How to get the most out of your KEYS FOR KIDS

How to get the most out of your
KEYS FOR KIDS
1. If you miss a day, don’t panic! Try to keep up with each
insert current
day’s reading—but if you miss one, you can do two pages
cover picture
the next day! (If miss quite a few, you can always pick up
in black and
on the current date and keep going.)
white
2. Be sure to read the Bible verses listed under the title.
If you read them both before and after you read the Keys
story, you'll get more out of it.
3. Now you’re ready for the story! See if you can tell how
the story helps you understand the verses you just read.
4. Really think about the questions that follow each story. If you can, talk about them
with your parents or your Sunday school teacher or a friend.
5. Read the Key Verse. Then read it again a few times! Try to repeat it with your eyes
closed (no peeking). Later, try to repeat it during your prayer time, and ask God to
help you keep His Word in your heart.
Make your time with God something you do every day!
Keys for Kids stories authored by: Carol Albrecht, Kelly Bean, Holly F. Cepeda, Karen E.
Cogan, Mike A. Dize, Jorlyn Grasser, Cynthia M. Grabill, Jeanne K. Grieser, Lynn Hansen,
Linda Hentschel, Vera Hutchcroft, Ruth I. Jay, Sally A. Kerber, Alice Klopstra, Sherry L. Kuyt,
Karen R. Locklear, Richard S. Maffeo, Lorna B. Marlowe, Hazel W. Marett, Sally Matheny, Ray
Merritt, Robyn Mulder, Raelene E. Phillips, Nancy K. Potter, Rachel Reimer, Deana L. Rogers,
Lucinda J. Rollings, Catherine Runyon, Susan Sauers, Dorothy Skinner, Heather Tekavec,
Charlie VanderMeer, Linda M. Weddle, Barbara J, Westberg, Carolyn E. Yost
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Keys for Kids is a publication of CBH Ministries. All rights reserved.
© 2013 CBH Ministries Box 1001, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501-1001 Printed quarterly in the USA
Here’s how you can have Keys for Kids mailed to you quarterly.
U.S. and Canada:
Subscribe for one free book per household for one year. To sign up,
use the order form at the end of the first month.
Quantities of 2-10 Keys for Kids books are $1.50 per book (includes
shipping), and they are available for either a one-time order or a
one-year subscription. Orders must be pre-paid.
Quantities of 11 or more are $0.75 each plus shipping and handling
and are available for either a one-time order or for automatic shipment
every quarter. For shipping costs, visit our website or call us.
Foreign:
Quantities of 1-10 copies sent to addresses outside the U.S. and
Canada are $1.50 per book (includes shipping).
Quantities of 11 or more are $0.75 each plus shipping and handling.
All foreign shipments must be paid in advance with U.S. funds.
Any order can be placed on our website: www.cbhministries.org
Or call toll free 1-888-224-2324
Mailing address: CBH Ministries, Box 1001, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1001
Street address: 2065 Three Mile Rd NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544-1427
Our mailing lists are confidential and are not sold or used for commercial purposes.
Executive Director: Mrs. Terre K. Ritchie
Designer: Deborah Marett
© 2013 CBH Ministries
Puzzles: Geri Walcott
Box 1001
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501-1001
Printed quarterly in the USA
Editors: Hazel Marett
Geri Walcott
Kristen Gearhart
Table of Contents
TITLE
KEY
JANUARY
In Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Exercise spiritually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
New Skin and New Habits . . . . .Shed old, bad habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Finding the Way . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jesus is God’s light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
A Heart of Beauty . . . . . . . . . . .Inner beauty is what matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Tie a Yellow Ribbon . . . . . . . . . .Return to the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Back to the Beginning . . . . . . . .Restore friendships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Truly Sorry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Turn from sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Worth the Wait . . . . . . . . . . . . .Plant the seed of God’s Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Surprise! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God answers prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Forgiveness Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . .Make things right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
The Wax Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . .Accept Jesus now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Cameron's Lie . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Confess sin immediately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
How Many Bibles? . . . . . . . . . . .Appreciate your Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Noisy Kids! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be polite in church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Noisy Kids! (Cont'd.) . . . . . . . . .Grow in knowledge of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Roller Coasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Trust God through ups and downs . . . . . . . . .16
Liftoff! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be ready for liftoff with Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The Snowstorm . . . . . . . . . . . . .Follow people who love Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Fame and Fortune . . . . . . . . . . .Serve God in whatever you do . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Hungry People . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be sure to get spiritual food . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Grounded for Good . . . . . . . . . .Discipline is for your good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Gone Fishin' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be a fisher of men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Gone Fishin' (Cont'd.) . . . . . . . .Witness with patience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Ugly Brown Shoes . . . . . . . . . . .Show God’s love to everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
The Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jesus is the only way to heaven . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Do It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Do what you promise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Loyal as a Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be loyal to God; accept His way . . . . . . . . . . .27
Watch Your Step! . . . . . . . . . . . .Walk carefully and wisely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Weight Watchers . . . . . . . . . . . .Get rid of sinful weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
False Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christians must have Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Friends of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grow in friendship with God . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
FEBRUARY
Sharpened Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . .Use your sword—the Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
A Clean Uniform . . . . . . . . . . . .Develop a forgiving spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Leftovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Give your best to God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The Broken Thumb . . . . . . . . . .You are important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Wrong Reaction . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be a faithful witness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Alligator Lies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tell the truth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Nobody's Perfect . . . . . . . . . . . .Sin cannot enter heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
In Your Head and Heart . . . . . .Memorize Bible verses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Who Sees? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God sees everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
A Dirty Mouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Guard your speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Secret Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Give secretly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Love or Tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . .Love is more important than tolerance . . . . . .12
A Better Comparison . . . . . . . . .Compare yourself with Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
A New Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Let Jesus live in you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Old and Honorable . . . . . . . . . .Honor your parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Does It Pay? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keep doing what is right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Just Like Dad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Imitate Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Watch Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Avoid sinful situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Louder Than Words . . . . . . . . . .Real faith is seen in actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Bumper Sticker Warning . . . . . .Life is short; make sure of heaven . . . . . . . . . .20
Regular Care Needed . . . . . . . . .Read God's Word regularly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
You First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Let others be first . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
A Promise Is a Promise . . . . . . . .Always keep your promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
View from the Top . . . . . . . . . . .Trust God on ordinary days . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
No Looking Back . . . . . . . . . . . .Don’t look back to old pleasures . . . . . . . . . . .25
Old Mossback . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be a good neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
The Math Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Give your worries to God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Foolish Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don't put off salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
MARCH
Busy Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don’t send God busy signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Theo’s Science Lesson . . . . . . . .God created everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
The Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Trust God to direct your life . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The Bride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Live a pure life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
The Bride (Cont'd.) . . . . . . . . . .Marriage is for life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Jana's Passport . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Salvation is a personal choice . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
It Takes Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . .Practice Bible reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Short Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God made you just right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Idol Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Worship the true God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Different but Needed . . . . . . . . .Your talents are needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Under His Wings . . . . . . . . . . . .Take refuge in God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Numbed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Enjoy the taste of God’s Word . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Grandfather's Will . . . . . . . . . . .Claim your inheritance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Jack’s Bug Collection . . . . . . . . .Use words to encourage others . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Jack’s Bug Collection (Cont'd.) . .Let your light shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
On Thin Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Witness by doing what’s right . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Personal Cheerleader . . . . . . . . .God is for you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Polish the Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . .Be clean inside and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
The Best Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don’t skip Bible reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Look to the Ants . . . . . . . . . . . .Work faithfully for God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Fleas and Friendships . . . . . . . . .Choose friends carefully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Two Cameras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Look at good things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Two Radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Listen to good things . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Ragamuffin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jesus loves sinners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Ragamuffin (Cont'd.) . . . . . . . .Show your love for God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Shining Like the Moon . . . . . . .Give God glory for all you can do . . . . . . . . .26
Wilted Buds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God’s way is best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
The Way to Give . . . . . . . . . . . .Give cheerfully . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Can Right Be Wrong? . . . . . . . .Don't be a stumbling block . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Something Beautiful . . . . . . . . .Trust God with your life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Alive Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .God will raise the dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
In Shape
Read: 1 Timothy 4:7-9
January
1
“I don’t know whose idea it was to have a mini-band camp during Christmas
vacation!” exclaimed Drew when he got back home. “I vote to keep it in
summer as usual after this. I am so-o-o tired! We had to get up early every
morning for a march before breakfast—and after breakfast, we marched again!
And one day, I played my trumpet so long and hard that I split my lip.”
“Didn’t you have any fun?” asked Drew’s little sister.
Drew grinned. “Sure, Kadie. One night we had a huge pillow fight,” he said.
“We did a few other fun things, too, but we sure worked hard most of the time.”
After his first week back at school, Drew decided all those hours of practice
had done some good. “A lot of kids complain about all the marching we do,
practicing for the big Start-of-the-Year parade the town always has,” he said,
“but it doesn’t bother me. I can hold high notes much longer now, too.”
The following week, Drew twisted his ankle in gym class, and the school
nurse said to stay off it for several days. “Poor Drew!” sympathized Kadie.
Drew shrugged. “I kinda hate to miss band,” he
said, “but at least I’ll miss only a couple of days.”
However, just before Drew was ready to go back to
school, he came down with the flu. That worried
him a little. “Missing a few days of practice is one
thing, but I want to march in that parade!” he
Key Verse
said. “I hope nothing else bad happens.” To Drew’s
Exercise yourself
relief, nothing did, and he returned to school on
toward godliness.
the day of the parade.
1 Timothy 4:7
“Are you sure you’re in shape for marching?” Mr.
Artez, the band director, asked him.
“No problem! I can do it,” insisted Drew. And when they began marching,
he started briskly. But he couldn’t believe how tired it made him! I am out of
shape, he thought, and he was very glad to reach the end of the parade route.
At church that week, Drew found Pastor Stowe’s message interesting. “We
don’t have to do anything to get out of shape,” said the pastor, “but we must
exercise regularly to stay in shape.” After what happened in band, I sure can
relate to that, Drew thought. “And,” continued Pastor Stowe, “our spiritual lives
and our physical lives are alike in that way. Daily physical exercise is important,
but let’s be especially mindful that spiritual exercise is needed, too.”
Exercise
spiritually
Are you in shape physically? To stay in shape you need enough exercise to build your muscles.
So . . . in this new year, take part in some physical activity—perhaps run, lift weights, or play outdoor
games. More importantly, be sure to stay in shape spiritually. Do all you can to build your faith
through exercising spiritually. Read your Bible and pray daily, listen to your pastor and Sunday school
teachers, and discuss God’s Word with parents and friends.
A Whole
365 Days
8,760 Hours
525,600 Minutes
What will you do with the minutes, hours, and days God
gives you in the coming year? Fill in the blanks in the acrostic
below to make the words in the Word Box on the right. (Not
all the words are used, so be careful.) You exercise spiritually
and develop habits that please God when you make these a
part of your life.
1. H __ __ __ people in need.
2. __ __ A __ the Bible.
3. P __ __ __ .
4. Sing P __ __ __ __ __ __ .
5. Give __ __ __ __ Y to help others.
Word Box
OBEY
KIND
HONEST
LOVE
WORSHIP
HELP
SHARE
PRAY
6. Be __ __ N __ .
7. __ __ __ E God and others.
