** 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 28, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Worth the Effort (Monday)

Read: Psalm 42:11; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7

 

Aaron and Aria, along with their father, watched a fisherman on the pier carefully arrange his big green net. Then he made a sudden motion, and the net glided out over the Gulf of Mexico.

"That's quite a skill you have there," Dad told the fisherman.

 

The man chuckled as he pulled the dripping net back in. "Casting a net takes a lot of practice, but the mullet fish I'm after taste so good, it's worth taking the trouble to learn how to do it."

 

Aaron, Aria, and Dad watched a little longer, then continued their walk along the sparkling Gulf. "I wish Mom could come walking with us," said Aria sadly. Mom had not been well for some months and had stayed at the motel to rest.

 

"When will Mom get better, Dad?" asked Aaron as they walked along.

Dad put an arm around each of the children and held them close. "I don't know--and the doctors don't either. But I know something we can do."

 

"What can we do?" asked Aria eagerly.

 

"Seeing that fisherman cast his net out over the water reminded me of a different kind of casting--the kind we need to do," Dad replied. "Psalm 55:22 says, Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.' So we need to keep praying for Mom, and then we need to give our worries to Jesus."

"I try to do that," said Aaron, "but it seems like it's taking so long for Mom to get better, and I can't help worrying."

 

"I know, but don't give up," said Dad. "That fisherman had to practice casting the net, but he kept at it because he knew the prize--the fish he would catch--was worth the effort. And we need to practice casting our troubles onto Jesus. It's also worth the effort. We're His children and can go to Him as often as necessary."

 

"So if we start to worry after we pray, we should pray again?" Aria asked.

 

"That's right," said Dad. "And as we learn to trust Him and cast our troubles far away from ourselves and onto Him, He has a prize for us too. He gives us His wonderful peace that only His children can know. So keep practicing, okay?"

Silently, Aria and Aaron nodded.

 

-Carolyn E. Yost

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

After you pray about something, do you stop worrying about it? Or do you hang on to your troubles? God doesn’t want you to worry. So if the worry doesn’t go away—or if it comes back—take it to Jesus again. Tell Him about it as often as necessary, and trust Him to help you. He loves you, and He understands what is troubling you. He can handle any situation.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for 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 <June 30, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Tumbling Cans (Tuesday)

Read: Mark 8:34-38 

 

"I need to pick up a few groceries before dropping you off at your game, Carter," said Mom as she turned in at the supermarket. "You can come in, but keep an eye on your little sister while I zip on ahead. I'll meet you at the checkout in ten minutes."

 

"Okay," Carter said. "Come on, Ella." He took his sister's hand as they got out of the car.

 

"Look!" said Ella when they went into the store. "Candy!"

 

"Don't touch anything, Ella," Carter warned. As they turned down an aisle, they met one of Carter's classmates. "Hey, Brad," said Carter, and the two boys started talking.

 

CRASH! Whirling around, Carter saw Ella sitting in the middle of a soup display. Cans were rolling everywhere. "Ella!" Carter yelled. "I told you not to touch!" Ella began to cry as Brad and Carter tried to restack the cans. A stock boy relieved them of the task, so Carter grabbed Ella and rushed to find Mom.

 

That evening, Carter told Dad what happened at the store. "I was so embarrassed!" he said. "I just wanted to hide. I didn't want anyone to know Ella was my sister!"

Ella frowned at her brother. "Carter yelled real loud at me and made me cry! So I was 'shamed of him too."

"So you were ashamed of each other," said Dad. "Does that make you think of the Bible verses we read this morning?"

 

"Oh yeah...they said something about Jesus being ashamed of us, didn't they?" Carter replied.

 

Dad nodded. "We sometimes seem to be afraid to let people know we love Jesus. We might be hesitant to tell them we have a relationship withHim because we're worried of what they might think of us. But the verses we read this morning say that if we're ashamed of Him, Jesus will be ashamed of us when He comes back again. That's a sobering thought, isn't it?"

 

"Yeah," said Carter. "When you think of all Jesus did for us, we should be glad to tell people about Him, no matter what anyone thinks or says."

 

"That's right," said Dad. "He was willing to bear the shame of the cross so we could be saved and have eternal life. We should never be ashamed of Him."

-Brenda Decker

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do your words and actions show you’re not ashamed of Jesus? Are you open about going to church and believing the Bible? Do you tell others about Jesus? Or are you embarrassed to be known as a Christian? Someday Jesus will come back as King. Will He be ashamed of you when He returns in glory? Live each day in a way that shows others you love and follow Him.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Mark 8:38 (KJV)

If anyone is ashamed of me and my message… the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father. (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 <July 01, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Special Servants (Wednesday)

Read: Acts 12:5-11

 

As Evie and her brother James raced across the field, something suddenly moved in the grass ahead of them. "Oh!" exclaimed Evie, stopping in her tracks. "What is that?"

 

James stopped too. "It's just a bird. But, look! It's hurt. I think its wing is broken." They watched the bird slowly move away, dragging one wing. "Let's catch it," said James. "I bet Dad can fix its wing." He slowly walked toward the bird. When he got close, he reached for it, but the bird ran ahead, crying pitifully. "Poor thing," said James, and he and Evie both followed to try again.

 

Several times, the kids almost got close enough to catch the bird, but each time it struggled forward, just out of reach. At the edge of the field, it suddenly flapped both wings and soared into the air. Evie's mouth dropped open. "I thought it was badly hurt!" she said.

 

When they got home, the kids told their dad what had happened. "That sounds like a killdeer," Dad said. "It probably has a nest in the grass and was leading you away from its babies."

James laughed. "Well, it sure had us fooled. We thought its wing was broken."

"God created killdeer with the ability to protect their young in a unique way," observed Dad.

