Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Bible Reading: 1 John 2:3-6 "Look at how bright the stars are tonight!" Dawson's little brother, Parker, gaped at the sky from his spot on the lawn. "Yeah, and the moon is really bright too," said Dawson. "Why is it so bright?" asked Parker. "Is it a great big ball of fire?" Dawson laughed and shook his head. "The sun is more like a ball of fire. The moon doesn't actually have any light at all. It reflects the light of the sun--that's why it looks bright. I learned about that in my science class." "Come on in, boys!" called Mom. "It's time to get to bed." The boys got up from the grass and headed for the house. Once they were inside, Parker ran over to the window and pointed to the moon. "Guess what, Mom! Dawson told me that the moon isn't really a big fireball--it just reflects the sun's light. Did you know that?" Mom smiled. "Yes, I did know that. Now scoot along to bed, or morning will come before you're ready for it." After church the following day, Dawson asked his parents a question that had been puzzling him. "My teacher says people are supposed to see Jesus in us. But we aren't Jesus, so how can they see Him? I don't get it." "Well," said Mom, "remember what you told Parker about the sun and the moon when you were outside last night?" "Sure," said Dawson. "I said the moon reflects the light of the sun." "Right," said Mom. "The moon isn't the sun, but it reflects it. When people look at the moon, the light they see is really the light of the sun. And we're not Jesus, but because we belong to Him and have His Spirit in us, we can reflect His light. When people see what we do and how we treat others, they should be seeing Jesus's character shining through us." "That's right," said Dad. "When we trust the Holy Spirit to help us be kind, patient, truthful, and unselfish, we reflect Jesus and His great love for everyone. Just like the moon reflects the light of the sun, Christians are able to reflect the love of God's Son--Jesus." –Anna E. Baumeister How About You? If you're a Christian, do others see the love of Jesus reflected in your life? When you show others the same kind of love Jesus showed us by dying for our sins, others will see Him in you. But you can't do it on your own--Jesus gave you the Holy Spirit so you can shine His light to others. Trust the Spirit to help you and guide you as you reflect Jesus's love to those around you. Today's Key Verse: Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. (NKJV) (1 Peter 2:21) Today's Key Thought: Let Jesus be seen in you

Bible Reading: Genesis 22:11-18; Isaiah 7:14 "Mia? Why are you lying on the beach?" Mom asked as she came outside and sat down beside her daughter. "It's dark out." Mia turned to look at her mom, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, honey." Mom hugged her. "Why are you crying?" "D-d-dad promised he would come see me today. But he never came," Mia sobbed. Mom hugged her again. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry your dad didn't keep his promise." "Promises are stupid," Mia said as she pulled away from Mom and wiped the tears off her cheeks. Mom sighed. "It's very hard for people to keep promises. We make mistakes. But there is someone who keeps every promise He makes." "Who is that?" Mia asked. "God. In fact, He made Abraham a promise that I'm reminded of being out here tonight." Mom picked up a handful of sand. "God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the beach." "I think I remember that story," Mia said. "Didn't he and his wife have a baby when they were really old?" "Yes, that was Abraham. He had to wait a long time for a baby. And after God gave him a son, He asked Abraham to sacrifice that son. Abraham was going to do that, but God stopped him and told him it had been a test to see how much Abraham trusted God." Mia bit her lip. "God kept His promise?" "Yes, Abraham had many, many descendants. King David was one of them, and the Bible says Jesus Himself is a son of Abraham." Mom smiled. "Through His promise to bless Abraham with many children, God also kept another promise. He promised to send a Savior to rescue His people." "Jesus!" Mia exclaimed. "I know that one. Jesus came as a baby and grew up so He could die for our sins." Mom nodded. "He sent Jesus to die for our sins and then raised Him from the dead. If we trust in Jesus, He promises that He will always be with us and that we will spend forever with Him. And God always keeps His promises." –Kimberly Brokish How About You? Has anyone ever broken a promise they made to you? Maybe it was a friend, a parent, or a teacher. It doesn't feel very nice when someone breaks a promise, does it? God will never break a promise. He promises to love us, help us, and always be with us, and He sent us a Savior so we can spend eternity with Him. How great is a promise like that? Today's Key Verse: All of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" (NLT) (2 Corinthians 1:20 ) Today's Key Thought: God always keeps His promises

Bible Reading: Psalm 94:18-19; John 14:27 BUZZ! Omari jumped as the timer went off. Mrs. Mary collected the tests. Omari's tummy rumbled, but this time he wasn't hungry. His mom told him that when he felt the nerve worm he should take deep breaths, so he did. But the wormy feelings returned on the bus ride home. As soon as Omari got home, he started to cry. His mom stopped preparing dinner and walked over to him. "Oh, sweetheart, what's the matter?" she asked, rubbing his back. "I-it's t-the worms," cried Omari. "Did you have another math test?" asked Mom. "Yes, and I forgot a lot of the answers!" Mom continued to rub his back, and she pointed at their puppy. Buddy was chasing his tail. He spun in circles, then tripped and thudded to the floor. Mom giggled. "Oh, Buddy, not again." Buddy whimpered, and Mom went over to pet him. She raised an eyebrow. "Did you see what Buddy did after he fell?" Omari nodded. "He called out for help." "Right," said Mom. "Then I went over to comfort and calm him. Do you know who else notices when we're in trouble? Jesus. Our situations might cause us to feel scared or anxious, but when we call out, He hears us." Mom pulled up Isaiah 41:10 on the Bible app on her phone. "He says, 'Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.'" A soft grin appeared on Omari's face. Then he sighed. "What if I'm still nervous and forget the answers again?" "When Jesus says He will be our help, that doesn't mean He will snap His fingers and make all our problems disappear. But, just like when I calmed Buddy, God will give us peace and comfort to make it through hard times." Mom gently squeezed his hand. "And when you take your next test, remember that Jesus loves you so much that He even died on a cross to save you! He won't leave you when you have the nerve worm." She tickled his tummy, and they giggled. –Toria Keyes How About You? Do the situations you encounter in life ever make you feel nervous or anxious? Before Jesus died to save us, He promised that He'd leave us with peace. We don't have to be troubled or afraid because He assures us that He will always be with us. No matter what your worry is, you can call on Him to give you comfort and peace. What are you worried about today? How can you remind yourself that God is there with you? Today's Key Verse: Don't be afraid, for I am with you…I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (NLT) (Jesus helps us in life’s troubles) Today's Key Thought: Isaiah 41:10