8. W __ __ __ __ __ __ God.
EXAMPLE
LEARN
MONEY
TRUST
9. __ __ __ Y God.
WORK
10. Be __ __ __ E __ __ .
READ
11. Set a good __ __ A __ __ __ __ .
12. __ R __ __ __ God.
SERVE
PRAISES
by Jane Landreth Copyright (c) 2003 Bible Pathways for Kids, Issue 5. Used by permission.
New Skin and New Habits
Read: Colossians 3:8-14
January
2
“Grandma! Grandpa!” called Janie and Tyler as they ran outside to greet their
grandparents, who had just pulled into the driveway.
Grandma gave them each a big hug. “We missed you while you were on
vacation!” she exclaimed. “Did you have a good trip?”
“We sure did—and come see what we brought home,” said Tyler. He and
Janie led their grandparents into the family room. “Look,” said Tyler, pointing
to a covered glass bowl filled with living green plants.
“Nice plants,” Grandpa said. “Very nice.”
“Look again, Grandpa,” suggested Janie. “Look right there.” She pointed to
a small branch resting on the bottom of the bowl.
Grandpa looked where Janie pointed. “Oh, I see it now,” said Grandpa. “It’s
a chameleon, isn’t it?”
“It looks almost like a little leaf,” Grandma said in amazement.
Janie grinned. “My Sunday school teacher says God gave chameleons
camouflage uniforms so they can blend in with
their surroundings.”
“Know what else we learned about them?” asked
Tyler. “My science book says their skin doesn’t
grow like their bodies do. When they get too big
Key Verse
for their skin, they begin shedding it. They get rid
You have put off the old man
of the old stuff, and soon they have all new skin.”
with his deeds, and have
“It’s kind of like what we should do, too, isn’t
put on the new man
it?” observed Grandpa.
who is renewed in knowledge.
Janie and Tyler stared. “How would we do that,
Colossians 3:9-10
Grandpa?” asked Tyler.
Grandpa laughed. “I guess I was thinking out loud,” he said. “Chameleons
shed their skin, and we are to shed sinful things. The Bible gives a whole list of
things we need to get rid of. A chameleon puts on new skin, and we are to put
on new, godly characteristics. The Bible says we’re to ‘put off the old man’ and
‘put on the new man.’”
“We learned about that in school, too,” said Tyler. “In Sunday school.”
“Good for you!” approved Grandpa. “But . . . this old man’s hungry. What’s
for lunch?” Laughing, they headed for the kitchen.
Shed old, bad
habits
Are you shedding sinful habits—things like complaining, telling so-called little white lies,
or sneaking out of the house to avoid work? Are you putting on the characteristics that please God—
things like kindness, cheerfulness, and especially love toward God and others? Reread today’s
Scripture passage. Ask God to help you put off the things listed there that displease Him and to put on
those that are pleasing in His sight.
January
3
Finding the Way
Read: John 1:1-9
Austin jumped up when he heard his father call his name. “Sounds like my
dad’s ready to go, Rick,” he said. The boys had played in Rick’s room while
their fathers talked out in the yard.
Rick went outdoors with Austin. The night was black; no moon, no stars.
“Hey . . . don’t you have a flashlight?” asked Rick as their fathers bid each other
goodbye. “You can borrow mine.”
“We won’t need one—it’s not very far to our house. We’ll just cut across the
field and through the woods,” replied Austin as the boys went over to where
the men were standing. “See you at school tomorrow.” Rick and his dad turned
to go into the house, and Austin and his father started home.
It was a bit hard to see in the dark, but they quickly found the path the boys had
worn through the woods. As they wound their way around the trees, suddenly . . .
THUNK! “Ow-w-w!” Austin exclaimed. He rubbed his forehead. “I never even
saw that branch!” As he spoke, he heard another sound . . . Zzzzkt! ZZZKttt!
What’s that? Austin wondered. He wasn’t usually
afraid in the dark, but these sounds seemed
different . . . threatening even. I’m glad Dad’s with
me! Austin’s eyes strained to see what was ahead.
“Dark, isn’t it?” observed Dad. “We should have
brought a flashlight.”
Key Verse
“Yeah,” agreed Austin. “Truth is, Rick offered
I (Jesus) am the light of the
me one, but I said we wouldn’t need it.”
world. He who follows Me
Dad laughed. “Oh, well,” he said, “I’m sure we’ll
shall not walk in darkness.
find
our way without it. And maybe all this
John 8:12
darkness around us tonight will renew our
appreciation for the fact that we have the light of the world with us.”
“The light of the world?” asked Austin. “So . . . turn it on already.”
“Oh, it’s on all right,” said Dad. “The Bible says Jesus is the light of the
world, remember? People are lost in the darkness of sin, but Jesus came to give
God’s light to all who will trust in Him.”
“And like me, people sure need light,” added Austin, “even when they think
they don’t!”
“Yes,” agreed Dad. “I’m glad we both have Jesus to help us as we travel life’s
pathway. That’s much more important than having a light on this path.”
Jesus is
God’s light
Do you know Jesus, the light of the world? Perhaps you don’t feel like you need Him, but
making your way through life without Him is like walking in darkness. You may often not know where
to turn or what to do. Jesus wants to help you. Trust Him as Savior, and then follow Him each day. You
can reach a home in heaven only by receiving Him. (See the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book.)
A Heart of Beauty
Read: 1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Peter 3:3-4
January
4
Audrey frowned as she squinted at the mirror. As if glasses and braces aren’t
bad enough, she thought. Now my hair seems to have a mind of its own. I’ve
used oodles of Mom’s hair stuff, and it still sticks out in all directions!
Sighing, Audrey turned off the bathroom light and headed downstairs. It was
still early, but she knew her brother Daniel would be up. He had to leave that
morning to return to college after his Christmas break.
“Hey, beautiful,” Daniel greeted her as she came through the kitchen door.
Audrey made a face. “Who are you talking to?” she asked, glancing around
the room as if looking for someone. “I know it can’t be me, ’cuz I . . . well,
look at my hair!”
“Looks good to me,” said Daniel. He grinned and handed her a small, round
object. “Here—I have a goodbye present for you.”
“Wow! Thanks! Just what I always wanted,” said Audrey sarcastically as she
looked at a bumpy, gray rock about the size of a golf ball. “It’s just lovely.”
Daniel laughed. “It’s a geode,” he explained.
“Inside this plain little rock is a heart of exquisite
beauty. Honest! Come on. I’ll show you.” He led
the way to the basement and placed the rock
securely on Dad’s workbench. Then he picked up a
hammer and small chisel. He carefully tapped the
chisel around the middle of the rock until it
Key Verse
cracked into two halves. Audrey gasped. The geode
The Lord looks at the heart.
was hollow, and the inside was lined in sparkling
1 Samuel 16:7
crystals. The colors ranged from deep purple to
lavender to purest white.
“Oh-h-h-h! I love it!” exclaimed Audrey. “It really is lovely.”
“It’s a pretty one,” agreed Daniel. “My Bible professor says God made geodes
and people alike in some ways.”
Audrey wrinkled her nose. “How’s that?” she asked.
“The real beauty is what’s inside,” Daniel explained. “A person’s character—
kind or mean, generous or stingy, that sort of thing—determines true beauty. The
outside appearance isn’t so important.” Daniel gave Audrey a warm hug. “You, my
dear sister, are beautiful,” he added, “both inside and out.” Audrey smiled at her
brother. She forgot her hair issue and didn’t even think about her glasses or braces.
Inner beauty is
what matters
Are you unhappy with your physical appearance? Do you wish you were taller? More
handsome? Prettier? Do you wish your hair, eyes, or skin were a different color? Do you think you’d
look better if you had nicer clothes? God says the way you look on the outside isn’t the most
important thing. What comes out of your heart is what matters. When you live to please the Lord, He
sees real beauty, and others will, too.
January
5
Tie a Yellow Ribbon
Read: Luke 15:11-24
It seemed to Alex that every tree in town was decorated with a yellow
ribbon. He knew they were put there to welcome servicemen home. “But why
yellow ribbons?” he asked his mother. “Why not red, white, and blue ones?”
“Well, there’s an old story about it—actually, there are several different
versions of the story,” said Mom. “According to one, a young man—we’ll call
him Jim—committed some crime and went to prison far from his home. In
those days, people couldn’t travel as easily as we do now, so Jim’s family was not
able to visit him. After several years he was released, but he was afraid they
would not want him back home. He sent a letter to his wife. ‘I am so sorry for
the way I behaved, and I’ll understand if you never want to see me again,’ Jim
wrote, ‘but I still love you very much. I’ve learned the bus route still goes right
past our house, so next Friday I’ll be on the four-thirty bus. If you can forgive
me and want me to come home, tie a yellow ribbon around the trunk of the
old oak tree out in front of the house. If it’s there, I’ll get off, but if it's not
there, I'll stay on the bus and stay out of your life.’”
“Wow!” exclaimed Alex. “I bet he was nervous
when the bus got close to where he lived.”
“Yes, he was,” said Mom. “He was very nervous.
‘Sir,’ he said to the man sitting next to him, ‘will
you do me a favor?’ Jim told the man his story.
Key Verse
‘I'm so afraid to look,’ said Jim. ‘Will you look for
I will arise and go to my father,
me and tell me if there’s a yellow ribbon tied
and will say to him,
around that old oak tree?’
“Father, I have sinned.”
“The man agreed, and as the bus rounded a
Luke 15:18
curve, Jim buried his face in his hands while the
man watched for the tree. Suddenly, the man grabbed Jim by the arm. ‘Look!’
he shouted. ‘Look!’ Jim looked. He saw a yellow ribbon around the tree
trunk—and more yellow ribbons hanging from almost every branch! His wife
and other family members stood in front of the tree, waving a big sign that
said, ‘Welcome Home, Jim! We love you!’”
“Cool! That sounds kinda like the prodigal son story.” Alex grinned. “Do
you think his father put out a yellow ribbon, too?”
Mom laughed. “I don’t think so,” she said, “but since the story became wellknown, yellow ribbons have become the symbol that says, ‘Welcome home!’”
Return
to the Lord
Are you a runaway? Perhaps you haven’t run away from home, but have you tried to run away
from God? Are you a Christian who is stubbornly doing things that don’t please Him? God wants you
to admit your sin and turn from it. The yellow ribbon story shows that the love of family is great. But
the love of God is even greater! He wants to welcome you back into fellowship with Him.
Back to the Beginning
Read: Romans 12:16-21
January
6
“What is wrong with this thing?” Diana cried out. She burst into tears.
“These numbers won’t balance. Tomorrow when I turn in the treasurer’s report
for our club, everyone will think I’m dumb—and Natalie will be so happy!”
Dad looked up from his paper. “Speaking of Natalie, I haven’t seen her lately,”
he said. “Why would a mistake in your report make her happy? I thought you
two were good friends.”
Diana hesitated. “Well, we . . . we sort of had a disagreement,” she replied.
“We both wanted to be the club treasurer. I got elected, but she still tried to
tell me how to do the job. I finally informed her I’d do things my own way.
She said that would be a big mistake. We haven’t spoken to each other since.”
