Prayer Blog Of Mentally Ill Mom

Prophesy and Prayer

2008-01-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns -- January 25, 2008:Even though it seems like you've been swimming upstream or perhaps walking through Jell-O, keep pushing. Your extreme efforts to break through will pay off. The test is whether or not you will give up in the face of adversity. You have heard the adage, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." And, I say to you that you may not feel tough or equal to the task, but you must remember that My strength is made perfect in your weakness. Let Me come along side you to carry the burden, says the Lord. Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Marlena: I'm struggling with exhaution and body aches today. Yet I fed the animals, cleaned the fish bowl, changed the bedding in the guinea pig cage, changed my baby's diaper, read the introduction to 1 Kings in the Bible, made breakfast for Olivia, and got Ashley started on trying to decipher her new schooling program, took my meds and vitamins, read stories and played in a bowl of rice with Olivia because she wanted me to take her to play in the sand at the park. It's 5 degrees out. I didn't go walking, didn't clean house, didn't organize anything or get rid of anything. Mike wants me and the kids to be ready to go to Morgantown for the weekend by 5pm. I feel like I just can't do it....the packing, and cleaning out the van, disappointing him and myself once again.

My counselor acts like this is all just about me 'learning' to do better. I agree that I have a lot to learn that will be very beneficial in being able to cope better, and to have a better perspective that won't add to my problems. I'm not as convinced as she is though that all my physical problems are just a result of feeling ashamed of myself. I think the physical issues led to the feelings of shame and the shame compounds things. But when I'm thinking well, performing well, and not feeling ashamed, the physical issues still raise problems that bring my mind and body to a halt.

As I'm reading through this Word of the Lord today I'm encouraged to keep striving, that it's not all in vain as I sometimes feel. It's been difficult for me to know when to push myself and when to take it easy. Others in my same health circumstance have shared with me how they pace themselves and that has been very helpful so I don't get so down on myself if it takes me a week to accomplish a task someone else might do in a day.

At the same time this encourages me to keep striving at a pace I'm able, I also feel encouraged to ask the Lord to walk along beside me. (oh how privilaged I feel to think He would even want to walk along side of me). For years I've been desiring to have someone walk along side of me...thinking if only someone would just walk through it with me, then maybe I could do it. My thoughts on God making the yoke lighter is that He will do all the planning and distribution of responsibilities as He sees fit, and my job becomes obeying Him, instead of feeling the responsibility of figuring it all out on my shoulders. If only I could hear Him clearly and wouldn't forget or stray before I follow through. I know this shouldn't be so difficult. Why is it so difficult? What is wrong? I feel so grieved that I'm not hearing God. I hear so many voices. My head is like a wirl wind of conflicting thoughts. I do hear my husband and he is saying that everything is going to be fine, don't worry about tomorrow...rest, relax, don't get upset, be grateful for what you are able to do at each moment, etc. I'm worried that the things I forget, or the responsibilities I neglect are going to come back to bite us all in the future, and it will all be my fault. I've been through some pretty tough circumstances that I've handled well because I knew I was not the cause. When I feel that I'm the cause, no matter how trivial the problem is, I just cannot cope.

I'm taking comfort in God saying He is gentle. I'm not really sure what lowly of heart means. But I know that gentle is the opposite of harsh. Harsh is how I've seeen God for a very long time. He is harsh in much of His Word, but here He is saying He is gentle.

Marlena's Prayer: Lord, please take my burdens and put your yoke upon me. You are so welcome to walk beside me and teach me. I want to learn from You. I want to find rest and peace. I want to know that whatever circumstances my family goes through that we will be able to hear you, do as you say, and we will be ok. I feel such a huge responsibility for so much...for everything everyone has ever told me that I'm responsible for, for everything I've ever read that I'm responsible for. But it's time for me to learn from you. Lord please tell me what I'm responsible for and help me to carry it out. I desire to be under your yoke, not the yoke others have put on me or that I've put on myself. I want a life that is do-able, one that is not in vain, one that brings you honor and glory. And Lord, please honor this prayer even if I forget it in an hour. Amen.

Hear and Do What God Says

2008-01-24T09:08:00.001-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for January 24, 2008
TITLE: Two Mirrors
SCRIPTURE: James 1:22-25
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Don't forget to wash your face and comb your hair," said Mom when Joe got up from the breakfast table. "There's jam on your cheek, and your hair looks like you just got out of bed. Go look in the mirror."
"Okay," agreed Joe, and he grinned when he saw himself in the mirror that hung above the dining room buffet table. But by the time he got his books together, he had forgotten how he looked. Out the door he went-his face dirty and his hair uncombed.
When Joe arrived home after school that day, his sister was in the kitchen talking to their mother. "You should have seen Joe at school today," said Claire. "His face was dirty, and I don't think he even combed his hair."
"Hey! Quit talking about me!" objected Joe.
"Well, you were a mess. My friends called you 'Sloppy Joe' and laughed at you," declared Claire with a giggle. "It's kinda embarrassing!"
"I forgot to wash my face before school," admitted Joe, "but I washed it at recess time. Combed my hair, too. So there!"
Mom frowned. "You should have cleaned up right away when you saw you needed it," she said. "Don't leave the house tomorrow until I've checked you over!"
At family devotions that night, Dad read from the book of James (see today's Scripture). "How appropriate," said Mom. "The man James wrote about sounds like Joe this morning."
"Yeah," agreed Joe. "I saw myself in the mirror and knew I should wash my face and comb my hair right away. But I didn't, and then I forgot about it and went to school looking a mess."
"That's a good example of all of us at times," said Dad. "When we look in another mirror-the Bible-it shows us our sins and shortcomings and gives us instructions for Christian living. But as we read, we must not only see what's needed in our lives, we must do something to make the necessary changes."
"And we should do it right away, so we don't forget," added Claire, grinning at her brother.
MEMORY VERSE: Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. James 1:22
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you regularly look into God's "mirror"-the Bible? You should. That's the way to learn how to live the Christian life. As you look, do you see things in your life that need changing? Do you need to obey more promptly, be more friendly, or treat someone with more kindness? Do you need to stop complaining, quit lying, or stop unkind teasing? When God makes you aware of a problem, be sure to take care of it at once so that you don't forget.
THE KEY: Hear and do what God says

We are Created to Love Him and be Loved by Him

2008-01-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

Today's meditation is taken from:
All Things In Christby Chip Brogden http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/allthings.html
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11).
All things were created by Him, and everything was created for Him. For Him! Why this earth, the moon, the stars, the galaxies? Why the animals, the birds, the fish, the insects? Why men and women, angels, cherubim, and seraphim? For Him! All for Him!
God's original thought is for Christ to fill every created thing with His Life, Love, and Glory. A design implies a Designer, a plan implies a Planner, and a creation implies a Creator. We are not drifting along aimlessly, and we did not come into being by accident. We were created by Him, and we were created for Him. We were created to love Him, and to be loved by Him

Obtaining Truth and Holding On To It

2008-01-22T04:38:00.000-08:00

Today's meditation is taken from:THE REMNANT PRINCIPLEBy Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/daniel5.html"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, opened his windows towards Jerusalem, and kneeled down three times a day to pray and give thanks to God, just as he always did" (Daniel 6:10).
Everyone wants power with God, but few want to deny themselves. They would rather just have someone pray for them or lay hands on them while they live any way they please. You know, there is no law that says a Christian must pray three times a day and serve God with fasting, like Daniel did. We are not led by rules and regulations, but by the Spirit. You can pray once a day, once a week, or not at all. You can eat three or four meals a day if you like. But I hope one day we will become more hungry for the Lord and more thirsty for His Purpose than we are for our earthly food and drink. I hope one day we will become so consumed with heavenly things that earthly things begin to lose their grip on us. I pray we will at least have enough wisdom to understand that if we really want to know God we will have to pay a price for knowing. It will cost us something to obtain experiential truth, and it will cost us something to hold on to it after we obtain it.

Chruch Notes- 21 Day Fast

2008-01-20T09:12:00.001-08:00

Why fast?
If you fast and don't pray, you will lose weight.
If you fast and pray, it will bring change.
Eating food is like putting fuel in your car to enable it to go by pressing the gas pedal. Fasting is like taking your foot off the brake.

Types of Fasts:
Recommendation if I've never fasted before, to do a juice fast/no pulp.
You will be hungry for three days.
Fourth day...a break over.
Fifth day, no more hunger.
Options... don't get caught up in time, be obedient.
Types of fasts..
a day of fasting/week
partial fast- take out a meal or two each day
Daniel fast- remove some foods from diet: meats, sweets, processed foods
full fast- drink only water or fruit juice pulp free.
fast activities- like TV
Fasting: denying yourself of a great craving

Online: Encouragement (didn't mention where...perhaps need to give email address)
Assess what you are going to do and make up your mind before you start.

What to expect:
Toxins will be released.
Paracites will be flushed after 8 days
Prepare for three days by eating soups and soft foods

Repair and Restore
Isaiah 58
I don't want you fasting so you can say you fasted as a spiritual routine. But rather it's to do the things that are right. Let your physical desires die out, take the back seat.

The purpose of this fast is to bring people back to God and on to the maturation process.
See souls saved, and also take care of them. Resue the parishing from damnation. Get them back on track, on the path they belong. Restoration in marriages and in lives.

We must become serious about our dreams and visions. Entertain the spirit more than our own desires.

We will hear God more clearly. We will be loosed from distrations.

When we allow God to take priority, He will release His glory.

Opportunities will be revealed.

Flaws and sin will become more obvious to us so that we can confess them and get them out of the way.
Fasting denies the devil access be crucifying our flesh.

Don't Worry About Tomorrow

2008-01-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

TO HIM THAT OVERCOMESBy Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/overcomes.html"Don't worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34a).
Most of us, from time to time or nearly all of the time, worry about something - our health, our finances, our loved ones, and so on. Yet the Scriptures say take no thought for your lives and be anxious for nothing. Why is worry a sin? I know we consider it "only human", but worry really implies a lack of trust in God. It is believing a lie. Identify the lie and you can quickly discover the Truth. What is the lie? That God is somehow less than sufficient, that perhaps He will not come through for us. So you see, the enemy gets us to believe a lie, and then gets us to think that we are just being "human". So then we accept something less than the normal Christian life - overcoming - and think that is just the way it is. Remember: satan has no power apart from our belief in his lie.
Overcomers are learning to bridge the gap between what they SAY they believe and how they really LIVE. Now we are not criticizing or judging people for having anxious thoughts, for we have our share of them. We have not overcome in this area. We simply say this is one thing to be overcome, one of many lies which oppose the Truth. The one that overcomes is constantly challenging the lie of the enemy and demonstrating the preeminence of Christ over all things. When every lie is destroyed then the dragon is defeated, for it cannot control what it cannot deceive.
Most of what we see and hear is an illusion. It is not the Truth, but a lie, a distortion. Our eyes and our ears cannot be trusted. We must have heavenly vision and heavenly hearing.

Notes from Church 1-13-08

2008-01-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

Let my life be worship unto thee. (what a beautiful devinely designed song)
Let my body be a living sacrifice.
God says to search for Him
Be transformed by the renewing of my mind. We've had enough Good thoughts, we need "God" thoughts.

Be a Good Example

2008-01-06T19:02:00.001-08:00

TITLE: Watching You
SCRIPTURE: Read: Titus 2:6-8; Colossians 1:9-10
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Todd pushed away the bowl of oatmeal that Mom had placed on the table in front of him. "Oatmeal again?" he asked. "Can't I have cornflakes instead?"
"Oatmeal 'gin? Want cawnfakes!" In his high chair, Todd's little brother pushed his bowl off the tray. His mother caught it as it tumbled toward the floor.
"Danny, never do that again!" scolded Mom with a sigh. She turned to Todd. "Now I'll have trouble getting Danny to eat his oatmeal."
"Why does he always copy me?" grumbled Todd.
"Because he loves you," replied Mom. "You are his hero, and he watches everything you do."
Later that day, Mom asked Todd to take out the trash. "I'm watching TV," replied Todd with a frown. "I'll do it later." It seemed to Todd that his mother always asked him to do things at the worst possible time.
"Do it now, Todd," Mom said firmly, "or you may forget it."
As Todd reluctantly got to his feet, he mumbled a few words his mother had told him he shouldn't use. He glanced uneasily at her, but she was heading for the kitchen and didn't hear him. Todd hurried to finish his chore, and as he returned to his place, he heard Mom calling Danny. "Come pick up your toys, Son," she said.
"Watsing TV," Danny replied, not moving from his cozy position beside Todd.
"Daniel Blackburn!" said Mom sternly. "Don't make me come and get you."
Danny shrugged. Then mimicking Todd's tone, Danny repeated the words Todd had used.
Todd was horrified. "Don't say that, Danny!" he scolded. "That's a no-no. Go and do what Mom says, and don't ever use those words again!"
"Okay," agreed Danny, sliding from the sofa.
As Todd watched Danny leave, he couldn't help feeling guilty. I was a bad example to Danny, thought Todd. I never noticed before that he copied what I do and say so much! I'm going to do better! I don't want to do anything that could hurt Danny-or anyone else who might be watching!
MEMORY VERSE: Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you aware that someone is always watching you? Yes, God is-but others are, too. Is your behavior and your general attitude a good example to them? Or does your life encourage them to do something wrong? Be very careful in what you do and say. Don't influence anyone to sin against the Lord. Ask God to help you be a good example to others.
THE KEY: Be a good example

Salvation is Free

2008-01-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Really Free?
SCRIPTURE: Read: Ephesians 2:4-9
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
As Dylan sat down at the kitchen table to eat lunch, an advertisement on the bread wrapper caught his attention. "Free gift!" he read. "Skipper Sam Race Boat! See details on bottom of package." Dylan turned the loaf of bread so he could see the bottom. "Mom, look!" he exclaimed. "I can get a Skipper Sam Race Boat for absolutely nothing. I saw how much those boats cost at the store-twelve dollars!"
"Let me see that package," said Mom. "That offer sounds too good to be true." She studied the information about the boat. "Dylan, did you notice what you need to send in with this order form?" she asked.
"Ah . . . I think you have to send three proof of purchase tags," said Dylan.
Mom nodded. "Three proof of purchase tags from what?" she asked.
"From . . . let's see." Dylan reached for the bread. "From Skipper Sam Race Boats . . . hey!" He interrupted himself. "That means I'd have to buy three boats just to get one for free. That's thirty-six dollars!" Disappointed, Dylan pushed the loaf of bread away.
"When something is offered for free in cases like this, there's often something to buy first or some other requirement you have to meet," said Mom.
Dylan sighed. "I guess people have it right when they say if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
"Well," said Mom as she sat down at the table with Dylan, "that generally is the case. I do know of one offer, though, that also sounds too good to be true, but the gift that's offered really is free."
"It is?" asked Dylan eagerly. "What is it? Have you gotten it already?"
"Yes, I have. It's the gift of salvation-the gift of eternal life instead of eternal punishment," Mom replied with a smile. "It's free to anyone who will accept Jesus as Savior."
Dylan grinned. "I guess I should have thought of that," he said. "I've already done that and gotten the gift, too!"
"It's a gift everyone can have," Mom added. "Now . . . let's thank the Lord for our lunch and for His free gift of eternal life."
MEMORY VERSE: The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you like gifts? A gift is something that's free-you can't earn it or buy it. But you do need to accept it. Jesus offers the gift of eternal life-He paid the price for it. Have you accepted it? When you trust Jesus as Savior, you are accepting the gift He offers. It's the only way you can get it. Why not trust Him today? (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)
THE KEY: Salvation is free

Jesus in charge of our day-to-day affairs

2008-01-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Today's meditation is taken from:THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORYBy Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/kpg.html"For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13b).
The spirit of Antichrist is active today. It is at work in the world, and it is at work in the Church (or, what is called "the Church"), and it is at work within each one of us individually, trying to draw us out into something - anything - other than Christ. Hence the Lord's need for overcomers to rise up and demonstrate that in spite of all appearances to the contrary, THE LORD JESUS REIGNS, and He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This demonstration begins with each individual disciple, then finds expression within the corporate synthesis of Believers, before finding its ultimate expression and release in all creation. If the Lord does not have the preeminence in us as individual disciples, if we remain unsurrendered to Him in our own lives, how can the Church as a whole ever hope to bear His Testimony to the world? This is a critical point.
What assurance are we given? It is this: that in spite of nation rising up against nation, kingdom rising up against kingdom, political tumults and global confusion, "THINE IS THE KINGDOM" - Your Throne is everlasting, Your Kingdom is established, and of the increase of Your Government there shall be no end (cf. Isaiah 9:6,7). In other words, as Daniel would say, the Heavens DO rule, and it is the Most High God Who governs the affairs of men. THAT is the heart of the matter. THAT is what we are moving towards, from our day-to-day affairs as followers of Jesus, to the course and direction of this entire age.

