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

They call him the man of steel. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, Superman is the ultimate strong and powerful superhero. As long as there’s none of that nasty green Kryptonite nearby to suck away his strength, Superman can do whatever it takes to rescue people in any kind of danger. And not only does he fly and have incredible strength, but he also seems to use his powers, not to make himself look good, but to help other people.

We love Superman because we know we need a hero: someone who knows when we need help, is powerful enough to be able to help us, and cares enough to want to help. In the comic books and on TV, Superman does all of those things. But he doesn’t do any of them perfectly. For example, he knows when people need help—but only because he hears about it from someone else. He is powerful enough to help people—but only in one place at a time. If a child were being kidnapped on one side of Metropolis at the exact same moment that a woman’s car was being stolen on the other side of the city, he would have to choose to help either the child or the woman. He couldn’t do both, even if he wanted to.

Superman is a good hero, but he is only a man—and not even a real man, just a pretend character in comic books and in movies. He is only a fictional imitation of the one Hero we all truly need: a God who knows everything, who can do anything He wants to, and who loves His children perfectly. That God is our refuge: we can run to Him for shelter when we’re facing something scary or painful. He is our strength: we can call on Him when we are weak. He is always near when we are in trouble: He doesn’t have to fly to where we are, because He’s already there. We can count on Him to be our ultimate Hero.

God, our refuge and strength, is better than any make-believe superhero.

My response:

» Do I turn to God for help when I am in trouble, or do I try to solve my problems by myself?

Home Page

“Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24b–25a).

Have you ever had a dream where you were trying to run away from someone or something scary like a monster, and you just couldn’t run fast enough, or you tripped and fell while you were running? It seems like the dream goes on and on and on. You are just about ready to be captured by the big, ugly creature when you hear your mom calling you for breakfast. What a relief!

Many times, believers can face struggles with sin, when they feel as if they just can’t overcome it. Some believers know they shouldn’t be angry and hateful, but being angry and hateful happens so easily to them. Other believers want to tell others about the gospel, but when they have an opportunity to do just that, they just freeze in fear, and the opportunity slips by.

If you can identify with either of these, take heart! The apostle Paul faced a similar situation. He wrote, “For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19).

This doesn’t sound fun at all. It is a difficult situation to be in as a believer. Believers know that obeying God is their first priority as a child of God. But there is a part inside that still wants to sin, and it is strong. This struggle wasn’t there before the believer put faith in Christ, but now the struggle gets intense sometimes. Take heart; Paul faced this very same struggle too!

Paul described himself as a “wretched man” because of his inability to do what was right. He asked, “Who shall deliver me the body of this death?” Then he said that the solution is to thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord because God is bigger than your toughest sin. Trust Him and thank Him.

God is bigger than your toughest sin. You may not be strong enough, but He is.

My response:

» Do I believe that God is bigger than the toughest sin that can ever tempt me?

» How can I trust Him to help me obey?

Home Page

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

Have you ever toured a cave? The large ones that have big tours keep a lighting system going so visitors can see the beauty of the rock formations. Then to show how deep under the earth’s surface everyone is, the lights are turned off. Pitch black darkness. No one can see a thing. The darkness is so thick it almost takes a person’s breath away. Suddenly the lights are turned back on and people are able to see again.

Light gives us the ability to see. When light reflects, or bounces off, an object, it bounces into our eyes, and we are able to see that object. Light travels at approximately 186,282 miles per second. When light passes through a prism, the colors split into a rainbow. When a candle is lit or a flashlight shines in a dark room, the light pushes out the darkness.

First John 1:5 makes it clear that God is light. When He shines in our lives, it reflects out for others to see. His light transforms us and we show His glory. God’s light allows us to see truth.

The light of God pushes out the darkness of sin. There is no room for darkness when light shines. There is no room for sin when God shines in us. By filling our lives and our minds with God’s Word, we push out the darkness of sin.

Living in the Light (God) leaves no room for darkness (sin).

My response:

» Am I filling my mind with the word of God?

» Am I thinking about the truth of Who God is?

Home Page

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).