“That’s too bad,” said Dad as his eyes scanned over Diana’s report. Then he
pointed to some numbers at the top of the page. “I think you need to start
right back at the beginning and carefully add these again.”
Diana sighed. “All right, but I don’t see how that will help,” she said. “I used
my calculator—and it can’t be wrong, can it?” But
she got busy and began checking her work. “I
found my mistake, Dad!” she exclaimed after only
a few minutes. “At the beginning of this column, I
subtracted one of the numbers instead of adding it.”
Dad nodded. “You know, Diana,” he said, “I
Key Verse
think it would be a good idea to go back to the
A servant of the Lord must not
beginning of your problem with Natalie, too.”
quarrel but be gentle to all.
“What do you mean?” Diana asked.
2 Timothy 2:24
“Think about when your problem began,” Dad
said. “Should you have done something differently?
It sounds like both of you selfishly wanted your own way. Then you hurt each
other by using cutting words, right? That kind of behavior doesn’t please God.”
Diana was quiet. “It didn’t make us feel very good, either,” she finally said.
“At least, not me. I’m not sure she cares.”
Dad put an arm around Diana. “Why don’t you go to Natalie and apologize
for the way you acted?” he suggested. “And why not listen to what she has to
say about the treasurer’s job? I’m sure she has some good ideas. How about it?”
After a moment, Diana nodded. “Okay,” she agreed a bit reluctantly. But she
smiled as she added, “Maybe Natalie and I can do the job together!”
Restore
friendships
Is there someone you’ve had a disagreement with? Are you sure it was all that
person’s fault? Ask God to show you what you might have done wrong, then go to the other person
and talk it over—apologize if needed. Don’t carry old grudges into the new year. A restored friendship
will make both of you happy. Best of all, it will please God.
January
7
Truly Sorry
Read: Psalm 34:14-18
As Jesse angrily stomped out of the room, a swear word exploded from his
lips. “Jesse! Come back here!” Mom ordered. Jesse returned, gritted his teeth,
and stared at the floor. “Did you say what I think you said?” asked Mom. Jesse
didn’t answer. “You know we don’t tolerate swearing,” said Mom sternly, “and
you know the punishment for it.”
“But, Mom, I didn’t mean to swear,” Jesse pleaded. “All the guys at school
say that word and . . . and it just slipped out. But I’ll be more careful! It won’t
happen again. I’m sorry! Really I am!”
Mom sighed and looked at him closely. “I believe you are,” she decided.
“Well . . . all right. We’ll forget it this time.”
Later that evening, loud, angry words burst from Jesse’s room. “How many
times have I told you to stay out of my stuff?” he roared.
As Mom started down the hall, she heard Tina’s voice. “I just wanted to
borrow a pencil,” whimpered Tina. “I didn’t mean to break anything. I’m sorry.”
“That’s what you always say, but you don’t leave
my things alone. The only thing you’re sorry about
is that you got caught,” scolded Jesse angrily. “You
think I’ll forget about it if you cry.” He didn’t see
his mother come into the room, and he swore softly
as he bent over to pick up a broken model plane.
Key Verse
“Jesse!” At the sound of Mom’s voice, Tina
Repent, and turn from all
scooted out of the room, and Jesse jumped and
your transgressions.
dropped the model. “I’m afraid Tina isn’t the only
Ezekiel 18:30
one who’s sorry about getting caught,” said Mom.
“Didn’t you tell me this afternoon you were sorry
you swore and that you wouldn’t do it again?” Jesse nodded slowly. “God says
we are to repent when we sin and to turn from it,” continued Mom. “True
repentance is more than saying a couple of words. It’s being truly sorry for
what you’ve done and also making every effort to stop doing it.”
“I-I will, Mom. It’s just that . . .” Jesse began, but Mom held up a hand.
“We have no excuse to go on sinning,” Mom said. “We need to depend on
God for the power to stop.” She shook her head as she added, “And we can’t
overlook your words this time.”
Jesse nodded. He knew he deserved the punishment that would come his way.
Turn from sin
Are you being truthful when you say you’re sorry? Or do you sometimes say it simply
to keep out of trouble? Pretending to be sorry might fool others for a while, but usually not for long.
And it never fools God. Being truly sorry includes turning away from the thing you did wrong. If you
know Jesus, you have God’s power to help you each day.
Worth the Wait
Read: Luke 8:4-8, 11-15
January
8
“Hey, Dad,” said Elise one day as she leafed through a garden catalog,
“there’s a section in here called Unusual Seeds. Can we order some?”
“Why not?” agreed Dad. “Exactly what kind did you have in mind?”
“Ginseng,” said Elise. “Is that okay? This catalog says it’s so valuable that its
dried roots will sell for a lot of money in health food stores.”
Dad looked at the catalog. “I don’t know,” he said. “Those seeds cost a lot,
and it seems to me I’ve heard they take a long time to come up and grow—
maybe even a year or more. Don’t you think you’d rather have something you’d
see sooner?”
Elise shrugged. “Well, maybe . . . but most of the stuff we plant will grow
faster, and I’d like to try raising something different, too,” she said. “Even if
only a few of the seeds grow good, they could be worth a lot of money. Besides,
you always say anything worth having is worth waiting for.”
“I guess you’ve got me there,” admitted Dad. “Okay, include ginseng in our
order.” He grinned as he added, “But promise me
you’ll wait a little more patiently for them to come
up than you’re waiting for the seed you planted
last night to show results.”
“Last night?” asked Elise. “I didn’t plant anything
last night.”
Key Verse
“Sure you did,” said Dad. “I heard you and your
My Word . . . shall
friend Eva talking about God. Eva seemed to think a
accomplish what I please.
loving God would allow everyone into heaven, and
Isaiah 55:11
you told her she needed Jesus to get there.”
Elise frowned. “Yeah,” she said, “but Eva still
doesn’t think God will refuse to let her in. She’ll probably never change her mind.”
“Every time we witness, we’re planting the seed of God’s Word,” replied
Dad, “and like I said, we have to be patient and not be discouraged if we don’t
see immediate results. Sometimes it takes a long time for that seed to grow. But
when it does, it produces fruit that lasts forever.”
“And that’s worth the wait, right?” Elise asked.
“Definitely!” said Dad. “After you plant your ginseng seeds, you and I can
remind each other to have faith and patience to see results—not only in the
garden, but also in witnessing!”
Plant the seed of
God’s Word
Have you planted the seed of the Gospel—the Word of God? Have you been
discouraged because you haven’t seen any results? Be patient. Continue to share God’s Word, and leave
the timing up to God. It may be that you won’t ever see the results, but He promises that His Word will
accomplish its purpose. Trust Him, and keep planting.
January
9
Surprise!
Read: Psalm 86:1-7
Luke was worried. He and his family had been living in their new home a
whole week, but he still hadn’t seen any kids in the neighborhood. Luke had
moved away from good friends, and he was beginning to think he would never
find new ones here.
“Pray about it,” said Dad when Luke told him his problem.
“Pray about it,” said Mom when Luke told her about it.
“Pray about it,” said his older sister when Luke looked sad.
So Luke prayed. He asked God to send him a friend—someone he would
like as much as he liked his old friends, especially Aiden and Todd. He sure
missed them since he moved.
The next morning the doorbell rang. “It’s for you, Luke,” Mom called up to
his room. “Someone’s here to see you.”
Luke bounded down the stairs. There at the front door stood . . . a girl! She
had blond curls and freckles, and she wore a blue baseball cap. “Hi,” she said.
“My name is Toby, and I live right behind you. I
was hoping someone with kids would move into
your house, but I didn’t see you outside until
yesterday. There aren’t many kids around here, so I
hope we can be friends. Hey, do you collect
baseball cards?”
Key Verse
“Yes . . . yes, I do,” stammered Luke. “Do . . .
In the day when I cried out,
ah . . . do you want to see them?”
You answered me.
“Yeah!” exclaimed Toby, and they spent an hour
Psalm 138:3
looking at cards and talking baseball.
“I have a tree house in my back yard,” said
Toby. “Come over after lunch, and I’ll show it to you.”
After Toby left, Luke turned to his mom and shook his head. “I asked God
for a friend, but I didn’t think He’d send a girl!”
“Sometimes God says no to our prayers,” said Mom. “Sometimes He says
wait, sometimes he says yes, but sometimes . . .” Mom hesitated, then she
chuckled. “Sometimes He gives us a surprise.”
“That’s true!” Luke laughed. “Can we eat soon so I can go see Toby’s tree house?”
“Sure!” agreed Mom. “I met her parents yesterday, and I think that will be
fine. Go wash up now. Lunch is as good as ready.”
God answers
prayer
Has God given you any surprises lately in answer to your prayers? You may want
Him to answer in a particular way, but remember—God always knows what’s best for you. You can
trust Him to answer in the way that’s exactly right. It may not be in the way you expected or hoped,
but it will be right for you. What a good God you have!
Read Philippians 4:6-7. According to these verses, what should you not be
when you pray? _____________________ What should be included with
your requests? ____________________________ What does God promise
to those who follow His directions regarding prayer? _________________
__________________________________________________________
Which of the following things is it okay to pray about?
___ homework
___ need for a friend
___ sickness
___ fear of dogs
___ shyness
___ difficulty in memorizing
___ money
___ EVERYTHING!
Do you do as God says and pray about all the things that concern you? And
have you ever received an unexpected answer to prayer? If so, what did you
want to happen? _______________________________________________
_________________________________ What did happen? __________
__________________________________________________________
How did you feel about the answer God gave? ______________________
__________________________________________________________
What are you praying about right now? ___________________________
__________________________________________________________
Are you prepared—and willing—for a surprise answer? ________
Ask an adult: What surprise answer to prayer have you seen?
___________________________________________________
Why did you like—or not like—that answer? _______________
___________________________________________________
Our Key Verse speaks of a time when the writer of the Psalm cried out to God, and He answered.
God has not changed. When we cry out to Him, He answers us, too—not always in the way we hope
He will, but always in the way He knows is best for us. Let’s thank Him for His blessings, talk to Him
about everything, and trust Him to work things out for our good.
Be thankful . . .
God answers prayer
Forgiveness Plus
January
10
Read: Leviticus 5:15-16; 6:4-5; Luke 19:1-10
“Please forgive me, Lord,” prayed Andy one night at bedtime. “I didn’t mean
to run into Mrs. Allen’s fence this afternoon. I . . . I guess I shouldn’t have been
cutting across her lawn, and I . . . I won’t do it again. Please forgive me for
breaking her rose bush, too. Thank You. Amen.” He jumped up and climbed
into bed, ready to be tucked in.
Andy’s mother kissed him and covered him up. “Andy,” she said, “you didn’t
say anything to me about Mrs. Allen’s fence. What happened?”
Andy frowned. “Do I have to tell you?” he asked. “I already asked God to
forgive me.”
“Yes, and I believe you really are sorry, so God has forgiven you,” Mom
assured him, “but if you share what happened, I might be able to help you
make amends.”
“Make amends?” asked Andy. “What does that mean?”
“It means to make things right with someone. The Bible teaches that if our
sin hurts somebody besides ourselves, we must do
our best to make things right with that person,
too,” explained Mom. “God forgives the sin if
we’re truly sorry for it, but we’re still responsible to
do whatever we can to straighten out the situation.