Limit Physical and Mental Junk Food

2008-01-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for January 4, 2008
TITLE: Junk Food
SCRIPTURE: Read: Psalm 119:33-40
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Uh-oh! I've gotta get home, Brad!" exclaimed Jerry. "It's dinner time. I was having so much fun that I didn't watch the clock." He reached toward the bowl of potato chips on the table. "Thanks for the snacks. Bye!"
Brad grinned. "Bye," he said. "See you tomorrow." Jerry nodded and stuffed the chips into his mouth as he dashed out the door.
At the dinner table, Jerry put down his fork when his plate was still half full. "I'm just not very hungry-I had potato chips and cookies and drank some pop at Brad's house," he explained.
"Jerry Allen Byron! You know you're not supposed to eat when it's almost dinner time," scolded Mom. "Besides, you know we don't want you to eat a lot of junk food. It can dull your appetite for the good food you need."
"Sorry, but it tastes so good," mumbled Jerry.
Mom frowned. "And this chicken dinner I fixed doesn't?" she asked. "I thought fried chicken was one of your favorite meals."
Jerry looked at the platter of chicken and creamy mashed potatoes and buttered corn. "It is," he said, "but I'm just not hungry. Can I go watch TV?"
Dad frowned slightly. "I hope you're not also getting too much 'junk food' in another area," he said. "Too much time spent on things like TV and video games and comic books is like taking in mental junk food. Those things don't help you grow strong spiritually, and too much of them may dull your appetite for good, spiritual food."
"The comic books and TV shows are all ones you've approved," protested Jerry, "and there's nothing wrong with my video games, is there?"
"No," said Dad, "unless they dull your desire for the things of God or take time you should use for other things."
Slowly Jerry nodded. "Well . . . I got a book at the church library last Sunday. I'll go read that, okay?" he asked.
"That would be better," agreed Dad, "but no, you can't be excused yet. Mealtime is family time here, so even if you're not hungry, we want you to stay and talk with us for a while."
MEMORY VERSE: Do not be conformed to this world . . . prove what is that good and . . . perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
HOW ABOUT YOU? How much mental "junk food" are you getting? It's fine to play games and enjoy yourself, but don't be "conformed" to even the "okay" things of the world. Don't get so involved in them that you neglect things that build your character and help you become more like Christ. A variety of Christian materials for children provide fun as well as spiritual help. And "spiritual family time"-time spent with other Christians-helps, too.
THE KEY: Limit physical and mental junk food

Think Before You Act or Speak

2008-01-02T20:23:00.001-08:00

TITLE: Instant Replay
SCRIPTURE: Read: Psalm 19:12-14; 139:23-24
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Brian and his dad were enjoying a football game on TV. "Watch out for that guy on your right!" yelled Brian-and Dad waved his arms as if the players could see him. But it was no use-the man they were cheering for was down. "That was dumb!" exclaimed Brian in disgust. "He should have seen that guy coming at him! He wasn't paying attention."
Dad nodded. "The coach pulled him out now, and I expect they'll show him an instant replay of that move. I dare say he won't make the same mistake again."
By the time the game was over, Mom had supper ready. "Hey! How come Gretchen gets a hot turkey sandwich and the rest of us get yucky old tuna casserole?" asked Brian, glancing at his sister's plate as he came to the table. He yanked out his chair and bumped the table hard as he sat down. "You're just a spoiled brat," he complained to Gretchen.
Gretchen began to speak, but Brian wouldn't listen-not even when his mother tried to explain. He interrupted her and continued to grumble as he roughly gave his plate a shove, spilling his milk.
"Brian, go to your room and think about what you just did," ordered Dad. "The way you behaved and the things you said were not pleasing to us, and they certainly were not pleasing to God. When you're ready to apologize, you may come back to the table."
Brian knew it was no use to protest, so he went to his room, hungry and angry. He plopped down on his bed. But he did think. In his mind, he replayed what had happened. He tried to tell himself he hadn't been treated fairly and that Gretchen was spoiled. But then he remembered that Gretchen had been sick when they'd had a turkey dinner the day before and his mother had saved some turkey for her. That's why she's getting it now, he thought. He knew he had made a mess of the situation and had hurt his sister's feelings.
The rest of the family was almost finished when Brian again took his place at the table. He looked at his father. "In my mind, I . . . I watched an 'instant replay' of what happened," said Brian. "I guess if I did that more often, I wouldn't keep on making so many mistakes." Turning to his mom and his sister, he added. "I'm really sorry for the way I acted."
MEMORY VERSE: Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Consider your ways!" Haggai 1:7
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you sometimes say or do things that you later regret? Perhaps you've criticized a classmate, complained about your food, or slipped out of the house to avoid doing your chores. In your mind, "replay" your actions and words throughout each day to see if any of them were displeasing to God. If they were, ask His forgiveness and don't keep making the same mistakes.
THE KEY: Think before you act or speak

Why God Allows My Suffering

2008-01-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

THE SEED OF APOSTASY
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/apostasy.html

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye sees You" (Job 42:5).The testing of Job was a valid test, a crucial one, and a crucible through which each Christian will be purged, sifted, and tried. To what end? It is summed up in the words of Job himself as he neared the end of his ordeal: "I have heard Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye seeth Thee." BUT NOW! BUT NOW! BUT NOW! Before he heard about Him, but now he sees Him, and falls to the ground. Before he worshipped Him having heard, now he worships having seen, and known.I submit that God set him up for such experiential knowledge by allowing him to be subjected to the assaults of the devil, the harshness of his environment, the misunderstanding of his friends, the loss of his family and material possessions, and his physical infirmity. I submit that if anyone desires to take up the cross and follow Christ such testing is the only realistic expectation His disciple can entertain.

7 Keys to Use in Praying for the Lost

2008-01-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

7 Keys to Use In Praying for the Lost
Taken from a seminar from Elijah Ministries

1. That God would lift the veil over him/her (prayer for revelation and enlightenment) . (2 Cor 4:3)

2. For the Holy Spirit to hover over him and protect him.

3. For godly people to be in his pathway each day.

4. To cast down anything that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God, specifically pride and rebellion. (2 Cor 10:3-5)

5. To take down all known strongholds; thought patterns, opinions on religion, materialism, fear. (Luke 4:18)

6. To bind Satan from taking them captive; to bind all wicked thoughts and lies Satan would try to place in their minds. (James 3:15)

7. That the armor of God would be placed on him. (1 John 5:19, Acts 26:18)8. Also make sure you are with others who can support you.

Give Your Whole Life to God

2008-01-01T10:43:00.000-08:00

TITLE: No Strings
SCRIPTURE: Read: Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Grandma, in Bible times people had to sacrifice animals to God, didn't they?" Kara asked one day. "Why don't we do that now?"
Grandma smiled. "When Jesus died for our sins, He was the perfect sacrifice," she replied. "Animal sacrifices are no longer needed."
"Well . . . when people made a sacrifice, something had to be killed, didn't it?" asked Kara. "What does my memory verse mean when it talks about a 'living sacrifice'?"
"To be a living sacrifice means to give your whole life to God," explained Grandma. She picked up a small piece of yarn. "Pretend this yarn is my life. It's my love, my family, my time, my actions-my everything. Here, honey. I'll give it to you." Grandma held out one end of the yarn. Kara took it, but Grandma kept hold of the other end. "There-my life is all yours now, right? I'm sacrificing it to you." She tugged on the yarn a little as she spoke.
Kara giggled. "Well, then why are you still holding on to it?" she asked.
"Good point," said Grandma. "That's like Christians who say they've made their lives a living sacrifice to serve God, but then they leave 'strings' attached to some areas. For example, they may persist in listening to music with bad lyrics. Or perhaps they leave a 'string' attached to friends and continue to hang around people who have a bad influence on them. It's possible to hold something back in any number of areas." Grandma dropped her end of the yarn. "Tie that into a pretty bow," she said.
"Okay," agreed Kara, but as she began to tie a bow, Grandma reached out and took hold of the yarn again. She tugged it almost out of Kara's grasp. "Grandma!" protested Kara. "What are you doing?"
"That bow you're making is too small," said Grandma. She smiled at Kara's puzzled glance. "Christians sometimes act the way I just did," Grandma explained. "When they don't like the way something is turning out, they try to pull their lives back out of God's hands. To be a 'living sacrifice,' we need to trust God and not try to pull our lives back into our own control."
"Even when we don't like the way something is going, right?" asked Kara. "I think I get it."
MEMORY VERSE: I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. Romans 12:1
HOW ABOUT YOU? Have you given God control of every part of your life? Would He approve of your choice of friends, your school activities, your study habits, your music? If there's an area where you do something that you know doesn't please God, are you willing to give it up? Are you willing to yield every area of your life to Him-no strings attached? Be willing to do whatever He wants.
THE KEY: Give your whole life to God

Don't Hold Grudges

2007-12-30T22:12:00.001-08:00

TITLE: Throw It Out
SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 19:16-18; Romans 12:17-21
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Let's go to the sidewalk sale, Mom," suggested Patty.
"All right." Mom smiled. "But we've got to get this kitchen cleaned up first, including the refrigerator."
"Okay," agreed Patty. "I'll start there."
Mom nodded, and they worked several minutes in silence. Then Mom asked, "Would you like to invite Melissa to go shopping with us?"
"No," Patty answered shortly as she unloaded the refrigerator shelves.
"No?" Mom looked surprised. "Why not?"
"She's probably with Amy today." Patty frowned. "Melissa is Amy's friend now."
"Can't Melissa have more than one friend?" Mom asked. "You could invite Amy, too."
"No!" snapped Patty. "Melissa knows I can't stand Amy. Last year Amy said some nasty things about me, and she . . . Phew! What do I smell?" Patty made a face.
Mom grimaced. "You must have uncovered something that's spoiled," she said.
Patty held up a bowl. "It's this old tuna casserole. Phewe-e-e!" She held her nose.
"Quick!" said Mom. "Let's get rid of it!"
Soon the casserole was disposed of, and the kitchen was sprayed with air freshener. "I guess we should clean out the 'fridge more often. Food smells really bad when it gets too old," observed Patty.
"Yes, it does," agreed Mom. A moment later, she added, "Certain attitudes do, too. Sometimes we keep old things in our hearts until they spoil." Patty sighed. She had a pretty good idea what was coming. "For almost a year now, you've been carrying a grudge against Amy," continued Mom. "Frankly, that grudge is beginning to stink."
"But, Mom," began Patty, "she said . . ."
"I know-you've told me," said Mom. "You've said some pretty nasty things about her, too, honey." Patty gulped. She hadn't thought of that. "Don't you think it's time to throw that grudge out?" Mom asked gently.
Patty took a deep breath. A few minutes later, she dried her hands and went to the telephone. Mom smiled as she heard Patty say, "Amy, would you like to go shopping with me and my mom today? I'm going to ask Melissa, too."
MEMORY VERSE: Do not grumble against one another. James 5:9
HOW ABOUT YOU? What kind of attitudes do you have? Are you still grumbling about something that happened quite a while ago? Are you carrying a grudge against someone who offended you? Ask God to help you get rid of it today. Ask Him to give you a sweet and forgiving spirit with which to start the coming year.
THE KEY: Don't hold grudges

Use the Skills God Gave to You

2007-12-30T22:06:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Just Different
SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:4-11
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"A few more days," said Jerry, "and we can watch the best ball game of the year." He picked up the football he had received for Christmas. "The next best thing to playing football," he declared, "is watching the Rose Bowl game."
"Huh!" scoffed his sister Beth. "The best thing about football is that the season's almost over." She picked up her new tennis racquet and some fuzzy balls. "Now this is much better," she declared. "Better than your silly old football."
Mom looked up. "Well, I think my new bowling ball is the best one. It's big and beautiful and heavy! It's going to help me knock down lots of bowling pins."
Dad spoke up. "It's big all right," he agreed, "but if you want to see beauty, you need to take a look at my golf balls." Glancing around at his family, Dad grinned. "Whoever would have thought that buying everybody sports equipment for Christmas would start a family feud?"
"Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree," said Mom with a smile. "Better yet, let's agree that everybody's sport is great. Tennis balls or golf balls, bowling balls or footballs-no one kind is better than the others. They're just all different. Each is designed to do the best job possible for its own sport."
"That's true," said Beth. "You wouldn't knock many bowling pins over with my tennis balls."
"No," agreed Jerry, "and I can just imagine you trying to play tennis with Dad's golf balls while he plays golf with my football."
Beth laughed. "And you trying to play football with Mom's bowling ball," she said. "That would be funniest of all."
"You know," said Dad, "that's the way it is with people, too. We all have talent for something. Some can sing or speak well. Still others do a good job taking care of little children or building homes. Some are good in science or sports or math. But that doesn't make one person better than another. Just like it's unfair to compare a tennis ball and a bowling ball, it's unfair to compare people with each other. God made each one different and gave each one . . ."
"Talents!" chorused the kids together. Dad smiled and nodded.
MEMORY VERSE: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:6
HOW ABOUT YOU? Can you think of someone who can do something better than you? Do you think that makes him more special, or valuable, than you are? Wrong! Or do you think you're better than someone else because you can do something he can't? Wrong again! God made each person different and special. Develop the skills He gave you. Recognize that others have different abilities, and don't be envious of them.
THE KEY: Use the skills God gave to you

