** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <June 22, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**
Just Outside Ella’s Window (Monday)
Read: Matthew 6:25-34
Ella stood absolutely still when she noticed a pair of robins surveying the crook of a branch in the maple tree outside her bedroom window. Over the next few days, she saw them come with twigs and bits of leaves they had gathered to make their nest. Ella giggled when one of them brought back a piece of ribbon it had found.
Each day, Ella observed the progress on the nest, and one morning she saw an egg in it. Soon four sky-blue eggs lay in the nest. When the tiny birds finally broke from their shells, Ella excitedly shared the news with her family. Six-year-old Noah seemed especially interested in watching the parent birds care for the babies.
One afternoon, lightning flashed and…CRASH! A terrible thunderstorm erupted. "I'm scared!" said Noah. "Do you think the baby birds are scared too?"
"Let's go check on them," said Ella, and they hurried to her room. Noah snuggled against her as they looked out and saw that the branch holding the nest was swaying back and forth.
"Look," said Ella, pointing to the nest. "See how that mother bird spreads her wings to protect her babies? She covers them so they won't get hurt. Isn't that cool? They trust her to keep them safe. I don't think they're afraid at all."
"I get scared sometimes," Noah said. "I'm afraid of the mean kids at school, and sometimes I'm afraid of the dark. Big dogs scare me too."
Ella nodded sympathetically. "Everyone's afraid of something. Sometimes I'm afraid of what others might think of me, or I worry about my grades." She smiled. "But do you know what God uses as an example of how He cares for us?" Noah shook his head. "I learned a verse about it," said Ella. "God says that like a mother bird's wings cover and protect her babies, He protects us. So we can trust Him. Okay?"
Noah smiled. "Okay."
Ella nodded as she herself suddenly realized the truth of God's Word. "God is with us, and no storm is stronger than His love for us. No matter what happens, we're safe in Jesus, who died to give us eternal life."
There was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, but Noah didn't even flinch. "Thank you, God, for taking care of us," he whispered.-Linda Weddle
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you afraid of the dark? Of death? Or that somebody won’t like you? The Bible often uses word pictures to illustrate God’s truths. The way a mother bird protects her babies when danger threatens is a picture of how carefully and completely God watches over you in all of life’s storms. Whenever you feel afraid, remember that Jesus is with you. Trust Him.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 91:4 (KJV)
He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. (NKJV)
** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < June 23, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**
Watch Your Step! (Tuesday)
Read: Psalm 27:11; Proverbs 5:1-6; 7:24-27
Suzanna couldn't wait to visit her grandparents' farm. She looked forward to helping Grandpa with the animals and making pear cobbler and jam with Grandma. And at the end of each day, she and Grandma would enjoy a long walk in the shady pear orchard. Grandma always said, "Heaven must feel like a cool orchard on a hot summer afternoon."
On the day she arrived at the farm, Suzanna said, "Grandma, let's go walk through the pear trees."
"I'm sorry, honey, but I can't. I had knee surgery last month, remember? The orchard path is full of roots and ruts. If I fall or even stumble, the doctor said I could reinjure my knee and end up in a wheelchair."
"How about a short, slow walk?" Suzanna suggested. "I'll stay close."
"No, honey, it wouldn't be wise for me. You go ahead."
So Suzanna walked the orchard path alone, thinking about her grandmother's words. After dinner, she asked, "Grandma, if something isn't wise, does that mean it's foolish?"
"Sometimes. But wise also means that you know what you should do, and you do it. My doctor told me that, to be safe, I must avoid uneven ground. So I know it's wise for me to stay off the orchard path."
"This morning I read a Bible verse about walking on an unstable path."
"Oh? Let's look at what you read," said Grandma, opening her Bible.
"It's in Proverbs 5," said Suzanna. "It starts by warning us not to be like the immoral woman, then it says, ‘Lest you ponder her path of life--her ways are unstable.'"
