looking at indecent pictures? When you're encouraged to join other kids in doing those things, are you smart enough to say no? Don't let Satan deceive you. Ask God to give you courage to refuse to participate in such things and to help you keep your mind clean and pure.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:22

[Soldier4Christ]

 A Hidden Gift

"C'mon Fritz," Gretchen called to her dog. "Let's run outside." When she opened the back door, Fritz raced out into the fenced yard. Then he ran back to Gretchen. He jumped up playfully before racing through the yard once again. Finally, he stopped near his favorite bush and sniffed the ground. "Come and play," called Gretchen, picking up a ball. Fritz continued to sniff out the area. He dug into the ground with his front paws and nose. "Quit digging and come play," Gretchen called again. She walked toward the dog and saw that he had uncovered a bone. Fritz lay down, contentedly chewing on the bone. "Silly dog," said Gretchen. She sat on the ground beside him and stroked his back.

A short time later, they went back into the house. "Fritz dug up a bone and played with it a while, and then he buried it again," Gretchen told her mother. "Why do dogs bury bones?"

"I don't really know," replied Mom.

"Well, you're very silly, Fritz," Gretchen told her pet. "When I have something nice, I don't hide it."

"Are you sure of that?" asked Mom. "I know of one thing you take out and use for your own pleasure, and then you hide it away when you're done-something like Fritz does."

"I hide something away?" asked Gretchen. She frowned. "Like what? I can't think of anything."

"How about the gift for music that God gave you? You play the flute so well," said Mom, "and Mr. Dunbar told me he'd like you to play a solo in church on youth night, but that you refused again."

Gretchen's face felt flushed and warm. "Oh, Mom! That's different from what I meant about Fritz," she protested.

"It is different," agreed Mom. "A dog's bone is not going to bless other people the way music from your flute could. We gave Fritz the bone for his pleasure and to strengthen his teeth. But God gives Christians talents and abilities to be used in serving and glorifying Him. Honey, you're hiding something that God wants you to share. Think about it."

Gretchen didn't reply, but as she went to her room, she did think about it. She knew Mom was right and that she should use her talent for the Lord.


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have a talent or ability that is "buried" and hidden so no one sees it? Do you sing or play well? Are you good at helping with little kids? Do you do a good job at lawn work or household chores-and is there someone who needs your help? God gives all kinds of different gifts and they should be used for His glory. Are you using the abilities He's given you? Don't hide your talents. Use them to bless others-use them for God.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another. 1 Peter 4:10

[Soldier4Christ]

 Good Listener

"Andrea makes me so mad," declared Leslie. "When we're playing, she never listens to any suggestions other kids make. And she always whispers in class. I wish she'd be still for once-even for one single minute!"

"Well, just be sure you don't allow anyone to keep you from listening when your teacher is speaking," advised Mom. "Listening is your responsibility."

After dinner, it was Leslie's turn to read a selection for family devotions. She hurried through the Bible verses. "Does anyone have any comments?" she asked, sitting on the edge of her chair. "If not, I'll pray a minute, and then I have a phone call to make."

"Yes," said Dad, "I have a note of praise to share. This morning, I read Ephesians 4:32 and realized that the Lord was telling me to forgive a man at work for something he had said about me. I prayed about it, and then when I saw the man, I told him I'd like to forget about what happened in the past and go on from here. It was hard to do, but I feel so much better now. I'm thankful to the Lord for gently speaking to my heart about that matter and helping me make things right."

"How does God speak to you?" asked Leslie. "He never speaks to me like that."

"Could it be you don't take time to listen?" asked Dad.

"I listen," protested Leslie. "My teacher says I'm one of her best listeners."

"You may be a good listener at school," Mom told her, "but do you really listen for what God wants to tell you?"

"Take this evening, for instance," said Dad. "I couldn't help but notice that you raced through the Bible reading. God wants to speak through it, so you need to meditate on it. In other words, as you read, carefully think about the verses, honey. Then ask God to help you know how and where you need to apply to your life the things you've read."

"Remember how you wished your friend Andrea could be still for one minute?" asked Mom. "I think God would like you to be still and listen to Him speak."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you a good listener when others are talking? How about when God is "talking"? He often speaks through His Word, the Bible. Read it and meditate on what it says-that is, think about it. Also, be sure to listen when He speaks through pastors and teachers or through parents and friends. Ask Him to help you hear what He wants you to do or say.


