“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

Wouldn’t you like to see God? Wouldn’t you like to see with your own eyes the God Who created your eyes? Wouldn’t you like to spend time with Him in person and to know firsthand what He is really like?

The Bible says that nobody human has ever seen God, but the Bible also says that “the pure in heart…shall see God.” How can that be? Jesus preached that, through Him, it is possible to see the Father. In Jesus’s “Sermon on the Mount,” He tells us how it is that we can see God. What does Matthew 5:8 say that we need to be in order to see God? We need to be “pure in heart”! But what does it mean to be “pure in heart”? What does it mean to be “pure”?

To be “pure” means you don’t have anything in you that isn’t supposed to be there. If you have a glass of pure water, that means there isn’t anything in the glass except water. No dirt, no bugs, no poison – or anything else – but water. If something else is in the water, then it is not pure water.

For a person to be pure means there is nothing in him that isn’t supposed to be there. He is just like God made him to be. In other words, there is no sin in him. The problem is, no human being is born the way God originally made him or her to be. Because Adam and Eve sinned, we are all born with sinful natures. So how can we become “pure in heart” and get back to the way God intended for us to be – pure-hearted? Through Jesus Christ! If you are believing on Jesus Christ and trusting in His righteousness to be your righteousness, then Jesus purifies your heart (makes your heart pure). His blood washes away the record of your sin and frees you from the power of sin. Not only can Jesus cleanse and purify your heart one time, but He can keep on helping you to keep on purifying your heart.

So what does a pure-hearted person look like? Well, he is someone who will not keep on sinning on purpose. Instead, he is trying to keep himself free from sin. That means keeping sin out of whatever he does, whatever he thinks, and whatever he wants. That is what it means to be pure in heart. Psalm 15 describes a pure-hearted person, if you would like to learn more about what a pure-hearted person is like. Psalm 15 clearly teaches that the only way to have fellowship with God is to be pure in heart.

What is the promise to those who are pure in heart? They shall see God! But what does it mean to “see” God?

First, to “see” God means to understand His ways. He is sinless. That is what He wants us to be, too. And when we are, we will understand Him more and love Him more, and we will be able to talk to Him in prayer with a clean conscience. This is the idea of having fellowship with God, knowing firsthand what He really is like. God is a spirit, so He is “knowable” through pure-hearted fellowship.

But there really is a way that pure-hearted believers will get to “see” God with their own eyes. “They shall see God” means just that. We who are saved by Jesus Christ will get to see God in eternity. In this earthly life, we can “see” God in the understanding sense, through Jesus Christ’s righteousness. And in the new heaven and the new earth, we will be able to be with God and to “see” Him with our own eyes, because of what Jesus Christ did for us.

God promises that the “pure in heart” will see Him!

My Response:
» Do I try not to sin?
» In my heart, am I really wanting to know and have fellowship with God?
» If I am not enjoying fellowship with God right now, what might be my problem?

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“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

When God inspired Jeremiah to write these words, He meant them for the whole nation of Israel, not only Jeremiah. And when He gave the people of Israel this message, many of them were living lives that did not please Him. Some of them were even worshipping idols instead of God, but He still loved them and promised to keep on loving them forever.

Many of us seem to think that we must somehow earn God’s love by doing things that make Him happy. But that kind of thinking is wrong. Yes, God is pleased when we choose to obey His commands and follow the principles He has given in His Word. But His love for us does not change because of things we do or don’t do. If you are God’s child, He loves you now, will love you tomorrow, and the next day, and forever – because of Who He is, not because of the way you behave.

Chelsea had a hamster named Rascal, and his name was all too fitting. Rascal was always trying to escape from his cage! Often, he would bite Chelsea and anyone else who tried to hold him or pet him. One time, Chelsea worked hard to earn some money so she could buy Rascal a special ball for his cage. Because he tried to get out so much, she thought he would like to have the freedom to run around inside the ball. But after Chelsea had spent all her hard-earned money to buy him this gift, Rascal just sat still in the ball, refusing even to budge.

Chelsea’s family watched all that she did for Rascal – cleaning out his cage, buying toys for him, spending time with him, holding and petting him (when he would let her), and often getting bitten or scratched for all her efforts. They told her that Rascal was just not a good pet. In fact, Chelsea’s mother offered to take Rascal back to the pet store and see if they would give her a different hamster, one that would respond better to all that Chelsea tried to do for him. But Chelsea said, “No.” You see, Chelsea loved Rascal. Her love for Rascal did not depend on his being lovable, or upon his loving her back.