Key Verse
Perhaps you need to go see Mrs. Allen and apologize
He shall make restitution
for what happened.”
(amends) for the
Andy was quiet for a few moments. “Yeah, I . . .
harm that he has done.
I guess I do,” he admitted finally. “She didn’t see
Leviticus 5:16
me stumble against her fence and knock it into her
rosebush, but . . .” Andy hesitated. “Do I have to
offer to pay for them with money from my bank?”
“What do you think?” asked Mom gently.
“Yeah.” Andy sighed. “I think I do.”
Mom nodded. “When you ask God’s forgiveness for sin, your actions should
show that you’re truly sorry,” she said. “I’m really glad you’re willing to make
things right with Mrs. Allen. I’m sure doing that will make you feel better, too.”
Make things right
Has something you’ve done hurt someone else? In Old Testament times, an animal
sacrifice had to be offered on an altar, and the situation had to be corrected. This often involved
repayment of money or other goods. Because Jesus made the supreme sacrifice for sin, you no longer
have to sacrifice animals. But the principle of making amends is still important. If you’ve wronged
someone—even unintentionally—do all you can to make it right.
The Wax Figures
Read: Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:1, 13-14
January
11
“That looks like fun,” said Renee as her mother showed her how to make
candles. Mom had thin sheets of wax and knew how to heat them just right,
put in a wick, and form special, interesting shapes. “Do you think I could
make one shaped like a flower?”
“Sure. When you’ve practiced a little more,” said Mom. “Make one or two
simpler ones first.”
“Okay,” agreed Renee, and she got busy with a new one.
After working a few minutes, they were interrupted by the shrill ring of the
telephone, and Renee dashed off to answer it. It was Erica, a friend from
church, and the girls talked for quite a while. When Renee returned to the
family room where she and Mom had been working, she picked up the candle
she had started. “Erica said her neighbor, Mr. Jackson, died,” Renee told her
mother. “Grandpa knew him—remember? Grandpa told us once that he had
witnessed to old Mr. Jackson for years and years.” Renee frowned as she looked
at the candle in her hand. The wax had become
stiff, and it was almost impossible to form it the
way she wanted to. “I wonder if Mr. Jackson ever
did accept Jesus,” Renee added.
“I don’t know,” said Mom. She pointed to the
candle Renee was holding. “You know, the
Key Verse
hardened wax in that unfinished candle reminds
Remember now your Creator
me of the importance of giving yourself to Jesus
in the days of your youth.
while you’re young—and allowing God to mold
Ecclesiastes 12:1
your life,” she added. “When people get older,
they sometimes become spiritually cold and
hard—kinda like that wax did. Then they’re often less interested in being saved.”
Renee looked at the cold, stiff wax she was trying to make into a candle.
“My Sunday school teacher said that, too,” she replied. “She said there are a
couple of reasons why it’s dangerous to wait.”
“And what are they?” Mom asked.
“Well, first of all, we don’t know that we’ll live long enough to get old—we
could die while we’re still young,” replied Renee. “And second, even if we do
get old, it’s like you said—we might no longer be interested in being saved.”
She smiled. “I’m glad I already know Jesus as my Savior.”
Accept Jesus now
Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Maybe you think you’ll do so later, when you’re
older. Remember, when you get older—if you get older—you could become cold and hard toward
the Gospel of Christ. Don’t wait. Waiting is dangerous. Make the decision and accept Jesus today. (See
the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book.)
January
12
Cameron’s Lie
Read: Psalm 32:1-5
Cameron paced his room. For a couple of days, he had meant to confess
something to Mom. It grew harder to do each day he put it off. I’ve got to tell
her, he thought with a sigh, so I might as well do it and get it over with.
When Cameron reached the kitchen, he saw that the refrigerator was pulled
away from the wall. Mom was kneeling behind it with a bucket of soapy water
and a scrub brush. “What are you doing?” Cameron asked.
Mom looked up. “I’m trying to get rid of all this dirt that’s collected on the
floor back here,” she said. “It’s been hidden behind the refrigerator so long that
it’s really hard to scrub off.” She got up and stretched.
Cameron took a deep breath. “I . . . I have to tell you something.” He
hesitated. “Remember when my Sunday school teacher called me last week? He
reminded me about a class project on Friday night. I wanted to go to a baseball
game instead, so I told him you were sick and I had to stay home and help you.”
Mom frowned and Cameron hurried on. “Then we went to Grandma’s last
weekend, so I didn’t see any of the kids on
Sunday, and . . . well, at school on Monday, Noah
gave me a get-well card for you from my Sunday
school class. I didn’t know what to do, so I took
it, but I told him you’re fine now.” Cameron held
out the card. “Noah said the girls thought they
Key Verse
should pick some flowers for you, too. But nobody
I will confess my
brought any yet, so maybe they gave up the idea.”
transgressions to the Lord.
“Well, you’d better call Noah right away!” Mom
Psalm 32:5
exclaimed. She looked at the card, and then she
pointed to the floor. “The longer I let this scum
hide behind the refrigerator, the worse it got.” Cameron looked thoughtful.
“It’s the same with sin—such as your lie,” continued Mom. “The longer you
waited to confess it, the more difficult it became to do that, right? You lied,
and then the problem grew bigger when you took that card and let Noah think
flowers would be acceptable. You’ll have to repay the money for the card—and
for flowers, too, in case they decide to buy some.” With a sigh, Cameron
nodded. “That’s after you confess what you did and apologize to them,” Mom
added sternly.
“Okay, Mom,” murmured Cameron. “I will. And I already confessed it to God.”
Confess sin
immediately
Have you ever told a lie and then had to keep lying to hide the truth? You need
to confess lies—or any other sin—to God, and there are times when you need to confess to others,
too. That’s usually hard to do, but don’t wait. The problem won’t just go away. Take care of it
immediately before it grows and causes even bigger problems.
How Many Bibles?
Read: Psalm 19:7-11
January
13
“I’ve got the Gideon New Testament they gave us in school and the one
Mom and Dad gave each of us when we turned five. And I’ve got the one I
earned in Sunday school,” Tom hollered from his room to his sister Tara’s.
“Did you count the one you got for memorizing all those verses in Vacation
Bible School?” Tara yelled back.
“Twins! Twins!” their father called from the foot of the stairs. “What is all
the shouting about up there?”
Tara ran to the top of the steps. “Oh, Daddy, the man who spoke to our
Bible club today told us to go home and count how many Bibles we have,” she
explained. “He said there are people in some countries who would give a whole
six months wages—or maybe even more—just to get a part of the Bible in
their own language. I’ve found three Bibles of my own so far, and I think Tom
has four.”
“I see. Well, how about counting them with a little less noise,” suggested Dad.
Soon the twins came downstairs with a list of
Bibles they had found. “Dad, can we please count
the Bibles in your office?” Tom asked.
“Okay,” agreed Dad, “and be sure to count those
in the bookcase in the den, too.”
Key Verse
“Yep.” Tom nodded.
By evening, the twins reported that they had
Receive with meekness
found twenty-two Bibles. “Tara thinks we have
the implanted word,
more Bibles than most people ’cuz you’re a preacher,
which is able to save your souls.
Dad,” said Tom.
James 1:21
“She’s probably right,” Mom agreed, “but I’m
sure most Christians in this country have several Bibles in their homes.”
“Yes. It’s hard to realize that some people don’t have freedom to read God’s
Word whenever they want to,” said Dad. “There are also countries where many
people are unable to read, and others where the Bible has never been translated
into their language.”
That night, the family thanked God for the availability of God’s Word and
for the way He had changed their lives as they studied it. They prayed for
Christians living in countries where God is not honored. They also prayed that
the Bible would soon be available in all languages.
Appreciate
your Bible
How many Bibles do you have in your home? Do you take them for granted?
Think of all the Christians who don’t have the opportunity to read God’s Word each day. Are you
reading your Bible? Its words are God’s message to you, and they’re more precious than gold. Never
forget to be thankful for the Bible—and for your ability to read it. Treat it with respect and love. Pray
for those who are not blessed as you are.
January
14
Noisy Kids
Read: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
“I heard some sad news at the church board meeting last night,” said Joel’s
father one morning.
“You did?” Joel looked up. “What was it, Dad?”
“It involves a family who moved into the yellow brick house on Elm Street,”
Dad told him. “Their name is Peterson. Last Sunday they attended our church,
and on Monday night Pastor Holt visited them. They apparently liked what
they heard of his message.” Dad paused.
“What’s sad about that?” asked Joel in surprise. “Sounds fine to me!”
“The sad part is that they couldn’t hear the message very well,” replied Dad.
“Three boys were sitting behind them—talking and laughing during the entire
service. The Petersons were offended by their disrespectful attitude and told
Pastor Holt they were going to look for another church.”
“Really? Maybe if . . .” began Joel, and then he remembered that some new
people had been sitting in front of him and his friends this past Sunday night.
He suddenly realized why his dad was telling him
about the Petersons. Joel knew that he was one of
the kids who had been noisy and disrespectful.
“Son, we’ve told you before that it’s not only
important to listen for what you can get out of a
message, but it is just plain bad manners to disturb
Key Verse
those around you!” said Dad. “For the next few
Walk prudently when you go
months, you will sit with Mom and me at every
to the house of God;
service. After that, if you do sit with your friends
and draw near to hear.
again, you will sit in front of Mom and me—not
Ecclesiastes 5:1
behind us.”
Joel nodded numbly. “I didn’t think about how I was acting at the time,” he
said quietly.
“And there’s something else you need to do,” continued Dad. “You need to
go and see the Petersons and apologize for making so much noise.”
“Me? By myself?” protested Joel. “The other guys were talking, too!”
“They’re not my sons,” said Dad. “You are. You will have to go.”
Joel wanted to argue, but he knew he had done wrong, and he was sorry. He
nodded reluctantly. “Maybe they’ll change their minds and decide to come to
church again,” he said with a sigh.
Be polite
in church
Do you listen quietly during the church service? Wouldn’t it be sad if someone refused
to return to your church because of the way you behaved? Wouldn’t it be even worse if somebody
failed to hear the Gospel because of your misbehavior? Be polite to those who are around you. Smile
and greet new people. Sit still. Don’t make it difficult for them to listen to the message. And listen for
God to speak to you at each service.
Noisy Kids (Cont’d.)
Read: Proverbs 9:9-12
January
15
It had been hard to do, but Joel had apologized to the Petersons for his bad
behavior in church. He had also told them he hoped they would visit the
church again.
To Joel’s surprise, the Petersons came back to church the very next Sunday.
Cool! he thought when they even gave him a friendly smile as they walked in.
Before the service started, Joel’s dad took out a notebook and a pen. He held
them out to Joel. “I want you to write down at least three things the pastor
teaches or talks about in his message today,” Dad instructed him. “I think
you’ll find note-keeping will help you listen more carefully.”
“Do I have to?” Joel asked. “I . . . I never really understand much of what
Pastor Holt says, but you don’t need to worry—I’ll sit quietly. I promise.” Dad
just smiled and continued to hold out the notebook. Joel sighed as he nodded
and took the book and pen.