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

[Soldier4Christ]

 Fun or Folly

"That cloud looks like a ship!" said Rosa as she and her brother Chad lay in the grass, looking up at the sky.

"And that one," replied Chad, pointing, "looks like an elephant with no trunk."

Rosa laughed. "It'd be fun to walk on a cloud," she said as they got up and went into the house for supper.

Hearing her, Mom smiled. "Fun?" she asked. "Or folly?"

"Folly? What's that?" asked Chad.

"That means a lack of good sense, or a foolish idea," said Mom. "A cloud wouldn't hold you up, you know." Chad nodded and ran to answer the phone.

"It's Bruce," Chad called a moment later, holding his hand over the phone. "Can I go to the Westside Arcade to play video games after supper?"

"That's not a good idea," replied Dad. "Police have reported that a lot of drugs circulate there at night." Chad started to protest, but Dad held up a hand. "The answer is no, Chad. It's not a place a Christian should be."

Chad moped around most of the evening. "Parents never want us to have any fun," he complained to his sister. "You'd think they'd remember what it was like to be kids."

As the family drove home after visiting Grandpa and Grandma King the next day, they crept along slowly through an unusually thick fog. Rosa shivered. "I hope we don't go off the road," she said.

"Now you see what it's like to be in a cloud," Mom told her. "Fog is like a cloud in contact with the ground."

Chad grinned at his sister. "Yeah, and trying to walk on it would be folly, not fun. Right, Mom?" he asked. "This cloud is no fun at all. It's dangerous."

"So even though some things look like fun, being involved in them can be dangerous, right?" asked Mom. "That's a good thing to remember."

"Yeah, Chad. Like going to the arcade with your friends last night," put in Rosa. "You thought that sounded like fun, but I guess that would have been folly, too."

"Right," agreed Dad. "Being in that atmosphere would have been much more dangerous than being in this cloud. You would have had to fight off a lot of temptation. I know. I was a kid once myself."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are the things you do fun or folly? How about the places you go? Be aware that some "fun" things can lead to sin. Ask God to keep you alert to such dangers and to help you avoid them. Be thankful for parents and others who care for your welfare. Don't get angry when you're not allowed to do something you think would be fun. And yes . . . parents do remember what it was like to be a kid.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE: (Proverbs 4:14-15)
Do not enter the path of the wicked . . . avoid it . . . turn away from it and pass on.

[Soldier4Christ]

Who Needs a Doctor?

But when He heard this, He said, "Those who are well don't need a doctor, but the sick do. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:12-13 (NIV)

I am sure that all of you have seen a stethoscope. Who uses a stethoscope? That's right, a doctor. Have you ever been sick? Of course you have, we have all been sick at some time. When you were sick, did you go to the doctor's office, or did the doctor come to your house? You probably went to the doctor's office because that is the way it is done these days. You might be surprised to know that at one time it was quite normal for doctors to make "house calls." The doctor would carry a little black bag filled with medical supplies and go to the homes of those who were sick.

That's a good picture of what Jesus did when he was on earth. He went where the people were -- especially people who were hurting or had problems in their life. One such person that Jesus ministered to was a tax collector by the name of Matthew. Tax collectors were hated in Jesus' day because they were often greedy and dishonest. Jesus changed Matthew's life and he became one of Jesus' disciples. One day Jesus went to Matthew's home to eat dinner with him. Many of Matthew's old friends came there to listen to Jesus teach. The religious leaders of the day were very displeased that Jesus was even talking to such people, much less eating with them!

They asked his disciples, "Why does your master eat with these sinners?"

Jesus heard them and answered, "It isn't those that are well that need a doctor, it is those that are sick. I did not come to call the righteous. I came to call sinners to repentance." Just like our doctors once did, Jesus went to the homes of the people who needed him and he touched them and made them whole.

Who needs a doctor? The sick need a doctor. Is there anyone here who has never been sick? Of course not, so we all need a doctor! Who needs Jesus? Sinners do! Is there anyone here who has never sinned? No way! The Bible tells us that "All have sinned." That means we all need Jesus. We sometimes sit in our churches and wait for people to come to us so we can tell them about Jesus and his love. We should be doing what Jesus did. We should be going where the people are and taking the good news of Jesus to them.

Dear Jesus, help us to be willing to go to those who need you and tell them of your love. Amen.