Learn From Problems

2007-12-29T15:39:00.000-08:00

TITLE: The Stone Bracelet
SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:1-5
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Anna plunked herself down on the sofa, and tears filled her eyes. "First my kitten disappeared, then I ruined my favorite shirt, and now my best friend is leaving. It isn't fair!" she cried.
"I'm sorry, honey," soothed Mom. "Can you trust God to teach you through these things He's allowed to happen?"
Anna sniffed. "I don't want to learn," she said. "I just want things back the way they were before."
Mom looked at Anna thoughtfully and then left the room. Soon she came back with a box, which she placed on the table. "These are stones I picked up long ago when we were on a trip to the Black Hills," said Mom. "The bracelet you're wearing is made of stones, so . . . would you be willing to trade it for these stones?"
Anna looked at her bracelet. "Why would I do that?" she asked. "The stones in this box are rough and dull and dirty. Those in my bracelet are smooth and shiny." She glanced at her mother suspiciously. "What are you getting at, Mom?"
Mom smiled. "Well, I originally intended to have these polished and used in jewelry," she said, "but I never got around to it, so they've just been laying around, enjoying an easy life. Those in your bracelet had a rougher time. They've been tumbled around with sand and other stones. The sharp edges have been ground off, and the stones have been rubbed to make them shine. All that rough treatment made them beautiful, didn't it?" Mom paused. "Our lives are something like that," she added. "When difficult things happen to us, some of our 'rough edges' get polished off. We may not like what's happening, but God often uses those hard times to 'polish' and improve us."
"I don't see how the things happening to me can improve me!" mumbled Anna.
"Maybe losing Whiskers helps you understand how others feel when they lose someone they love," suggested Mom. "I think ruining your blouse has already taught you to be careful. And having your best friend move may help you be more friendly to others kids who don't have a best friend." She gave Anna a hug. "Trust God, and allow those things to make you a more caring person."
MEMORY VERSE: We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance. Romans 5:3
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you feel like you're being bumped around by circumstances? Maybe the Lord wants to polish off a few more rough edges. What lesson can you learn from what's happening in your life? Have you had a rainy day? Did you allow it to help you appreciate the sun more? Have you been sick? Did it make you thankful for days when you feel good? Have you been lonesome? Did it make you willing to spend time with someone else who is lonely? Learn from all the experiences God allows in your life.
THE KEY: Learn from problems

I feel bumped around all right...to the point I can't do my job of keeping house, feeding my animals, and raising my kids in God's ways. I'm not sure what lesson is to be learned other than I'm unable to do anything in my own strength. My husband says the lesson to be learned is to listen to him and obey him. I would if I could. I'm lonesome allright, but it doesn't make me want to spend time with others. I feel like poison to everyone when I'm like this. I reach out to others when I'm well. I look for ones struggling with deperssion that I can pray with and encourage. When I reach out when I'm like this, the rejection and criticism from others just makes the wounds deeper. I'll try to learn whatever it is God is trying to teach me. I do want to learn. The saga goes on. I will be changed some day. Oh how I look forward to that.

Don't Judge Others By What They Own

2007-12-28T17:03:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Just Different (Cont'd.)
SCRIPTURE: James 2:1-9
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"I saw that new boy-Lon-come out sledding today," announced Beth one evening, "but Jerry and his friends were mean to him, Dad." Jerry scowled at his sister.
"Is that true?" asked Dad, looking at Jerry.
"We weren't that bad," growled Jerry. "But they must be poor or something. Lon was using the cover of a plastic garbage can to slide on!"
"You could have shared your sled," said Beth.
Jerry glared at her. "I didn't see you share," he muttered. "Besides, just wait till his sister comes out and wants to play with you! He has a sister, you know."
"I know that," said Beth. She frowned. "I think you're right. I think they are poor. Lon's sister wears such old-fashioned clothes!"
"I think you're both forgetting something," said Dad. "Just yesterday we talked about how balls used in various sports are all different, but that doesn't make one better than another, remember? It's the same with people, right?"
"Well . . . I guess so," said Beth uncertainly.
Dad continued. "You know, some sports balls have inexpensive covers . . ."
"Yeah, Beth, like your cheap, fuzzy, tennis balls," interrupted Jerry.
"As I started to say," said Dad, "the cost of the covering is not the important thing. It's not what gives the item value. It doesn't matter if it's a cheap covering or an expensive one. And neither does a person's 'covering,' or wealth, determine his or her value." Dad looked straight at Jerry. You have a sled, but Karl, who lives down the street, has a snowmobile. Does that make him better than you?"
Jerry blushed and shook his head. "No," he said.
"And," continued Dad, now looking at Beth, "some people buy rings at the discount store, and others own expensive ones. Are people with cheaper rings less valuable than the others?"
Beth looked at the cheap ring on her hand. "Okay," she said. "I get the point."
Jerry nodded. "Me, too," he agreed. After a moment, he added. "Actually, it was pretty clever of Lon to use that can cover. It worked really good. Maybe I'll try ours!"
MEMORY VERSE: The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you judge people by the material things they have? God doesn't. In fact, He's very specific about the importance of treating all alike. He looks at a person's heart, not at what kind of clothes he wears or what things he owns. Beautiful clothes, expensive toys, wealthy parents, and nice homes are not what really matter. In the Bible, judging others according to such things is called "showing partiality," and God says you are not to do that.
THE KEY: Don't judge others by what they own

1 Samual Chapter 1

2007-12-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

In this chapter about Hannah being treated badly by her husband's other wife because she did not have children, I see such a difference between our culture and theirs.

In my life, I feel that I've been treated very poorly by others because I have more than 2 children. The persecution started when Philip was born. He was my third, and there is no doubt in my mind that he was an answer to my prayer for God's will to prevail in my life.

You see, I had no intention of having more children. I was relieved to have raised my two to the point that they were both walking and I didn't have to carry them any longer along with everything else I had to carry. Physically I was very weak and in pain most of the time. I was not longing for more children and was taking steps to prevent conception. So, when Philip was conceived, I knew it was an act of God, and I treasure him as an extra special blesssing from God.

Anyhow, I was so excited at his birth, and had just assumed others would be just as excited. I took him to Tennessee to show him off to a friend. She was very cruel...gave me a lecture about overpopulating the planet. I was very sad, but had thought she was unique in her thinking, only later to learn that most everyone either feels it is irresponsible to have more than two children for the wellbeing of our planet, or for the wellbeing of our other children. Lectures from my older sister and stepmother have been the most painful. I tell myself it is because they care about me, but deep down I grieve because they will never understand the treasure that these children are.

They are much more precious than the biggest house or bank account. And while we do struggle for space and paying bills, the Lord provides. We are so rich by the standards of the world. I just read that 80% of the world does not have basic necessities such as housing, food, education. We are so very blessed. We have a roof over our head with heat and air conditioning, access to a wonderful library, and food for every meal of the day plus snacks. And now to take some of the load off of me while I'm recovering my health, two of my children are in private school taught by a team of Christians who love and serve the Lord.

I don't know what the future holds, but am very excited about a phone company my husband and his friend have started which has the potential to bring in income while we are overseas. For as long as I can remember, I've never felt comfortable in our culture where the goal is to have a certain "look" or accomplish a certain career status. When I was in Haiti, there was such a freedom from that mentality. There are so many needs, that what brand of clothing you are wearing is the furthest thing from anyone's mind. I have always wanted to return and work in an orphanage there. And now I have a friend who does exactly that. She adopted two children from an orphanage called House of Hope, and works diligently raising money and taking frequent trips to minister to the children there. Also, I have met people who have ministered in Romania and I feel a tug in my heart to go there. We have had an invitation to Hungary, and it didn't work out. Our missionary friends unexpectedly had to return home before we were able to go.

Anyhow, I'm identifying with Hannah in that she wanted to give her son back to the Lord. I feel that each of my children belong to the Lord, and that it's my responsibility to train them in His ways and to help them find Him. Everything else is secondary. It breaks my heart the point we are in now...my oldest daughter telling me I'm a joke, my second daughter grieving because there was one thing on her Christmas list that she didn't get, my son more interested in video games than anything else, my two year old watching junk on TV because I'm too bombarded with chemical exposures to be able to involve her in other activities, and my husband working himself into an early grave trying to meet the insane financial demands of our culture. I know it's time for a change. I'm excited about the possibilities of God using us as a family for His glory, and how it's going to change us to be closer to Him.

See, I've had it all wrong. I've been grieving because I've felt that me caring for my family has been keeping me from serving in the church. Also, the many chemical exposures in this area as well as the stress brought on by the disaproval of my extended family and peers have kept me in a bondage of sorts...paralyzed physically, emotionally, and even spiritually to the extent that I've allowed it. But now I can see opportunity for my whole family to serve in God's church as a unit, together, to further His kingdom and to bring him glory. Now is the time. I dedicate my children and my family to Him to use in his kingdom. Amen.

Christ is Greater

2007-12-27T04:05:00.000-08:00

Today's meditation is taken from:
THE STRENGTH OF SEEING
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/seeing.html

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
John declares that no matter what comes against us, the One within us is Greater. It does not matter what you feel like, what you see, what you hear, what people say, or what the devil does. It does not matter if Lazarus is dead for four days and is beginning to stink. It does not matter if the girl dies before Jesus can get there. It does not matter if the waves are about to capsize the boat. It does not matter if Paul is stoned and left for dead. Lazarus will be raised, the girl will be brought back to life, and the storm will be silenced, and Paul will preach again.
The Greater is always Greater, and the Lesser is always Lesser. We only have a problem when see everything else as "greater" and see Christ as "lesser".

You Can Know Jesus Personally

2007-12-22T23:26:00.000-08:00

TITLE: One Small Word
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 5:11-13
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Kevin listened politely as his elderly neighbor chattered on. "You and my grandson Allen would get along so well together," Mrs Crane was saying. "He really enjoys skating. And did I tell you that he plays football?"
Kevin nodded. "And that he's in my grade in school," he said, "and that he has a baseball card collection."
Mrs Crane nodded happily as she left.
Kevin turned to his mother. "I don't know how often Mrs. Crane has told me about her grandson," he said. "I think I must know just about all there is to know about him. He sounds like a nice guy, but to tell the truth, I'm tired of hearing about him. I wish she'd either introduce us or forget the whole thing."
The next Saturday, it happened! The doorbell rang, and there was Mrs. Crane and a boy about Kevin's age. "Hi, Kevin," said Mrs. Crane. "This is Allen, my grandson." She smiled at Allen. "And this is Kevin," she added.
Allen was visiting his grandmother for a week, so the boys played together often. Both had a great time.
"I'm glad Mrs. Crane finally introduced Allen and me," Kevin told his parents one day. "I knew all about him for a long time, but now I actually know him."
Mom smiled. "You can 'know about,' or you can 'know.' The elimination of one small word makes a lot of difference, doesn't it?" she asked.
Dad nodded. "It's like that when it comes to Jesus, too," he said. "Some people know about Him, yet they don't know Him personally."
"I often think of that at this time of year," added Mom. "Many have heard the Christmas story over and over. But knowing about Jesus isn't enough. It's as useless as knowing about Allen."
Kevin nodded. "I was really tired of hearing Mrs. Crane talk about him," he said. "Knowing somebody personally is so much better than just hearing about him. I'm glad I know Allen now, and I'm especially glad I know Jesus."
MEMORY VERSE: You may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13
HOW ABOUT YOU? Have you heard over and over how Jesus came to earth as a baby? Perhaps you've also heard how He died on the cross to save sinners. Is it getting boring to hear the same stories again and again? Maybe that's because you only know about Jesus, but you don't know Him personally. You need to realize what He did for you and get to actually know Him. Accept Him as your Savior and friend today. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)
THE KEY: You can know Jesus personally

Follow God, Not the Crowd

2007-12-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

TITLE: Which Path?
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 4:10-15, 18-19
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"This is such fun!" exclaimed Tracie as she tramped along through the snow with the other kids from her church.
"Yeah," agreed Sarah. "It's cool. Mr. Bailey is a good camp director."
Soon they came to a fork in the path. The kids ahead of them took the path to the right. "Wait!" called Tracie. "Mr. Bailey said to turn left at each fork, and then we'll end up back at camp."
The other campers hesitated. "Yeah, but look! This path on the right is full of footprints. There aren't nearly as many in the path to the left," argued one of the boys. "I think we should take the one everybody else used." Most of the kids agreed, and they all continued down the well-trodden path.
Tracie and Sarah didn't know what to do. "Mr. Bailey said to take the fork to the left," insisted Sarah. "I think we should do that."
"I do, too," agreed Tracie. "Let's at least take it for a little way. If we don't get back to camp soon, we can turn around." Sarah nodded, and they started off.
To the girls' delight, it wasn't long before they did, indeed, arrive back at the camp. They explained to Mr. Bailey why the other campers weren't with them. He shook his head. "They'll come to a dead end and have to turn around," he said. "I'll send someone out on a snowmobile just to make sure they're all right. I guess I should have sent a guide along, after all."
During camp devotions that evening, Mr. Bailey grinned at the group. "We have some tired campers tonight," he said. "Most of you took a longer hike than you planned. You didn't follow the directions you were given. You chose, instead, to follow where others had gone." He opened his Bible. "I believe there's a lesson for you in your afternoon hiking experience," continued Mr. Bailey after he read aloud some verses from Proverbs. "The people whose footsteps you followed this afternoon probably didn't know where they were going. Fortunately, they only led you out of your way and not into any danger. But I want you to remember that when you're tempted to forsake the teachings of God's Word in favor of following the crowd, that well-worn path may lead to disaster. Choose God's way every time. The crowd could be wrong, but He is always right!"
MEMORY VERSE: Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Proverbs 4:14
HOW ABOUT YOU? Is it hard for you to go a different way from others around you? Do kids tease and call you "chicken" if you don't go along with what they're doing? Sometimes it's easier to join in with the crowd than it is to stand up for what is right, but in the long run, it doesn't pay. The Bible says "the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalm 1:6).
THE KEY: Follow God, not the crowd

The Secret to Overcoming- The Remnant Principle

2007-12-22T19:56:00.001-08:00

Today's meditation is taken from:THE REMNANT PRINCIPLE
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/daniel3.html

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).This is the secret to overcoming. It is not asking God to come down to where we are and bless our little ministry or work. Not at all. Instead, we leave our ground altogether and come onto the Lord's ground. We leave our earthly position and align ourselves with Heaven. We discern what the Lord's eternal Purpose is, and we set ourselves to cooperate with THAT. And when we are thus in conformity to THAT Purpose, all of Heaven is moved on our behalf. When our ministry or work is in harmony with that great movement of God then we cannot help but overcome.