At first, Joel doodled a lot, but then he began to listen for things to write
down. He was surprised that he could understand
more of the message than he had expected. By the
end of the service, he’d written five things the
pastor taught—two more than his dad had told
him to write. Doing this isn’t so bad, thought Joel.
I guess I never understood Pastor Holt’s messages
Key Verse
before because I didn’t really listen to them very well!
Grow in the grace and
After church Joel showed the pastor his notes. “I’m
knowledge of our Lord and
going to do this every week, Pastor Holt,” he said.
Savior Jesus Christ.
“Great!” approved the pastor. “That’s a very
2 Peter 3:18
good idea. Why don’t you suggest it to the other
kids, too? Who knows? They might find that they like it as much as you do.”
“Well . . . okay,” Joel agreed, but he was quite sure the other kids would
think he was acting like a nerd. Oh well. It can’t hurt to suggest it, he decided.
“I liked church this morning,” he announced on the way home. “The
Petersons came back, and now I know a good way to learn something from
Pastor Holt’s sermons. Taking notes makes them more interesting.” Joel grinned
slyly at his father and added, “I think you should try it, Dad.”
Grow in
knowledge of God
Have you tried taking notes on your pastor’s sermons? It may be a good way to help
you learn more and more about God and grow in your trust and relationship with Him. If your pastor
uses a word you don’t understand, write it down and ask him about it. You can also ask your parents
to discuss the messages with you. They can help you understand what your pastor is teaching from
God’s Word.
January
16
Roller Coasters
Read: Psalm 37:23-24, 39-40
Jeremy grinned as he and his sister stood in line for their first ride on the
new Thrillinator roller coaster. “Before you know it, we’ll be zooming down
those slick, metal rails—upside-down, downside-up and every which-way in
between,” said Jeremy. “I can hardly wait!”
“I can!” replied Tiffany. “I can’t believe you like doing this stuff! This thing will
hurl us at incredibly dangerous speeds through insane twists and turns and drops. I
don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to ride this terror-mobile with you!”
Jeremy laughed. “I know what you were thinking,” he said. “You wanted the
funnel cake I promised to buy you for going on the roller coaster with me.” He had
agreed to buy it for her because it always felt weird to ride a roller coaster alone.
“Besides,” he added, “roller coasters have a good lesson for you. Remember what
Dad compared them to?”
“Sure,” said Tiffany. “Dad said a roller coaster is something like life—full of ups
and downs.” She shook her head. “It seems like our family’s been going through a
lot of the downs lately. Aunt Susie died and Mom’s
been sick, and our dog is lost.” She frowned. “Like
I said, I don’t really like roller coasters.”
“Well, don’t forget what else Dad told us,” said
Jeremy, grinning as the Thrillinator came to a halt.
It was their turn next. “Dad said roller coasters were
Key Verse
carefully designed with safety in mind, and that
He knows the way that I take;
we’d spend less time worrying if we’d remember that
when He has tested me, I shall
our lives are, too.”
come forth as gold.
Tiffany nodded as they both moved forward to
Job 23:10
climb into the waiting car. “I remember,” she
replied. “He said we’re in the hands of the Great Designer—a loving God who
knows what’s best and helps us face all the high and low points ahead.”
Jeremy recalled Dad’s reminder that if they were faithful to the Lord, there
would be a reward in heaven someday. Kinda like Tiffany will receive her funnelcake reward for riding the roller coaster with me, he thought. He was ready to
explain that to her, but she shrieked as the roller coaster suddenly jerked ahead.
They were about to begin racing through corkscrew turns and zooming down
steep hills. “Don’t forget—it’s safe,” Jeremy yelled to his sister. He smiled. He
knew they had nothing to fear in life, either.
Trust God
through
ups and downs
Do you get scared when you think about the future? Maybe someone in your family
is sick, and it really worries you. Maybe you’re moving and will need to make new friends. Maybe
school is becoming too difficult. You can’t know what’s going to happen in life, but you can trust your
Heavenly Father to take care of you as you go through it. Then you’ll enjoy the ride of life a little more,
and you’ll fear the twists and turns a little less.
Liftoff!
January
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
17
“I wish I could have actually seen a space shuttle launch,” said Clay one
evening. “At school today, we had a film about one. It showed a lot of the stuff
the astronauts had to do, and we heard clips of them talking to the space
control center. It was really cool, but it’s not like seeing it for real!”
“Well, they aren’t doing any launches now, but they probably will again
sometime in the future. So why don’t you study to be an astronaut?” suggested
his brother Patrick. “I heard on the news not long ago that they’re working on
a new spacecraft. Maybe someday you could not only see a launch, you could
take off on a spaceship.”
“Maybe I will,” replied Clay.
“Not me,” put in their sister Grace. “I wouldn’t like to wear those special
uniforms they have to put on. They’re not very pretty!”
The boys laughed. “Who cares about that?” scoffed Patrick.
“I do,” declared Grace, “and I’m not going on any spaceship, either. It might
crash right back down to the earth!”
Mom smiled. “Are you kids aware that all
Christians will participate in a liftoff someday?”
she asked.
“They will? Oh . . . you mean when Jesus comes,
Key Verse
don’t you?” asked Grace.
“That’s right,” said Mom. “When Jesus returns,
(Jesus said) “I will come again and
He’ll take all those who believe in Him to heaven.” receive you to Myself; that where I
Patrick nodded. “Without using a spaceship,” he
am, there you may be also.”
said.
John 14:3
“Or those ugly clothes,” said Grace.
“No, we won’t need those kinds of uniforms or spaceships,” agreed Mom,
“and it will all happen much quicker than the spaceship launch. It will be as
quick as a flash—or as the Bible puts it, ‘in the twinkling of an eye.’ It will be a
wonderful event when Jesus comes again.”
“Well, even if I never do get to take off in one of our spaceships, I’ll take
part in the lift-off when Jesus comes,” said Clay. He grinned. “Who knows?
Maybe I’ll get to do both.”
Be ready for
lift-off with Jesus
Will you take part in the special liftoff that is coming—the one that will take place
when Jesus returns? Do you trust in Him as Savior? When Jesus comes back in the clouds, all who have
placed their faith in Him will rise to be with Him. If you haven’t done that, don’t wait. Accept Him
right now—He may come back today! (See the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book.)
January
18
The Snowstorm
Read: Matthew 15:14; Philippians 3:17-21
Snow swirled around the car, and it seemed to Rachel and Emmy as though
it was being flung at them from some gigantic unseen hand. “I can hardly see
anything!” exclaimed Rachel. “Everything is so white!”
“Yes,” agreed Mom. “It’s hard to even see the middle line on the road!”
Emmy pointed ahead. “Look, Dad! There’s a truck up ahead of us. Couldn’t
we make better time if we stayed close behind it?” she asked.
“It looks like more people have the same idea,” said Dad as two cars passed
them and sped up to follow more closely behind the truck. “They’re going too
fast,” added Dad. “We’ll just go slowly until we find a place to stop.”
Soon they saw the same truck again—in a ditch. “Look!” exclaimed Rachel.
“That truck drove right off the road, and those two cars followed it!”
“The blind leading the blind,” murmured Dad. “Hopefully, the snow will let
up soon. If not, we’ll try to find a motel and wait till tomorrow to move on.”
Before long the snow did let up, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m
glad you didn’t follow that truck like I suggested,”
said Emmy, “but what did you mean about the
blind leading the blind?”
“Jesus once told His disciples that if the blind
lead the blind, they both fall into the ditch,” Dad
explained. “That’s what happened back there. The
Key Verse
driver of the truck obviously couldn’t see any
Imitate those who through
better than the drivers of the cars. They just
faith and patience
followed him anyway, and he led them off the road.”
inherit the promises.
“Well, I’m sure Jesus wasn’t talking about trucks
Hebrews 6:12
or cars,” said Rachel.
Dad smiled. “No,” he agreed. “I believe He was teaching that we should be
careful about who we follow in our daily lives.”
Mom nodded. “Who do kids at school admire and imitate?” she asked.
“Some of the kids get all excited about singers or movie stars,” said Emmy.
“And a lot of boys want to be like the guys who are good at sports,” added
Rachel. “Is that bad?”
“It depends,” said Dad. “It’s fine if those they admire love God and follow
Him. It’s bad if they follow Satan and influence the kids to get involved in
sinful things. Christians should imitate others who love Jesus.”
Follow people
who love Jesus
Who do you admire and want to be like? Satan would love to have you follow those who
influence you to disrespect authority, to get used to bad language, to be dishonest, or to do some
other sinful thing. Don’t follow such people. They are blind to the wisdom and knowledge of God. Be
sure you imitate people who know and love the Lord Jesus.
Can you recall ever blindly following an attractive and popular person who
led you down a wrong path (perhaps someone who encouraged you to
disobey, cheat, or do some other wrong thing)? What happened? _______
__________________________________________________________
Have you stopped following that person? __________________________
Who do you admire and try to copy now? _________________________
__________________________________________________________
What does that person influence you to do? ________________________
__________________________________________________________
Unscramble the letters of these words and put them in the correct blanks.
TAPTERN
PETSS
AMEXPEL
RHISCT
The Apostle Paul says to follow his ____________________ (see today’s
Scripture reading). He says those who walk as he does—those who follow
Jesus—provide a _______________________ for you. First Peter 2:21
gives the highest and best example for you to follow. It says you should follow
in the _______________ of _____________________.
Yes, God wants you to follow Him, not the crowd. Decide right now to
walk away from the temptation to follow the wrong group. Who can you
ask to help you with hard decisions? ______________________________
Ask an adult: What people have led you down a wrong path?
_______________________________________________
What happened, and how long did you follow them before you
saw that it was wrong? _______________________________
_________________________________________________
Our Key Verse gives another description of people we should follow. It says to copy the behavior of
those who “through faith and patience inherit the promises.” In other words, we are to imitate the
behavior of faithful Christians—those who love and serve the Lord. When we follow the pattern they
provide for us, we will be following in the steps of Jesus Christ.
Be careful to . . .
follow people who love Jesus
January
19
Fame and Fortune
Read: Colossians 3:1-3, 16-17
“Some day you’re going to walk through this building and see my helmet and
uniform number all over the place,” said Ryan with a grin as he and the other
boys in his Sunday school class left the Football Hall of Fame.
Jamie laughed loudly. “Fat chance!” he said.
“You just wait—you’ll see!” declared Ryan. “I’m going to be as well-known as
the guys whose stuff is in there now. Everybody will recognize me when I walk
down the street, and I’m going to make a whole bunch of money!”
“Sounds impressive,” said Mr. Bradley, their teacher, “but don’t forget that
fame and money can’t make you happy unless they’re what God wants for you.
The important thing for a Christian is to be willing to do whatever God wants
him to do. God will take care of details such as whether he’s famous or
unknown and whether he makes lots of money or only a little.”
“Yeah,” agreed Jamie. “I think I’ll be a missionary. They’re much more
important than football players.” He grinned and looked at Ryan. “You better
forget your silly idea,” added Jamie smugly.
“Whoa! Wait a minute!” exclaimed Mr. Bradley.
“If the Lord wants you on the mission field, Jamie,
that will be wonderful. But if the Lord wants Ryan
to be a rich and famous football player with a
testimony for God, that will be great, too.”