Bible Reading: Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:1-7; 1 John 4:12-13 "Time for dinner!" At the sound of Dad's voice, Paisley and Bridger paused the level in their video game and hurried to the kitchen. "What were you guys playing?" Dad asked as he set a bowl of veggies on the table. "It's an adventure game!" Bridger said. "We win coins by going on quests and completing challenges, and we meet all kinds of interesting characters. We even get to learn sword fighting and protect the realm from darkness!" Paisley poured glasses of water. "Is Mom eating with us?" "Yes, I am!" Mom entered the room. "Thanks for cooking dinner, I appreciate it." When they sat down to eat, Paisley took a long sip of water and sighed. "My life is boring in reality. I wish the things in that video game were real." "Or even things in the Bible, like the amazing miracles Jesus did," Bridger said. "I wish those things still happened now." "Now hold on," Mom countered. "Do you really think God doesn't do amazing miracles today?" Paisley and Bridger looked at each other and shrugged. "Did you know that every person who believes in Jesus has been raised from the dead?" asked Mom. "You mean we will be raised from the dead," Bridger corrected. "We will, but we've already been raised too," Dad said. "The moment you trusted Jesus as your Savior, He brought you from death to life. Right then and there." "But that makes no sense," Bridger said. "The Bible says every single person is dead in our sin," Mom explained. "That means our souls are dead. But the Spirit of God raised Jesus from the grave so that we could also be raised to life. That's what salvation means. When we believe, we are given new life--God's Spirit of life lives inside us. Our souls are raised from the dead, and one day our bodies will be too." "That is a miracle!" Paisley exclaimed. "And," Dad said, "God did all that because He loves us and wants us to be a part of His story, which is the most exciting story. Like your video game, there are challenges and lessons to be learned, but in the end, God will defeat darkness and all of evil forever!" Bridger grinned. "And that's way cooler than our game because it's real!" –Zoe Brickner How About You? Have you ever wondered if God still does miracles today? God has done spectacular miracles all throughout history, and many of them are recorded in the Bible. The most important miracle of all was when God raised Jesus from the dead so that we could have life! We get to experience this miracle for ourselves when we trust Jesus as our Savior. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.) Today's Key Verse: It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. (NKJV) (Galatians 2:20) Today's Key Thought: Salvation is a miracle

Bible Reading: Psalm 33:6-9; Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 3:11-13 Michael put the last touch of paint on his school project, set the brush down, and stood back to admire it. It had taken weeks of hard work, but he had put together a model farm that he was proud of. It had everything from a cornfield to pigs, cows, and chickens. The farmhouse looked good too, and Michael was excited to show it to his class. "Wow, you did great," his dad said when he came to inspect it that evening. Dad bent to take a closer look. "I love all the details." Michael beamed. "Thanks." He explained various parts of the farm and pointed to the things he liked best about it. Dad smiled as he straightened up. "You should be proud of your work." "I am," Michael said. "You love it?" Dad asked. Michael nodded enthusiastically. "I put so much work into it." "You know, this reminds me of something," Dad said. "What?" Michael asked. His dad was always making lessons out of things. Dad put a hand on his shoulder. "It reminds me of God's creation and His love for it--for us. Think about how He so carefully made the earth and everything in it. It's sort of like how you put effort into the farm." "The earth is much bigger than my tiny farm," Michael said. "But it's something you can relate to." Dad pointed at the project. "Whenever you wonder if God really loves you, think about how much love and care went into making this. You wouldn't want anything to destroy it, right?" Michael's eyes widened. "Of course not." "God doesn't want anything to destroy His creation either--the earth or the people He created. But we brought sin into the world, and sin is destructive--the Bible says sin results in death. So God's Son, Jesus, became one of us and died and rose again to save us from sin and death. Everyone who trusts in Him has eternal life, and one day Jesus will get rid of sin and death forever and make everything new again." Dad smiled. "That's how much He loves His creation." Michael looked at his project again. "It's pretty cool to think about it like that." "It is, isn't it?" Dad winked. –Bethany Acker How About You? Do you realize how much God loves the world He made and everything in it--including you? Jesus gave His life to save you from sin and death. Doesn't it feel good to know He loves you that much? He put a lot of care into creating everything He made, and He promises to make it new again one day so we can enjoy it with Him forever. Today's Key Verse: The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. (NIV) (Psalm 145:9) Today's Key Thought: God loves His creation