Grandma nodded. "That verse tells us not to wander away to where we might stumble and fall into sin. That's why we need to be wise and listen to God. His Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and guides us in walking the right path."
"But what if we don't listen and go down the wrong path?" asked Suzanna.
"Then we should confess our wrongs to Jesus. Instead of stumbling our way through life, we can walk wisely because He's always there to forgive us and help us."
"I get it, Grandma. It's wise to stay away from the wrong path." Suzanna smiled. "I'm glad you didn't let me talk you into taking foolish chances."
-Teresa Ambord
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever wanted to do something unwise? We all have. It can be tempting to veer from the right path instead of doing what we know we should. That’s why it’s important to walk wisely and stay away from any stumbling blocks that lead to sin. If you know Jesus, all your wrongs have been forgiven, and you have His Spirit to guide you and give you wisdom. Trust Him to help you stay on the right path.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Proverbs 4:11 (KJV)
I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. (NKJV)
** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < June 24, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**
Recharged Power (Wednesday)
Read: Psalm 119:1-12
"Do we have everything?" asked Dad as the family piled into the car to leave for their camping trip. "How about the flashlight? Did somebody pack it?"
"I did," said Kegan. "I took the one with rechargeable batteries."
"Great idea," said Dad. "All right--here we go!"
That evening after supper, Kegan pulled the flashlight out of his bag. "Let's go, Ryder," he called to his little brother. "Let's go see what's in the snack machine at the lodge. Okay, Dad?"
Dad nodded, so the boys took off, following the path through the trees. The flashlight beam flickered and grew dim. "Great," muttered Kegan. "Whoever used this flashlight last didn't recharge the batteries. It's almost out of power."
After getting a snack, Kegan switched the flashlight on. They started back to their campsite, but the light was too dim to be useful. Ryder hesitated. "I'm scared," he whimpered. "I don't like the dark. There could be a bear in the woods."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Kegan impatiently. "Come on. Let's go." He stalked off into the darkness.
"Wait for me!" Ryder's wails filled the night.
"Ryder, be quiet!" said Kegan as he hurried back to his brother. He grabbed Ryder's hand and pulled him along as they made their way back.
"What happened?" asked Dad, seeing that Ryder was afraid. "Didn't you use the flashlight?"
"Nobody recharged the batteries, and it gave out," Kegan grumbled. "And Ryder's a baby."
"I see," said Dad. He frowned. "I'm afraid the flashlight isn't the only thing that gave out. Your patience did too. I think you need to be recharged."
"Me?" asked Kegan. "What do you mean? How can I be recharged?"
"By remembering that Jesus gives you the power to be patient with others," said Dad. "One way to do that is by reading His Word, the Bible. It helps recharge us by reminding us we belong to Jesus and have His Holy Spirit inside us, helping us show others His love. Of course, since our flashlight doesn't work and our phones have limited power, we can't read the Bible tonight, so who can remember some verses?" Everyone started reciting verses they had memorized.
"I think we're feeling recharged now, don't you?" Mom said with a smile.
"Yep," said Ryder. Kegan nudged him and agreed. -Violet E. Nesdoly
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you recharge by reading God’s Word? It tells us of Jesus’s love for us and what He did to save us. He reminds us that He has given those who trust in Him the power to love others and do what’s right. Let God’s Word recharge you and be the light that guides you down the path of life as you walk with Jesus each day.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (NKJV)
** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < June 25, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**
Leaping Lemurs (Thursday)
Read: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Ana and her older cousin, Justine, were at the zoo for the day. "Look at the lemurs!" Ana pointed at a large forested enclosure where little animals with long striped tails hopped from branch to branch.
"Wow, that lemur is an acrobat!" Justine laughed. "God's creation is amazing."
"Yeah," Ana agreed. "It's so much fun to see all these different animals."
"Those lemurs remind me of the talent show at your school last week," Justine said. "Those girls who did gymnastics were amazing."
Ana sighed. "I guess so."
"What's wrong? Didn't you have fun seeing all those kids sharing their talents?"