It's OK to Cry

2007-12-22T17:37:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 22, 2007
TITLE: Healing Tears
SCRIPTURE: John 11:11-17, 34-36
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Oh-h-h-h-h!" Mark gasped as his bike flipped through the air. A searing pain ripped through his palms and knees. Angrily, he brushed away his tears. "I will not cry!" he said aloud. He picked up his bike and hobbled home.
Mark's hands and knees ached almost as much as his heart did. Ever since his grandpa had died two weeks before, tears had been hiding right behind his eyes. But he was eleven now-too big to cry.
Mark limped into the kitchen. "Oh, you're hurt!" Mom exclaimed.
"I was riding my bike, and I fell." Mark's voice trembled as he spoke.
"Come into the bathroom and let's get you cleaned up. Then I'll bandage those sore spots," said Mom. Gently, she washed away the dirt and then applied disinfectant to Mark's injured knees. Mark gritted his teeth as the medicine stung. "I know it hurts a lot," Mom sympathized, "but it's cleaning the wounds so they can heal."
Mark took a deep gulp of air and sniffed. Mom put her arm around his shoulders and drew him to her. Mark stiffened and pulled away. I will not cry, he said to himself. Eleven-year-old boys do not cry.
Mom seemed to know what he was thinking. "Honey," she said, "it's okay to cry when you hurt." Mark shook his head angrily. "But it is," Mom insisted. "Did you know that your daddy cried when Grandpa died?"
Mark was startled. "He did? I-I-I didn't think men c-c-cried," he stammered.
"But they do," Mom assured him. "Even Jesus cried. Tears are like the disinfectant I put on those sore spots. Tears help wash out grief and speed the healing process." Mark kept his eyes on his stinging palms. Mom put her hands on his shoulders. "God knows we hurt sometimes," she said. "We don't have to hide our hurt. You may cry-God gave us tears to help us. And Jesus tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. Wouldn't you like to tell Him right now about your hurt hands and knees, honey-and about how much you miss your grandpa?"
Mark nodded, and the tears began to flow.
MEMORY VERSE: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5
HOW ABOUT YOU? It's okay to cry-God gave you laughter and tears. Even men and boys can cry; Jesus did. Neither boys nor girls have to try to be tough and pretend they don't hurt. Remember that Jesus wants you to go to Him with all your hurts-whether they're from injury, sickness, or sad things that happen. He cares for you and wants to help you.
THE KEY: It's okay to cry

True Friends Love and Forgive

2007-12-20T01:36:00.001-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 20, 2007
TITLE: Best Friends
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:30-32
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Marcy really wanted to win the twenty dollar prize that would be given for the best costume in the Christmas parade. She was dressed as a giant gift. She wore a decorated refrigerator box her dad had brought home for her. It covered all but her feet, and two peepholes allowed her to see. There was a hinged window for throwing out candy to the people along the parade route. I wonder where Jill is, Marcy thought. She looked all around as she joined the other costumed students. She never would tell me how she'd be dressed, even though I let her see my costume.
"Hi! Is that you in there, Marcy?" Recognizing Jill's voice, Marcy slowly turned around to look through her peepholes. She almost bumped into . . . another box! Jill had a costume almost identical to her own! "I decided to surprise you so we could be the Boxy Twins," said Jill. "Aren't we magnificent?"
Marcy was furious! Jill copied my idea! she thought angrily. But the parade was beginning, so they marched off together. They awkwardly bowed before the judges, tossing candy to them, too. The judges laughed, and the audience cheered.
"We all agreed the two boxes were the best," said a judge when it was time to announce the winner, "but there is only one prize, so we're going to divide it among the two-each will get ten dollars." Marcy forced a smile, but she was fuming inside as she accepted her money. Not a word was said about whose idea the boxes had been.
"I'll never speak to Jill again!" declared Marcy when she told her mother how angry she was with Jill. "Why should she share in the prize?"
"Easy, honey," cautioned Mom. "You've been best friends for years. Don't be too hasty." She gave Marcy a hug. "Think about Jesus, your very best friend, for a moment," suggested Mom.
"What about Him?" asked Marcy. "He's not at all like Jill. He's never done anything wrong to me."
"But we've all wronged Him-you have, too," said Mom, "and still He forgave you, Marcy. That's the way He wants you to treat others."
Marcy was silent. "That's hard to do, Mom," she said finally, "but I will think about it. I promise."
MEMORY VERSE: If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Colossians 3:13
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you find it hard to forgive someone who has wronged you? Would you generally rather get even with the person who offended you? That's human nature, but it isn't Jesus' nature. Aren't you glad He loves and forgives you? Being a true friend means forgiving when you've been wronged-and loving just the same.
THE KEY: True friends love and forgive

Jesus is Coming Again

2007-12-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 18, 2007
TITLE: Maybe Today
SCRIPTURE: 2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
After finishing their picnic lunch, Alex and Nick leaned over Dad's shoulder to see the map. "Where's the space center we're going to see on this trip?" asked Alex.
"Right here." Dad pointed to a dot on the map. "And here's where we are now," he added, pointing to another dot about an inch from the first one.
"Well, let's get on our way," said Mom, and soon they were back on the road.
"I hope they have some literature that I can take back to my science class," said Nick a little later. "Mr. Grant would probably like to see it."
"Yeah," agreed Alex. "My teacher would, too."
"You know what, Dad? Mr. Grant doesn't believe the Bible," added Nick. "He says his grandmother did, and that she was already expecting Jesus to come back to earth when she was a little girl. Now she's dead, and Jesus still hasn't come. Mr. Grant says it's silly to believe He'll ever come."
Alex pressed his nose against the window. "Aren't we almost there?" he asked.
Dad glanced at the odometer. "Well, we have about fifteen more miles to go," he replied.
"Fifteen miles!" exclaimed Alex. "It looked like such a short way on the map."
Mom smiled. "The map is drawn to scale-that means every inch represents several miles," she said. "If we forget that, the distance will seem long to us even though it looks short on the map."
Dad nodded. "It's like that with time, too," he said. "Maybe Mr. Grant doesn't realize that on God's scale of time it hasn't been long at all since Jesus made the promise to return." The boys looked at Dad curiously. "The Bible is our map to heaven," he explained. "To people, it seems like a long time ago that Jesus promised to return, but as God sees it, it's been only a short time."
Nick nodded. "How close are we to the space center now, Dad?" he asked.
Dad chuckled. "There's another example of how time doesn't seem the same to everyone," he said. "I thought I had just answered that question-we're only a few miles closer than the last time someone asked-but to you, it seems like a long time has passed, right?" Nick nodded again. "So don't doubt that Jesus will come back," added Dad. "In fact, He may even come today!"
MEMORY VERSE: Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you sometimes wonder if the Lord Jesus will ever come to earth again? To you, a couple thousand years seems like a very long time, but compared to eternity, it's not long at all. Jesus will come again. It may be that He'll come this very day. Are you ready? Are you trusting Him as your Savior? (See the ABC's at the end of this book.) Are you living to please Him instead of yourself? Joyfully do what you can to serve Him, and look forward to His coming again.
THE KEY: Jesus is coming again

How about you questions:
I've been feeling lonely lately due to rejection from my dad and stepmom. I know God loves me, and is my real Dad, so here I am, Dad...you and me.
Do I sometimes wonder if Jesus will ever come to earth again? No, I know he will because he said he will. Are you ready? As ready as I know to be. He is my Savior, and I am trying to please him as best as I understand. I pray for more understanding about how to please him. I often think he must be so disappointed in me nomatter what I do or don't do. I guess that's left over from my experience with my mom and dad here. Most of my bosses and clients have been very pleased with my work for them, but the disappointment of my parents just always seems to overshadow everything. I even worry that God is displeased with me because I can't just seem to get over it. It seems the older I get, the sadder I get about it, because there is less and less opportunity for me to ever amount to anything in my dad's eyes. I want so much to get the negative stuff out of my head. I want to get as far away from him as possible so I can quit thinking about him or his hateful wife. Lord, please move us or heal my mind.
I hate Christmas in the same way I hate Ghatti Land. I just hate this! Jesus, help me to get away either physically or mentally. I wanted to go somewhere for Christmas, but oh, no...Mike won't have it. I feel so desperate to get away. Lord, please help me to find peace in this chaos of excess, and relief from the rejection of my father and stepmother. I actually think I hate her. What I hate is the way I feel about myself around her. Lord help me to be who you created me to be, and help me to not let it bother me if I never amount to anything in my father's eyes.
Amen.

Choose Music and TV that Honors God

2007-12-16T22:52:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 17, 2007
TITLE: Jalapeno Christian?
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:9-11
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Come on, Mom," pleaded Holt. "I just need to download this one song. Everyone at school is listening to it. It's really important that I have it."
"Are the words appropriate?" asked Mom.
"No!" Holt's sister Holly answered for him. "They're ba-a-ad!"
Holt scowled at her. "Most of them are okay," he insisted. "I'll turn down the volume and won't listen to the ones that are bad." But Mom shook her head, and Holly grinned. Scowling, Holt stormed off to his room.
For supper, Mom ordered pizza-their usual order of one cheese pizza, with jalapenos on half of it. When it was delivered, they paused to thank God. Then Holt opened the box and couldn't believe what he saw. "They put jalapenos over the entire pizza!" he exclaimed in dismay.
"Oh, no," groaned Holly. "What can Holt and I eat now?"
"Why don't you just pick off the jalapenos?" suggested Dad.
"Pick them off?" Holt grunted. "Even if you get all of the jalapenos off you can still taste them. The juice gets through the whole thing, and it's ruined!"
"That makes me think of the music you've been wanting," said Mom. "The tiny bit of jalapeno juice is like a 'few words' that aren't good in a song. So how would they affect the whole song for us?"
"It . . . it . . . well, it . . ." murmured Holt.
"I know," said Holly. "They ruin the whole thing!"
"You've got it," agreed Mom. "So do you think God would want you to listen to the song you've been begging to download, Holt?"
Holt was quiet for a moment, then he spoke slowly. "I guess not," he admitted.
"We need to honor God in all things-even the music we listen to," said Dad. "We don't want to be 'jalapeno juice Christians,' right?"
Holt nodded, and Holly laughed. "Jalapeno juice Christians? That's funny," she said. She turned to her mother. "But what can we eat, Mom?"
Mom smiled. "Maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?" she suggested.
"Sounds good," said Holt as Holly jumped up to get the peanut butter.
MEMORY VERSE: Approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense. Philippians 1:10
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you careful about your choice of music-as well as your choice of reading or TV listening? Don't be a "jalapeno juice Christian"-one who goes along with a little wrong action or a few bad words in order to fit in with others. God wants to enjoy fellowship with you in every part of your life. Pray for help in making wise choices in all your activities. Make a decision today to be a "100% Christian."
THE KEY: Choose music that honors God

Boast in the Lord

2007-12-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 16, 2007
TITLE: Credit Due
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 9:23-24; James 3:13-16
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Mom!" Taylor yelled breathlessly, running up the driveway after school. "Guess what? I got the part-the main part-in the Christmas play!"
"Oh, honey! That's terrific!" Mom stopped painting the window trim of their new house as she congratulated her daughter with a hug.
"It's about time my teachers realize how smart I am," declared Taylor proudly, "and how well I can memorize-and how much drama talent I have. Oh! And you know what else? We got the results of our band try-outs today. I'm first chair flute! I did it!" Taylor was dancing around. "This is the best day of my life!" she exclaimed. "I got an A on a tough math test, too.''
"Wow, honey! That's great," said Mom, "but . . ." She motioned for Taylor to sit down beside her on the porch swing.
"What's up?" asked Taylor cautiously, sensing her mother's seriousness.
"You do so well in math, and you're also very talented in music and drama," replied Mom, "but how much credit can you actually take for that?"
Taylor was puzzled. "How much credit can I . . ." she began slowly. Suddenly her face broke into a smile. "Oh, sorry, Mom!" she exclaimed. "You helped me with the audition lines for the play, and Dad quizzed me in math. Thank you . . . thank you . . . thank you!'"
"Okay! Enough!" Mom laughed. "But that's not what I meant. Let's see . . . Think about it this way. We're enjoying our brand new house, right? Well, if it could talk, should it be boasting because it's well-built and beautiful?"
"Course not!" Taylor giggled. "Dad should get the credit! He built it."
"So you think it would be ridiculous for the house to praise itself for its lovely design and structure rather than give credit to the builder?" asked Mom. Taylor nodded, and her mother continued. "The Bible says we are 'God's workmanship'-He's the one who created us and gave us any talents we have. Sounds to me like we need to praise Him for anything good in us. What do you think?"
"I . . . I . . ." mumbled Taylor. She sighed. "Well, instead of bragging about what I can do, I should give credit to God," she admitted. "Right, Mom?"
"Right!" Mom agreed. "Exactly right!"
MEMORY VERSE: In God we boast all the day long. Psalm 34:2
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you take credit for things God has done? Do you brag about yourself? Remember that everything good comes from God. He has given you a mind . . . talents . . . possessions . . . everything that you have. It all comes from Him. So thank Him, and yes . . . even brag about Him to others.
THE KEY: Boast in the Lord

Sin is Dangerous

2007-12-15T14:32:00.001-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 14, 2007
TITLE: Danger
SCRIPTURE: Galatians 6:7-8
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
The last evening of the winter church retreat was a blur to Steve. He and his brother John had ignored the "Danger" signs around the old mine and decided to explore the area. Steve dimly remembered seeing John drop down inside the fence that blocked off the mine, and then disappear with a dreadful, crashing sound. Steve vaguely recalled his frantic run for help, followed by an uneasy wait as men worked to get his brother out. Pastor Jack had called for help on his cell phone, and the wait for the rangers to come in a helicopter had seemed endless. Now as Steve waited for his father to return with news from the hospital, he wished he and John had obeyed the instructions to stay within sight of camp! How he wished they had paid attention to the "Danger" signs at the mine!
When Dad finally came home, Steve was relieved to hear that John would be all right. "I'm so sorry we disobeyed you Dad, and that we ignored the signs," Steve repeated over and over between sobs. "I'm so sorry."
"I know, Son," said Dad. "I trust you've learned a lesson from what happened."
"I have, Dad. Honest, I have!" exclaimed Steve.
Dad nodded. "Calm down now," he said. "I think you've been punished enough-but we'll talk later about what happened."
John recovered rapidly, and soon he was back home. It was then that Dad had a serious talk with the boys about what had happened. "What did the signs at the mine say?" he asked them.
"They said, 'Danger. Keep out!'" replied Steve.
"Exactly," said Dad, "and when you boys didn't obey them, you had to pay the consequences. When you ignored that warning, you ignored God's warning, too. His Word also says, 'Danger. Keep out of sin, or you'll have to pay the consequences.' Not in those words, but one verse says, 'Be sure your sin will find you out.' You thought no one would know what you did, but your sin of disobedience brought unhappy consequences, didn't it?"
"It sure did," agreed John.
"Always remember that you can't get away with sin," added Dad. "Even if you don't see immediate consequences, God knows all about it, and sooner or later, the consequences must be faced."
MEMORY VERSE: Be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you think you can disobey, cheat, or lie-just once-and it won't matter? Do you think nobody will ever find out? God already knows, and very often other people find out, too. Sin is dangerous, and it has serious consequences. You may not see that right away, but you can't escape them forever. God says you'll "reap" what you "sow." Believe Him, and with His daily help, avoid falling into sin.
THE KEY: Sin is dangerous