Bible Reading: Proverbs 17:27-28; 18:13 "Don't quit yet!" Jill begged her friend, but Elsie sat down and began unlacing her skates, saying she was cold. "It's not that cold!" said Jill. Elsie didn't answer, and Jill went back out on the ice. "Hey, Jill!" called Mila as she skated by. "My mom is driving some of us to the coffee shop down the street for hot chocolate. Do you and Elsie want to go?" "I'll check," said Jill. She spun around and returned to where Elsie was sitting. "Let's go with Mila to get some hot chocolate at the coffee shop--it will be nice and warm there!" But Elsie wasn't interested. Jill sighed. I wish I had come skating with somebody else, she thought. She's no fun at all today! When Jill got home, her mother was stirring a mixture in a bowl. "Oh, yum!" said Jill. "Cheesecake!" She picked up a spoon her mother had been using and quickly took a lick. "Ew!" she said, making a face. "What is this? I thought it was cream cheese." Mom laughed. "It's shortening. You jumped to a conclusion without learning the facts again." Jill knew she often did that. As Mom continued working, Jill told her about the problem with Elsie. "I think she's just looking for attention," said Jill. "Are you sure you haven't jumped to another wrong conclusion?" asked Mom. "Maybe something is bothering Elsie and she needs a patient, understanding friend to listen to her and see what's wrong." Jill just shrugged. "If something's wrong, why wouldn't she just tell me?" That evening, Mom came into Jill's room. "Jill, I talked with Elsie's mom a few minutes ago. Elsie's dad left home yesterday." "He did?" said Jill. "Where did he go?" "They don't know. Elsie's mom said he has a problem with alcohol and disappears occasionally. I thought you should know so you can pray for them and be there for Elsie." "Oh no," said Jill. "I did jump to conclusions again! No wonder Elsie was quiet today. When I see her tomorrow, I'll make sure she knows I'm her friend. And I'll pray for her--and for her dad!" "I will too," said Mom. "And I'll pray that Elsie will see the love of Jesus in the way you care for her as your friend." –Linda Weddle How About You? Do you care when a friend doesn't seem happy? Are you understanding and patient when someone doesn't seem interested in what's going on? Instead of jumping to conclusions, be sensitive and show them that you care. Jesus always listens to us, cares for us, and sits with us in tough times. Trust Him to help you be that kind of friend too. Today's Key Verse: Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. (NIV) (Proverbs 14:29) Today's Key Thought: Be understanding of others

Bible Reading: Philippians 2:3-8 Tristan beamed as he picked up a shoe from the display table. "This is the kind I want, Mom! All the guys are getting shoes like this. The special soles reduce the pounding you get from the gym floor." Tristan imagined what his friends would say if he showed up at practice wearing these shoes. He looked at his mother hopefully, but she was moving away. "How about this one?" Mom held up a shoe similar to the one Tristan was holding. Tristan made a face and shook his head. "Nobody buys that brand." Mom sighed in exasperation. "Tristan, I want to buy shoes you like, but I'm not going to pay a lot of money just so you can have a certain brand." "But I don't want any other shoes!" "Then you can get along with your old ones," Mom said, and she hurried him out of the store. "Who was at the door?" asked Mom later that night as she was cooking dinner. "It was Joey," Tristan said with a scowl. "He just came to show off his new skateboard. He just got one a few months ago, but he bought another one. He just got it to impress the guys." Mom looked surprised. "So we shouldn't buy things just to impress others?" Puzzled, Tristan shook his head. "Of course not." "But weren't you wanting to do the same thing with those shoes today?" asked Mom. "Didn't you want that brand just to impress other kids?" Tristan looked at the floor. "Well…maybe." Mom sighed. "I understand what it's like to want nice things, Tristan. But when we want to get things just to impress others, we need to remember where our worth comes from. People's opinions of us can change from one day to the next--they're fleeting, just like the things we own, which will eventually wear out or get lost or broken. But God's opinion of us never changes. Our value comes from the love He showed us by sending Jesus to save us from sin." Mom put a hand on Tristan's shoulder. "Instead of trying to impress people with what you have, let them know you by the way you treat them and show them God's love. They should know you by your heart, not your shoes." –Cynthia Y. Powell How About You? Do you want name-brand clothing and other things everybody else seems to have? It's good to dress your best and look nice, but that shouldn't be your focus in your interactions with others. Popular items come and go, along with what people think of you for owning them, but the way you treat others will stay in their minds long after. Instead of showing off things you have, show others the love you have in Jesus. Today's Key Verse: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. (NIV) (Philippians 2:3 ) Today's Key Thought: Don't dress to impress