Wow! It is amazing to think that Chelsea, who is just a sinner just like the rest of us, could love Rascal (who is, after all, just a hamster) with a love like that! But if she can love a hamster with that kind of unconditional love (love that does not have to be earned) like that – how much more do you think our perfectly loving and compassionate Father God loves us? Chelsea’s love for Rascal is just a tiny little love when compared to God’s great love for us. But just as Chelsea’s love for Rascal did not depend in his being a “good pet,” so God’s love for you does not depend on your being a “good person.”

In fact, God gave us His greatest gift of love, not because we are good people deserving of His goodness, but because we could not be good people apart from Him. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth [shows] His love toward us, in that, while we yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus died for us so that we could be made righteous (good and right in our character and actions), not because we already are righteous. And God continues to love us and do good things for us. Why? Because He is a good and loving God – not because we are good and loving people. If you are trusting in the God of the Bible as your Father and Savior, nothing you do will ever change His love for you. He loves you now and forever, no matter what.

God loves you because of Who He is – not because of who you are.

My Response:
» Do I try to earn God’s love, or do I believe that He loves me no matter what?
» Do I truly trust in God’s love, or do I worry and fret about how He feels about me?
» Do I show the same kind of unconditional love (love that does not depend on someone else’s actions or words) to others that God shows to me?

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“For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Proverbs 3:12)

None of us likes to be disciplined. It’s not fun at all! But if you have loving parents, you know that they do not really enjoy disciplining you, either.

A little girl named Addy was once caught stealing money out of her mom’s purse. When her dad took her aside to correct her, Addy saw that her dad was crying – even while he was punishing her. At first, Addy was just sad that she had been caught. But when she saw her dad crying, she was even sadder that she had disappointed him so much by stealing.

Our Heavenly Father is disappointed, too, when His children sin. He punishes His “sons” and “daughters” because He knows that sometimes a punishment is necessary for us to learn to obey Him. He loves us and punishes us for our good, not because He enjoys disciplining us.

When was the last time you disappointed your Heavenly Father by stealing – or coveting, or dishonoring your parents, or breaking the rules at your school, or saying unkind things about another one of His children? Can you blame Him for being disappointed in you? Can you see why He has to correct you? You can trust that, if God is punishing you for disobedience, it is because you are deserving and because He is loving. He loves you too much to leave you in your sin.

God disciplines us because He loves us.

My Response:
» Do I remember that I am disappointing my Heavenly Father when I sin?
» Do I understand that God disciplines His children because He loves them?

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“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)

Tony was a boy who lived in Kevin’s neighborhood. In fact, Tony lived just a few houses away, but Kevin did not like spending time with him. The thing is, Tony was hard to like. It wasn’t that he was always mean – he could even be nice sometimes. It’s just that most of the time, Tony bullied everyone else. He always had to be the quarterback when they played football. He said mean things to everyone and did not care if he hurt anyone. Tony expected to have his own way about everything. These were just a few of the many reasons Tony was hard to like.

That’s how Jonah felt about the people of Nineveh when God told him to take a message to them. Actually, Jonah’s emotions were even stronger than Kevin’s were. There were a lot of people in Nineveh, and the people were awful to their enemies. They had treated other people with unspeakable cruelty. They were known for being ruthless in battle, never showing mercy to people who were weaker or fewer in number than they were. But God told Jonah to go to this “great city” and preach repentance and mercy to them. Jonah knew something was up when God called Nineveh a “great city.” He knew God cared about them and wanted to show mercy to them. And Jonah wanted no part of that. So he decided to make other plans.

Instead of obeying and traveling directly to Nineveh, Jonah headed in the exact opposite direction, boarded a ship, ran into a storm, and was thrown overboard. But God’s love was more powerful than Jonah’s disobedience. God cared so much about the people of Nineveh that He prepared a great fish to keep Jonah from drowning and to carry him back to land. Jonah shared God’s message with the people of Nineveh. They were sorry for their sin, and God did forgive them.

Some people are hard to like, but we have to remember that God loves them, too. Jesus tells us what our response to these kinds of people should be: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (See Matthew 5, especially verse 44.) Are we loving those who are hard to love?