All of the Bible is Important

2007-12-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 15, 2007
TITLE: Mature Tastes
SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; 13:11
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Mom, my Sunday school teacher says we should read some verses from the Bible every day," said Paula, "but I think it's just too hard for me to read. It has so many hard words, and some of it isn't very interesting."
"Some parts may be difficult for you," agreed Mom as they began to set the table for dinner, "but there are plenty of verses you can read and understand."
"But not as easily as I could understand a Bible storybook," insisted Paula. "Can't I just read that instead?" Then she frowned as she looked at the table. "Do we have only white bread? I like wheat bread better."
Mom smiled as she got out the wheat bread. "Remember when you were little and white bread was the only kind you wanted?" she asked.
Paula nodded. "Back then I didn't like many things at all," she said. "I didn't even like ham or steak-just soft stuff, like bologna and hot dogs."
"Right." Mom grinned. "I'm glad your tastes have matured. Natural foods and things like this wheat bread are so much better for you." A moment later she added, "I think the same principle applies to God's Word, honey. When you were little, we read the Bible out loud to you and explained all the hard words. We skipped doctrinal passages and stuck to stories like David and Goliath, or Daniel in the lions' den."
"I know," said Paula. "I still like those stories."
"Well, I'm sure there are many things about them that you haven't learned yet," said Mom, "so it's good to go over them again. But now you're ready for other things, too. When you read only the 'easy' parts of the Bible, you miss a lot of important truths God has for you. The stories in your Bible storybook may be easier to 'chew'-like soft foods-but if that's all you read, you'll miss a lot of the nourishment God has for you in His Word." Mom pulled a roast out of the oven. "Your dad and I will be glad to help you understand anything you find too hard," she added, "and don't forget that you have the Holy Spirit to help you, too."
MEMORY VERSE: Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law. Psalm 119:18
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are some words or ideas in the Bible hard for you to understand? It's true that there are difficult passages in the Bible, but all of it is important. When you read it, ask God to open your spiritual "eyes" to understand His truths. Ask parents or teachers to explain the verses you don't understand. Be patient, and as you grow older, you'll develop a more "mature taste" and find that the challenging parts of God's Word have important lessons for you.
THE KEY: All of the Bible is important

Trust God for Strength Each Day

2007-12-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 3, 2006
TITLE: What a Bird
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 40:28-31
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Alex and Jessie were having a great time on a week-long visit to their grandparents' home. The ground was covered with snow, and the kids would play outside for hours-building snow forts, sliding down the long hill, and tramping through the woods. Then they'd come in and sip hot chocolate in front of the fire.
"Come for a walk with us, Grandpa," they coaxed one day.
Grandpa smiled. "I was just thinking of doing that," he said.
Soon they were off down the road, laughing and talking and occasionally throwing snowballs at each other. Suddenly Grandpa stopped. "Don't move," he said softly. "Look over there!" Alex and Jessie looked in the direction Grandpa was pointing. They saw a huge bird sitting on the branch of a tree. "It's an eagle," Grandpa told them.
"Cool!" Jessie grinned. "We've seen eagles in a zoo, but never out in the open."
Suddenly, with a powerful flap of its wings, the eagle took off over the tree tops. "Look at it go!" exclaimed Alex. "That's one strong bird!"
"It certainly is," agreed Grandpa. With a twinkle in his eye, he added, "You can be strong like that, too."
Alex laughed. "Think so?" he asked. He grinned at his sister. "I don't think Jessie could ever be that strong," he teased her.
Grandpa smiled and quoted a Bible verse. "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles."
Jessie frowned. "I've heard that verse in church, Grandpa," she said. "I'm not sure what it means, but I know it doesn't mean we can fly up in the air."
"That's true," agreed Grandpa, "but the verse gives a picture-a magnificent picture-of the strength God offers us. To 'wait on the Lord' means to trust Him with our lives each day. When we do that, He supplies the strength we need, especially when we face difficult situations."
"And girls can wait on the Lord just as well as boys can, right, Grandpa?" asked Jessie.
Grandpa nodded and smiled. "Absolutely right," he agreed.
MEMORY VERSE:
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you realize that God can give you strength for each day's activities? Do you live in a tough home situation? Is it hard for you to make friends? Do you have problems at school? Do you need help in witnessing, doing chores, or in some other daily activity? Trust the Lord to help you. He promises to give the strength you need. The next time you see a picture of an eagle, think of God's promise. Then trust Him to help with each situation you face.
THE KEY: Trust God for strength each day

Don't Judge by Appearance

2007-12-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 6, 2007
TITLE: The Best Banana
SCRIPTURE: Romans 14:10-13
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"I wish Renee would dress nicer-she always looks messy," said Tara when she saw the girl who lived next door out in her yard. "She's way overweight, too!"
Mom frowned, but to Tara's surprise, she didn't scold her for criticizing Renee. After a moment, Mom just said, "I want you to try some bananas."
"Bananas?" asked Tara. "How come?"
"I was talking today with Maria Sutton-she's a missionary to Panama, you know," replied Mom. "She told me they have four kinds of bananas in Panama. There are crinkly red ones, small yellowish ones with big brown blotches, tiny green ones, and the kind we buy at the grocery store. I thought it would be fun to try them all, so she took me to a store where we could buy all four kinds, and I got some of each."
"Did you try them?" asked Tara, becoming interested. "Are they good?"
Mom went to the cupboard and took four bananas from a basket. Tara pointed at the red one. "That one's pretty! Can I try it?" she asked. Mom agreed, so Tara peeled it and popped a good-sized piece into her mouth. She made a face. "That's bad enough to choke a cow!" she sputtered.
Mom laughed. "Try the yellow, blotchy one."
Tara shook her head. "No, it looks even worse," she said. "I'll try . . . this one." She picked up a small green banana. "It's nothing special," Tara decided after tasting it, "but at least it's not as bad as the red one."
"Why not try the yellow and brown one?" urged Mom again.
Tara hesitated. "Well, all right," she agreed, "but it looks so horrible." Wrinkling up her nose, she peeled the banana and tasted a tiny piece. "Um-m-m! It's good!" she exclaimed, and she finished the whole thing. "Let's get more of those," said Tara. "They look so bad, but they taste so good!"
Mom nodded. "Appearance isn't so important, is it?" she asked. "It's the inside that counts. That's a principle we find in God's Word, and I hope you'll remember it when you look at Renee. She may need help with choosing clothes and finding a good diet, but from what I've seen of her, I'd say she's really a sweet girl. If that's correct, you should value her as a friend."
MEMORY VERSE: Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. John 7:24
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you judge others by the way they look? Think hard now! Is there someone you've judged that way? God says beauty is passing (Proverbs 31:30). Outer beauty doesn't last, so it's really not important. Don't decide if you want kids as friends because of their size or height, their stylish clothing, the color of their skin or hair, or by whether they're good looking. Learn what kind of people they are and what kinds of things they value. Remember God's warning against judging by appearance.
THE KEY: Don't judge by appearance

Help New People Feel At Home

2007-12-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 9, 2007
TITLE: Merging Traffic
SCRIPTURE: Luke 6:31-36
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"I guess Jana's okay, but . . . well, having a new kid join your class in the middle of the year just spoils everything," complained Haley when her mother picked her up at school one day. "I mean . . . we're in the middle of our science projects, and we have our skit for parents' night almost all practiced. We have nice, even teams in gym, too. And now somebody new comes along, and we have to make room for her."
"Surely adding one to your group can't be that bad," replied Mom as she slowed the car to turn onto the ramp leading to the highway.
Haley shrugged. "Well, it's not fun," she insisted. She braced herself as her mother suddenly hit the brakes, almost bringing the car to a stop. "It's nothing personal, Mom. It's just that we're already set with our groups."
Haley frowned as the cars on the highway roared by in the lane needed by those entering the highway from the ramp. "Hey!" she exclaimed as her mother came to a complete stop. "What's with all those drivers today? They're not moving over to let us in. We shouldn't have to stop! Don't they know they're supposed to let us merge into the lane with them?"
"They should know," said Mom. "There's a sign on the highway back there to tell them, but I guess they're busy doing their own thing and don't want to bother with anyone new in their lane." She glanced at Haley. "I imagine you can understand that," added Mom. "I'm sure it's nothing personal."
Haley blushed. She understood that her mom was comparing her attitude to that of the drivers who weren't letting them into the lane. Haley didn't know what to say.
Finally, they were able to move out onto the highway. "It doesn't feel very good when no one wants to make room for you, does it?" asked Mom.
Haley didn't answer immediately. "I guess we need some 'merging traffic' signs in our class," she said at last. "Maybe I should be the first one to slow down and let Jana in."
MEMORY VERSE: Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Luke 6:31
HOW ABOUT YOU? Is there a new person in your school or neighborhood? Has anyone "let him in"? Is there someone who doesn't seem to have any friends? Perhaps God wants you to be the one to make room for the newcomer or the lonely person. Think about how you would feel in his or her place. God says you should treat that person the way you'd want to be treated. Will you do that for His sake?
THE KEY: Help new people feel at home

Treasures that Matter

2007-12-08T18:52:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 8, 2007
TITLE: Treasures that Matter
SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 6:6-12
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"What's the matter, honey?" asked Mom when Christy came into the house. "Your sad face tells me something is not right."
Christy's words came in a rush. "Mom, Abby's always bragging about her jewelry and clothes and all the places she gets to go and how much money she has. Sometimes she even goes to get her hair and nails done. I'm so tired of hearing about it."
Mom looked thoughtful. "You're not jealous, are you?" she asked. Christy blushed a little. "Christy," said Mom after a moment, "I'm going to give you two gifts."
"Really?" asked Christy in surprise. "I have a feeling there's a catch to this."
Mom smiled. "Well, here's the first gift," she said. Reaching out, she pulled Christy to her and gave her a big hug. "I love you, love you, love you," Mom told her, using a favorite family phrase.
"Love you, too," replied Christy as Mom went to get her purse, "and I still think there's a catch."
Mom grinned, opened her purse, and handed Christy some money. "Here's your second gift."
"O-h-h-h!" squealed Christy. "I hear the ice cream truck coming. May I spend this for ice cream?" Mom nodded, and Christy hurried out, forgetting to look for a catch.
When Christy was ready for bed that evening, she went to tell her parents goodnight. "What do you have left of the two gifts I gave you?" asked Mom.
"Well, the money is all gone, and so is the ice cream I bought-unless it made me a little fatter," said Christy. She laughed as she hugged her mother. "But I still have your love, and you're not getting it back!"
Mom smiled. "You'll always have it, honey," she said. "I gave you those two gifts because I wanted you to realize that you have treasure far more valuable than the things your friend Abby tells you about. All earthly things are like the money I gave you. They don't last. Love does. And in addition to the love of your family, you know God's love. Because you trust in Jesus, you have eternal life. It also lasts forever-so you're really a very 'rich' young lady."
MEMORY VERSE: Beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist . . . of the things he possesses. Luke 12:15
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you care more for clothes, games, and activities than for good relationships? Be careful not to get your values mixed up! Earthly treasures are temporary-they don't last. The love of family and friends is far more important and lasting. Most wonderful and important of all is the love of God. So don't be jealous if other kids have more "stuff" than you do. Instead, thank God for all the blessings He has given you-and especially for His love and care.
THE KEY: Don't covet what other kids have

Love One Another

2007-12-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 7, 2007
TITLE: Not Sticky Enough
SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
As Kip and his sister Maggie rode home after a shopping trip with their mother, they saw a couple of kids walking along, holding hands. "There go Mr. and Mrs. Glue," said Kip. "They're so . . . 'sticky' all the time."
"Mr. and Mrs. Glue?" asked Mom.
Maggie nodded. "That's what the kids call them because they're so stuck on each other," she said. "Yvonne thinks everything Clay says is so-o-o cute. And she's always running her fingers through his hair."
"Yuck!" responded Kip. Just then he spotted someone else. "Oh, and there goes Bud Jones," he added. "He thinks he knows all about everything."
"He's okay," replied Maggie. "You just don't like him because he's smarter than you."
"Nobody likes him," retorted Kip.
"Brenda does, and that makes you mad, because you like Brenda," taunted Maggie as Mom turned into their driveway. "I don't see why you do. She's a snob."
In the kitchen, Maggie pulled a big bottle of glue from a bag. "I really need this for my science project," she said. "Snobby Brenda used up half of my last bottle."
"She's not a snob," said Kip. "She's pretty, and you're just jealous."
Mom sighed. "I have no doubt that the couple we saw earlier is too 'sticky,' as you put it," she said, "but I get the feeling that the two of you are not sticky enough."
"What do you mean?" asked Maggie. "You don't want me running around holding hands with some guy, do you?"
Mom smiled. "No, I don't," she agreed, "but I still think both of you need a little more 'glue' in your lives." Maggie looked at the bottle she held in her hand. "Not that kind," continued Mom, "but tell me-what does glue do?"
"It holds things together," replied Kip.
Mom nodded. "And the best glue-the best thing for holding people together-is love. God says we're to love each other. Were you two displaying God's love when you talked about your classmates? Were you showing love by fighting with each other? Think about it!"
MEMORY VERSE: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you. John 13:34
HOW ABOUT YOU? Is there plenty of "glue"-plenty of love-shown in your life? God commands those who love Him to also love one another. His love should be displayed in your actions and in your words and thoughts. How about it? Are your words critical of others, or are they helpful? Are the things you do and say kind, or are they hateful. Obey God's command. Display His love in your life.
THE KEY: Love one another

Favorite Bible Verses of My Friends

2007-12-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

My favorite verse is Romans 8: 38-39:"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."- Missy Evans

Mine is 2 Corinthians 1:4 (New Life Version) He gives us comfort in all our troubles. Then we can comfort other people who have the same troubles. We give the same kind of comfort God gives us. This helps when I am going thru a rough time in my life. I know that God will us my experience to help others. He has done this so many times in my life that I don't question when my road of life becomes ruff (not misspelled). Karen Knudsen

