** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <May 23, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Pepper and Soap (Monday)

Read: Matthew 4:1-11 

 

"What are you doing,Grandma?" asked Nia when she came into the kitchen.

 

"Oh, I'm getting things together for the object lesson I'm giving to my class at church tomorrow," Grandma replied. "Want to try it?" Nia nodded eagerly. "Good! Then fill a cup with water," said Grandma. Nia got a cup and filled it. "Next, sprinkle this pepper all over the water, and then stick your finger in the cup."

 

"Oh!" Nia exclaimed after following Grandma's instructions. "The pepper is all over my finger!"

 

Grandma nodded. "Now clean the pepper off your finger and rub this dish soap on it." Nia rinsed her finger and put some soap on it. "All right," said Grandma. "Now stick your finger in the water again."

 

This time the pepper rushed away from Nia's finger and clung to the sides of the cup. "Cool!" she exclaimed. "So what does this teach us?"

 

"Let's pretend the water is the world, and the pepper is sin," said Grandma. "The finger represents us. We go into the world, and we're peppered with sin. That's because we are born sinful--we do and say things that are wrong, don't we?"

 

"Yeah," Nia said. "Everybody messes up."

 

Grandma nodded. "So the water stands for the world, the pepper for sin, and the finger for us. But Jesus is like..."

 

"Like the soap!" Nia finished. "He cleans our sin away."

 

"Right," said Grandma. "And He also gives us the Holy Spirit, who makes us able to turn from sin and do what's right. Then when we go into the world, we can resist the temptation to sin."

 

"But Christians still sin sometimes, don't they?" asked Nia.

 

"Yes, they do," said Grandma. "But even when we give in to sin, it doesn't stick to us in God's sight, because Jesus has made us clean. When we realize we've sinned, we can confess it to Jesus and then turn from that sin and stop doing it. It also helps to read the Bible and memorize verses that remind us we are God's children and need to obey Him. When Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan, He quoted Scripture verses. We can use them like Jesus did to keep sin away because they remind us we belong to Him."

 

-Lucinda J. Rollings

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Are you dutifully fighting the temptation to sin? You live in the world, so sin is all around you. But if you trust in Jesus, you can resist sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. You don’t have to give in. Remember that you’re clean from sin in God’s sight, and use His Word to help you remember that you belong to Him.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:  Psalm 119:11 (KJV)

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (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 <May 17, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Free as a Bird (Tuesday)

Read: John 8:31-36 

 

"I want to go see the jungle animals first!" Andrew said as he and his mom walked into the zoo. So together they strolled past the areas where various wild animals were kept in secure cages or behind fences and deep ditches. They saw where bears and lions had space to roam. They looked at the giraffes, elephants, and zebras. Moving on to a large enclosure, they admired a mountain lion as it stretched out on a rock. Then they spent time at the monkey house where they were entertained by the amusing actions of the orangutans and spider monkeys.

 

Later, as they left the aquarium, Andrew noticed a cage next to the aviary that held a large bird. "Look! That's a bald eagle--but what's it doing in such a little cage? Most of the animals have lots of room to run--or swim or fly or whatever it is they do."

 

Mom pointed to a sign next to the cage, and Andrew stopped to read it. "It says this bird was badly injured, and it has to stay caged until its wing is healed," he told his mom. "Then it will be released to fly away." Andrew frowned. "Poor thing. I'd hate to live in a small cage like that, even for just a little while!"

 

"Me too," said Mom thoughtfully. "Yet, in a way, you and I both lived in a cage once."

 

Andrew gave his mom a funny look. "What are you talking about?"

 

"Sin is like a cage," Mom said. "It traps people, and we're unable to escape from it ourselves. The Bible refers to those stuck in their wicked ways as slaves to sin. They can only live to pursue their own selfish desires."

 

"But Jesus can set people free from sin," Andrew said. "He freed us!"