Bible Reading: James 4:4-8; 1 Peter 5:8-10 Braelyn dropped her fishline over the side of the boat and watched the bait sink into the water. "That worm squirming on my hook looks so gross! How could a fish possibly want to eat it?" Dad chuckled. "It doesn't look very appealing to us, but to a fish, it's food." "I'd rather starve!" said Braelyn. Dad smiled. "You might look at it differently if you were a fish." Braelyn's brother Judson cast his line across the water. "The fish don't notice the sharp hook hidden inside the yummy-looking worms. All they think about is how good the worm will taste. They don't think about what might happen after they bite." "I guess not," said Braelyn. "If they knew they'd get hooked, they wouldn't bite, no matter how juicy the worm looked." "Maybe not, but they might," said Dad. "Sometimes we can be like fish." Braelyn grimaced. "You won't ever see me biting on a worm!" Dad laughed. "No, not a worm. But what about some other kind of bait? I'm thinking of times when there's something we really want to do, but we know it's wrong. You could say that Satan baits a hook with things that tempt us to make bad decisions." "So it's like Satan is fishing for us?" asked Judson. "Something like that," said Dad. "He likes to trick us by tempting us with things that look good. Unfortunately, it's easy to fall for his bait and end up making sinful choices that go against God and who He calls us to be as His children." A faint tug came from Braelyn's line, and she gasped. She reeled in a small bluegill and held it up. "Do I have to let it go?" Reaching for the fish's mouth, Dad said, "Let's give this fish a second chance." "Hey, that's like what Jesus does for us!" Judson exclaimed. "You're right!" said Dad. "Jesus died on the cross and rose again to free us from the power of sin and Satan. That means we can resist Satan's bait. And when we do sin, Jesus will always forgive us." "Next time I'm tempted to do something wrong, I'll remember these fish," said Braelyn. "And even if I get hooked, I know that Jesus will give me a second chance!" –Chip Montgomery How About You? Can you think of a time when you got hooked by the bait of sin? Maybe you were tempted by something that seemed good at first but turned out to be a trap that got you to do something wrong. When you give in to temptation, remember that Jesus will always forgive you when you confess your sin to Him. Because He has freed you from sin, and it holds no power over you anymore. Trust Him to help you resist Satan's bait. Today's Key Verse: Humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (NLT) (James 4:7) Today's Key Thought: Don't take Satan's bait

Bible Reading: Psalm 95:1-7; James 1:17 Stella trudged quietly home from the school bus stop. After three weeks of living with Grandma Ruth, Stella still hadn't made any friends on her new bus. Grandma Ruth kept reminding her that it takes time to build friendships. "I'm home, Grandma Ruth!" Stella called, opening the door to their apartment. "I have something to show you, sweetie!" Stella hung her backpack on a hook and hugged her grandmother. "What do you want me to see?" Stella asked. "Come here!" Grandma Ruth steered Stella to the tiny room they had converted into a bedroom for her. On the bed, Stella glimpsed a surprise. Her most cherished doll, Claudette, lay propped against the pillows wearing a new outfit: purple corduroy overalls and a pink shirt. It complemented the doll's chocolate-brown hair perfectly. Stella gasped. "Oh, Grandma Ruth! My favorite colors!" She rushed to the bed and cradled Claudette in her arms. Grandma Ruth sat next to Stella. "I'm glad you like it, honey--you outgrew those pants long ago. We'll buy you some clothes that fit better. But those pants made a great outfit for Claudette! I whipped that up on my sewing machine today." "Thank you, Grandma Ruth." Stella looked down, her smile fading. "What's wrong, sweetie?" "You let me come live with you, and you sewed new clothes for my doll. I don't have anything for you. All I can do is say thanks." Grandma Ruth put her arm around Stella. "That's all you need to say. I love you, and I'm so happy you're my granddaughter. You're also God's child, Stella. When you put your faith in Jesus as your Savior last summer, God forgave your sins and brought you into His family. And just like I'm happy to be your grandma, God is happy to be your Father." "He is?" "Yes, sweetie. He blesses us because He wants to, and we don't have to pay Him back for it. In fact, we could never pay God back for all He does for us." "So, I just say thanks to God?" Stella asked. "That's right! We can express our gratitude by thanking and praising Him for all He's done for us." Stella grinned. "Then let's say thanks to God right now!" –Allison Wilson Lee How About You? What do you do when saying thank you for a wonderful gift doesn't feel like enough? Maybe we think we must buy the giver a present to pay them back. But with God, we can trust that He shares His blessings with us because He wants to be good to His children. And the best we can say in response is simply, "Thank you!" Today's Key Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. (NIV) (1 Chronicles 16:34 ) Today's Key Thought: God loves a grateful heart

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "That doesn't go there, Jamar," Aisha chided, taking the jigsaw puzzle piece out of her baby brother's hand. "Put it here." She showed Jamar how to use the piece to complete the orange fish. Instead of doing what Aisha told him, however, Jamar put the piece into his mouth. Drool dribbled down his chin. "Stop that!" Aisha exclaimed. "You'll ruin it." She snatched back the puzzle piece and jammed it into place. She was beginning to regret agreeing to play with Jamar. Sometimes he could be a real pain. "Be patient, Aisha," Mom said. She was watching them from the door. "He's only two, after all." "But this is taking forever," Aisha moaned. "I'll just do it myself." She picked up two more of the wooden puzzle pieces and began putting the puzzle together alone. Mom came into the room and sat down beside them. "Give him another chance, Aisha," she urged. Aisha didn't see the point, but she handed a piece to her brother. "Put this piece over there, Jamar," she said. At first Jamar held the piece upside down, then backwards. But eventually, he turned it over and put it into place. Aisha clapped her hands excitedly. "Good job, Jamar!" Jamar beamed with pride. Aisha forgot about being frustrated with her baby brother for a moment, and together they finished the puzzle. As soon as they were done, Jamar lost interest and toddled off to play blocks. "You know," Mom said, "watching you and Jamar reminds me of how I feel with God sometimes." Aisha frowned. "Really?" "I feel impatient when things in my life don't change as fast as I want them to," Mom explained. "It can be hard to wait for His answers instead of trying to force my own way. But we can trust God with the end result." Mom turned the finished puzzle around. Aisha smiled down at the colorful picture of silly sea life. It was still a little soggy from being in Jamar's mouth, but it looked much better than the jumbled mess of pieces it was before. "Even though we're not always patient, God is patient with us," said Mom. "He is patiently working in our hearts to make us more like Jesus, and we can trust Him to fit all the pieces of our lives together." –Christa Hogan How About You? Do you have trouble being patient? Even adults have this problem sometimes. But patience is important in life and in our faith. God loves us, and He is always at work, even if we can't see what He's doing. He's patient with us as we grow, and we can trust that the end result will be worth the wait. Today's Key Verse: The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. (NIV) (Ecclesiastes 7:8) Today's Key Thought: Practice patience