We had seen her getting off the bus. Some kids laughed and pointed at her. Most just stared. Her brother and sister had walked on either side of her as if to protect her. Now she stood at the front of my classroom. Our teacher smiled, put her hands on the girl’s shoulders, told us her name, and welcomed her.

It took courage for the new girl to come to school, and it took more courage for her to stand in front of us. She was a little person—someone with a condition called “dwarfism” which causes them to be much smaller and shorter than others. Except in the movies, we had never seen a little person before. Over the years that girl taught my classmates and me a lot about acceptance and humility.

God made everyone, and He loves what He made. Not everyone looks the same. We do not all think the same. It is easy to make fun of and talk about someone who is different from us. But God wants us to use all our words to help others.

God wants us to be kind. He wants our words to be kind too.

My response:

» Are my words kind?

» Do I point or stare at people who are different from me, or do I make them feel welcome and accepted?

Home Page

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. . . . They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly [country]” (Hebrews 11:13, 16a).

A Puritan preacher named John Bunyan wrote the book Pilgrim’s Progress. It tells the story of a man named Christian and his journey to the Celestial City. Along the way to this heavenly city, Christian meets with terrible dangers, and he meets many people who try to lure him away from the right road. Christian has to avoid these side trips, say no to many temptations, and even leave certain people behind. The point of the story is that a true Christian must stay on the road to Heaven, not get sidetracked by the junk on the side of the road. Christians must not get caught up in the distractions of this world. Sometimes even things that seem fun and harmless can become traps that pull our hearts away from God and cause us to love this world.

What do you think of when you hear the word “pilgrim”? Some people think of a pilgrim as someone who is sour faced and out of touch and who doesn’t believe in having any fun. But the Bible says in Hebrews 11 that true believers are to be pilgrims. People who live by faith are pilgrims on this earth. This world is not their home; Heaven is! Like Christian in the story of Pilgrim’s Progress, true believers must stay on the road to Heaven, where they will be with Jesus Christ forever. They might have to give up certain activities that draw their hearts away from God. They might have to say no to certain people who try to distract them from obedience to God. They might even have to avoid places where they know they will be tempted to sin. The most important thing to a pilgrim is not this world, but the world to come. God wants us to live for Heaven.

God wants us to live for Heaven rather than loving this world.

My response:

» Are any of my friends or activities turning my heart away from God and the road to Heaven?

» What does God want me to do about friends or activities that turn my heart away from Him?

Home Page

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29–31).

There is a large parking lot close to my house. I don’t know if it looks like a pond or what the attraction is, but large Canadian geese land there every spring and fall as they migrate. They spend their time eating bugs off the grass and being a bit of a nuisance. When I look up from the geese, I see little sparrows sitting on wires. They travel together, sit on wires together, then fly away as one.

In Matthew 10:29–31, Jesus is speaking to the crowd about not being afraid. He tells them to not be afraid of what others can do. They were experiencing difficult times because they believed in Jesus. Jesus needed them to understand that God cared for each one of them. God cares for you as well. Sparrows are small birds that seems unimportant. But God takes care of them. God sent Jesus to give us salvation. He cares for us even more than He cares for the sparrows. God cares when you are afraid, angry, lonely, hungry, happy, sad. God cares about you and every part of your life.

Talk to God about your fears, your thoughts, and even your joys. Then leave it up to Him to work in your life. Look for how God cares for you in the little and the big things. If you are having a hard time, try writing down the ways God has shown you that He cares.

My response:

» What good things are happening to me?

» What are the ways I am changing?

» Do I thank God for His care for me in all the areas of my life?

Home Page

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Bethany’s eighth birthday had been wonderful. Her parents had given her a shiny new purple bicycle with purple and white streamers on the handlebars. It was exactly what she wanted! She knew it cost a lot of money. She had dreamed about that bicycle, admired it in the store, and hinted about it to her parents for several weeks. And now it was hers! She had spent the last hour outside riding it up and down their street. Finally, Mom called her in for bed.