God loves us, and He commands and enables us to love others – no matter who they are are how difficult they may be to love.

My Response:
» How often do I think about the truth that God loves me even though I am hard to love?
» Do I know anyone who seems too hard to love?
» What will it take to change my heart toward them and share God’s message with them?

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“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Have you ever been to camp? If you have, you know what it is to have a counselor. Your counselor is a person who answers your questions, helps you find your way around the camp, stays in the cabin with you at night, and basically looks out for you during your week at camp. If you have been to a Christian camp, your counselor might have prayed with you, talked with you about problems in your life, or answered your questions about the preacher’s messages. If you had a good counselor, you probably came away from camp thinking that your counselor was the next best thing to chocolate ice cream!

Isaiah 9:6 calls the Messiah, Jesus Christ, a Wonderful Counselor. Jesus is far better than the best of the best counselors you could have at camp. Those counselors might be good people who truly want to help you, but they are not the kind of counselor that Jesus is. Jesus is a perfectly holy and powerful Person. He is 100% God and 100% Man, and He knows exactly how to help you with any problem you have.

Just a few years ago, your camp counselors were probably campers just like you – campers who needed counselors themselves. Romans 11:34 tells us that Jesus has never needed to have a counselor. He has never needed any help or advice from anyone. He has always been perfect in wisdom and knowledge. He is a Counselor you do not have to leave behind at the end of an exciting week of camp. Once He becomes Your Savior, He will go with you through your entire life – guiding you, caring for you, listening to you, and giving you wisdom for each problem you face.

How do we get counsel (wise advice or help) from Jesus? In James 1:5, God promises to give us wisdom if we ask him for it. In Psalm 119:24, the psalmist says that we can find His counsel in His Word, the Bible. As you read God’s Word, look for things that apply to your life. Look for commands you can obey. Look for promises you can trust in. Look for guidance about specific problems you might have. You can never go wrong following the counsel of Jesus. He is a Wonderful Counselor.

Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor.

My Response:
» Am I looking for and following the counsel of Jesus in His Word?

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“[Christ,] in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)

Grace was looking for a special place to keep her treasures. She had laid them all on the floor of her room in a little pile. There was a pure white clam shell she had found at the beach. There were three quarters from the state of Georgia, where she lived. There was a little ceramic dog she had begged Mom to buy for her at a yard sale. There was a ticket stub from the zoo with a picture of a tiger on it. And there was a glittery, gold silk ribbon that had come on a birthday present last year.

Grace spotted an old shoebox at the back of her closet. She found some pretty flowered wrapping paper, and she carefully covered the box and the lid separately as if she were wrapping a present. She put all her treasures inside and wrote with a gold glitter pen on the lid, My Treasure Box. Then she hid the box in a dresser drawer beneath a pile of sweatshirts. No one would ever find it there!

Many people have a special place where they keep their treasures. But God’s Word tells us in Colossians 2:3 that we can find treasure in a Person. That Person is Jesus Christ. Hidden in Jesus are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Have you ever wished that you knew exactly what to do in a certain situation? Maybe there has been some trouble with your friends at school and you’re not sure how to respond. Maybe you’re not sure how to tell your neighbor about Jesus. Or maybe you’re not sure what you ought to be when you grow up. There are many problems in our lives for which we need wisdom. When you really, really need wisdom, it is like a treasure to you. And Jesus Himself is the special place where all the treasures of wisdom are stored up. As you seek Him by reading His Word and praying, He will give you guidance for any decision or problem – great or small. To know Him is to find a treasure store of wisdom.

In Jesus we can find all the treasures of wisdom.

My Response:
» Do I try to figure out how to deal with problems on my own?
» Or do I go to Jesus for wisdom when I have a problem?

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“Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” (Isaiah 43:1b)

Christopher wanted a toy sailboat. He went to his father and asked for some money. His dad told him that yes, he could buy a sailboat, but that he would have to earn the money and buy it himself. So Christopher worked hard and bought the boat.

Christopher loved his boat. He would take it to a small river nearby his house and spend hours playing with it.

One day Christopher was playing with his boat on the water. The wind was strong, and soon – the boat drifted away. He tried to go after it, but it was too late. He watched it go downstream.

Christopher was, of course, very sad about this. He had worked very hard, and now his boat was gone.