Bible Reading: Romans 1:14-17 Peter raced into the house after another day at his new school. "Mom! Guess what! I made some more friends today--Mateo and Rhett! They both live on the same block as us. Can they come over to play basketball?" "Sure," said Mom. "What about the boy you were talking to at the bus stop this morning? He lives nearby--maybe he'd want to come over too." "Oh, that's Graham," said Peter. "He's also one of my friends, but some of the kids make fun of him, so a lot of the others avoid him too. It's kind of sad." Mom nodded. "It's a shame they'd miss out on a friend just because they're concerned about what others think." She started slicing some carrots. "By the way, don't forget that our church program starts tonight. We'll be having dinner a little early." "Um, maybe I should skip this week," Peter said slowly. "Mateo and Rhett will be here, and I don't want to send them home early and have to explain why." "Why not?" asked Mom. "Are you afraid they might laugh at you?" Peter shrugged and looked at the floor. Mom sighed. "Okay," she said, to Peter's surprise--he wasn't expecting her to say yes. "You can stay home, but then I don't want to see you talking to Graham at the bus stop tomorrow morning. Just ignore him." Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Mom, that's so mean! Graham's my friend! Why would I do that?" "Well, isn't Jesus your friend too? A friend who sacrificed His own life on the cross to save you. Yet you don't want your new friends to know about Him because they might make fun of you." Peter was quiet. "I guess you're right," he said after a moment. "I want the kids at school to know I'm friends with Graham, and I want them to know I'm friends with Jesus too." A little later, Mateo and Rhett arrived. "Let's get a game going, Peter," said Rhett. "We can't stay very long--we have church tonight." "Yeah," said Mateo. "And our friend Graham is on his way over too. You'll like him, he's a lot of fun." Peter and Mom looked at each other and smiled. –Cynthia Y. Powell How About You? Do your friends know that you're a Christian? Or do you keep your friendship with Jesus a secret so they won't laugh? No earthly friend could ever be as important as Jesus. He gave His life for you and will always be with you, no matter what you go through. Never be ashamed to let others know He's your friend. Today's Key Verse: I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes. (NLT) (Romans 1:16 ) Today's Key Thought: Let others know Jesus is your friend

Bible Reading: Mark 10:45; 1 Peter 4:8-10 "Daniel, Daniel!" Daniel's little brother and sister came zooming into the room. "Will you play store with us? Please?" Daniel smiled. "Okay, sure." Eli and Alessia often begged Daniel to play store with them, but Daniel didn't mind. Their grandfather owned a hardware store, and the kids loved to visit and see people buy all sorts of interesting things. Customers asked a lot of questions, and Grandpa was always happy to help them. Daniel followed his brother and sister to where they had a make-believe store set up. "Eli and I will be the customers," Alessia said. She put a toy phone to her ear. "Ring, ring!" Daniel picked up the other end. "Hello, how may I help you?" That was how Grandpa answered the phone. As Daniel was helping Eli and Alessia choose things to buy, Dad came in. "Okay, kids, time to go to the nursing home. Families from church are taking turns visiting, and tonight's our night." Daniel frowned. "Couldn't just you and Mom go?" Dad shook his head. "The people look forward to our visits, and they especially like seeing kids. It brightens their whole day." "Well, it doesn't brighten my day," said Daniel. He expected Dad to scold him, but instead, Dad changed the subject. "Daniel, how does Grandpa answer the phone at the store?" "He says, 'How may I help you?'" Daniel replied. Dad nodded. "Yes, and I've heard you answer the same way when you're playing store with Eli and Alessia. It's a good way to show that you're willing and eager to help someone. Now, is there a way you could ask God that same question that's used to answer the phone?" "What do you mean?" asked Daniel. "In the Bible we learn that God wants His followers to serve Him and others willingly," Dad explained. "Jesus eagerly served everyone He encountered--He even sacrificed His own life to save us. And He's given us the Holy Spirit to help us love others the way He does, which means we can serve others with a willing heart too." Daniel thought for a minute. "I guess you're right," he said. "If I asked God how I could help Him today, He'd want me to go to the nursing home." –Carolyn E. Yost How About You? What's your attitude when you serve the Lord? When you're asked to help out at home or visit someone who's sick, do you do it willingly? Jesus loves us so much that He became the greatest servant of all by sacrificing Himself for us. When we serve God by helping others, we show other people His love. Take a moment and ask God in prayer, "How may I help you?" Today's Key Verse: Serve [God] with a loyal heart and with a willing mind. (NKJV) (1 Chronicles 28:9) Today's Key Thought: Serve God willingly