"I guess so!" said Evie. She grinned at her dad. "So can we count on you to go limping around and risk getting caught yourself if it will help protect us?" she teased.

Dad grinned back. "Absolutely! I'm willing to do anything I can to protect you, but I'm thankful someone else protects you too."

 

"Who would that be?" asked Evie. "Do you mean God?"

 

Dad nodded. "Yes, and He uses special servants--angels--to watch over you. Can you think of any examples from the Bible where angels protected people?"

 

"Daniel in the lion's den!" James shouted just as Evie said, "Peter in prison!"

 

"You're both right," Dad said. "It's comforting to know we have angels watching over us, but always remember that Jesus is with us at all times too. He didn't just pretend to get hurt to protect us--He actually suffered and died and then rose again so we could be saved, and He'll always be with us no matter what." -Carolyn E. Yost

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Did you know God has angels watching over you? They’re His special servants who minister to His children. There are many stories in the Bible where God uses angels to protect people, and He uses them to protect you too. Nothing can happen to you unless God allows it. And even when bad things happen, Jesus is with you. No matter what circumstances you face in life, you will always have His love and protection.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 34:7 (KJV)

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him. (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 <July 02, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Not a Robot (Thursday)

Read: Romans 5:8; James 2:14-18 

 

"What are you doing?" Charlie asked as he stepped up behind his mom's chair.

Mom clicked on a small square on the screen, the picture in it showing a house with a chimney. "I'm proving that I'm not a robot."

 

"What?" Charlie looked from the computer to his mom. "Who thinks you're a robot?" Mom laughed. "In order to access my bank's website, I have to prove that I'm not a robot. To do that, I have to click on all of the pictures that have chimneys in them."

 

"I don't get it," Charlie said.

 

"I'm not a robot, right?" Mom asked, her gaze on the screen as it came up with account information. "Right," Charlie said.

 

"Well, those who run this website don't know that. Since there are robotic software programs that try to access websites to steal information, they need proof that I'm human. So they show me pictures and have me click on ones that have chimneys in them. It's a test that's easy for humans to do but hard for computers." Mom pushed to her feet. "Are you ready to go help at the soup kitchen?"

Charlie nodded and walked to the door. "Mom?" he asked as he stuck his feet into his shoes. "Why do we serve at the soup kitchen?"

Mom thought about it. "I guess you could say that, in a way, we do it to prove we are Christians." Charlie stopped to look at her. "Huh?"

 

"The Bible talks about faith not being enough without works," his mom said. "We can only be saved by trusting in Jesus, but by showing God's love to others, we provide proof that our faith is real. When we act out of love, we show others that we are Christians."

 

"Sometimes I get tired while working at the soup kitchen," Charlie said.

 

"I know." His mom touched his head. "But just like clicking on all the chimneys proves that I'm not a robot, serving others shows them our faith. It shows that we are filled with love."

 

"So that others see Jesus in us?" Charlie asked.

Mom nodded. "He proved His love for us when He died for our sins."

Charlie opened the door. "Let's go, then," he said. "I want to help others know Him."

-Emily Acker

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you have faith in Jesus? When you trust Him as your Savior, He forgives your sin and makes you a new person. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” on page 102.) He fills your heart with love so others can see that He has changed you. When you serve others and treat them with kindness, your actions show that you have faith in Him. What can you do to point others to Jesus?

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE: John 13:35 (KJV)

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. (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 <July 03, 2021>에서 다시 들으실 수 있습니다.**

 

Stand on the Rock (Friday)

Read: Matthew 7:24-27

 

"I can't believe the pandemic is lasting this long," Jordyn told her mom. "I miss

basketball and birthday parties and sleepovers. I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this!"

 

"I understand, Jordie. So much has changed since the pandemic came to Canada. When I start to feel sad, I close my eyes and remember our trip to Okomu National Park--the first time we went to Nigeria as a family."

 

"Oh! Can we go look at our scrapbook from the trip, Mom?" asked Jordyn. "I feel better when I think about it too."

 

Jordyn had always loved having a Canadian mom and a Nigerian dad. Getting to be a part of two different cultures meant lots of great food, clothing, and experiences!

 

Her mom retrieved the scrapbook and patted the empty spot on the couch beside her. "Let's flip to the pictures from our day at Okomu first. Do you remember what it felt like to stand on this ginormous rock in the Atlantic Ocean while the massive waves crashed around us?" Mom asked, pointing to the picture.

 

"Yes, I do!" Jordyn exclaimed. "I was so nervous walking out to the rock on that swing bridge, but once I felt the rock under my feet, I felt safe and secure again. It was amazing to me how the waves all around us couldn't shake the rock at all!"

 

"Jordie, Jesus is our Rock," Mom gently explained. "When we build our lives on Him, the difficult things that happen to us can't take away our peace or keep us from remembering His goodness. Nothing can separate us from God's love. Because He is the Rock beneath our feet, the storms of life can't make us crumble and fall to pieces."

"But Mom, how do we build our lives on God?" Jordyn asked.

 

"Jesus said that when we hear His words and put them into practice, we are building our lives on Him," Mom replied. "That means trusting Him to save us from sin. It means having a growing friendship with Him and trusting Him to provide everything we need."

 

Jordyn smiled. "I'm so glad you showed me this picture today. I don't have to feel like I'm living on that shaky swing bridge anymore. I want my life to be built on the Rock."

 

-Ashleigh Awosika

 

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you ever feel like everything around you is shaking and crumbling? Are there things going on in your life that are completely out of your control? If you’ve put your faith in Jesus, you can stand firm on the unshakable Rock that He is. Trust Him to help you through life’s difficulties and give you everything you need. Build your life on the everlasting Rock of Christ.

 

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:  Isaiah 26:4 (KJV)

Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock! (CSB)