As Bethany passed the kitchen on her way to bed, she saw the leftover chocolate cake sitting on the counter. “Mom, can I please have one more piece of birthday cake before bed?” Bethany asked.

“No, honey, it’s too late at night,” said Mom. ‘I’m afraid it will upset your stomach. You can have some tomorrow.”

Let’s pause the story right here. What do you think Bethany will do? She has several choices. She could burst into tears and tell Mom that she’s mean and never lets her have anything good. She could march off to her room pouting and slam the door. Or she could run to her mother, give her a hug, and thank her again for the bike.

Of course, it’s obvious to us that the last choice is the best one. Mom has already given Bethany a wonderful, expensive gift. She has only denied Bethany one small thing that wouldn’t be good for her anyway. How ungrateful Bethany would be if she forgot all about the bike and complained about that one small piece of cake that Mom said no to.

If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, God has provided you with the most wonderful, most expensive gift there is. Salvation is bought for us at the cost of Christ’s blood. It is the greatest of all gifts. God never says no to those who come to Him humbly seeking this great gift.

But sometimes God says no to the lesser things we want. He says no because He knows the thing we want would not be good for us. The best way to respond to God when this happens is to thank Him. Remember all that He has already given to you in Christ. Trust Him to give you only the best things in His perfect time and way.

God wants us to respond with thankfulness in every situation.

My Response:

» Have I thanked God today for His gift of salvation?

» How do I respond to God when He says no to me?

Home Page

“And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).

Judith’s mom keeps telling Judith, “Elizabeth is young. Be patient. She will grow up and understand that she can’t put everything into her mouth or pull so hard she rips papers.” It seemed to Judith that she was going to have to wait forever. But one day Elizabeth would grow up. All Judith had to do was be patient.

The Children of Israel experienced God’s patience on many occasions. The forty years they spent in the wilderness and the time of the judges are key examples of God waiting for His people to turn from their sin and back to Him.

We have examples of God’s patience with individuals too. Peter said some astonishing things while Jesus was walking on the earth. Some of the things Peter said earned him a rebuke (“criticism”) from Jesus. God was patient with Peter, who became one of the greatest preachers of his time.

Isaiah 30:18 says God is waiting for Israel to return to Him. There is a promise that goes with His waiting: He promises grace and mercy. Notice, too, that the end of the verse says that those who wait on the Lord are blessed.

Waiting is a part of trusting that God will show His mercy and grace as we wait for Him.

My response:

» Am I waiting for God to do His work?

» Am I trusting that God will show me His grace and mercy?

Home Page

“Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (Genesis 18:14).

One day the class somehow started a discussion on who was strongest. The fourth graders thought the best way to determine strength was by arm wrestling. An informal round robin tournament began. Of course, this test didn’t really show who was the strongest, because arm wrestling only tests the upper body strength.

We usually measure strength by determining someone’s physical power. Or sometimes we measure strength by a person’s personality or wealth. As strong as you may think you are, there is always someone who is stronger (or has a better personality or more money and things). It may be the kid two grades above you. It may be the kid that just moved into town.

When God told Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son, it seemed impossible. Who ever heard of a ninety-year-old woman having a baby! God reminded them that nothing was too hard for Him. God has so much power that He can make the impossible possible. The Bible is full of examples when God alone did the impossible, examples like parting a sea, making a donkey talk, rescuing people from a fiery furnace, saving people from their sins, and creating the universe. Nothing is too hard for God.

God is limited only by what He chooses.

My response:

» Am I limiting God? Do I think something can’t be possible?

» Do I take the Bible seriously when it describes God as all-powerful? If so, how does that impact the way I pray and the amount of trust I put in God?

Home Page

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters. . . . [His] leaf shall be green” (Jeremiah 17:7–8).

Maria turned on the faucet for her mom. Then she slowly followed the hose to where her mom was watering the flowers. “How was your day, Maria?” her mom asked.

“Not very good,” Maria said. “Jessica ruined it.”

“Jessica ruined your whole day?” Mom asked, looking over at Maria. “How did she do that?”

