CBH Ministries is a children's ministry organization, offering Keys for Kids, Down Gilead Lane, and much more.http://cbhministries.org/kfk2009 CBH Ministries, All Rights Reserveden-ushttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/rss/CBH-For-Kids-Banner.jpghttp://cbhministries.org/kfk "What if I don't make the team, Dad?" asked David as they hiked a rugged trail. David had spent most of their backpacking trip finding things to worry about. "David, I bet by now you've listed a dozen things that worry you," said Dad. "I could understand your concerns if we were fending off mountain lions or something, but the most dangerous animal we've seen was the timid, little gray squirrel that scurried across our path a few minutes ago." David wasn't listening. He was too busy worrying. "And what if Maggie is still mad at me?" he continued. "I said I was sorry like a thousand times, but she hardly talks to me anymore." Dad frowned and picked up a large stone from the side of the trail. As they continued walking, he reached over, unzipped David's backpack and slipped the rock into it. David didn't even notice. "What if I don't figure out the new stuff we're doing in my math class? It's so hard!" David exclaimed. "I'll flunk out, and you and Mom will ground me for a month!" With each new worry David mentioned, Dad managed to put a rock into his son's backpack. "I'm getting kind of tired," declared David after a while. "What if I get too tired to finish the hike? Maybe we should turn back." Dad added another rock to the backpack. This time David noticed. "What are you doing?" David asked. He stopped, took off his backpack, and opened it. "Da-a-ad!" he protested. "This is heavy enough without these rocks! Why are you making it heavier?" Dad looked at his son. "Well, that's kind of like what you're doing yourself, isn't it?" asked Dad. "I'm not picking up rocks!" David exclaimed. "No, Son, but worrying about every little thing is something like carrying a load of heavy rocks. It does nothing for you-just makes you tired and makes everybody around you miserable," Dad explained. He took off his backpack, too. "Let's take a break for a few minutes. We'll dump the rocks from your backpack, and I think it would also be a good time to pray and give your burdens to your heavenly Father. Don't you agree?" David smiled at his dad and said, "Yeah, Dad. I agree." How About You? Do you spend a lot of time worrying? Has it ever helped you? It's useless to fret and worry about all the things that don't work out the way you wish they would, and it also makes it unpleasant for people around you. Worst of all, it shows a lack of faith that God will take care of those problems. He has a much better way for you to handle them. He wants you to stop carrying them around and trust Him to help you. Today's Key Verse: Philippians 4:4-7 Today's Key Thought: Worrying is worthlesshttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=10http://media1.cbhministries.org/ftpaudio/keys/key031010.mp3Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 "All right!"exclaimed Garret as they pulled into Grandma's driveway. "We're finally here!" Grandma Peck lived so far away that they had been traveling for two days to get to her house. "Yeah," said Sarah. "I'm tired of being in the car." Dad grinned. "Me, too," he said. "I want to relax right now with a nice, tall glass of iced tea." Garret laughed. "Well, when you talked to Grandma on your cell phone just a little while ago, you said you were thirsty for her iced tea. So I bet she has a pitcher of it all ready and you can have some right away." Sarah pointed. "Look! Grandma's at the door," she said, "and she's got a glass of something in her hand. It's probably your iced tea." Garret was right. "I knew you'd want this right away," said Grandma. She gave everyone big hugs. "You must be hungry, too," she added. "Come to the kitchen. I made your favorite pie, Garret-chocolate. And here's some of that fudge you like so much, Sarah." "Oh, and I see a wonderful snack tray here on the counter!" Mom exclaimed. "You know just what snacks we all like, don't you? And you spoil us by having them all ready for us to enjoy." She reached out and helped herself to some little crackers. "You got new books for us!" called Sarah, who had gone into the family room. "There are new games here, too! Thank you, Grandma!" Mom smiled. "I can see that you've been very busy getting ready for us to come," she said. "Well, I loved preparing for you because I love you," Grandma replied. "Sounds like my Sunday school lesson all over again," said Garret with a grin. "It was about how Jesus loves us and is preparing a place for those who love Him." "That's a great thing to think about," Grandma said. "I'm so thankful to know that each one here loves Jesus and we'll all enjoy heaven together. What a