Key Verse
“It will?” Jamie asked in surprise. He wasn’t sure
Whatever you do,
that sounded quite right.
do all to the glory of God.
Mr. Bradley nodded. “What I’m saying is that
1 Corinthians 10:31
whether you become a football player, an engineer,
a missionary, a nurse, an office worker, a school
teacher—or whatever—be sure your main goal is to serve the Lord and bring
glory to Him,” Mr. Bradley replied.
“So when we grow up, we can serve God in all kinds of different ways,”
observed one of the other kids. “That’s cool.”
“Yes,” said Mr. Bradley, “but don't wait till you’re grown up to serve God.
Honor Him in your activities now as well.”
Serve God in
whatever you do
What ambitions do you have for the future? Ask God to show you His will. If He wants
you to be a football player, be a good one—with a witness for Christ rather than a desire for
popularity and money. If God calls you to be a missionary, be the very best missionary you can be. Ask
God to help you set goals to honor Him in whatever you do in the future—and right now, too!
Hungry People
Read: 1 Peter 1:25; 2:1-3
January
20
“The Church of the Open Bible,” read Colton as Dad pulled away from the
curb. “We sure were wrong about this church!” Their family was on vacation
and when they had looked for a church to attend, they thought the name of
this church indicated that there would be preaching from the Word of God.
“We were the only ones in church who had Bibles,” Colton added, “and there
weren’t any in the pews, either.”
“No, but nobody needed a Bible,” said his sister Josie. “All the preacher talked
about was how important it was to elect a good mayor.”
Dad nodded. “You’re right,” he said, “and that’s a sad thing.”
The following day, Josie studied the map as they drove along the highway.
“We’ll soon be coming to a town,” she reported. “Can we stop to eat? I’m hungry!”
“Me, too,” agreed Colton. “How far away is it?”
“I don’t think it’s very far,” replied Josie. “Maybe five miles or so.”
She was right, but . . . “Oh, no!”Colton pointed to the highway sign a little
before the exit. It indicated that gas was available
there, but no food or lodging. “No restaurants,”
moaned Colton, “and I’m starving!”
“This town must be really small,” said Josie. She
remembered a silly little song kids at camp had
sung in the dining hall. “Here we sit like birds in
Key Verse
the wilderness,” she sang, and Colton joined her.
Desire the pure milk of the word,
“. . . waiting to be fed,” they finished together.
that you may grow thereby.
Dad grinned. “We’re not doing so good,” he
1 Peter 2:2
said. “Yesterday we sat in church like birds in the
wilderness waiting to be fed spiritual food, but we
weren’t given any. Now we’ve come to a town with no place for us to eat.”
Mom nodded. “It seems like the people who attend that church would starve
spiritually, just like we’d starve physically if we depended on restaurants in this
town to feed us,” she observed.
Colton sat up straight. “Hey, look!” he said. “I see a couple of billboards up
ahead advertising restaurants in the next town!”
“All right!” exclaimed Josie. “I guess we won’t starve after all.”
“Nope,” said Dad, “and we don’t need to starve spiritually, either. We can
read our Bibles every day. And we’ll soon be back to our own church, too.”
Be sure to
get spiritual food
Have you ever had to skip a meal? Did you feel hungry? Do you sometimes skip
spiritual food? That should make you hungry, too—hungry to know what God wants to teach you.
Don’t neglect your spiritual life. God wants you to be spiritually healthy, and taking in the “milk of the
word” helps you do that. So attend church and Sunday school, and also read your Bible for yourself.
Think about what it teaches, and put into practice the things you find there.
January
21
Grounded for Good
Read: Hebrews 12:5-11
Leah checked the clock again. “Staring at the clock is not going to make the
time go by any quicker,” Mom said as she loaded the dishwasher. “Nor is it
going to get the laundry folded.”
Why can’t I do that later? thought Leah, holding her head in her hands. It’s
not like I wasn’t ever going to do it. I just wanted to watch the game show on TV
first. Now I have to miss the entire show. And I’m grounded besides!
Leah glanced at the clock again. “Mom, may I fold the laundry while I
watch my show?”
“No, Leah. I told you to fold laundry several hours ago,” Mom replied as she
poured detergent into the dishwasher. “You had plenty of time to get it done,
but you chose not to do it. Now you’re suffering consequences for disobeying.
That does not feel good, but it’s good for you.”
Leah sniffed. “I don’t see why,” she moaned.
“Do you remember the time your dad’s plane was grounded because of a
storm?” Mom asked. “As much as he wanted to get
home, the airport said no. Why do you think they
grounded his plane?”
“Because it wasn’t safe to fly,” Leah muttered.
“That’s different. Putting off the laundry doesn’t
put anybody in danger.”
Key Verse
“No, but if I allow you to delay your chores, you
Chastening . . . yields the
peaceable fruit of righteousness to are in danger of becoming irresponsible and lazy,”
those who have been trained by it. Mom explained. “Because I love you—and because
I love the Lord—I do my best with the job He
Hebrews 12:11
gave me. That means I must teach you to do what
is right and discipline you even though it’s unpleasant for both of us. It’s part
of helping you become a better person.”
“But, Mom,” began Leah, “I . . .” Knowing Mom was right, she stopped and
sat thinking for a moment. Leah sighed. “Mom, I’m sorry,” she said at last. “I
don’t like being grounded or missing my show, but I am glad you love me and
care enough to teach me what’s right. I’ll get started on the laundry now.”
“Good idea. I love you, Leah.” Mom gave her a hug.
“I love you, too.” Leah began to giggle. “I better get busy. I don’t want to
put anyone in danger of going without pants tomorrow!”
Discipline is for
your good
Do you grumble when being disciplined? God says not to make light of discipline nor
become discouraged by it. It is because God loves you that He allows discipline—and sometimes
punishment—for making bad choices. While punishment is unpleasant, be thankful that God loves
you so much He wants the best for you. Be thankful that your parents or others in authority do, too.
Gone Fishin’
Read: Matthew 4:18-22
January
22
Todd grabbed his pole and bait and hurried down to the river. When he reached
his favorite spot, he saw a boy already sitting there. “Bummer!” Todd grumbled
to himself. He hesitated, then decided to stay at that spot anyway. “Catchin’
anything?” he asked as the boy jerked his line completely out of the water.
The boy looked up. “Naw, this isn’t a very good spot,” he said with a shrug.
Todd couldn’t believe his ears. This is the best spot on the whole river, he
thought. “I’ve been sitting here all morning without any bites,” complained the
boy as he jerked his line up again.
“Well, you have to be patient,” said Todd. “How often do you pop your line
out of the water like that?”
The boy shrugged. “Oh, every few minutes,” he said. “Just checkin’ to see if
a fish has eaten the worm yet.” He frowned. “Never happens.”
“You fish much?” asked Todd, sure that he already knew the answer.
The boy shook his head. “Nope. Never fished before,” he answered.
“What’s your name?” Todd asked.
“Pete Fisher,” came the reply. He grinned. “I
figure anybody with the name Fisher oughta learn
how to fish.”
Todd sat down. “Pete,” he said, “we’ve gotta talk.”
After baiting his hook, Todd cast the line into the
Key Verse
river. “Now, what you have to do . . .” he began,
(Jesus said) “Follow Me, and
and proceeded to give Pete advice on fishing.
I will make you fishers of men.”
At dinner that night, Todd told his family about
Matthew 4:19
Pete. “He still pulls his line up way too often, but he’s
getting better,” said Todd. “I’m going to help him.”
“Good,” said Dad. “His name reminds me of the Peter in the Bible. He was a
fisherman, too. One day Jesus came to that Peter and said, ‘Follow Me, and I will
make you fishers of men.’ Todd, you have a perfect opportunity to fish for Pete.”
“I’m not going to fish for him,” replied Todd. “I’m going to teach him how
to fish so he can catch fish for himself.”
Dad smiled. “What I mean is, you can be a fisher of men, like Jesus said. In
this case, a fisher of Pete. Your friendship can be the bait, and God’s Word can
be the hook and line. Perhaps God will use you to catch Pete—that is, to bring
him to Jesus. Get it?” With a grin, Todd nodded.
Be a
fisher of men
Do you go fishing? You should if you’re following Jesus. Being a fisher of men doesn’t
require handling wiggly worms or floppy fish. It may require a friendly smile, some of your time, and
perhaps an invitation to some activity. It requires prayer, a knowledge of God’s Word, and sharing it.
And it’s more satisfying than fishing for ordinary fish. Be a fisher of men—a fisher of other boys and
girls. Share God’s plan of salvation with them.
January
23
Gone Fishin’ (Cont’d.)
Read: James 5:7-11
I’m going to do it, Todd decided as he thought more about his dad’s suggestion
that he be a fisher of men—especially of his new friend. I want Pete to know
Jesus, too. So whenever Todd saw Pete, Todd would mention a Bible verse he’d
learned, or he’d invite Pete to church or Bible Club or a Sunday school party.
Pete always refused and often acted annoyed when Todd quoted a Bible verse.
Todd was frustrated. “I give up, Dad,” he said one evening. “Pete never
wants to come to church, and he’s getting sick of me asking all the time. I don’t
think he likes it when I share Bible verses, either. I’m gonna quit!”
“What was one of the first things you taught Pete about fishing?” asked Dad.
Todd thought about it and grinned. “Not to keep popping his line out of the
water to see if a fish took the bait,” he replied.
Dad nodded. “Patience is necessary, both when you fish for fish and when you
fish for men,” he said. “You need to keep at it and not give up.” Dad looked
thoughtful. “Do you think maybe you should also consider whether you’re
using the wrong bait?”
“Like what?” asked Todd.
Witness
“Well, you don’t have to quote verses or ask Pete
every day to go to church with you,” said Dad.
with patience
“Why don’t you first strengthen your friendship?
Keep spending time together and having fun.”
“Shouldn’t I ever talk about God?” Todd asked.
Key Verse
“Sure, but maybe not every time you see Pete,”
Be patient. Establish your hearts. said Dad. “Pray for him, and when he shows a
James 5:8
little interest, share what you enjoy about church
and Sunday school. Maybe he’ll decide to come
sometime. But be sure you don’t lie to make it sound like it’s just all fun. You
must be honest, and don’t forget—you must be patient.”
Thoughtfully, Todd nodded, and in the next few weeks, he practiced what
his dad had suggested. Finally, he felt the nibble he’d been waiting for.
“Dad!” Todd shouted as he burst into the house. “Guess what happened today!”
“Well, I know you planned to go fishing this afternoon, so I’d say you
caught a fish,” said Dad with a smile.
“Well . . . at least I got a nibble!” Todd beamed. “And his name is Pete! He
said he’d go to Bible Club with me this week.”
Do you give up if someone you try to bring to Jesus doesn’t seem interested?
Check the bait—are you being a genuine friend? Do you have good times together? Do you pray for
your friend? When the time is right, share a Bible story or a copy of Keys for Kids, or show your friend
the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book. It may take a long, long time before someone wants to
learn more about God, but the salvation of a friend is worth waiting for! Be patient and don’t give up.