“She didn’t want to sit by me or play with me today. She played with Sarah instead. She was supposed to be my best friend.” Maria glanced at the flowers. “That flower needs some water, Mom. It looks brown.”

“My hose won’t reach that plant,” said Maria’s mom. “I need to replant that flower before it dies.”

“Oh,” Maria said. “Anyway, it’s going to be a bad year. I’m the only third grader without a best friend.” Maria picked a weed while her mom walked ahead of her.

“I know how important Jessica’s friendship is to you, sweetie. I am sure she’ll still be your friend if you talk to her about it.” Her mom paused to water a bush. “But Maria, you shouldn’t let her ruin your year or your day. You can still be happy even if Jessica is being unkind.”

“But it’s so hard,” Maria said. “How can I be happy when Jessica’s being mean to me?”

“Maria, do you see that plant by the side of the house?”

“That really big one?” Maria asked.

“Yes. That’s the same kind of flower as the brown one back there.”

“Really?” Maria asked, looking from one to the other. “What makes it so different?”

“The difference is its water source,” her mom said. “I can’t reach the brown one with my hose, so it has to wait for the rain to water it. But the big green one is right where the leaky faucet drips. It has a constant supply of water to make it grow. Even if there’s no rain for weeks, that plant still gets water every day because it’s right by the source of water.”

“Okay,” Maria said slowly. “I don’t get it.”

Her mom smiled, then turned off the hose.

“In the Bible, Jeremiah talks about a person who trusts in other people instead of God. He compares him to a plant in a desert. That plant doesn’t have a constant source of water, so it will die. But Jeremiah compares the person who trusts in the Lord to a plant by a river. It will always be green and fruitful because its roots get their water from a constant supply. When you put your hope in a human, even a good friend like Jessica, you will be disappointed sometimes. No human is a reliable source of abundant life.”

“Abundant? What’s that mean?”

“‘Abundant’ means ‘fruitful’ or ‘plentiful.’” An abundant life is full of all the good things God wants us to have.”

“Oh, now I get it,” Maria said. “If I want to have an abundant life, I have to get it from God, not Jessica, right?”

“Exactly,” her mom said. “Only God can be a constant source of life for you. If you trust God to be your best friend, He will never let you down.”

“Wow! I didn’t know the Bible talked about watering flowers,” Maria said. “I’m going to ask God for abundant life like that green plant. Now, let’s move the brown plant closer to the hose.” Her mom laughed, and they went to get the shovel.

Only God can be our source of abundant life.

My response:

» How am I depending on people to be my source of abundant life at church, home, or school?

» How can I let God be my constant source of abundant life even more than He already is?

Home Page

“Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving. . . . Who covereth the heavens with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains” (Psalm 147:7, 8).

Charlie, Ashley, and Jared hopped into the van with their pillows and duffle bags. Finally, the weekend had arrived, and they were going to spend it with their grandma. They loved staying with her at her house in the country. It always smelled like cinnamon sticks, and her beds were so comfortable. She made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and baked the best blueberry pies for dessert after dinner. Saturday afternoon she’d even let Charlie, Ashley, and Jared ride horses.

But before they could get there, they had three hours to pass in the van. The first hour usually flew by as they were leaving the city. There were exciting buildings to look at and cool cars to check out. But the last couple hours of the ride weren’t so thrilling. The two-lane country road didn’t have much traffic, and the cows in the fields started to look the same after twenty minutes.

“Today sure is a beautiful day,” Dad said from the driver’s seat. All three children in the back rolled their eyes. He was always saying stuff like that. But today they didn’t care what kind of day it was. They just wanted to get to Grandma’s!

After a couple minutes of riding in silence, Ashley said, “You know what? Dad’s right! The sky is a really bright blue today, and those fluffy white clouds really stand out against that color.”

“Yeah, and I guess the grass and trees are really bright green after all that rain we got last month,” added Charlie.

All three stared out the windows of the van for a while with a new appreciation for the view. “We’ve been on this road so many times and never noticed the great view before,” said Jared. “I love those bright colors all together. They’re my favorites.”