wonderful place that will be!" Dad nodded. "You've given us a great welcome here," he remarked, "but you're right. We can't even imagine how special God's welcome will be!" How About You? Have you helped prepare for company-getting everything just right for those who are coming to visit? If you're a Christian, the Lord Jesus is preparing a place in heaven for you. It's hard to imagine what a very special, wonderful place that will be-and it won't be just for a visit. It will be for all eternity! Today's Key Verse: John 14:1-3 Today's Key Thought: Jesus is preparing a place for Christianshttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=9http://media1.cbhministries.org/ftpaudio/keys/key030910.mp3Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 Rhambau, an elderly pearl diver in India, pointed to a man on the street. "Look, Mr. Grayson. That pilgrim goes to Calcutta. He walks barefoot and picks the sharpest stones to step on. Sometimes he kneels down and kisses the road! That is good!" Rhambau sighed. "I'm old and must prepare for the life to come," he said. "I must begin my pilgrimage to make sure of my place in heaven. I shall go to Calcutta-on my knees. The gods will reward me. The suffering will be sweet, for it shall purchase heaven for me." "Oh, Rhambau, a trip such as that would be much too hard for you-please don't do that!" pleaded Mr. Grayson, who had come to India as a missionary many years before. "Jesus died to purchase heaven for you," continued Mr. Grayson. "You must simply believe and accept His free gift of salvation." "No! No, that is too easy," insisted Rhambau. "One must work for a place in heaven!" Then he held out a beautiful pearl and spoke with a sob in his voice. "Before I go, I give this to you. My son was a pearl diver, and he found this pearl, but he stayed under the water too long! He died soon after. I give it to you, my best friend." "I'm so sorry about your son!" exclaimed Mr. Grayson. "But . . ." He hesitated. "That's a wonderful pearl," he added. "I will buy it from you." Rhambau shook his head. "No one has enough money to pay what this pearl is worth to me," he answered sadly. "You may have it only as a gift." "Oh, but that is too easy!" exclaimed Mr. Grayson. "I must pay for it-or work for it." Rhambau spoke quickly. "No! No! I would never sell this pearl-its value is in the life blood of my only son." He held out the pearl. "Just accept it as a token of the love I bear for you." "Rhambau," said Mr. Grayson gently, "to make it possible for you to enter heaven, it cost God the life blood of His only Son. In a million years-or in hundreds of pilgrimages-you could never earn entrance to heaven! It is so priceless that no one could pay for it. God offers you salvation as a free gift. Accept it as a token of God's love for you, a sinner." Rhambau gasped. "I see!" he exclaimed. "This pearl is too priceless to be bought or earned, and you say heaven is, too. Tell me about it once again!" How About You? Are you trying to earn a place in heaven? Going to church, obeying parents, giving money to missionaries, being nice-all these are good, but they will not buy heaven for you. No good works of any kind will get you into heaven. Simply believe in Jesus and receive God's free gift. (See the ABCs of Salvation at the end of this book.) Today's Key Verse: John 3:14-17 Today's Key Thought: Salvation is freehttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=8http://media1.cbhministries.org/ftpaudio/keys/key030810.mp3Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 As Mary and two of her friends walked to school, one of the boys in their class ran up to join them. "Go away! Walk with the boys, Nolan," said Grace. "Oh, don't be so mean," objected Mary. "He can walk with us." But the other girls ran ahead, leaving Mary and Nolan. "Wanna hear a joke?" asked Nolan, and he proceeded to tell one. Mary was shocked. "That's terrible! That's just gross!" she exclaimed. "I'm not going to walk with you, either." Scowling, she ran to catch up with her friends. "Listen to what Nolan told me!" she fumed. Then she told the bad joke to them. "That's awful!" gasped Grace. Audrey nodded. "The kids at school should be warned not to play with Nolan anymore," she said. "Yeah! They should!" agreed Mary. "Since I'm the one he told the joke to, I'll warn them about it." So Mary repeated the story many times that week. "I saw your teacher today, Mary," said Mom one evening. Mary frowned. She thought she knew what was coming because just that afternoon, her teacher had kept her in at recess to talk to her about the joke she had been spreading. "Miss Cramer is concerned about you, and I am, too," continued Mom. "She said some of the other kids told her you've been telling a dirty joke." "But, Mom, you and Miss Cramer don't understand," protested Mary. "I was just