Weeks passed, and then one morning, Christopher went to town with his father. There in the window of the toy store was his boat! Someone had found it and put it up for sale. Christopher went right in to the store to get his boat back. The store owner told him he could have it, but for a price. He would first need to work and buy it back. So that’s exactly what Christopher did. He worked and bought the boat again. He redeemed (bought again) the boat!

And that’s exactly what God did for you. God made you, which means He “owns” you, fair and square. You are His because He created you. You don’t belong to anyone – not even to yourself! – like you belong to God. But if you are a believer, God owns you “times two.” After you sinned and lost fellowship with Him, He “bought you back again.” Jesus Christ is the One about Whom Paul is writing in Ephesians 1:7. Paul is talking about Jesus Christ when he says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood.” Redemption is what it is to be bought back, to be bought a second time.

God paid for you with the life of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Christians belong to God – two times over! So how should you live, if you are God’s “property”? You are loved and you belong to Him forever. If you are redeemed, you can be sure God has gone to great lengths to make sure He can keep you.

God is completely good and completely great, so His purposes and plans for your life have got to be good and great. They are better plans for your life than any of the things you might have in mind. There is nothing better than living a life that glorifies the God Who loved you enough to keep you for His own. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

If God has redeemed your soul from sin and hell, He owns you “times two.”

My Response:
» Am I tempted sometimes to think that I am the one in control of my life?
» How can I show that I believe my plans and desires for my life aren’t as good and great as God’s are?

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 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“Love” is a hard word to describe. We use it too much. We say we “love” brownies, for instance. And we say we “love” our moms. We might say we “love” the color green or that we “love” rain. So when Romans 8:39 says that nothing can separate us from the love of God, what does that really mean? What does it mean that God loves us?

1 Corinthians 13 explains “love” better than any other chapter in the Bible. Using this chapter, we learn how true love really is defined (what it really means):

     God is patient – He is waiting for you to trust Him.
     God is kind – He is a Father to His people.
     God is not proud – He sent His only Son to die even though He was God.
     God is always the same – He never changes. You can trust Him.
     God wants the best for you – Read Romans 8:28.
     God is happy when you obey.
     God promises never to leave you.
     God hopes that you will grow and offers to help you change.
     God never fails – even though everything and everyone else in life fail.

1 John 4:16 says, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.”

The definition (meaning) of true, everlasting love is God Himself! Love was created by God and given by God. No one loves you more than God does. God IS love.

The definition of “love” is God Himself!

My Response:
» Because of things that have happened in my life, do I sometimes struggle to understand the meaning of true love?
» How can I show that I trust in God as the One Who loves me most of all?

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“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in [the grave], behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:7-10 )

God is there, wherever you are. There is nowhere you could go where God would not be with you. Whether you are in a foreign country, on a boat in the middle of the sea, or in an empty old house all alone – God is there.

Maybe you feel lonely or upset and need comfort. God is there. No matter where you are, God is always with you – to guide you, to comfort you, to befriend you. He cares for you. He will lead you and hold you and carry you through difficult situations.

Maybe you are trying to hide from God. Are you committing secret sins that you think no one knows about? God is there. He sees everything you do. He even understands your thoughts. You could never get yourself out of God’s presence, even if you wanted to. God’s eyes are always upon you.

You cannot see God with your eyes, but He is there – guiding, protecting, keeping you, and watching everything you do. What a comfort to think that, even if you were to flee (run away) to the farthest part of the world, God is there.

God is always there, no matter where I go.

My Response:
» Am I forgetting that God is with me today?
» Are there ways I can show that I believe God is there, wherever I might be?

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“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.” (Psalm 116:5)

When God flooded the whole wide world, He was being fair.

When God told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son Isaac, He was being fair.

When God sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross, He was being fair.

In the Hebrew language, another word for “fair” is righteous – a word used often to describe God. Psalm 11:7 begins, “For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness.”

Truth is, God is fair. God is always fair.

When your life is good, God is fair. When you feel sad, God is fair. When you make your parents happy, God is fair. When you fail a test, God is still fair. He knows about your problems even before you pray. God allows you to face your hard times, as well as your good times – not because God is unfair or unloving – but because He is righteous. Everything God does is right, because it is God Who does it.