“I just thought of something!” Charlie pointed out. “Dogs see things in black and white, so they can’t see all these colors. They’re missing out on this cool scenery. Why do you think God lets us see color? He could’ve made everything black and white.”

“That’s a good question,” replied Dad. “God created everything for His glory, so this beautiful countryside filled with bright colors is here for us to remember how wonderful God is. His creation points to His greatness.” The three children thought about that as they continued to ride through the countryside.

“Look!” exclaimed Ashley. “There’s Grandma’s driveway. I can’t believe we’re here already. The trip really flies by when you admire God’s scenery. Now I’m looking forward to the trip home. But first I have some pie to eat and horses to ride!”

God created beautiful scenery to direct glory to the Creator.

My response:

» Am I remembering the wonderful Creator, Who made the lovely scenery?

» Do I think of the bright colors around me as a gift from God?

» Do I thank Him for them?

Home Page

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

“You put your suitcase in the car. Right, honey?” TJ’s mom asked as she pulled out of the driveway.

TJ was going to camp for the first time, and he was excited. “Yes,” he called from the back seat.

“Okay, just checking,” she smiled as she said it. For about a week, she had been packing TJ’s suitcase for camp. She kept it open in his room so she could add necessary items as she thought of them. TJ didn’t really know what all was in there, but he knew she had been to Walmart four times just to buy things for his trip.

TJ enjoyed his week at camp. But when he got home, he admitted to his mom that parts of his week hadn’t been the best. “I got really hungry in the afternoons, Mom, and I wanted to buy some snacks and souvenirs but didn’t have any cash.”

“Oh, TJ,” his mom replied. “I put your wallet in your suitcase. It had $30 in it for you to spend. Did you eat all the snacks I sent you?”

“What snacks?” TJ asked.

“Oh, honey. It was all in your suitcase. Did you even open it?”

“Not really, Mom,” replied TJ “I didn’t want to take the time. Were there clean clothes in there too?”

You’re probably thinking, TJ wasn’t very smart to hardly open his suitcase all week! But believe it or not, you actually make a similar choice when you don’t open your Bible. Here’s why: You’ve probably heard people compare the Christian life to a journey. Throughout this trip you need encouragement, food and supplies for each day, wisdom in dealing with various situations, and correction when you’re going the wrong way. God has packed everything you need into His Word, according to 2 Timothy 3:16–17. It is your “suitcase” for the “journey” of life. Just as it would be dumb to barely open your suitcase during a trip to camp, it isn’t wise to neglect opening God’s Word from day to day. And God promises that His Word can make you “perfect,” which means “complete.” It’s all there for you; you just have to open it.

God has packed everything you need for life into His Word.

My response:

» Am I spending time in God’s Word every day to get what I need for my journey through life?

» When I’m reading His Word, am I looking for truths about Him?

Home Page

“Thy righteousness is like the great mountains” (Psalm 36:6a).

At the age of ten, I saw mountains in real life for the first time. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado were the tallest, largest, and most impressive natural wonder I had ever seen. They were huge! Even though I was small and weak compared to the immense and firm mountains, they were approachable and accessible. I could see, touch, and walk on them.

According to Psalm 36:6, mountains are a picture of God’s righteousness. Mountains and God’s righteousness are constant. When night, a cloudy sky, or fog obscure the mountains, they are still there. God’s righteousness never goes away either; God is always righteous. God always has and always will do the right thing. Another similarity between mountains and God’s righteousness is greatness. Mountains extend to great heights and across vast areas. God’s righteousness has no limits. And, like mountains, God’s righteousness can be seen and experienced. Just as the awe-inspiring and breath-taking mountains are available to you and me, so is God’s righteousness.

The fact that God gives His righteousness to those who believe is even more stunning than the tallest mountain in the world. I do not deserve God’s righteousness; I deserve punishment, eternal torment, and separation from God, because I am a sinner. But God made sinless Jesus bear my sin and your sin on the cross so we could be made righteous. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Those who believe that Jesus paid the penalty for their sins are saved and can be used by God to do right things that honor Him when they obey and follow Him. The book of Romans calls these people “instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13). This righteousness comes from God and is for His glory. It does not come from ourselves, nor is it for the purpose of making us look good. We need God’s righteousness, because none of us are righteous without Him (Romans 3:10).