[Soldier4Christ]

 Obeying the Master

"Sit, Rex! Sit!" Rex sat, and Jenny gave the big, black dog a pat on his head. "Good boy!" she said, and she gave Rex a dog biscuit for obeying her.

"Rex is doing well," called Dad from the porch as he watched Jenny work with her pet in the back yard.

Jenny grinned and nodded. "Stay," she said firmly to the dog. "Stay." Jenny walked away from the dog just as her cousin Brian came up the walk.

"Hi, Rex," called Brian. He patted his knee. "Come here, boy. C'mon, Rex," he coaxed. "Come here!"

Rex perked up his ears and looked at Brian. Then he looked back at Jenny and whined, but he stayed where he was. "Good boy," called Jenny as she went back to him to give him another dog treat. "You know who you have to obey, don't you?" she asked him.

Brian laughed. "I think you should have named him 'Peter,'" he said.

"Peter!" exclaimed Jenny. "Why do you say that?"

"Rex reminds me of when an angel opened the prison doors for the apostles-that was my Sunday school lesson last week," Brian explained. "The angel told them to go to the temple and preach some more, so they did. Then the . . ."

"Oh, I think I remember that story," Jenny interrupted him. "The Jewish leaders told the apostles they were not to teach about Jesus, but they did anyway." She frowned. "I guess Peter was one of them, right?"

Brian nodded. "Yep, and I think his name was the only one mentioned when the apostles said they should obey God rather than men," he replied. "That's why I said you should have named your dog 'Peter.'"

Jenny grinned. "I get it," she said. She put her arm around Rex as he lay beside her on the grass. "Rex had to disobey you in order to obey me. And the apostles had to disobey the leaders in order to obey God."

"That's right," said Dad, who had been listening. He called Rex over to him and gave him a pat on the head. "We must always obey our master, right Rex? In Rex's case, his master-or mistress-is Jenny. For those of us who are Christians, our master is God. We should always obey Him."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Would you steal if kids told you to do so in order to join their group? Would you cheat on a test if a friend wanted to give you the answers? Would you tell a lie if a friend told you to do it because it would keep him out of trouble? If kids told you to join them in something your parents disapprove, would you do it? Or would you obey God rather than people? When you're tempted to sin, ask God to give you strength to obey Him. Then do it-He'll bless you for it.


TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29

[Soldier4Christ]

 Sand or Rock?

"Better hurry up and build up a wall around your castle, Abby! The tide is coming in," warned Scott. "One big wave, and it will be washed away."

"Will you help me? Please?" begged Abby, handing her brother a pail and shovel. Water washed around her feet and then went back toward the ocean, just missing the castle.

"I told you to build it farther from the water," said Scott as he added a pailful of damp sand to the wall. "We won't be able to save it. Those waves are coming up fast!"

Scott was right. There was no time to protect the castle. Waves washed up on shore, and a big chunk from the front side of the castle washed back into the sea. A shovel Abby had dropped beside the castle was carried along with it. "My shovel!" called Abby. She chased after it into the water.

"A wash out!" declared Scott. "That castle is history." Abby nodded sadly as she stood looking at the destroyed masterpiece. "Your castle looked awesome, but it was built in a place where it couldn't stand up against a flood," added Scott. He grinned. "Cheer up! At least you got your shovel back-and you gave us a good example of what Jesus was talking about when He told the story about the houses built by a foolish man and a wise man." Scott started singing: "The foolish man built his house upon the sand . . ." At first Abby continued to look mournful, but then she grinned, and together, they finished the song-"so build your life on the Lord!"

Mom smiled as she listened. "And how do you get Jesus to be the foundation upon which to build your life?" she asked them.

"That's easy," said Scott. "You admit that you're a sinner and trust Jesus to save you. When you do that, He becomes the one you build your life on."

Mom nodded. "Right. First Corinthians 10:4 refers to Jesus as the 'Rock,'" she said. "When you build your life on Him, you're building on rock, like the wise man did in the second verse of the song."


HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you building on "sand" or on the "Rock"? Are you building your life on fun, doing things you like to do, and perhaps even doing a lot of nice things for other people? Enjoying yourself is fine, and doing nice things is great. But if those are the foundation for your life, you're like the foolish man who built on sand. Or are you building your life on Jesus Christ-the Rock? Have you accepted Him as Savior? Be a wise builder-trust in Jesus today.

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11