Eight years ago, a man named Steve was killed in a car accident. The accident happened on Steve’s first wedding anniversary. Steve had a wife. He had parents. He had a little sister. When he was killed so unexpectedly, Steve left behind many family and friends who were very sad and wondering if God was really being fair!

Why does God allow bad things to happen? Why does it often seem like God Himself causes tragic things to happen? Isn’t God a loving God? Isn’t God an all-powerful God? Couldn’t He make it so only happy things happen? Couldn’t He take away all the bad things? Maybe you have asked that same question about something hard in your life.

The answer is simple, even if it is not simple to understand or simple to get used to. The answer is this: God allows bad things to happen for the same reason He allows good things to happen to us – for His great glory and for our greatest good. We do not deserve good and wonderful lives, but God in His lovingkindness can look ahead and see what is ultimately best for us, and He works those things out, for His own glory and for our own good. He never makes mistakes, because He is God. God wants what is best for our lives – and that is fair.

God cannot be unfair because God cannot be wrong.

My Response:
» Am I having a hard time accepting something that God is doing in my life right now?
» How can I change my heart responses and my words and actions to show that I am trusting a perfect God Who never makes mistakes?

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“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” (Isaiah 59:1)

Imagine spending an entire day with a tape recorder strapped to your back so everything you said could be recorded. If you argued with your mom, it would be on the tape. If you lied, your lie would be recorded on there, too. If you complained, those words would also become part of the tape.

If there really were a tape recorder with you all day, would you think twice before speaking?

Well, guess what! You are heard by something (Someone!) far more powerful than any tape recorder. God hears everything you say – which can be a good thing, or a scary thing.

When you are upset or frightened, and you call out for help, God hears you. Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” You can be sure that God will always hear you and take care of you. Even above the noise of a crowd, or even when you are alone, or even when you “call out” silently, your voice can be heard by God.

You can also be sure that God hears you when you sin. Every lie, every mean thing, every insult you say is heard by the God of Heaven. God is omniscient – which means that God knows everything. That is how great our God is! Nothing is hidden from Him.

What would it be like to spend a day with a tape recorder on your back? You may never know. (Let’s hope you never know!) But you can know for sure that you do have a God who is listening – so be careful what you say!

God hears more than just our prayers – He hears everything.

My Response:
» Do I think carefully before I speak?
» How can I show with my words that I believe God is omniscient (knows everything) and that He also hears everything?

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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

“Sarah, look back quick!” Eleven-year-old Eli grabbed his sister’s arm. “Look at the water,” he whispered. Sarah peeked out from behind her mother’s robe in time to see two great water walls crash down upon the Egyptians. Helmets and wheels flew into the foam.

Eli did not know which was scarier—rushing through the strong wind on the dry seabed or watching the waves now as they leaped and whirled in the first light. Earlier, trying to keep up with his father, he’d had the urge to run over and poke the Red Sea wall but thought it might suddenly break and pour over them.

Swallowing his screams, Eli moved closer to his father as they watched. “We will be safe on the other side,” Father had told him as they rushed along. But Father’s face had been like a rock, and his eyes had looked straight ahead.

Now Father gathered them close, turning them from the sight. “We are safe, just as Moses told us. Jehovah gave us strength to escape our enemies, and He will give us a refuge in our new home.”

You may never go through what Eli did, but there will be many times when you feel weak and afraid. Run away from the danger or fear, and run to God for help and strength. Eli did not have Psalm 46:1 (it hadn’t been written yet), but he did have God’s promise of safety and protection.

My response:

» Do I ever have a fear that I cannot tell to anyone?

» Do I sometimes think only adults can get help from God?

» Was there a recent time when I asked God for help and strength?

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“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1–2).

Kayla and her mother and her little brother, John, were at a hotel. It was a tall hotel with an elevator. Their room was on the first floor so they did not ride in the elevator. Kayla was glad. She did not like how an elevator ride made her stomach feel.

Kayla and her family walked down the hall to the breakfast room. Kayla saw muffins and other food for the hotel guests.

“Yum! I want a muffin,” she said.

Mom gave Kayla a book. “Sit here with John on the red sofa so you can see me while I get our food. Don’t let your brother get away.”

Kayla and John sat on the red sofa, but John didn’t want to read the book. He stood up. Kayla stood up too. She held John’s hand, but John did not want her to hold his hand.

A tall man wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt came into the hotel.

“Daddy,” John said and he ran after the man.