The next time you see mountains, either in pictures or in person, remember that God’s righteousness is like mountains.

God is righteous. We must proclaim His righteousness and praise Him for His righteousness.

My response:

» Do I thank, praise, and worship God because of His righteousness?

» How can I be used as an instrument of righteousness for God today?

Home Page

One morning when Susan woke up, she remembered that she wanted to buy a gift for her mother’s birthday. But Susan couldn’t get it without her mother seeing, so she asked her father to take her to the store. She knew exactly what to buy her mother. Many times when they had been in that store, Susan and seen her mother look longingly at a pair of earrings, but then decide at the last minute not to buy them. After saving up her Christmas and birthday money, Susan finally had enough to buy the gift. So she bought the earrings. When Susan gave them to her mother, Susan’s mom nearly cried tears of joy.

Susan had a giving attitude. She had planned out everything exactly. She had watched to see what her mother wanted, and then she had worked things out to surprise her mother. Susan planned to do good.

God is pleased with this kind of attitude. The sacrifice honors Him, and the thoughtfulness makes Him smile, because He, too, is thoughtful. Before He ever made the world, God planned to do good to all people by sending Jesus Christ as a substitute to pay for everyone’s sin. God has enormous delight in those who follow His example of planning to do good.

God plans to good and delights when we plan to do good too.

My response:

» What kind of attitude do I have: a giving one or a greedy one?

» Do I plan ahead to do good, or is it an afterthought?

» Do I ask God to help me do good to others to show them what He is like?

Home Page

 “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

Today I was praying for several people. Many were sick, injured, or recovering from surgery. At the same time, my back was hurting.

I have noticed that most prayer requests between Christians and in the church are related to healing the body. We are shown multiple times in the Bible that God heals. Jesus healed the sick. God healed kings, lepers, nations. We pray for healing.

If you have studied the science of how our bodies work, you can see that from the beginning, God had a plan for healing. Take the eye for example. Tears wash dirt from the eyes. Then there is how God designed our skin to heal cuts and scrapes. Even our blood clots so wounds can heal. And of course our white blood cells attack infections.

So, with healing come tears, pain, and even scars. Healing takes time. Sometimes it is not how we expect it. But God heals according to His will. Some people are made whole, while others are allowed to keep their illnesses. And some are healed through death, because they’re taken to Heaven where there isn’t any more sickness, disease, pain, or suffering. Whether the body is whole, sick, or dying, it is to glorify God. We can depend on Him.

God chooses to heal, or not to heal, according to His plan.

My response:

» Will I pray and then wait for God to heal according to what He knows will be the best to bring Him glory?

» Will I pray for others who need God’s healing?

» Will I write down the answers to those prayers?

Home Page

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10).

God’s people were not doing well. They had fallen into sin and were facing many enemies. They were discouraged and needed help. So God sent a man named Ezra to help His people (Ezra’s name means “help”). There is a reason that God used Ezra in such a great way. That reason is found in Ezra 7:10, “Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”

The word “prepared” tells us that sometime in Ezra’s life, probably when he was a boy, he decided about his direction in life. He set his heart. Did you know that it is never too early to decide in your heart that you want to serve the Lord? Most missionaries around the world gave their lives to Christ when they were young people.

But what did Ezra prepare his heart to do? He decided to do three things. First, he wanted to “seek the law of the Lord.” That means he wanted to become an expert at knowing the Word of God! Have you ever decided to become an expert at something? When I was a boy, I spent a lot of time playing a game called foosball or table soccer. I remember playing against teenagers as a six year old and making them look very foolish. I became an expert at foosball. But how much better would it be for a young person to decide to become an expert at God’s Word? There is nothing more worthwhile than that!