"I just really wish I could have done something cool in the talent show." Ana shrugged. "Those kids could play instruments and dance and do all these amazing things. I'm ordinary and boring."
"But you created the talent show posters!" Justine exclaimed. "Those exciting posters were what made me want to watch the show."
"Yeah, but it's not the same!" Ana protested. "I just draw pictures. I'm not talented."
Justine bit her lip, thinking. Then she asked, "Do you think that lemurs say to parrots, ‘I wish I could sing like you?'"
"No!" Ana exclaimed. "Lemurs are so cool! They're good at leaping between trees."
"And do you think the camels are jealous of the lemurs' jumping skills?"
Ana laughed. "Of course not! Camels can survive for more than a week without water. That's perfect for the desert where they live."
"Right!" Justine nodded. "That's because God custom-made camels to survive in the desert. Even though animals have different abilities from each other, God gave them those skills for their specific roles in His creation."
Ana smiled. "I think I understand. You're trying to show me that God made me good at drawing for His special purposes."
"The Bible says that God made everyone wonderfully. He doesn't make mistakes. So even though you might not be able to dance or sing, God made you good at drawing for a reason. Maybe that could be to draw pictures to encourage people and remind them of Jesus's love. Everyone is important in God's kingdom, and you can celebrate other people's talents knowing that God made them one-of-a-kind."
Ana smiled. "Maybe I'll start by drawing some of the animals here."
-Abby Ciona
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you ever compare yourself to others or feel like you’re not talented enough? Just like God gave animals special abilities, God gives us unique gifts, skills, and interests so we can use them to show our love for Him and share Jesus’s love with others. Everyone is important in His kingdom, and because of that, we can celebrate each other’s talents!
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: 1 Peter 4:10 (KJV)
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (NIV)
** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional < June 26, 2022>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**
The Counselor Hunt (Friday)
Read: Luke 15:1-7
"Hey, where did Ellen go?" Josie looked around the dining hall. She and her fellow campers had just finished supper. "She was right here a minute ago."
Bianca looked around too. "I don't see her," she said. "Actually, I don't see any of the counselors! Where did everyone go?"
"Can I please have everyone's attention!" The voice of Mr. Paul, the camp director, came over the loudspeaker. "Perhaps you've noticed that your counselors are missing. They've gone into hiding, and you have one hour to find them! Everyone is to meet outside the dining hall when I ring the bell."
Bianca and Josie scrambled out of the dining hall with everyone else, eager to search through the bushes, under canoes, and behind the archery targets. But their excitement soon turned to frustration as other kids found their counselors, but there was still no sign of Ellen.
An hour later, Mr. Paul rang the bell, signaling the time for the kids and the counselors who had been found to report to the dining hall. None of the girls in Josie's cabin had found Ellen.
Mr. Paul checked to make sure all the kids were back, and then he rang the bell a second time, signaling counselors who hadn't been found to come out of hiding. Josie and Bianca were astonished to see Ellen pop out of a large cardboard box that was standing next to a dumpster outside the dining hall.
"We must have walked right past that box a dozen times," Josie moaned. "I never thought someone might be hiding in there!"
When the girls in Josie's cabin gathered for devotions that evening, Ellen talked about the counselor hunt. "Maybe you've been searching for God and it feels a lot like today's counselor hunt," she said. "Maybe you don't even know where to look because everything seems hopeless. But you know what? God isn't hiding. The Bible says Jesus has already come to find us! We're the ones who were lost, not God. Jesus came to earth and died for our sins so we could stop hiding from Him and be forgiven. If you've been searching for God, He wants you to know that He came to find you. Put your trust in Jesus."
-Deborah S. Marett
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you searching for God? Are you having a hard time finding Him in this crazy, sad world? You don’t need to search for Him any longer, because He came to this crazy, sad world to find you. He became human and died and rose again so you could be saved. Trust in Him today so you can have hope and be with Him forever. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Luke 19:10 (KJV)
For the Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and save those who are lost. (NLT)