Bible Reading: Mark 4:9-12; Romans 10:17 "We had a new girl in our class at church today," Josephine said as she set the table for lunch. "Her name is Lauren, and she's deaf. She reads lips." Mom nodded. "I met her mother. Their family moved here recently." She set a plate of vegetables on the table. "Just last week I read an article that said several million people in our country are either totally deaf or can't hear as well as they should." "Nolan doesn't hear as well as he should." Josephine smirked at her brother. "He only hears when he wants to. He hears just fine when somebody mentions dessert, but he doesn't seem to hear when someone mentions chores that need to be done." Nolan smirked back. "You're one to talk!" "I guess we're all guilty of that once in a while," Dad said. "It's called selective hearing--only hearing what you want to hear." He started pouring water into the glasses on the table. "Sadly, some of us who have perfectly good hearing are deaf in another way--we're spiritually deaf." "Spiritually deaf?" asked Josephine. "What does that mean?" "It means failing to hear and understand what God has to say," said Dad. "He invites everyone to trust in Jesus and be saved, but many people don't seem to hear Him. In the Bible, God speaks of His love for us, the dangers of sin, and how we can have the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through His Son, Jesus. Many of us might hear these words with our ears but not understand them with our hearts. It's as though we're deaf to what He's saying." "Even Christians have trouble listening to God's words and obeying them," said Mom. "Though we trust in Jesus, we sometimes don't want to listen to what He has to say to us through prayer, reading the Bible, and meeting with other Christians. We seem to quit listening--especially if we're afraid we'll hear something from God that we don't like." "I guess that would be like what Dad said we're guilty of," said Nolan. "Selective hearing." "That's right," said Dad. "Thankfully, God is patient with us when we don't listen and gives each Christian the Holy Spirit to open our ears to His voice." –Phyllis I. Klomparens How About You? Are you spiritually deaf or hard of hearing? Are you ignoring what God says in the Bible about how you can be saved from sin by trusting in Jesus? If you do trust in Jesus, are you neglecting spiritual habits like prayer and going to church that help you listen to what He wants to say to you about your life? Trust God to help you hear Him better so you can listen, understand, and obey. Today's Key Verse: I will hear what God the Lord will speak. (NKJV) (Psalm 85:8) Today's Key Thought: Always listen to God

Bible Reading: John 14:1-6 Adelyn looked around her empty room. She brushed her hand across the mural Dad had painted on the wall one last time, then picked up the last box and brought it out to the truck. When Mom pulled the truck door down with a loud rumble, Adelyn couldn't help it. She burst into tears. Mom pulled her close. "It's going to be okay, Adelyn," she said in a hoarse voice as Adelyn sobbed into her shoulder. Mom was crying too. "I don't get it," said Adelyn. "Why do we have to leave our house?" "Because the bank lent us the money to buy the house, but after your dad died, paying back the loan on my own became too hard. So now they're taking back the house." She stroked Adelyn's hair. "I know it's hard to leave the house you grew up in, especially with all its memories of your dad, but we don't have a choice. We'll live with Grandma and Grandpa for a while, then you and I will find a nice apartment." "But I don't want to live in an apartment!" said Adelyn, barely able to get the words out through her tears. "I want to live here! This is where you and Dad and I always lived. This is our true home!" "Oh, Adelyn," said Mom. "This isn't our true home--it never was. It was a wonderful place to live, but it was never meant to last forever. As Christians, our true home is with Jesus. He is with us now, and when we finally see Him face-to-face in heaven, it will be better than anything we could possibly imagine! And you know what the best part is?" "What?" asked Adelyn, wiping her eyes. "Our eternal home has already been paid for! We could never afford it ourselves, but Jesus gave His life so we could live with Him forever." Mom led Adelyn to the door of the truck. "I know how hard this is--it's hard for me too. Jesus said we'd have trouble in this world, and it's okay to feel sad about it. But don't lose sight of your true home. Jesus will be with you through all of life's troubles and promises you a home with Him forever." –Courtney Lasater How About You? Have you experienced pain or sadness in your life? Maybe you lost someone close to you or had to move away from a place you loved. Whatever it is, you don't have to go through it alone. If you know Jesus, He promises to always be with you and to one day bring you to your eternal home, where you'll never feel pain or sadness again. Your true home is with Him. Today's Key Verse: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (NIV) (John 16:33 ) Today's Key Thought: Christians have a home with Jesus

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:13-16; Luke 8:16; John 5:24 "Help! It's not working! Troooooy!" Troy stepped into the kitchen to see his little sister's hands covered in purple glue. "Crafting again, Emmy? What are you trying to do?" Emma blew a curl off her forehead in frustration. "I'm trying to make slime! I have glue, water, and baking soda. Look at this, it's just a sticky mess! Not slimy at all." "You forgot the activator." Troy pointed to step four of the recipe. "You need contact lens solution--I'll get you some of mine." "What does an activator do?" Emma asked when Troy returned with the missing ingredient. "An activator reacts with the rest of your ingredients and transforms them into something new--in this case, slime! Slime happens when you mix the liquid substance in your glue with the boric acid in an activator. This fun transformation is called cross-linking." Troy added the activator to his sister's bowl and watched her stir it in. "It's so slimy!" Emma held her slime in front of Troy's face with a grin. "Thanks for helping me!" "No problem, sis. Hey, did you know that you helped me?" "I did?" Emma poked her slime. "How?" "Before you called for help, I was thinking about some friends of mine. They don't know Jesus and have started doing some stuff that's not good for them. Instead of talking to them about it, I just stayed away from them. But God used your slime project to remind me that I should do something different." "What's that?" Emma asked. "Since I have God's Spirit in me, I can be an activator to those around me who are in darkness. I have His light, and I need to shine it to others. I don't have to participate in the wrong things my friends are doing, but I can choose to show them a better way. I can tell my friends about a different kind of cross-linking: Jesus died on the cross and rose again so we could cross over from death to life and be transformed!" Emma raised her slime in the air. "Activators make everything better!" –Savannah Coleman How About You? Are you allowing God to use you as an activator to those He has placed in your life? Jesus said that those who trust in Him are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If we hide the light of Jesus within us, how will those who are lost come to know Him? Trust God for courage to be an activator for Him and shine His light to those around you. Today's Key Verse: In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV) (Matthew 5:16) Today's Key Thought: Be an activator in the world