Kayla ran after John. She knew the man wasn’t Daddy. They were going to the airport to meet Daddy.

The elevator door opened. John followed the man into the elevator. More people got into the elevator.

Kayla sighed. She got into the elevator too. The door shut. The elevator went up. Kayla tried not to think about her stomach.

“Excuse, me, please,” she said to the people. “I have to find my brother.”

She found John at the back of the elevator. He still did not want to hold her hand. So Kayla held on to the collar of his shirt. John giggled.

The elevator stopped. The man who looked like Daddy got off. The elevator went up and stopped again. More people got off. The elevator went up and stopped again.

Soon Kayla and John were the only people in the elevator. The elevator did not go up. The elevator did not go down. The door did not open. Nothing happened. John lay down on the floor.

Kayla wondered what she should do. She wanted to cry, but then she remembered Daniel in the Bible. Daniel trusted God. And he prayed when he was in trouble. We are in trouble, Kayla thought. I trust God too, so I will pray.

“Help me, God. Please show me what to do,” she prayed. But she didn’t close her eyes because she had to watch John.

Just then, John crawled to the front of the elevator. Kayla walked over to him. She saw buttons with numbers on the wall of the elevator. “Mom is on the first floor so I will push number one,” she decided.

Kayla pushed number one and the elevator went down, down, down.

Finally it stopped. The door opened.

Kayla grabbed John’s hand and pulled him out of the elevator.

Mom was so glad to see them. Kayla told her what happened.

“You were a brave girl to rescue John from the elevator,” Mom said. “I’m glad you followed Daniel’s example and prayed.”

Whenever we’re scared or we don’t know what to do, we can pray and ask God for help. He is always there for us.

My response:

» When I get into a difficult situation, do I pray and ask God for help? Or do I just try to solve things on my own?

» Is there anything going on in my life right now that I need to pray about and ask God for help with?

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“[Jesus] did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22).

Jesus was all alone in the wilderness. He had not eaten for forty days. He was tired and hungry.

Satan saw that Jesus was alone and hungry. Satan wanted to make Jesus sin just once. That way Jesus would not be perfect. Then He could not become the Savior for sinners.

“If You are the Son of God, make this stone into bread,” said Satan. Jesus had power to do this. But He would not do what Satan said to do to prove that He is God.

Instead Jesus said, “It is written that man shall not live by bread only, but by every word of God.” Jesus used God’s Word to answer Satan’s temptation.

Satan did not give up. He took Jesus to the top of the temple. “Fall down from this high place. You’ll show how God’s angels will protect You,” said Satan. This was true. But Jesus was not tricked by Satan’s temptation. He answered with God’s Word again.

Then Satan took Jesus up on a high mountain so they could see all the cities of the world. “I will give You all this if You will worship me,” tempted Satan.

“It is written, you should worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him,” answered Jesus. Jesus would not give in to Satan’s temptations to sin because Jesus is perfect.

Jesus gave us a perfect example of how to resist temptation by remembering God’s Word.

My response:

» Am I memorizing Bible verses so that I’ll know God’s Word by heart?

» When I’m tempted to sin, do I follow Jesus’ example by remembering God’s Word and choosing to obey it?

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“For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone” (Ps. 86:10).

God does not force people to believe Him and obey Him. People can choose to turn away from Him. But they will have problems when they do that.

The Israelites were God’s special people. But they were ignoring God and disobeying His commands. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” God had said. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,” He also said. But the people began worshiping false gods anyway. God wanted them to come back to Him. He called on His prophet Elijah to show the people they were doing wrong.

Elijah went to Ahab, the king of Israel. He challenged the king to have his wicked prophets meet Elijah in a contest.

“Tell your prophets to build an altar to their god,” Elijah said. “Have them put wood on it and a bull for their sacrifice. But don’t put any fire under the altar. I will do the same with an altar to the Lord.”

“You call on your god. I will call on my God. The one who answers by fire will be declared the true God.” The king and his prophets agreed to the contest.

The false prophets called on their god, Baal, for a whole day. But nothing happened. No fire came down to burn their sacrifice.

Then Elijah prepared the altar to the true God. He put wood on the altar. He put a bull on the wood. He covered everything with water. Then Elijah began to pray out loud. “God, let everybody here today know that You are God. Turn their hearts back to You.”