This changes all the time, but my current favorite is 1 Timothy 6:6 which says:Godliness with contentment is great gain. I think it just sort of sums up the secret to living a fulfilled and happy life. -Martha

This the verse (referring to 1 Timothy 6:6 above) I chose to have on my teen son's grave marker...SO the way he was. Bet

I have two but will have to paraphrase.. ."Come let us reason together" (Isaiah 1:18) is one. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) zona

Accept Council from God and Others

2007-12-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 4, 2006
TITLE: Wise Counsel
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 15:20-22
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Mary brushed away tears as she hurried into the house. I never thought obeying rules would make me feel so stupid, she thought. It seemed that more and more of her friends were rebelling against the things she knew were right. She plopped her books onto the kitchen table. "I walked past two girls from my class on the way home," said Mary as Mom took a loaf of bread from the oven. "They were smoking cigarettes behind a tree. They asked me if I wanted to smoke, too."
Mom frowned. "What did you tell them?" she asked.
"I said no. I told them smoking isn't good for us and that we should take care of our bodies," replied Mary. "They laughed and said I was a baby and that I was following a lot of old-fashioned rules. They said I should make my own decisions about things instead of listening to other people's rules." Mary shook her head. "They made me feel so stupid," she added.
"Listening to people who love you seems smart to me," said Mom.
Mary shrugged. "Paige says her mom doesn't like to tell her what's right or wrong. She thinks Paige should decide for herself what's best for her." Mary frowned. "But God doesn't want us kids to decide everything for ourselves, does He?" she asked.
"No," replied Mom. "We all often need counsel of people more familiar than we are with certain areas of life. Take medicine, for example. We need to listen to the advice of experts in that field." Mom smiled. "In many other areas, we especially need to listen to the counsel God gives in His Word. The Bible clearly states many things we should do, as well as many we should not do."
"Yeah." Mary nodded. "And one of the things He says kids should do is obey parents, right? I still remember rules you taught me long ago." She grinned as she mimicked her mother's voice. "Look both ways before you cross the street. Wash your hands before eating."
Mom laughed. "Right. Those were rules to keep you from getting hurt or sick physically when you were little," she said. "God says to listen to instructors and receive wise counsel, and those rules are part of that-as are the rules we have for you today."
MEMORY VERSE: Listen to counsel and receive instruction. Proverbs 19:20
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you realize that you need advice and counsel? It's rather easy to see that very small children need counsel from their parents-they need rules to follow. But do you realize that because your experience is limited in many areas, you often need help in deciding what's best for you? That's one reason God puts people in your life who can give you wise counsel. And remember, no matter how old you get, you'll always need counsel from God.
THE KEY: Accept counsel from God and others

When You Pray....

2007-12-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

WHEN YOU PRAY
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/pray.html

"In this manner, therefore, pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name’" (Matthew 6:9, NKJV).

At once we are lifted up from the earthly situation and are made to focus upon a heavenly Father, a heavenly Kingdom, and a heavenly Will. I believe it is so important for us to see this. Prayer does not begin on the earth, it begins in the heavens. It does not begin with man, it begins with the Father. It does not begin with man's need, but with God's will.

Our praying is ineffectual because we pray as earthly men with an earthly perspective concerning earthly things. See how far and above this manner of praying is when compared to the hypocrite, praying in public to be seen of men! Prayer ought to bring us up into the heavenlies, not bring us down deeper into the earth. It ought to focus our vision on the Father, not on man, or the problems of man. Spiritual prayer begins in the Spirit; heavenly prayer begins in the heavenlies.

Reading the Bible in One Year: December 4th - 13th, 2007

2007-12-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, December 4Daniel 11:36-12:13 ~ 1 John 4:1-21 ~ Psalm 123:1-4 ~ Proverbs 29:2-4

Wednesday, December 5Hosea 1:1-3:5 ~ 1 John 5:1-21 ~ Psalm 124:1-8 ~ Proverbs 29:5-8

Thursday, December 6
Hosea 4:1-5:15 ~ 2 John 1:1-13 ~ Psalm 125:1-5 ~ Proverbs 29:9-11

Friday, December 7
Hosea 6:1-9:17 ~ 3 John 1:1-15 ~ Psalm 126:1-6 ~ Proverbs 29:12-14

Saturday, December 8
Hosea 10:1-14:9 ~ Jude 1:1-25 ~ Psalm 127:1-5 ~ Proverbs 29:15-17

Sunday, December 9
Joel 1:1-3:21 ~ Revelation 1:1-20 ~ Psalm 128:1-6 ~ Proverbs 29:18

Monday, December 10
Amos 1:1-3:15 ~ Revelation 2:1-17 ~ Psalm 129:1-8 ~ Proverbs 29:19-20

Tuesday, December 11
Amos 4:1-6:14 ~ Revelation 2:18-3:6 ~ Psalm 130:1-8 ~ Proverbs 29:21-22

Wednesday, December 12Amos 7:1-9:15 ~ Revelation 3:7-22 ~ Psalm 131:1-3 ~ Proverbs 29:23

Thursday, December 13Obadiah 1:1-21 ~ Revelation 4:1-11 ~ Psalm 132:1-18 ~ Proverbs 29:24-25

Behave as Citizens of Heaven

2007-12-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 5, 2007
TITLE: Aliens
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:20- 21; 4:1
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Aliens! There go the aliens!" Ginny and her friend Alicia cringed as the taunting cries followed them. They had once again refused to join the activities of a certain group of classmates. The two girls had so often separated themselves from the bad behavior of other kids their age that they had been dubbed "aliens" by some of them.
Ginny sighed. "My mother keeps reminding me not to give in to the temptation to be like those kids," she remarked, "but I don't think she knows what it's like for us in school these days."
"Yeah," agreed Alicia. "My mom keeps saying I should 'just say no' to drugs and smoking, but nobody has even asked me to say 'yes,' yet. If they did, I don't think it would be so hard to say 'no.' I don't want any part of drugs. But sometimes I feel like going along with some stuff the kids do-like looking at the magazines they pass around. Or laughing at some of those bad jokes they like to tell. If we did that, maybe they wouldn't call us names all the time."
At home that evening, Ginny told her parents about the name-calling. "Ever since that movie, 'Aliens from Outer Space,' came out, the kids have been calling Alicia and me aliens because we don't do the things they do," she complained. "I wish that movie had never been made."
"I know it's hard, honey," sympathized Mom.
Dad nodded. "But I guess it's not so strange for them to call you that," he said with a smile. "You really are aliens, you know."
"Dad!" exclaimed Ginny. "We are not!"
"Yes, you are," insisted Dad. "You girls have both accepted Jesus as Savior, so now you're not 'of the world' anymore. You're just passing through it. You're different, because you live for Jesus, and your citizenship is really in heaven."
"Wow! I'll have to tell that to Alicia," said Ginny with a sigh.
Mom nodded. "If kids call you names, remember you're not an alien to God," she suggested. "Perhaps that will make it easier to bear."
MEMORY VERSE: Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do kids pressure you to join in ungodly things? Do they tease you when you refuse? Perhaps you don't find it hard to say "no" to such things as smoking, drinking, or doing drugs, but you're tempted to laugh at dirty jokes, show disrespect to a teacher, or do some other thing you know is wrong. Don't do it. If you belong to Jesus, you don't belong to this world. Live to please Him even when you're not accepted by others. Act the way a citizen of heaven should act.
THE KEY: Behave as a citizen of heaven

Jesus Took Your Punishment

2007-12-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for December 2, 2006
TITLE: Just One Sting
SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 15:50-57
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Get away! Get away!" Joanna swung her arms wildly as a bee buzzed round and round her head. "Mom!" she screamed. "That bee is going to get me!"
Joanna dashed toward her mother, who was working in the flower garden. Mom held out her arms, and Joanna rushed into them and hid her face against her mother. The angry bee followed.
Mom stood still, waiting for the bee to leave, but the excited insect seemed determined to find a victim. As Mom brushed the bee away from Joanna, it landed on her own bare arm. "Ow!" Mom exclaimed with a gasp. Then she said quietly, "Look, honey. You don't need to be afraid of this bee anymore. It has stung me."
Fearfully, Joanna lifted her head and looked at her mother's arm. She drew back as she saw the bee still crawling there. "It can't hurt you now," Mom assured her. "It has only one sting."
"Oh, Mom! You took the sting for me!" exclaimed Joanna as the bee tumbled to the ground. "Does it hurt bad?"
"Well, it doesn't feel very good," said Mom, "but I'm glad I was there to take it."
As Mom treated the sting a few minutes later, Joanna spoke thoughtfully. "In Sunday school last week, my teacher read some verses and explained that Jesus took the punishment for our sins," she said. "I didn't quite understand it then, but I think I do now. Just like you're suffering for me, Jesus did, too-only more." She paused. "I want to thank Him and ask Him to save me," she added. "Should I just go ahead and tell Him that? Will you pray with me?"
Mom nodded and put an arm around Joanna. "Yes, and I'm so glad," she said. "Let's talk to Him right now, and then let's get the Bible and review some of those verses." The bee sting was forgotten while Joanna and Mom prayed and then sat together to look up some of the verses in God's Word.
MEMORY VERSE: 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 The sting of death is sin . . . but thanks be to God who gives us the victory.
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you understand that Jesus took the punishment you deserve? When you accept Him as your Savior, you no longer need to fear death because He died for you and conquered the sting of sin and death. If you've never acknowledged what Jesus did for you and haven't asked Him to save you, won't you do that right now? (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)
THE KEY: Jesus took your punishment

You Can Live Forever In Heaven

2007-11-26T19:38:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 26, 2007
TITLE: Celebration for Kim
SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 6-9
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
The long procession of cars moved slowly from the school auditorium to the little country cemetery. When they arrived there, Laura stood between her parents, holding a damp, wadded tissue. She struggled to keep her tears from overflowing again as some final words were spoken.
"Kim is in the presence of Jesus," said Pastor Drew. "Just think of how wonderful it is for her. Perhaps even now she sees Jesus' kind face and hears His gentle voice. A crippled body is no longer hindering her-her pain and sorrow are gone. And God's Word says that those who belong to Jesus will see her again in heaven." The minister's thoughtful words were stated with positive assurance as he spoke to the family and friends who had assembled after Kim's funeral service.
For as long as Laura could remember, she and Kim had gone to school and Sunday school together. They had learned about Jesus when they were little, and each had accepted Him as Savior. But now Kim was gone, and Laura's heart was sad and lonely. The morning sun shone in a clear blue sky, and a breeze scented with flowers brushed the upturned faces of Kim's listening classmates. Each carried a single, brightly-colored balloon.
The minister's quiet words broke into Laura's thoughts. "These balloons are to picture for you the freedom of Kim's spirit today. The Bible tells us that the body is laid to rest in the earth, but the spirit of the person who believes in Jesus goes to be with Him until the Resurrection. Kim's spirit is already at home with Jesus. It's a joyful day for her."
The pastor lifted a pink balloon and held it a moment. "Let's release our balloons together in celebration of Kim's new happiness," he said. A moment later, all eyes were raised skyward as a cloud of vividly colored circles danced in the summer breeze.
"Goodbye, Kim," Laura whispered. She smiled through her tears. "I'll see you in heaven some day."
MEMORY VERSE: We shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17
HOW ABOUT YOU? Have you known someone your own age who has died? Perhaps you wonder what it would be like to die. It's natural to be afraid of the unknown, but Jesus promises to take Christians to heaven when they die. Have you trusted Jesus as Savior? If so, you don't need to fear death. The Bible says that for a Christian, death is to be "absent from the body" and "present with the Lord." Make sure that you will live with Him forever in heaven. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)
THE KEY: You can live forever in heaven

Pod Casts- Is God Enough for You?

2007-11-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

Wow...this explains what may have happened with my dream of working at the church.
1. God loves me...just as I am.
2. When assigned to doing something for God, simply do what He asks and don't worry about the outcome.
3. Beware of your dreams. Don't allow them to replace God. God is enough with or without the dreams. Let them go. Let yourself go. Fall...float into God's arms relying solely on His power. Impact doesn't come from pursuing impact. It comes from pursuing God. It comes when we realize that God is enough.

To hear the messages, go to http://www.radicall yreal.com and click the Running A.M.O.K. Podcast button or go to the page direct at http://runningamok. mypodcast. comGod bless,Dave WeissA.M.O.K.New Creation Fellowship

Give Thanks for Everything

2007-11-25T11:50:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 22, 2007
TITLE: Thanks for Paper Plates
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 100
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"I pray today," announced Ricky as the family sat around the breakfast table. Dad smiled his approval at the little boy, and they all bowed their heads. "Thank You, God, for bacon an' eggs an' milk an' toast an' flowers," said Ricky. He paused and peeked to see what else was on the table. "An' jam," he added. "Amen."
"Thank you, Ricky," said Dad. He frowned at Jesse and Suzanne, who were giggling at their little brother.
After breakfast, everyone went out to work in the yard. When it was time for lunch, Mom called them together around the picnic table. "We'll pray," she said, "and then you can all sit and relax while I get the hamburgers off the grill and get the rest of the food on the table."
"I pray," announced Ricky again. Once more they all bowed their heads. "Thank You for . . ." began Ricky. He hesitated. He paused a long moment as he looked at the table. There was no food on it yet. ". . . for plates an' knives an' forks an' spoons an' cups an' napkins an' salt," Ricky finished. "Amen."
Jesse and Suzanne snickered out loud. But Dad smiled at his younger son. "I'm glad you thanked God for all those things today," said Dad. "We usually take them for granted and fail to give thanks for them."
"Yes," agreed Mom as she got up. "Now . . . I don't need any help getting the food on the table, but while I'm doing that, you could think of some other things we seldom remember to thank the Lord for. You go first, Jesse."
"Uh . . ." murmured Jesse as Mom got busy with the hamburgers, "we should be thankful for . . . ah . . . for our grill."
"Good," said Dad. "How about it, Suzanne?"
Suzanne was ready. "For pepper-Ricky forgot that," she said.
"And for a picnic table," added Jesse quickly.
"And picnic benches," said Suzanne and Jesse together.
"An' food," shouted Ricky as Mom set a platter of hamburgers and a bowl of fruit salad on the table.
"And for a little child to teach us," added Mom with a smile. "Dig in."
MEMORY VERSE: It is good to give thanks to the Lord. Psalm 92:1
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you really thankful at this Thanksgiving season-for everything? Look around you. What things do you take for granted day after day and never thank the Lord for? Take a few moments to thank Him right now.
THE KEY: Give thanks for everything

The Infinite Supply of Our Lord

2007-11-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Today's meditation is taken from:THE INFINITE SUPPLY OF THE LORD
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/infinite.html
"Jesus looked and saw a large crowd of people beginning to gather around Him. So He asked Philip, 'Where can we buy bread to feed these people?' He said this only to test Philip's reaction. Jesus already knew what He was about to do" (John 6:5,6).