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 105:42-45; Romans 8:32 "I'm getting mint chocolate chip!" Peyton said as he climbed into the van. "Two scoops!" Ian was right behind him. "I'm getting orange sherbet with sprinkles!" "And I," said Dad, "am getting the biggest fudge sundae you've ever seen." "Hey!" said Peyton. "You didn't get a good report card." "No, but I promised everybody ice cream after a good first half of the school year," said Dad. "And since I'm driving, that includes me. Now buckle in, we have a few stops to make first." They watched longingly out the window as Dad drove past the ice cream shop. But after the grocery store, gas station, and library, Peyton and Ian grew worried. When Dad drove by the only other ice cream shop in town, Ian frowned and crossed his arms. "He broke his promise," he whispered to Peyton. Peyton swallowed. "Um, Dad? Are you mad at us?" Dad met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "What makes you think that?" "Well, because you changed your mind about ice cream. There are no more ice cream shops." Peyton looked out his window. "Where are we, anyway?" Dad was about to respond when Ian spoke up. "Look, a big sign with a cow on it! Ice cream!" Dad pulled in and parked the car. "Best ice cream for miles. A bit of a drive, but I thought you two deserved something special." "You didn't lie to us!" said Ian. "Of course not," said Dad. "It was just taking so long," said Peyton. "And we've never been this way before." Dad smiled. "I understand. You know, God also takes us places we've never been. When it seems like it's taking a long time, it's easy to forget His promises too." "I did wonder where you were taking us," said Ian, eyeing a big jar of sprinkles behind the counter. "And we might wonder the same thing about God," said Dad. "But God never lies. He fulfilled His promise to save us by sending us His own Son, and He will always keep His promise to love and care for us, even when we struggle to trust Him." Dad led the boys up to the counter. "Now, pick what you want. I promise it'll be some of the best ice cream you've ever had!" –Kelly Carlson How About You? Do you ever feel like God is breaking His promise to take care of you and do what's best for you? In the Bible, God proved He was faithful in His promise to send Jesus to save us from our sins and restore our relationship with Him. His promise for you today is that He will always be with you. No matter what you're going through, you can trust that He will never let you down. Today's Key Verse: He will remember his agreement forever. He will always keep the promises he made to his people. (ERV) (Psalm 105:8 ) Today's Key Thought: God keeps His promises

Bible Reading: Romans 5:3-5; Galatians 5:22-25 "You take the sword, Leo, and be ready when I storm the castle," Javier instructed as he slipped on his dragon mask. His little brother nodded, put on his knight helmet, and paced back and forth in front of the tent. Javier ran off and disappeared from Leo's view, crouching behind a bush. Then he crawled back to the tent and quietly entered it from the back, unnoticed by Knight Leo. "RAAAAAAWR!" Javier bellowed. "This is my castle now! Flames! Run for your life, knight!" He continued to yell as loud as he could as he ran at his brother. Leo threw his helmet down and dropped his sword. "That's not fair!" he exclaimed. "You came from behind. I wasn't ready for you!" Javier ripped off his mask. "Oh, come on, Leo! Knights don't throw their helmets down and whine. I hate playing with you, you always wreck everything!" "Whoa, you are a fiery dragon," Mom said as she came over at the yelling. "Calm down, Javier. Don't treat Leo that way." "But he does this every time! When we played astronauts and the aliens came, he threw a fit. When we played superheroes and the villain caught him, he started crying. Superheroes don't cry, Mom!" "I know, Javier," Mom said. "Leo just has some trouble staying in character." She turned to Leo. "Javier has a point, Leo. When you're playing pretend, it's more fun if everyone stays in character." She turned back to Javier. "But you're also acting out of character when you talk to Leo like that." "But he makes me so mad!" said Javier. "All the more reason to stay in character," said Mom. "It's easy to be kind when everything goes smoothly. It's when things don't go our way that we need to remember who we are as followers of Jesus. He defines our true character. He has freed us from sin and given us the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and is helping us become more like Jesus. Remember that the next time you're tempted to do something wrong--like lash out at Leo in anger. Jesus wants us to love others the way He loves us." Javier looked at his brother. "Sorry, Leo," he said. "I didn't mean to be such a dragon." –Kelly Bakshi How About You? Do you ever act out of character? Do you have moments when you treat others poorly or do things you know are wrong? If you're a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit in you so that you can show other people the good, gentle, and gracious character of Jesus. That's who you are--a forgiven child of God who is becoming more like Jesus every day. Trust God to help you stay in character and show His love to others. Today's Key Verse: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (NIV) (Galatians 5:25 ) Today's Key Thought: Stay true to who you are in Jesus