When Elijah finished praying, fire came roaring down from Heaven. This fire from the true God burned up Elijah’s sacrifice. It burned up even the stones of the altar, the dust on the ground, and every drop of water.

The people fell on their faces and declared, “The Lord, He is God!”

The Lord proved that day that He is the only God worth trusting.

My response:

» Do I believe in the Lord in worship Him alone?

» What can I do to share my faith in God with others?

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 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid . . . for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deut. 31:6).

“Remember Mason Sullivan, in my class?” Cory asked as he sat down at the supper table. “His father was hurt in the train wreck. Mason and his mom have to go to a faraway hospital every morning to see his dad. Today the kids at school were saying bad things about him.”

Cory’s dad didn’t understand. “If Mason wasn’t there, what were the kids saying?”

“Oh, stuff like it’s good that something bad happened to his family because Mason’s so mean.” Cory poured himself some milk. “Mason is mean, Dad. He’s always in trouble for saying bad things, hitting other kids, or just doing things he’s not supposed to do.”

“The Sullivan family is sad right now,” dad said. “Maybe Mason does get in trouble a lot. Still, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about the family and pray for them.”

“Let’s pray for them right now,” he suggested.

After his dad finished praying, Cory kept thinking about Mason.

“Cory, are you okay?” dad asked after a while. “You haven’t touched your supper.”

“I was thinking how sad I would be if you were in a train accident,” he said. “I wish I could help Mason. But I’m afraid.”

“Let’s figure it out. What could you do to help him?” his dad asked.

“I could take his schoolwork to him. I could tell him that I’m sorry about his father and that I’m praying for him.”

“Those are all good ideas,” said Cory’s mom. “Why don’t you ask your teacher for Mason’s work tomorrow?” his dad said. “I’ll take you over to his house after school.”

The next morning, before Cory left for school, he said, “I want to ask our teacher about Mason’s schoolwork. But I’m still afraid.”

Cory’s mother put her arm around him. “In Sunday School you’ve been learning about the great things the Lord has done. Don’t you think He can give you the courage to talk to Mason?”

Cory nodded. He knew she was right.

Cory got Mason’s books and papers from his teacher. After school he and his dad went to Carson Street. The closer they got, the more afraid Cory felt. His knees were shaky and his tummy felt jumpy. Quietly he said, “Dear God, I know You have all the power in the whole world. Give me courage to visit Mason.” He felt better after praying. But walking up the front steps of Mason’s house was still hard.

Cory pressed the doorbell and waited. Mason opened the door.

“What do you want?” he demanded.

“I brought your schoolwork. I’m sorry about your dad,” Cory said quickly, before he lost courage. “I’m praying for your family.”

Mason grabbed the books and papers and slammed the door.

But Cory felt better. He knew he had done just what God wanted him to do. He had shown Mason that he cared about him and that God cared too.

God gives us courage to do the right thing when we ask Him for help.

My response:

» Do I depend on God to give me courage in difficult situations?

» What are some things I can pray and ask God to help me with today?

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“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised” (Psalm 48:1).

I have always enjoyed the changing of seasons. Perhaps the changing of the leaves in autumn makes fall my favorite time of year. Maybe I enjoy beautiful nature scenes because my father taught me to love them through his artwork. But I cannot help but praise the Lord as I look at a hill or mountain of changing trees. I cannot help but say, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name” or sing “How Great Thou Art.”

Just about every year from 1975 to 2002, my family made a trip to War Eagle, Arkansas, in the Ozark Mountains for an arts and craft show where my father showed his work. Artists and craftspeople came from all around to display their goods. But my family didn’t go for the fine art or the crafts; we went to be refreshed and to enjoy nature. One of the things I liked most was the breathtaking view the Lord always gave us on our trip.

Think of all the things the Lord has made that we can see in nature all around us. Massive snowcapped mountains jutting up into the sky. Millions and millions of stars that shine down at us like little pinpricks of brilliant light. The blazing sun to light our world by day, and the softer, gentler moon that floats across the sky at night. Autumn leaves with their red, yellow, and brown hues. Massive canyons and rushing waterfalls and forests filled with mighty redwoods. There are so many remarkable things the Lord has created, and when we see them we cannot help but think about His creativity, His power, and His greatness.

Praise the Lord, for He is great!

My response:

» Do I praise God when I look at things He has made?

» Do I take time to tell God how great He is?