 

Mom nodded. "We're no longer slaves to sin because we trust in Him. He gave us the freedom to turn from sin and do what's right."

 

Andrew looked at the caged eagle again. "When this guy is finally released, he'll be a free bird and soar way up high." He grinned at his mom. "That's what being freed from sin feels like too." Karen E. Cogan

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Are you trapped in a cage of sin? You may consider yourself to be a good person, but the Bible says each one of us was born enslaved to sin. Many of the people Jesus talked with were good in the eyes of other people, but He told them they were sinners who needed to be set free. You do too. Trust Jesus to set you free from sin today.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: John 8:36 (KJV)

If the Son [Jesus] sets you free, you are truly free. (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** Daily Devotional 에서 방송된 내용의 줄거리입니다. Daily Devotional은 Keys for kids Ministries에서 지원받은 프로그램입니다. 홈페이지 www.keysforkids.org로 들어가시면 Keys for kids Daily Devotional <May 18, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

The Old Desk

Read: Ezekiel 36:24-28; Philippians 2:12-13

 

"Ew, gross! Why'd you bring that thing into our house?" asked Lindsay.

 

Mom smiled as she moved a sponge over the ugly piece of furniture. "It's dirty right now, but it's going to be your new desk."

Lindsay shook her head. "I don't want it. I want a pretty desk."

 

"Just you wait," Mom said. "This one will be pretty."

That evening, Lindsay's dad took her to the kids' program at their church. As they pulled up in front of the church, Lindsay frowned when she saw one of the girls from her school standing outside.

 

Nikki was never nice to Lindsay or their teachers. She wasn't nice at church either. She spent the whole evening interrupting their leader and picking on Lindsay.

When she got home from church, Lindsay sat on the floor and watched her mom continue to wipe the desk. "Why would Nikki be at church, Mom? She's not nice."

 

"Maybe she wants to learn about Jesus," Mom said.

Lindsay shook her head. "She won't change. And I don't want that desk."

 

The desk disappeared the next day, and Lindsay forgot about Nikki's appearance at church.

 

Then it was time to go to the next week's get-together. Lindsay looked at her mom. "I don't want Nikki to be there. She's not going to change. Can't they send her home?"

Mom took her hand. "Let me show you something."

 

Lindsay followed her mom into the garage. Her eyes grew wide when she saw a beautiful pink desk waiting there. "That's so pretty! Is it for me?"

Mom laughed. "I thought you didn't want it."

Lindsay frowned. "What do you mean?"

 

"Sweetie, this is that old desk I was working on. This is that desk you thought was ugly."

 

"It doesn't look the same at all." Lindsay walked over to the desk and touched it gently. "Wow! You made it look like new!"

 

"I did." Mom smiled at her. "And Jesus can make Nikki new. You and I once looked like this old desk, but when we put our trust in Jesus, He made us new people. And He can do the same for Nikki. He's not going to give up on her, and neither should you."

 

-Emily Acker

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you know someone who doesn’t treat you or others well? Do you think there is no chance that person will ever change? Jesus can change anyone. He can scrape away our ugly sin and make us new people. He did that for you when you trusted in Him, and He can do it for that person too. Don’t give up on them—keep praying for them and pointing them to Jesus.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (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 <May 20, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

The Potter and the Clay (Thursday)

Read: Isaiah 64:8; Philippians 1:6, 9-11; 2:12 

 

"How's the present for Gran's birthday coming along?" Mom asked when she saw Samantha carefully working on a lump of clay.

 

Samantha held up what had begun as a brown glob and was now turning into a vase. "I'll keep working on it until I have it just right." She did, and when the vase was finally just the way she liked it, she put it on a shelf to dry.

 

That afternoon, Samantha's friend Anna came over to play. They laughed and exclaimed over the outfits they created as they played dress-up. But then Samantha lost her temper. "Hey! Leave my stuff alone!" she shouted when Anna tried walking in the high-heeled shoes Samantha had been using. Anna immediately kicked off the shoes, grabbed her coat, and went home.