Jesus desires to show forth His glory, to reveal Himself to us in the midst of our weakness. When we see a need we grow frustrated. But when Jesus sees a need He already knows what He wants to do. Not only will He meet the need, but He will reveal Himself in the process. Sometimes He will leave the need unmet, at least for a season, and just reveal Himself to us as All that we need (II Corinthians 12:8,9).

This explains why it sometimes appears that the Lord delays in answering us. He already knows what He is going to do, but we do not know. He waits for us to see if we will trust Him as Infinite Supply. Is Jesus "Lord" only after He answers us? Or is Jesus "Lord" whether He answers us or not? The Lord's "proving ground" is just there, in between the Need and the Answer. And sometimes it is, indeed, quite a stretching, and a thorough test.

Trust God With Your Life

2007-11-25T10:17:00.002-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 25, 2007
TITLE: Pilot in Control
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 121
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Jan nervously clasped her hands together as the plane taxied down the runway. She had been excited when her parents said she and her brother Jeremy could travel by plane to see their grandmother. But now Jan was nervous. There have been so many plane crashes in the news lately! she thought. She looked at her brother, who was eagerly watching the ground rush by.
After they were airborne, Jan didn't relax at all. "Do the engines sound funny?" she asked several times. "Should we be flying so high? We won't go through clouds again, will we? What if there's another plane in the clouds? Won't we crash?" Jeremy tried to assure her that everything was fine. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I think they should try to stay away from the clouds."
"Why don't you go up to the cockpit and take over the controls?" Jeremy finally asked in disgust. "You seem to think you know more about flying this plane than the pilot does." Jan scowled in reply. "The pilot knows what he's doing," Jeremy informed her, "and I think this is really cool, Jan!"
"Me, too," said Jan, but she was very glad when they were finally back on solid ground.
"Did you have a good flight?" asked Grandma.
Jeremy nodded. "I did. But Jan was as nervous as a cat. I told her she should take over for the pilot." He grinned as he added, "I'm glad she didn't, though, because then I'd have been nervous."
"I guess so!" exclaimed Grandma, putting an arm around Jan's shoulders and giving her a little squeeze. "I'm afraid we all lack trust in our Pilot from time to time."
Jan looked surprised. "Are you afraid of flying, too, Grandma?" she asked.
Grandma smiled. "Not really," she said, "but as I drove over here, an old, old hymn-'Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me'-was playing on the radio. We need to let Jesus be our Pilot and trust Him throughout our lives."
Jeremy nodded. "And it's as silly for us to think we can manage our lives without His help as it would be for Jan to try to fly a plane, right?" he asked.
"Yes," said Grandma. "I think Jeremy must have enjoyed the trip a lot more than you did, Jan, even though you were just as safe as he was. And when I trust God, my Pilot, I can also enjoy my trip through life."
MEMORY VERSE: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
HOW ABOUT YOU? Are you enjoying your "trip through life"? Or are you fretting about things that happen over which you have no control? Remember how much God loves you and how He knows what is best for you. Then trust Him to take you safely through sickness, disappointments, losses-all kinds of "clouds." Trust Him even when you can't see how things can possibly turn out good. He's always alert as He watches over you. He knows what He is doing, so enjoy the peace He gives when you trust Him!
THE KEY: Trust God with your life

2007-11-25T10:17:00.001-08:00

Decreasing "Self" Through Trials

2007-11-25T10:06:00.001-08:00

November 25, 2007
Today's meditation is taken from:ENTER THE KINGDOM
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/enter.html

"[Paul and Barnabas] strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, "We must enter the Kingdom of God through much tribulation" (Acts 14:22).

This does not sound like something which would strengthen and encourage young disciples. If Paul and Barnabas brought this message to some churches they would not be invited back. Our idea of overcoming is to avoid tribulation, not pass through it. We certainly do not connect entering the Kingdom with going through tribulation. We think having the victory means eliminating all tribulation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In order to enter the Kingdom there must be an increase of Christ and a decrease of Self. This is an ongoing process, and by it we judge how far along the Pat h we have progressed. But how is Self decreased? We cannot do it by saying over and over, "I have to die. I have to decrease. I have to take up my cross." The more we try to decrease the more we are increased. Any attention we give to ourselves, even in an attempt to decrease ourselves, only serves to make us larger. So what is the answer? The answer is in our circumstances and trials. They are sufficient to decrease us. We need not do anything but wait for them to come, and see them as our opportunity to have Self decreased and Christ increased.

God's Principles Don't Change

2007-11-24T22:22:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 23, 2007
TITLE: Attic Adventure
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 33:4-12
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Come on, Zoe," called Sophia. "Mom said we could play in the attic. Let's try on some of the old clothes in the trunks up there."
"Cool! Let's go!" exclaimed Zoe as she put her book aside.
The clatter of feet echoed through the house as Sophia and Zoe climbed the steep steps to the attic of the old family home. Soon they had the wardrobes open, and they began trying on a variety of clothes their grandmother and mother had saved through the years. They laughed at one another as they paraded back and forth before a full-length mirror. "Let's go show Mom and Dad our latest fashions," suggested Zoe at last.
Tipping an old hat to the back of her head, Sophia agreed, so they trooped downstairs. Their parents looked up and smiled when the girls pranced merrily into the living room.
"I wore those old saddle shoes when I was a teenager," said Mom as she observed Zoe, "and I believe that dress belonged to my grandmother. And Sophia, your old-fashioned hat is simply charming with that old purse!"
"Those styles were very popular at one time," commented Dad with a smile, "and everyone wanted them-just like there are styles of clothing today that everyone wants."
Mom nodded. "When it comes to styles-or fads-people always want the latest thing," she said. "That's not so bad unless it becomes too important in their lives-or if they copy immodest clothes."
"Yes," agreed Dad, "and you know what? Fads extend to activities as well as dress. There are usually certain activities that are very popular. and some of them are not good things to do. We need to remember that the world changes as far as the things it likes, but God's principles never change. Let's be careful to measure our activities against what He teaches and refuse to follow immoral fads-regarding either dress or actions-no matter how popular they become, okay?"
"Okay," agreed the girls.
"Come on, Sophia," added Zoe. "Let's see what other kinds of things we can find in the attic."
MEMORY VERSE: he counsel of the Lord stands forever; the plans of His heart to all generations. Psalm 33:11
HOW ABOUT YOU? If "everybody" is doing something wrong, are you tempted to do it, too? If other kids cheat to get a good grade, do you think it might be okay for you to do the same? If a friend gets away with telling a lie, does lying seem like a good idea to you? Would you like to use the same bad language you hear your classmates use? Don't try to be like others when what they do is wrong. Styles of clothing or behavior may change, but God's ways never change.
THE KEY: God's principles don't change

Using Your Tongue to Help, Not Hurt

2007-11-24T20:51:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 24, 2007
TITLE: Dangerous Weapon, or Silver?
SCRIPTURE: James 3:5-10
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
After supper one evening, Frank handed his father a paper. "Our new principal says we have to read these school rules and sign this paper to say we agree with them," he told his parents. "You're supposed to sign it, too."
"Okay," said Dad. "Let's see . . . Did you read these?"
"Sure," said Frank. He looked at the paper. "It says there's to be no hitting, no swearing, no weap . . . ah . . . What's this next word?"
"No weapons," read Frank's older brother Chad as he looked over Frank's shoulder. "That means no knives or guns-no dangerous stuff like that."
"You know," said Dad, "this makes me think of Sunday's sermon."
"Uh-oh!" Chad winked at Frank. "Here comes a Dad-lesson!"
"What dangerous weapon did the pastor preach about Sunday?" asked Dad with a smile.
"A weapon? In Sunday's sermon? Oh!" Chad grinned. "I get it! Yeah, Frank, you took a dangerous weapon to school today-your tongue!"
Frank frowned. "My tongue?" he asked in surprise.
"Pastor Martin talked about how we can use our tongues to hurt someone's feelings, tell lies, and cause all sorts of trouble," Dad explained. "A tongue out of control is like a weapon, and it can do a great deal of damage."
"Like when Shannon told everyone her brother still takes his teddy bear to bed," said Frank. "The kids all laughed, and he was really embarrassed!"
"Or when you . . ." began Chad.
"I see you get the idea," Dad interrupted, "but remember, too, that used rightly, the tongue brings praise to God." He picked up a pen. "I'll sign that we agree with the school rules. And I hope both you boys will be very careful to use your tongues for good, not evil."
"Okay, Dad." Frank signed the paper, too, and put it in his backpack.
"Uh . . . Frank," said Chad, "when you get to school tomorrow, don't tell the kids you've got a dangerous weapon with you, okay? I mean, you could really get in trouble for saying something like that!" He grinned. "I can see the headlines in the newspaper now . . . 'Local boy arrested for taking his tongue to school!'" Dad rolled his eyes as the brothers laughed.
MEMORY VERSE: The tongue of the righteous is choice silver. Proverbs 10:20
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you remember that your tongue can be a dangerous weapon? Do you lie to get out of trouble? Or gossip about other kids? Do you use your tongue to boast or tell secrets? Think and pray before you start talking. Ask God to help you control your tongue. Use it for His glory. Then it will be like "choice silver" (see today's verse) rather than a dangerous weapon.
THE KEY: Use your tongue to help, not to hurt

Follow God's Rules

2007-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 18, 2007
TITLE: The Rules of the Game
SCRIPTURE: James 1:22-27
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"You can't do that!" exclaimed Logan as his friend Blake moved his marker on the game board. "Don't you know the rules?"
Blake looked up. "We always play it this way at home," he said as Andy, another friend, took a turn. "Hey," added Blake, "what are you doing, Andy? You landed on 'Skip' last time, so you have to skip three turns. You've skipped only once so far."
Andy continued to play. "That's the way we play at our house," he said. "We only skip once. Else you have to sit and wait so long."
Then Dan took a turn. He landed on a space that said, "Lose ten points." Dan was scorekeeper, but he didn't subtract any points from his score. He just nudged Logan and said, "Your turn."
Andy frowned. "You have to subtract ten points," he said.
Dan shrugged. "My brother and I just skip those penalty points."
"This is no fun," declared Logan. "Everybody plays by his own rules. We might as well quit."
"Or play by the rules of the person who made up the game in the first place," suggested his mother, who had just come in. "There's a little rule book right there in the box."
"Good idea," the boys agreed. Soon the game was again in progress, with frequent references being made to the rule book.
When Logan's dad came home, he greeted Logan with a grin. "Well, what did you learn today, Son?" he asked.
Logan explained what had happened that afternoon. "I learned," he said, "that it's important to play by the rules."
"Well, good," approved Dad. "I wish everybody would learn that."
"Not everybody plays games," Logan pointed out.
Dad raised his brows. "Well . . . we could say that everybody plays the 'Game of Life.'" he suggested. "If we'd all follow the rules of the one who 'invented' it, this would be a happier world. Do you know who I'm talking about?"
Logan nodded. "God," he said. "He gave His rules in the Bible. Everybody ought to follow them."
MEMORY VERSE: Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. James 1:22
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you know God's rules? You probably learned some of them through Sunday school, Bible lessons at home or church, or reading the Bible for yourself. You know He wants you to be kind, loving, helpful, obedient, thoughtful, etc. But knowing isn't enough. You need to follow His rules and not change them to suit yourself. When you're not sure what you should do, you can refer to the Bible and look for a direct order or for a principle that will help you know what behavior pleases God.
THE KEY: Follow God's rules

Not Putting Confidence in the Flesh- Meditation

2007-11-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

November 18, 2007 Today's meditation is taken from:
NO GOOD THING
By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/nogood.html

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Romans 12:3a).

Positive thinking is appropriate so long as I am living according to the Truth, but if I am unsurrendered to Jesus and living life according to my terms then I am in no position to think about myself in a positive light: I am positively deceived. We do not need Self-Esteem, we need Christ-Esteem. The more we see of Jesus the less we will trust in ourselves.

That is why, once Paul learned his lesson, he wrote, "We have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3b). He then goes on to list quite a number of things that seem important in terms of religion, status, social order, education, and good works – all the things that tend to make one self-confident and self-righteous. With one grand stroke, Paul says, "Yet, I count them all as dung, that I may win Christ." He simply discards what some people spend a lifetime trying to achieve. Here is a man who knows the sufficiency of God as well as the insufficiency of himself.

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Body of Christ

2007-11-14T20:10:00.001-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 14, 2007
TITLE: Band Member
SCRIPTURE: Colossians 1:12-18
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Mom!" Tom burst into the house, his eyes glistening with excitement. "Guess what! Even though we moved here in the middle of the school year, I can join the band. Mr. Peters, the band leader, says the school has instruments the kids can use, so I'm going to be in the band and play a trumpet and . . ."
"Slow down. Slow down," said Mom. She smiled at her son's eager face. "I'm glad that worked out for you. When do you start?"
"Tomorrow," replied Tom. "I get my uniform then, too. It's cool. I'll belong to the Bartley Middle School Band."
When Dad heard the big news, he grinned at Tom. "So my son will be in the band! That's great" he said.
But Gretchen, Tom's little sister, frowned. "I want to be in the band, too," she declared with a pout.
"You can't. You're too small," Tom told her.
"I can, too," she insisted. "All you need is a horn and a uniform, and I have a horn already." She held up a toy one she'd been playing with. "I just need a uniform."
"And you have to be big enough," added Tom.
Dad smiled at Gretchen. "Tom is right, honey," he said. "It will be a few years before you're old enough to belong to the Bartley School Band."
Gretchen looked unhappy. "Can I join a different band then?"
"Well, let's see . . ." said Dad. He snapped his finger. "Sure. I've thought of a band anyone may join!" Gretchen smiled at that news, but Tom looked doubtful. "It's not a musical band-it's a different kind of band," said Dad. "It's the band of believers. In other words, it's Christians-they're called the Church. Do you know what you need to become a member of that band?"
"I do," said Tom promptly. "You need Jesus."
Again Dad nodded. "Good," he said. "That's exactly right. And anyone, big or small, may receive Him."
Gretchen grinned. "See, Tom?" she said. "I'm big enough to belong to a band, too-and I already do because I've asked Jesus to save me!"
MEMORY VERSE: In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you belong to the band of Christians-the Church? This does not mean the local congregation that you attend on Sundays. It means all believers throughout the whole world-all who have trusted Jesus as Savior. The invitation is open for you to become a member of this group. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.) Become a part of the Church, the body of Christ.
THE KEY: Become a member of the Body of Christ

Prayer for Cindylee

2007-11-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

It looks like I'm ok...It has a few things that I am researching, but the little bit I've researched looks like all is ok.....the things I'm looking at are:

*6-mm ovoid mass in my mid right lung....
*My heart is enlarged...
*Upper right posterior kidney/loss of tissue....
*Tiny right lung granuloma ...... most likely from a past infection. I had bronchitus once and it can also be caused by a fungal or spore...that is common in barns, chicken coups, caves...etc. I'm not too concerned with that.