Ugly Brown Shoes
Read: 1 John 4:7-11
January
24
The first day of school always made Natasha nervous, but today was the
worst ever because her family had recently moved to a new town. She smiled
shyly at a couple of girls. One nodded toward Natasha’s feet and mouthed,
“Weird.” The other rolled her eyes. They turned their backs and giggled.
Natasha shifted her new backpack to the other shoulder and limped to her
locker. The kids are already making fun of my shoes, she thought. What will
they say when they notice the way I walk?
A girl with rosy cheeks and a blond ponytail pushed a pile of gym clothes
into the locker next to Natasha’s. “Hi,” she said. “You must be new here at
Lincoln Middle School. My name’s Karla.”
“Hi, Karla.” Natasha’s voice squeaked. “I’m Natasha.”
“Want to stop at the library with me?” asked Karla. She slammed her locker
door and started down the hall. When Natasha limped behind, Karla slowed
her pace. She glanced down at Natasha’s shoes. “Hurt your feet?” Karla asked.
“I . . . I was born with crooked feet,” Natasha
explained, “but I had surgery on them two months
ago. The doctor says if I wear these ugly orthopedic
shoes for a year or so, my feet should be okay.” To
her relief, Karla simply smiled and nodded.
As days went by, Karla continued to treat Natasha
Key Verse
as a friend, but several other kids did not. One day
If God so loved us, we also
as the two walked down the hall, a classmate pointed
ought to love one another.
to Natasha’s shoes and shrieked, “Look—ugly brown
1 John 4:11
shoes!” Heads turned and several kids snickered.
“What’s your problem?” Karla asked the gawking
kids. “Natasha had an operation on her feet. Her shoes are like a cast; they
protect her feet—help them heal.” The hallway fell silent, and the kids scattered.
“Thanks, Karla,” said Natasha as they moved on, “but now won’t kids make fun
of you for sticking up for me?”
“Maybe,” said Karla, “but I’m a Christian, and I believe God wants me to be
kind even though others are mean. Besides, I like you.” She grinned. “After
school let’s see if our moms will let us go shopping for the brightest shoelaces
we can find—so bright those kids will notice them instead of your shoes. I’ll
get some, too. Don’t you think friends ought to wear matching shoelaces?”
Show God’s love
to everyone
Do you stick up for somebody other kids laugh at? Or do you join in when they make
fun of what someone is wearing or the way somebody looks, walks, or talks? When you’re tempted to
do that, think about God’s great love to you. Like everyone, you are a sinner, but in spite of the way you
look to a holy God, He loves you so much He gave His Son Jesus to pay the penalty for every bad thing
you do. Show His love to others by being kind—especially to those who are often looked down upon.
January
25
The Password
Read: John 14:1-6
“Hi, Mom,” Miguel tossed his book bag onto a chair and sat down at the
kitchen table. Mom was pulling a pan of cookies from the oven.
“Hi, Miguel.” Mom turned and smiled. “So how was school today?”
“Great!” he answered. “Can I have a cookie?”
“Sure,” agreed Mom, “but just one. We’ll be having dinner shortly.” She
handed him a cookie and then asked, “What was so great at school?”
Miguel took a big bite. “Do you know what a password is, Mom?” he asked.
“Why don’t you tell me?” Mom suggested.
“It’s a special word you have to use in order to get into some places or to get
certain information,” Miguel said. “At my school you have to type a password
into the computers before you can use them. If you don’t know the right word,
the computers won’t let you into the programs.”
Mom smiled. “That sounds a lot like what I told our next-door neighbor
Mrs. Goldman today,” said Mom as she poured milk into a glass for Miguel.
“You were telling Mrs. Goldman about
computers?” asked Miguel.
“No. I was telling her about Jesus,” Mom said.
Miguel frowned. “Jesus? He didn’t use
computers,” he said. “They weren’t invented yet
when Jesus lived on earth.”
Key Verse
Mom sat down next to Miguel. “Mrs. Goldman
There is no other name under
believes that every person who leads what she calls
heaven given among men by
a good life will be in heaven, no matter what his
which we must be saved.
religion is or who he believes in,” said Mom. “We
Acts 4:12
talked about that for a while, and I showed her the
verse in John Fourteen where Jesus says, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ I explained to her that when
each of us stands before God some day, only those who trust in Jesus as Lord
and Savior will be allowed to enter His kingdom—the kingdom of heaven.”
“So Jesus is kinda like a password?” asked Miguel with a smile.
“In a way, yes.” Mom nodded. “Kinda like a password.”
“And did she believe you?” Miguel asked.
“She said she would think about it,” replied Mom. “Let’s ask the Lord to show
her that she needs Jesus as her password to get into heaven.”
Jesus is the only
way to heaven
Do you know how to get into heaven? In today’s Key Verse, and also in today’s Scripture
reading, God says you can be saved and reach heaven only through Jesus. He is the password to get
into heaven. Do you know for sure that you’ve become a child of God and will be allowed to enter
heaven? Make sure today. (See the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book.)
What things can you think of for which a password is needed? _________
__________________________________________________________
Have you ever needed a password for something? ____________
In John 14:1-6, what does God say He’s getting ready for those who love
Him? ________________ This passage doesn’t describe the place in detail,
but who does it say will be there? _______________ Where is Jesus now?
(see Mark 16:19) ____________________________________________
Who does Jesus say is the only way into heaven? ____________________
So . . . will the phrase “I’m a good person” let you into heaven? ________
How about, “I give lots of money to help missionaries”? ____________
Or, “My mom and dad are Christians”? ____________
Will “I go to church all the time” be enough? ____________
Will “I’ve never murdered or stolen any big thing” let you in? __________
What is the one and only way into heaven? ________________________
Look below at the question to ask an adult. It’s interesting to hear what
other people say, but how about you? What will you say if Jesus asks you
that question? _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Ask an adult: If you were standing outside of heaven’s gate
and Jesus asked why He should let you into heaven, what
would you say? __________________________________
_______________________________________________
Our Key Verse says we can be saved only through the name of Jesus. It’s as though He is the
password to get into heaven. Are you trusting in Him and in nothing else for forgiveness of sins? Do
you know for sure that you will be allowed to enter heaven? Check the ABCs of Salvation once more,
and make sure right now.
Always remember . . .
Jesus is the only way to heaven
January
26
Do It
Read: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
“Hi, Mrs. Brown.” Jalyn greeted her next-door neighbor who had stepped
out of her house as Jalyn was walking by.
“Hi, Jalyn,” said Mrs. Brown. “Can you do something for me? The afterschool Bible club in my home starts the day after tomorrow, so I’d like these
invitations passed out. Could you distribute some of them today?”
“Sure,” agreed Jalyn. “No problem.” She took several of the invitations and
went on to her house.
“Mrs. Brown wants these passed out today because her Bible club starts
soon,” Jalyn told her mother as she put the invitations on a table. “I’m going to
have a snack, and then I’ll take them around the neighborhood for her.” She
helped herself to some crackers and a glass of milk, and then went outdoors.
After supper, Jalyn did homework, watched a game show, and read a book. She
completely forgot the promise she had made to Mrs. Brown.
The next day, Jalyn’s mother found the invitations. She was holding them in
her hand when Jalyn burst into the house after
school. Jalyn immediately began to tell Mom
about a problem she had.
“That Denise!” Jalyn exploded angrily. “She told
me she’d return a book to the library for me, but
she didn’t do it! Now I have to pay a fine. I think
Key Verse
Denise should . . .” Her voice trailed off when she
Do faithfully whatever you do for saw what her mother was holding. “Oh, I meant
the brethren and for strangers.
to pass those out last night,” Jalyn murmured, “but
3 John 1:5
I . . . I just forgot.”
“I figured you had,” said Mom. She shook her
head. “You didn’t feel very good about it when Denise broke her promise, did
you? Do you think that’s the way Mrs. Brown feels, too—or would if she could
see these right now? And how about God? He does see them. What do you
think He’d want you to do about this?”
“I know they should have been passed out sooner, but I . . . I guess He’d still
want me to do it,” murmured Jalyn. “I’ll pass them out right after my snack.”
Mom frowned. “I think the time to do it is before your snack,” she said.
“What do you think?”
Solemnly, Jalyn nodded and reached for the invitations. “I’ll do it now,” she said.
Do what you
promise
When you say you’ll do something, do you do it? It’s easy to make quick promises, but
if you can’t help someone or don’t want to help, say so right away. Don’t say you’ll do something—
causing someone to depend on you—and then fail to do it. Follow through on commitments you
make. God always keeps His promises, and He wants you to keep yours, too.
Loyal as a Dog
Read: Proverbs 3:5-8
January
27
Only one day of vacation left, thought James when he woke up the day
before school was to begin. I’m spending the whole day outside, he decided. First
of all, I’ll take Buster for a swim in the lake. His big, black dog loved to swim.
“James! Are you awake, Son?” his mother called. “It’s time to get up. You
need to finish weeding the garden this morning.”
James had forgotten all about weeding the vegetable patch. Oh, well. If I
hurry, I’ll still have time to do other stuff, he thought, getting out of bed.
After breakfast, James went out to the garden. Buster followed, holding a ball
in his mouth. “Sorry, Buster, but I have to weed the garden,” said James. Buster
lay down nearby, happy to be with James even if they couldn’t play.
By the time James finished weeding, dark clouds were filling the sky. Soon,
large raindrops began to fall, and lightning was cracking like a whip in the
distance. “It’s not fair that God is letting it rain on the last day of summer
vacation,” James complained to his mother. “I asked Him for a nice day today.”
Mom looked thoughtful. “This morning, didn’t
I see Buster take a ball out to you, hoping to
Be loyal to God;
play?” she asked. “I’m sure he didn’t understand
accept His way
your reason for not doing that. But he wasn’t
angry, and he was too loyal to leave even when you
Key Verse
didn’t do what he wanted.”
“Yeah. He’s such a good dog,” said James as he
My ways (are) higher than
scratched Buster behind the ear. “I wanted to take
your ways, and My thoughts
him for a swim today.”
than your thoughts.
“He’s a good example for us, isn’t he?” suggested
Isaiah 55:9
Mom. “Shouldn’t we be loyal, too? We may feel
like complaining when God sends rain and we want sunshine, but we must
trust that He has a reason for what He does.”
James sighed. “You’re saying I should be loyal to God, right?” he asked.
Mom smiled and nodded. “Yes, and that means trusting Him—no matter
what,” she said. “We can be happy knowing He loves us and wants what’s best
for us even when we don’t understand His reasons. Okay?”
“Okay,” murmured James. The he grinned as he added, “Okay. I’ll try to be
as loyal as a dog!”
Are you loyal to God when things don’t go the way you want? Do you trust Him
anyway, or do you complain and blame Him? Do you think God isn’t fair if He doesn’t give you whatever
you ask for? You won’t always understand why God does certain things or allows them to happen, but
remember that He is God and you’re only human. He knows all things—He knows what is best for
you. Accept His answers and trust Him at all times.
January
28
Watch Your Step
Read: Ephesians 5:15-21
“Hi, Kyle.” Startled, Kyle glanced up. Seeing his uncle, he quickly put the
magazine he was reading behind his back.
“Oh, Uncle Joe! I-I didn’t hear you coming,” said Kyle.