 

With a sigh, Samantha went to the kitchen. "Mom, I did it again. I got mad at Anna and yelled at her." She sat down at the table and rubbed a hand across her eyes. "I always end up doing something like that. I'll never be the kind of person God wants me to be. I'm hopeless."

 

Mom pointed to the shelf holding the vase Samantha had made. "That vase started out as a lump of clay, but now it's looking really good. It took a potter--you--to mold it into something lovely. And you worked at it until you had it just right, didn't you?" Samantha nodded. "Well, when you trusted in Jesus, you agreed to let Him mold your life," Mom continued. "It takes time and patience, but He can smooth out the lumps that keep you from being the kind of person He wants you to be."

 

"By lumps, do you mean stuff like my bad temper?" Samantha asked.

 

"Exactly," said Mom. "Jesus keeps working to make you more and more like Him, patiently teaching you to turn from sin and show others His love. It's a lifelong process, but one day, when He returns and gets rid of sin forever, your salvation will be complete and you won't ever sin again. Until then, trust Him to work in your life and fill your heart with His love. He doesn't give up, and neither should you!"

 

-Karen E. Cogan

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Are you discouraged because you often do or say wrong things? Do you feel like you’re hopeless, even though you’re sorry for doing wrong? God doesn’t give up on you, and you shouldn’t either. Follow His leading in your life as He molds you to make you more like Jesus. He started working on you the day you trusted in Him, and He won’t stop until His work is complete.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Philippians 1:6 (KJV)

He who has begun a good work in you will complete it. (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 <May 22, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

While the Sun Shines (Friday)

Read: John 9:4; Ephesians 5:15-17 

 

"Mom, what is time, exactly?" asked Ellis, setting his Bible down on the table.

 

His sister, Macy, looked up. "Is this a joke? You know what time is. It's..." She shrugged. "How can anybody define it? It's a...a measurement, like from one o'clock to two o'clock. Or how long it takes you to eat breakfast."

 

"Well, how can time be redeemed?" Ellis asked. "When we trust in Jesus, we say we are redeemed. This verse I just read says we should redeem the time because the days are evil. What does that mean?"

 

"Well, it ties in with being redeemed by Jesus," said Mom. "What do we mean when we say He's redeemed us?"

 

"Um...that He saved us from sin?" Ellis replied.

 

"Right," said Mom. "We were once sinners who were unable to do anything good, but He redeemed us by paying the price of our sin and freeing us from it. Now we're His children, able to help Him in building His kingdom. And that's how we redeem the time--by using the time we have to do good and show His love to others."

 

"So, redeeming the time means using it wisely?" asked Ellis.

 

Mom nodded. "It reminds me of something my grandma once told me. She grew up on a farm, and her family grew hay. They had to mow it, let it dry, and get it into the barn quickly before it rained."

 

"I know why!" said Macy. "Damp hay rots and can even start a barn on fire."

 

"That's right," Mom said. "When my grandma and her siblings got tired and wanted to stop and do something else for a while, their dad would say, No quitting now! We have to make hay while the sun shines.'"

 

"Oh, I've heard people use that expression," said Macy. "It means we need to get something done while we can."

 

"Yes, and my grandma's family had to make the best use of their time and get that hay in," Mom explained. "That's what we need to do too. The day will come when people who don't know Jesus will no longer have the opportunity to be saved. We need to make good use of our time so our lives can point others to Him."

 

-Dalan E. Decker

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you redeem your time—do you make good use of it? Today’s Bible reading talks about doing God’s work while it is day—meaning before the end of time on this earth. When Jesus returns, the opportunity people have now to be saved will be gone. They’ll be out of time. That’s why we need to use our time wisely. As we faithfully serve Jesus by doing the work He’s given us to do and showing others His love, we point people to Him.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:  Colossians 4:5 (KJV)

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. (NKJV)