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6 "Well, if that's the way you're going to be, I'll just find someone else to do my science project with!" Will turned and walked away from Torin and Carlos before they had a chance to respond. At dinner, Will was still angry. "Torin and Carlos won't listen to me," he told his dad. "They want to change the whole science project. I don't care what they say. I like the way I planned it." "Sounds like you're having trouble flying in formation," said Dad. "Huh?" Will frowned. "What are you talking about?" "Remember when we saw the Navy's flying team perform at the air show last week? How far apart were those six jets?" "They were really close!" said Will. "I think the announcer said they sometimes were within three feet of each other." He remembered the thrill of watching the shiny blue and yellow jets. "When the leader moved in a certain direction, they all moved that way. If they didn't, they'd be in big trouble." "Right," said Dad. "Flying in formation like that takes real teamwork! But doing a good job on any group project requires teamwork--and that includes your science project. You need to work together as a team." "But they won't listen to me!" said Will. "Well, they should listen to your ideas," said Dad. "But you should also listen to theirs. Have you done that? Have you really thought about whose ideas would work the best?" Will sighed. "I guess not. I'll talk to Carlos and Torin and see if they'll still let me work with them." "Good," said Dad. "You know, this reminds me of how Christians need to fly in formation too. Since you know Jesus, you're part of His team of believers--the church. As Christians, we need to work together to help more people know about Jesus. But we can't do that if we're only thinking of ourselves and what we want." "We need to be like Jesus, right?" asked Will. "Right," said Dad. "We need to show one another the kind of love He shows us, and that includes listening to each other's ideas and being patient and understanding. When we do that, others will see God's love in us and want to know more about Jesus." –Diane Hesselberg How About You? Do you have a hard time working as part of a team? Do you get upset when others don't agree with your ideas? Remember that God wants Christians to work together in unity. Ephesians 4:2 says to be humble, gentle, and patient as we bear with one another in love. Share your ideas, but also listen to other people's suggestions so you can work as a team in love and unity. Today's Key Verse: How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! (NIV) (Psalm 133:1) Today's Key Thought: Work in unity with others

Bible Reading: Mark 12:41-44 Malia jingled the coins in her pocket. She liked the sound they made. She called it her Sunday song because she often jingled coins before Sunday school started each week. Malia earned her own money for offerings, but lately she hadn't been able to find many jobs, so the amount she could give had become smaller and smaller. Antonio, the boy sitting next to her, saw her put the coins into the offering plate and snickered. "Is that all you have?" he asked loudly. "Why even bother?" Malia felt her face grow hot. She put her head down and didn't answer. When Malia got home, she told her mother what Antonio had said. "I guess he was right," she said with a sigh. "I think my offering was the smallest one anybody had today." Mom raised her eyebrows. "I think your first mistake was to compare your offering to what the other kids gave. We should never give just to impress others. Tell me--what does Jesus think about what you gave?" Malia shrugged. Mom was quiet for a moment. "Malia, at your birthday party last month, your friends gave you presents. Were the gifts all the same, or were some smaller than others?" "The gifts? They were all different, of course," said Malia. "Why?" "Well, are the kids who gave you the nicest presents the ones you like best now?" asked Mom. Malia shook her head. "It doesn't matter what they brought. Izzy's dad had been sick a long time, so she couldn't spend much on a present, but who cares? It wouldn't have mattered if she hadn't brought anything at all. She's my best friend!" "I know," said Mom. "And you're Jesus's friend--He loves you so much that He died for your sins and rose from the dead to save you! And He's pleased with any gift you give Him from your heart out of gratitude for what He's done for you." "Just like I'm happy with Izzy's present," Malia said, smiling. "Before the party, Izzy said she didn't know if she should even come. She was afraid of what the other kids would think of her gift. But I told her I would love any gift she brought me because she's my friend." –Brenda K. Good How About You? Are you afraid that your gifts to the Lord aren't good enough? Do they seem small compared to what other people can give? Remember that Jesus sees your heart. Your desire to give to Him out of love and gratitude for what He's done for you is what matters--whether it's through giving money or serving in other ways. God knows your circumstances, and He loves any gift you're able to give Him because you are His friend. Today's Key Verse: According to their ability, they gave. (NKJV) (Ezra 2:69) Today's Key Thought: God accepts your gifts

Bible Reading: 1 John 4:7-11 "How about a break?" said Dad. He stopped pedaling, leaned his bike against a tree, and then plopped onto the park bench beside the bike trail. "Good idea!" said James. "I'm tired and thirsty!" He and Dad took water bottles from their bikes. Dad also pulled two granola bars from his bike bag and handed one to James. As James removed the wrapper, a piece of granola fell to the ground. A tiny ant appeared and tried to whisk it away. James watched as the ant tried again and again, but the piece was just too large for it to handle. A moment later, a mass of scurrying ants appeared. They worked together, lifting and dropping the chunk several times until it fell apart. Then each ant seized a small piece, and they all ran off in the same direction. "Did you see that?" asked James. "That ant needed help--and he got it!" "He sure did," said Dad. "That's a good example of how we should act as Christians." James looked at Dad. "You mean we should help each other, right? Like when that big storm ripped shingles off our garage roof last summer and a bunch of guys from church helped repair it. With all their help, it didn't take very long before it was fixed. A big job became a small one--just like with the ants." Dad nodded. "I'm sure the guys from church didn't think about it at the time, but they were demonstrating to our neighbors the love Christians should have for each other." "But aren't we supposed to show God's love by helping people who don't know Jesus too?" asked James. "Yes," said Dad. "Helping those who don't know Jesus can be a powerful way to show them who He is and what He's like, and helping other Christians can too." Dad and James got up and put on their helmets. "Mr. Locke next door was so impressed by what our church friends did to help with our roof that he wanted to know more about our church," added Dad. "I explained that we love one another because Jesus loves us--so much that He died for our sins and rose again. I'm praying that Mr. Locke will soon know Jesus too." –Eunice C. Matchett How About You? Can people see God's love in your willingness to help others? By having a kind, helpful attitude, you can show others that you belong to Jesus. When people see you do things like help a neighbor rake their yard or show a new kid around school or church, they see the love that Jesus has put in your heart--and some of them might decide they want Jesus in their lives too. Today's Key Verse: As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (NKJV) (Galatians 6:10) Today's Key Thought: Show God's love