telling the kids how Nolan talks-I was warning them so they wouldn't play with him." "Miss Cramer will deal with Nolan," Mom said, "but the fact is, you spread the story far more than he did." Mom shook her head. "Instead of making excuses, Mary, you need to confess to God what you did. And I think you should apologize to your teacher and also to the kids you told the story to." "But, Mom! I can't remember them all! I told too many kids!" Hearing her own words, Mary realized what a bad thing she had done. She sighed. "I'll try," she said. "I'll ask God to forgive me and to help me remember who they all are." With another sigh, she added, "I'll even apologize to Nolan!" How About You? Do you make excuses for saying things you should not say? Do you sometimes spread gossip or use swear words? Maybe you tell yourself you can't help using bad words because you hear them so often. Or that you repeat gossip or a bad story only to let somebody know you don't approve of it. Before you speak, ask yourself if what you intend to say is acceptable and pleasing to God. If it isn't, don't say it. Say only what is good, kind, and helpful. Today's Key Verse: Psalm 19:12-14 Today's Key Thought: Use words acceptable to Godhttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=7Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 "Mom, l can't get the toaster to work," called Jason. Receiving no answer, he went to the laundry room where his mother was working. "I want to make some toast, but I can't get the toaster to work," said Jason. "It doesn't heat up." "Is it plugged in?" asked Mom. "Plugged in?" repeated Jason. "I guess so-it always is. But I'll go check." Jason went back to the kitchen. Oops! he thought. No wonder it didn't work. He plugged in the toaster, put two pieces of raisin bread into it, and soon enjoyed perfectly browned, buttered toast. In Sunday school class the next morning, Jason's teacher held up his Bible. "I'm sure you all learned long ago that you should read your Bible every day, right?" asked Mr. Scott. Heads nodded. "Good," Mr. Scott continued. "I hope you do that, but are you aware that just reading the Bible isn't enough? What you read there needs to be plugged into your life." "Plugged into my life?" asked Samantha. "What do you mean by that?" Jason raised his hand. "I have an example of something that needed to be plugged in," he said. "I was trying to make toast yesterday, but the toaster wouldn't work. When I checked, I found out that it wasn't plugged in." "I know about plugging in toasters," said Samantha, "but I still don't get how we plug the Bible into our lives." She grinned. "The Bible doesn't have a cord." Mr. Scott smiled. "When something is plugged in, it's useful-it's used to make a change," he said. "Toasters change the bread that's put into them. The TV changes what you see and hear. The vacuum cleaner changes the carpet. The Bible was meant to change us, so . . . plugging it into your life means letting it change you as you do what it says. For instance, if you read, 'Obey your parents,' but then try to get out of doing your chores, you're not letting what the Bible says change you." "But if I read, 'Forgive one another,' and then I do forgive somebody who treated me badly, I've plugged in what I read," suggested Jason. "You've got it!" agreed Mr. Scott. "This week, let's not just read the Bible. Let's plug it in by allowing it to change our lives as we obey it." How About You? Is the Bible plugged into your life-does it change your attitudes and actions? It's great to read the Bible, but simply reading isn't enough. As you read it each day, think about the verses you're reading. Check to see if they contain a promise from God that can comfort you or encourage you. Look for commands to follow. Then put into practice the things God says to you. Plug the Bible into your life! Today's Key Verse: James 1:21-25 Today's Key Thought: Put Bible truth into practicehttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=6http://media1.cbhministries.org/ftpaudio/keys/key030610.mp3Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 "I can't believe it!" Breanna exclaimed as she kept an eye on the news channel while setting the table for dinner. "Seems like Jennifer Taylor has everything she could want. She's gorgeous, she's talented, she's rich, she's famous, and . . ." "And she has spoiled her life by using drugs-and now she's been arrested," said Breanna's mother, shaking her head. "How sad!" "Yeah . . . but I still I wish I looked like that!" said Breanna. "I'd say she's a good example of the fact that looks can be deceiving," Mom replied, opening the refrigerator. "Oh, Breanna, please go to the basement and get a jar of Grandma's pickled beets. We'll have some with our dinner." "Okay," said Breanna, heading for the stairs. She soon returned with a jar of deep purple-red beets. "I love the color of these beets-especially the juice!" she exclaimed as she held up the jar at a sunny window. "Just look at them! Aren't they pretty? I wish I had a sweater this color." Mom laughed. "It is a pretty color," she agreed as she took the jar and opened it. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed. "This lid wasn't sealed. We'd better not eat these beets. They may be spoiled!" "But they look just fine," said Breanna. "They may be okay, but when the lid isn't sealed, bacteria can get in. We're not going to take a chance on them," Mom replied, and she began to pour the contents of the jar down the garbage disposal. "If they're spoiled, they could cause serious food poisoning." "Wow!" exclaimed Breanna. "Then I'm glad you noticed the broken seal." "You know, honey, those beets remind me of Jennifer Taylor," said Mom. "She's beautiful and talented, and to many people, her life looked perfect-but Satan was spreading his poison in her life through the drugs she took." "You're saying that like the beets, she looks good," said Breanna thoughtfully, "and . . . like bacteria could get into the beets, sin got into her heart. Right?" "Yes," agreed Mom. "Things-like those beets-can look good to us when they're really not good at all. People are like that, too. They may look good on the outside, but only God knows what's going on in their hearts." How About You? Do you remember that appearances can be deceiving? People may be good looking, rich, talented, and seem to have everything the world can offer. Perhaps those qualities apply to you or to some kids you know. But those are not the most important things. God sees what's in the heart of each person. He knows if any "bacteria"-any sin-has crept in. Regularly examine your own heart and confess anything you find that doesn't honor God. Today's Key Verse: 1 Samuel 16:6-13 Today's Key Thought: God sees your hearthttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=5http://media1.cbhministries.org/ftpaudio/keys/key030510.mp3Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500 "Are you ready for the test on evolution tomorrow?" asked Josh as he and his friend Dan walked home. Dan sighed. "I guess so," he replied. "I can explain evolution the way Mr. Jackson did, but I don't believe it. I believe God created everything." "Mr. Jackson says he believes the Bible, too, but he just doesn't think the story of creation explains things right," said Josh. He shrugged. "What's the big deal? What does it matter anyway?" As another boy rode by on a bike and waved, Josh scowled. "There goes Dylan Norris. That's one guy I'll never believe again!" he exclaimed. "You know what he did? He promised me that I could buy his old bike when he got a new one. But after he finally got a new bike, he told me he had sold the old one to Jeff for twice as much as he'd said I'd have to pay." "Well, you can't blame Dylan for wanting the extra money," said Dan. "Maybe not, but I talked to Jeff last week, and he said he paid the same amount I was going to pay. Besides, Dylan's been bragging to everybody about his new bike-says his father paid big bucks for it. But his cousin Roman says that's not true. Roman says it's not even brand new!" Josh frowned. "I don't think I'll ever believe anything Dylan says. If he lies like that about one thing, he'll lie about other things, too." "Wouldn't that be true about God and the Bible, too?" asked Dan. "God?" asked Josh. "What do you mean?" "Well, the Bible is God's Word, and the very first verse says, 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,'" replied Dan. "The whole first chapter is about God's creation of the world-and there are lots of other verses in the Bible that say God created everything. If those verses are lies, how can we believe anything in the Bible?" Josh looked thoughtful. "So . . . if we're going to believe the Bible and God at all, we've got to believe He created everything?" he asked. "That's the way I see it," agreed Dan. "I think I'll put that somewhere on my test paper tomorrow, too." How About You? Do you believe the Bible? All of it? To believe that only part of the Bible is true is the same as saying God does not always tell the truth. That's wrong. God does always tell the truth, for He is truth. All of His Word-the Bible-is true. Creation and miracles are a couple of issues some people don't want to believe. But God says very clearly that He created all things. He says He performed many miracles. Believe that-and believe everything else God says, too. Today's Key Verse: John 14:16; 17:17-19; 2 Timothy 3:14-17 Today's Key Thought: All of the Bible is truehttp://cbhministries.org/kfk/home.php?goYear=2010&goMonth=03&goDay=4http://media1.cbhministries.org/ftpaudio/keys/key030410.mp3Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500