On the report it said or suggested to be rechecked in 6 months and that the supraclavicular mass was not identified.. ..and if symptoms persist consider MRI. So again..not sure what those lumps are.

Also a 6 month follow-up for the right lung granuloma... ..not real concerned with.

So all looks ok...not perfect, but ok. I briefly looked at a few things..like the enlarged heart...yep I have all those symptoms.... but not sure what the underlying cause it. Could be menopausal.. hormonal. ..thyroid. ...high blood pressure.... a few others but I can't remember. I would think thyroid may be a problem...

So I'll look at these things and start to do a clean-up....
I'm relieved.... I don't see any lymphdoma or anything.... phew...!

Blessings,
Cindylee

Reflecting Jesus to Others

2007-11-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 10, 2007
TITLE: The Antique Mirror
SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 2:21-24
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Mom, look at this old mirror!" Carrie exclaimed. She and her mother were checking to see if anything in the attic should be put on their garage sale. As she looked in the mirror, Carrie giggled at her short, squat reflection. "This mirror makes me look so funny. I bet it wouldn't sell for much."
Mom came up behind her and looked. "Well, I want to keep it anyway," she said with a laugh. "That mirror is very old. It belonged to your Great-Great-Grandmother Stevens."
"Can we take it down to show everybody?" asked Carrie.
"Sure," agreed Mom, "they'd like to see it, too."
That evening, the Stevens family laughed together over their reflections in the antique mirror. "It's fun to see myself in this old mirror, but it makes me look all squashed," said Carrie. "I'm sure glad we have better ones to use now."
Her brother Noah nodded. "Me, too," he said.
"I wonder what each of us reflects as we go about our tasks each day," murmured Mom.
"You make it sound like we're mirrors!" exclaimed Noah. "Mirrors reflect things. We're people, not mirrors."
Mom smiled. "In a way, people are also mirrors," she said. "What they read and see is often reflected in what they say and do. We're Christians, so Jesus should be reflected in our words and actions."
"Yes, and it should be a true image of Him," added Dad. "People should see Jesus in us, the way He really is-not a 'squashed' reflection."
"A squashed reflection?" asked Noah. "What would that be?"
"Well, people sometimes get the impression that Christians think they're better than other people," said Dad. "Or they may hear Christians gossip or see them cheat or be unkind. Then they wouldn't be seeing a true picture of Jesus."
"That's right," agreed Mom. "We should reflect characteristics of Jesus. What are some of them?"
"Love . . . kindness . . . helpfulness . . . patience . . ." Carrie and Noah took turns naming them.
Mom nodded. "Those are things people should see in our lives," she said.
MEMORY VERSE: Let us love one another, for love is of God. 1 John 4:7
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do others see Jesus in you? Can He be seen when you're talking with your friends and when you're playing at school or in your neighborhood? Do you reflect Jesus' great love for everybody? Or is your reflection of Him marred by mean and hateful actions? Yield to Jesus each moment of the day so your life can be a true reflection of His love. Let others see Him in the way you live.
THE KEY: Let Jesus be seen in you

God Hears and Answers Prayer

2007-11-13T18:56:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 11, 2007
TITLE: Bird Lessons
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 145:17-19; Jeremiah 29:11-13
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"What was that?" asked Tim when something banged against a window.
"I don't know," said Dad. "Maybe a bird."
Tim ran outside to investigate. Among the flowers underneath the window, he found a robin flapping its wings frantically. Tim reached down, and very cautiously anchoring the bird's wings close to its body, he picked it up. "Dad! Come help!" he called.
Dad went out. He ran his fingers over the bird's bone structure and spread its wings. "Nothing broken," he said. "I think it got the wind knocked out of it. Why don't you lay it under the lilac bush over there?"
Tim did so, and sensing its freedom, the bird tried to get up. "It can't fly," Tim cried fearfully as the robin fell to its side.
"It's exhausted. It will probably take off after it rests a bit," Dad assured him. "Let's leave it alone so it won't be so frightened."
Tim nodded. He rode down the sidewalk on his bike, but every now and then he went back to check on the robin.
Some time later, a chorus of chirps exploded from somewhere in the hawthorn tree. Tim peered up through the leaves and saw a nest. He glanced back at his patient. Her head was raised attentively. After a moment, she struggled to her feet, ran a short distance, and flapped her wings. She rose from the ground and landed on the branch beside the nest. Tim ran to tell Dad about it.
"Good!" exclaimed Dad. "She knew the sound of her babies and flew to them."
"Cool," said Tim happily. "They called and she answered-just like my Bible verse last week said."
"What exactly did it say?" asked Dad curiously.
Tim quoted it. "Jeremiah 33:3. 'Call to Me, and I will answer you.'" He grinned at Dad. "The robin heard and answered her babies, and God hears and answers us, right?"
"Right," agreed Dad with a smile. "He doesn't always answer in exactly the way we wish He would, but He knows what's best for us. He's always there to listen when we call on Him."
MEMORY VERSE: (God says) Call to Me, and I will answer you. Jeremiah 33:3
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you wonder if God really has time to listen to you? Be assured that He does. He invites you to call on Him. You can tell Him all about what's happening in your life. You can praise Him for all He has done for you. You can ask for His help in solving your problems. You can go to Him at anytime, talk to Him about anything, and know that He'll hear and answer in the way that's best for you.
THE KEY: God hears and answers prayer

Who is to Blame for Suffering?

2007-11-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 12, 2007
TITLE: Who's to Blame?
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 3:14-19; Romans 5:12
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
Mark rode his bike up the front walk and parked it near the place where his dad was working. "Hi, buddy," said Dad. "Have you been playing with that new boy down the street? Is it Chad, or Chuck, or . . . uh . . . uh . . ."
"Chip," said Mark. "His nickname is Chip. I was just over at his house, and we played for a while. I told him we want to find a good church to go to around here and asked him if he knows of one. Do you know what he said, Dad? He said he doesn't believe God cares anything about us!"
"Really? That's too bad," Dad replied. "Did he say why he feels that way?"
Mark nodded. "He said, 'If God really cares about people, why does He let so many bad things happen-like sickness and death? If He created people, how come He lets them suffer for no reason?' Then Chip listed all kinds of terrible things that happen. I didn't know how to answer him."
"Hm-m-m," murmured Dad. "Well, suffering and death is due to sin in the world. Let's ask God to show you what to say so Chip will understand. He also needs to know that God does love him and all the people in the world."
A few days later, Mark saw Chip limping down the street, and his leg was bandaged. "What happened?" asked Mark.
"My sister pushed me over on my bike," Chip said. "Boy, was Dad mad! She really got it!"
"Does it hurt much now?" asked Mark. Then he thought of something. "How come your dad let you hurt your leg?" he added. "Why does he let you suffer like that?"
"What do you mean, he let me?" asked Chip. "It's not his fault. It's my sister's."
"Well, how come you blame God when bad things happen to people, but you don't blame your dad for what happened to you?" asked Mark. Chip opened his mouth, but he found nothing to say. "It's not your dad's fault that you got hurt," continued Mark, "and it's not God's fault that people suffer. Suffering is due to sin. Adam sinned in the first place, and after that, everybody has sinned. That's why there's suffering in the world." Again, Chip found nothing to say, so Mark continued. "God does love everyone, and if you trust in His Son, Jesus, you'll spend eternity in heaven where there is no more suffering or death."
MEMORY VERSE: The soul who sins shall die. Ezekiel 18:20
HOW ABOUT YOU? When bad things happen, do you blame God? People are given the choice of either obeying or disobeying God's laws. From the beginning of time, man chose to disobey, and the result is suffering and death. Terrible things happen-not because God is powerless or doesn't care, but because mankind chooses to disobey God. The good news is that all who trust in Jesus will enjoy a suffering-free life in heaven. (See the ABCs at the end of this book.)
THE KEY: Suffering is the result of sin

Praying Scripture for Myself

2007-11-13T10:53:00.000-08:00

May I be above reproach, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, one who manages his own family well, and who keeps his children under control with proper respect. Grant me a good reputation with outsiders, so that I will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:2-4, 7)

Prayers for My Children

2007-11-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

Scripture to pray for Wisdom

2007-11-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and protecti! ng the way of His saints. Then I will understand righteousness and justice and honesty—every good path. For wisdom will enter my heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to my soul. Discretion will protect me, and understanding will guard me. (Proverbs 2:6-11)

Read Bible in a Year

2007-11-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 12Ezekiel 24:1-26:21 ~ Hebrews 11:1-16 ~ Psalm 110:1-7 ~ Proverbs 27:14
Tuesday, November 13Ezekiel 27:1-28:26 ~ Hebrews 11:17-31 ~ Psalm 111:1-10 ~ Proverbs 27:15-16
Wednesday, November 14Ezekiel 29:1-30:26 ~ Hebrews 11:32-12:13 ~ Psalm 112:1-10 ~ Proverbs 27:17
Thursday, November 15Ezekiel 31:1-32:32 ~ Hebrews 12:14-29 ~ Psalm 113:1-114:8 ~ Proverbs 27:18-20
Friday, November 16Ezekiel 33:1-34:31 ~ Hebrews 13:1-25 ~ Psalm 115:1-18 ~ Proverbs 27:21-22
Saturday, November 17Ezekiel 35:1-36:38 ~ James 1:1-18 ~ Psalm 116:1-19 ~ Proverbs 27:23-27
Sunday, November 18Ezekiel 37:1-38:23 ~ James 1:19-2:17 ~ Psalm 117:1-2 ~ Proverbs 28:1
Monday, November 19Ezekiel 39:1-40:27 ~ James 2:18-3:18 ~ Psalm 118:1-18 ~ Proverbs 28:2
Tuesday, November 20Ezekiel 40:28-41:26 ~ James 4:1-17 ~ Psalm 118:19-29 ~ Proverbs 28:3-5
Wednesday, November 21Ezekiel 42:1-43:27 ~ James 5:1-20 ~ Psalm 119:1-16 ~ Proverbs 28:6-7

1. This week in Ezekiel chapter 34 verses 3 & 4 we will read: "You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured." Do you think these verses can speak into our lives in some way? Is it possible that today we eat fine food and wear fine clothes at the expense of others in need? Are we consistently strengthening the weak? Healing the sick? Binding up the injured? 1.2 billion people in the world live on less than $1 a day. Are we doing something to care for these brothers and sisters on a consistent basis? What are you doing?

2. This week in James chapter 1 verses 2 – 4 we will read: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Are you facing a trial of some kind in your life today? Do you see the wisdom in considering this trial pure joy? Do you think it is possible that this trial will develop perseverance in your life? Maturity? Completeness? Will you persevere in this trial? Will you persevere with pure joy?

3. This week in Psalm 112 verse 1 we will read: "Blessed is the person who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands." Is fear of the Lord healthy? Why or why not? Is fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? Are you blessed if you fear the Lord? Do you find great delight in God's commands? What are God's commands?

4. This week in Proverbs 27:17 we will read: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Do you see the value in this proverb? Are you "iron" in someone else's life? Is someone "iron" in your life? Are you being sharpened? Why would you want to be sharpened? Is there some dullness spiritually in your life today? How will you seek to sharpen that dullness? Will you seek to sharpen that dullness through involvement in a local church? Do you think that a church community can sharpen you? Do you think involvement in a weekly small group can sharpen you?

5. This week in Proverbs 27 verse 19 we read: "As water reflects a face, so a person's heart reflects the person." How is your heart these days? Take a minute and really reflect on this question. How is your heart? Your heart toward others? Toward your family? Toward God? Toward Jesus? Is your heart full of love? Overflowing with love? (if maybe not, please read First Corinthians chapter 13 for a good refresher on love) What is your heart reflecting to others you come in contact with these days? Are you reflecting love to others? Are you reflecting Jesus?

Prayer Requests

2007-11-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

NOVEMBER 2007
Virgil- in hospital with pneumonia
*Karen (CMCS-EI) in a lot of pain- injured back
*Leslie H (thebreadbox) ulcers
*Carol White (friend of Marilyn Rockets author of Homeschooling at the Speed of Life)-just lost her husband AND lost her only child – a son –in Oct '07
*Rixta- marriage
* Jane's (from CMCS-EI) children to return to the Lord
* Mary Chapman (cell group) ill and needs surgery
*Cindylee (breadbox) health... put specifics in different post
*Miss S (CMCS-EI) back injury
*Rachel (CMCS-EI) "So please pray that I will have the energy I need and exposures will be few during Thanksgiving. Also that my discussions with my parents will go well."
*Sal- (CMCS-EI) would like me to pray for blessings
CMCS PRAYER LIST:
Mary G ~~ Next Wednesday is my hearing so could sure use prayers on that day.
Barb ~~ cut finger, rapid healing
Martha ~~ computer down, My job is tied to my sister. Sister is bipolar. I feel quite anxious today.
Rixta ~~ marriage healing
Zona ~~ be nice to self (not easy to do), not to worry about all those things that "need to be done" (not easy for me to do). Car died a quiet death and had to be towed home. dishwasher died a smokey death two nights ago. DD is depressed. missing coffee (admit I'm a decaf addict). Headaches. Need leaves rakes in yard but no one is physically able to do them. FIL get angry over leaves
Rachel ~~ tumors on dog. He's part of the family. The last time we took her to the vet they said it was better to leave it as she is very old and the surgery would be risky.
Gail ~~ more pouring of asphalt. The smell was terrible for about 2 weeks last time.
Margie ~~ Breast biopsy which is on Nov. 20th. That fear would have no part in me and if God wills that it would be benign. Have had breast cancer before.Long TermSafety from fireplace for all
Gail ~~ need to find a GP to meet her needs
Karen ~~ upstairs tenant to be willing to accommodate my needs (not use air fresheners)
Deb (Miss S) ~~ meds seems to be stabilizing. Having to upgrade my support needs (needs more hours of support) and waiting for approval.
Sandy ~~ George's Alzheimer's and his lost of memory and the problems that it causes for Sandy. Doctor is trying to get insurance company to help pay for very expensive lights I need to use in psoriasis treatment. (I have it over 12% of body, 10% is considered severe.) Carrie ~~ as they deal with losing their home and moving.
Zona ~~ for ears/cough DH, and achiness & school stuff for dd, my health. Need work and definitely need vehicle!
Margie ~~ Pray for the salvation of the Jewish lady that I work for and her healing as she is very sick in the hospital. And that God would show me what and when to tell her of Jesus.
Louise ~~~ huge difficulties with my home support worker's inability to meet my needs, initiate tasks I need help with, and to come fragrant free. Decisions need to be made about this. A healthier, cheaper place to live.
A special prayer for those who are too sick to articulate for themselves at present.