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“For I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).

Mrs. Beecher hurried to the living room where she found Billy and Sarah shouting at each other.

“You promised!” Billy said.

“That was yesterday!” Sarah yelled back.

“That’s enough,” Mrs. Beecher said, pulling Billy away from his sister. “Sarah, what’s going on?”

Sarah crossed her arms in front of her. “He wants to come with me to the park, and he’ll only get in the way.”

“She promised!” Billy said again.

“Did you promise?” Mrs. Beecher asked Sarah.

“I said yesterday if he walked the dog for me, he could come, and I took him—”

Billy interrupted again. “And I walked him again today, and she won’t take me!”

Mrs. Beecher led her children to the couch, where they sat down. “This is just a misunderstanding,” she said. “Sarah, Billy thought you meant you would take him every day if he kept walking the dog for you.

“Well, I don’t want to do it anymore.”

Before Billy could protest again, Mrs. Beecher said, “Billy didn’t understand you, though. Since he already walked Dobby for you, you need to keep up your end of the deal. Even if you changed your mind, you did promise.”

Sarah frowned and looked at her brother. “It doesn’t seem fair because it’s his fault.”

“Sarah,” Mrs. Beecher said gently, “Billy’s younger than you. And even if he weren’t, you need to understand how important it is for you to keep your promises. They don’t change from day to day. The Bible says that God never changes. He’s the same as He was yesterday and He always will be. We need to follow God’s example and stay true each day, just like He does.” She turned to Billy. “And you could ask your sister a little more nicely.”

“Will you please take me, Sarah?” Billy asked.

“Okay.” Sarah smiled a little. “But tomorrow I’ll walk Dobby myself, all right?”

Billy nodded. “Okay, I promise.”

At times it is hard to keep promises, and we forget what we are supposed to do. But God never changes, and He always keeps His promises.

My response:

» What is something God does for me that will never change?

» Do I know a verse in the Bible that is a promise from God? How has He kept that promise?

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“That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).

“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).

William Law, who was born in 1686 and died in 1761, wrote this: “From morning to night keep Jesus in thy heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing but to have all that is within thee changed into the spirit and temper of the holy Jesus.”

Is it your desire to learn God’s will for you? Christians should have a deep yearning to know what God wants them to do while on this earth. For us to accept Christ as Savior but to never think about Him, read the Bible, pray to Him, or tell others about Him must be a huge disappointment to Him. We are to be the light of the world so we can glorify God.

God has called many people to His service. He doesn’t call everyone to be pastors or missionaries, yet wherever we are, He wants us to represent Him.

God’s will for you is that you live to serve Jesus each and every day.

My response:

» How can I represent God?

» When do I fail to represent God, or when do I represent Him badly?

» Do I live my life to serve Jesus? Or to serve myself?

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“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1b).

“Time to get ready for bed, Taylor. When you are done, I will come pray with you.”

“Dad, does God hear me when I pray?” Taylor asked.

“Well of course, Taylor. Why do you ask?

“Oh, I don’t know. It just seems like a lot of things I pray for don’t ever happen. Maybe I’m just not asking God enough times.”

“That reminds me of a parable in the book of Luke. Jesus sometimes used parables, or stories, when He taught His followers. This one has to do with prayer. Jesus told a story about a judge and a widow. A widow is a woman whose husband has died. This widow needed help. The judge was the only one who could give her what she needed, but he refused. After a while, the judge saw that this widow was going to keep bugging him. He did not want her to bother him anymore, and he did not want others to think he was a bad judge, so he finally gave in,” Dad said to Taylor.

“Oh, so I just need to keep bugging God,” said Taylor.

“No, Taylor, there is more to the story. Jesus explained that if this unjust, uncaring judge would give the widow what she needed, then certainly God, Who is just and caring, will give His children what they need. And He will do it quickly.

“But, Dad, I don’t see all my prayers being answered quickly.”

“Well, at the beginning of the parable, we are told that Jesus used this story to teach people to be faithful in prayer. A person who prays faithfully does not become discouraged, but, rather, trusts that God will give people what they need when they need it. Now, finish getting ready for bed so we can pray.”

God hears our prayers and expects us to pray faithfully.

My response:

» Do I trust God to know and meet my needs?

» Am I more concerned with how God answers prayer or with how I pray?

» How can I be faithful in prayer?

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