Uncle Joe raised his brows. “So I noticed. I just came to see if you’d like to go
with me to the construction site of the new bank. I need to talk to the contractor.”
“Oh, cool!” Kyle jumped up. “Let me ask Mom.”
“I already did—she said okay.” Uncle Joe turned. “Let’s go.”
“Okay! But I . . . I’ve . . . I’m thirsty,” said Kyle. He hurried into the house
and hid the magazine in his room. Then he stopped in the kitchen for a drink
of water. After all, I did say I was thirsty, he thought.
When they reached the construction site, Kyle and his uncle put on hard
hats. Shielding his eyes, Kyle looked at men working high up on the tall steel
frame. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “That looks scary!”
“Yes, it does,” Uncle Joe agreed. “You’ll never see a steel worker running or
turning flip-flops or doing gymnastics on his job.”
“I guess not!” Kyle stared at the men above him.
“Those steel workers up there have to watch every
step they take,” said Uncle Joe. “They remind me of
a Bible verse that tells how Christians should walk.”
“There’s a verse that tells that?” Kyle asked in
Key Verse
surprise. “What does it say?”
See then that you
“It says, ‘See then that you walk circumspectly,’”
walk circumspectly,
replied Uncle Joe. “That means to consider all the
not as fools but as wise.
circumstances and consequences of what you do.”
Ephesians 5:15
“Sounds like a good idea,” said Kyle.
“Yes. The end of the verse says, ‘Not as fools, but as wise.’ It would be foolish
for those workers up there to not walk carefully,” said Uncle Joe, “and it’s just
as foolish for Christians to not live carefully.” Kyle nodded. “We should strive
to please God in all we do, say, read, or watch,” added Uncle Joe.
Lowering his gaze, Kyle was embarrassed to see that his uncle was watching
him closely. “I-I know what you’re thinking,” Kyle said. “You saw what I was
reading, didn’t you?” He sighed. “I can never hide anything from you.”
“From me, maybe you could, but never from God,” Uncle Joe reminded him.
Slowly, Kyle nodded. “Never from God,” he repeated softly.
Walk
carefully and
wisely
How are you doing in your Christian walk? Do you walk carefully? Or do you act
on impulse and go along with whatever a classmate suggests? Do you watch whatever happens to
come on TV and read any magazine or book someone offers? All you do has consequences—it shapes
your life. Watch your steps—your activities, reading material, habits, language, and friendships.
Consider whether all you do and say is pleasing to God. Walk wisely, not foolishly.
Weight Watchers
Read: Romans 12:9-10; Hebrews 12:1-3
January
29
“Is something bothering you, Brian?” Mom asked as she pushed her chair
back after dinner. “You’ve been unusually quiet this evening.”
Brian sighed. “I came in third in our track meet today,” he blurted out. “I
was always first last year. I don’t know what’s the matter with me.”
“I do,” said Stephanie. “You’re too fat.”
“Stephanie!” Dad reprimanded her. “That was not kind.”
“Is she ever kind?” Brian asked sarcastically. He scowled at his sister. “You’re
not so skinny yourself,” he added.
“That’s enough!” scolded Mom. “You’re both wrong—and right.” She sighed.
“It’s wrong to say hateful things about one another—and, Stephanie, your criticism
of your brother was not done lovingly. But, Brian, it’s true that you have gained
weight, and your remark about your sister didn’t sound very loving, either.”
“Well, she’s always saying mean things to me,” Brian defended himself.
“Look who’s talking!” put in Stephanie. “The meanest brother in the world!”
“I’m afraid you both have an attitude problem,”
said Dad sternly. “Jesus said we are to love one
another, but I haven’t seen much evidence of love
between the two of you recently.”
Both kids were silent, knowing Dad was right.
Dad looked at Brian. “If you’re honest, Son, I
Key Verse
think you’ll have to admit it would be a good idea
Let us lay aside every weight,
to take off a few pounds, right?” Brian frowned,
and the sin which
but he nodded reluctantly.
so easily ensnares us.
Turning to his daughter, Dad said, “And,
Hebrews 12:1
Stephanie, just like Brian needs to take off weight
to run well, you both need to get rid of weights of selfishness and unkindness
and learn to think of others and their feelings. A diet of thanksgiving and praise
would be good for you—in fact, good for all of us.”
“Yes, it would. Let’s all go on a diet,” Mom suggested. “Let’s be weight
watchers—both physically and spiritually. Let’s start now by saying things we’re
thankful for about each other.” She paused. “Who’d like to start?” she added.
Stephanie and Brian frowned and hesitated. Then both started speaking at once.
They paused. Stephanie began again. “Brian’s . . . ah . . . a good student.”
Brian laughed and exclaimed, “That’s just what I started to say about you!”
Get rid of
sinful weights
Does a bitter or rebellious spirit hinder your Christian race? Things like a sharp
tongue, selfishness, or an unforgiving attitude bring defeat into the life of a Christian. Anything that
keeps you from overcoming sin, serving God, or displaying a Christ-like attitude is a weight that needs
to be put away. Check your life for things that weigh you down. Ask God to help you replace them
with genuine love and concern for others.
January
30
False Labels
Read: 1 John 5:1, 9-13
Maggie’s Sunday school class was enjoying a slumber party at her teacher’s
cottage. “Sleep well,” said Mrs. Gordon when the girls finally began to settle down.
A sleepy-looking bunch of girls assembled in the dining room the next
morning. “Breakfast is almost ready,” said Mrs. Gordon, “so we’ll have a short
time of devotions first, and then we’ll eat. We have bacon and eggs, cereal,
sweet rolls—quite a variety this morning.” She pointed to some of the things
already on the table. “And be sure to try some of my own homemade, luscious,
strawberry jam!” she added as she held up a large glass jar.
“Jam!” exclaimed Maggie. “That’s a jar of pickles!”
“Pickles?” Mrs. Gordon looked surprised. Ignoring the green pickles in the
jar, she pointed to the label. “Right here it says strawberry jam.”
“That’s what the label says,” agreed Isobel, “but there are pickles, not jam,
inside the jar!”
Mrs. Gordon smiled. “You’re right, of course,” she said. She looked at the
girls around the table. “I hope none of you are like
this jar.”
The girls were puzzled. “How would we be like
that jar of pickles?” Isobel asked.
“Like this jar, you might be wearing a false
label,” replied Mrs. Gordon. “Most of you wear
Key Verse
the label ‘Christian.’ I know that in many ways
He who has the Son has life; he
you walk and talk like a Christian, and that’s good.
who does not have the Son of
However, just like a jar of strawberry jam must
God does not have life.
have jam inside, what must a Christian have?”
1 John 5:12
“A Christian must have Jesus Christ!” exclaimed
Maggie. “That’s like last week’s memory verse. It says if we have ‘the Son,’—
Jesus—we have life.”
“Good!” Mrs. Gordon nodded. “We can’t look inside anyone to see if she has
Jesus in her heart and life, but God can. Does He see Christ in you?” She
paused for a moment. “You’ll be leaving for home after breakfast, but if anyone
here is wearing a false label, please see me before you go. I’d like to help you
make sure the inside matches the label. Now let’s pray, and then we’ll eat.”
Quietly, the girls bowed their heads.
Christians must
have Christ
Do you call yourself a Christian? Saying you’re a Christian does not make you one. To be a
Christian, you must believe on Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Believe that He died for you, that He rose
again, and that He will forgive your sins if you trust in Him. When you admit your sin and trust in
Jesus, He will give you eternal life. (See the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book.)
Friends of God
Read: John 15:12-17
January
31
“Did you know there are only three kinds of people in this world?” Savannah
asked her Sunday school teacher one day.
“And what would they be?” asked Mr. Ken.
“Those who can count and those who can’t,” said Savannah with a grin.
Mr. Ken hesitated a moment and then burst out laughing.
“I don’t get it. Why is that so funny?” asked Lon, one of the boys in the class.
“I said three kinds of people,” replied Savannah, “but I named only two—
those who can count and those who can’t. So I’m obviously one who can’t
count. Get it now?” Lon and a couple of the other kids joined in the laughter.
“We could say there are only two kinds of people, and it wouldn’t be a joke,”
said Mr. Ken. “There are those who are friends of God and those who aren’t.”
The class was silent for a moment. Then Savannah nodded. “I’m a Christian,
so I’m a friend of God, right?” she asked.
“Me, too,” said Gideon, and most of the other class members nodded.
Mr. Ken smiled. “Good,” he said. “Are you
growing in your friendship with God? And can
other kids see that God is your friend?”
Lon shrugged. “How would they tell?” he asked.
“Think about the kids at school,” said Mr. Ken.
“How can you tell which ones are friends?”
Key Verse
Savannah remembered seeing girls jumping
You are My friends if you do
rope, boys playing ball, and groups of older
whatever I command you.
students talking and laughing with one another.
John 15:14
“That’s easy,” she said. “They hang out together.”
Mr. Ken nodded. “That’s how friendships
grow—through spending time together,” he said. “You made the commitment
to be God’s friend when you put your faith in Jesus. Now you need to grow that
friendship by spending time with Him. You do that by letting Him talk to you
as you read and study His Word—the Bible. You talk to Him through prayer.”
“But I still don’t see how other kids can tell that God is our friend,” said Gideon.
“Don’t be bashful about letting them see that you spend time with God,” Mr.
Ken replied. “As you yield to Him, you’ll treat other people in a more loving
way. Your decisions will reflect His love and show that you’re His friend.”
Grow in friendship
with God
Are you growing in your friendship with God? He says His friends follow His commands,
so be sure to set aside time to learn what pleases Him. Your friendship with God will influence the
things you value, the way you treat others, and how you spend your time and your money. Let what
you do with your life each day reflect the fact that you are a friend of God.
Prayer requests
for family and friends who are
ill came from:
Cheyenne
Alayna
Madison
Please pray that I will not give
in to temptation. I’m really being tested in
this way. Keys for Kids is really
encouraging.
I’m in fifth grade
—Emily
this year, and I’m trying to read
my Bible by myself. My mom
helps me if I get stuck on a word.
My prayer request is that I will be
Also, my cat is lost. Pray that she is
less bossy. I sometimes tell my brother to not
well and safe.
to do something, but then I do it. And pray
—Leah
for my grandma because she is not saved.
—Jaycie
I have a few prayer requests.
Please pray for my mom. She is having
I’ve been trying
lower back pain. Also, my dog
to read my Bible more, and
has kidney problems and some
Please pray
I hope to make it a habit of
—Faith
for my grandma’s breathing seizures.
wanting to. Please pray for me.
problems, and for my friend
—Grace
who is diabetic. And please
pray that I’ll be safe in my home here
Please pray for my
in South America.
Please pray that I
—Hannah
cousin. He is not going
can have a good friend
to church.
at my new school.
Pray for my
—Lyssa
—Samuel
mom to find a job soon. Also pray
for my Nanny, Papa, Grandma,
and Papa to be saved. Papa just had hip
surgery. —Mikayla
I am the grandmother of Miciah. I’m
requesting prayer for her family because they were
recently burned out of their home. But God is
good. They are in another home now with
everything replaced.
—Erica
Pray for my
great uncle. He has alzheimers.
Me and my brother and sister
love Keys for Kids. Thanks.
—Gracie