Second, Ezra decided “to do” the Word of God. Whenever God said something, Ezra wanted to obey right away. Have you ever met a picky eater? (Maybe you are one yourself!) Some kids will poke at their food and say, “I don’t want peas,” or “I don’t like spinach.” They won’t eat it even though it is good for them. Some people are picky about God’s Word. They say, “I don’t want to do that command,” or “I don’t like this.” God doesn’t like it when we are picky eaters of His Word.

Last, Ezra decided “to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” This means that Ezra decided early in life that he wanted to teach others about the Word of God. Maybe God would allow you to someday be a missionary or a pastor or a Sunday School teacher. Then you could teach others about the Lord, just like Ezra did!

God wants your heart!

My response:

» Am I preparing, or setting, my heart to serve the Lord?

» Do I do, or obey, God’s Word, the Bible?

» Who can I teach about what the Bible says?

Home Page

“Charity [love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

Having God’s kind of love in our hearts means having the kind of love that makes us willing to miss doing something we want to do and to do something else instead—something someone needs us to do for them. For example, God’s kind of love will make us stay after school with a kid in class who is struggling and patiently help him with his homework, even if it means we will miss going to the ice cream parlor to choose from thirty flavors.

God’s kind of love is always kind to all people from all over the world. God’s sort of kindness would never make negative, mean-spirited, or mocking jokes.

Love does not envy and is not jealous of others. God’s kind of love makes us grateful and happy for all He is making us to be and for everything He provides for us.

Pride gives us a swelled head. Pride makes us arrogant. Pride thinks we are better than others and have better things. Pride makes us boast about ourselves and jeer at others. But God’s kind of love in our hearts stops us from feeling proud, boastful, and jeering.

God’s love is perfect toward us, even though we are not perfect. And He wants all of us to love others with His kind of love.

God wants you to be kind.

My response:

» Is my love sacrificial? Am I willing to give up what I want so others can have what they want or need?

» Am I kind to others, even if they are very different from me?

» If someone makes fun of me, am I kind in return because I have God’s kind of love in my heart?

Home Page

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

The storm was strong. Thunder shook the house. The electricity had gone out. Strong winds blew on everything. Dark skies had an eerie effect. The cat snuggled under the bed, wide eyed. But just as suddenly as it began, the storm ended. We went outside to see the damage. My first thought was how peaceful it was now that the storm had passed. Clearing skies and calm breezes left a clean smell in the air. The yard was a mess, but everything was washed clear of the dust.

There are times when nothing seems to go right. Things that are out of your control are, well, out of your control. However, God is in control the entire time. Even during the storm, God has it all in His control. When Jesus and the disciples were in a boat and the sea became stormy, Jesus slept. You can’t get any more at peace than that.

What worries you? What scares you? God has you in the palm of His very large hand. Isaiah 26:3 tells us that peace comes as we trust God. Peace and trust are the two sides of the same coin. Turn your thoughts toward God, and peace is the result. In that peace everything is clearer and cleaner. Just like after a storm.

Peace comes as we trust God.

My response:

» What is going on in my life that is like a storm: completely out of my control and scary or dangerous?

» Do I remember that God is in control of this “storm” in my life?

» Do I keep my thoughts on God?

» If not, why not?

Home Page

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

Walk into a supermarket anywhere, and you might see shoppers diligently reading the ingredients on food labels and carefully selecting low-sugar, low-fat, high-fiber products. Americans have been warned to care for their physical hearts by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

The physical heart is the vital source at the center of our being. The spiritual heart, on the other hand, is the innermost part of the mind. Out of it flow the issues of life—joy, sadness, love, hate, and many other emotions, as well as words, thoughts, and actions.

“Keep” in Proverbs 4:23 means to “keep control of and to keep possession of, to look after.” If we don’t “keep” our spiritual hearts, we can have thoughts, words, emotions, and actions that are not pure or helpful to us. We can focus on something so much that it reaches our innermost minds (our hearts), and we find ourselves not sending out good words, good emotions, or good actions. When we take in and listen to God and His Word, we are building a storehouse of good things, which will come out of us.

Philippians 4:7–8 tell us, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

When we daily read some of God’s Word, it wonderfully guards and leads our hearts into the spiritual health of a clean heart and right spirit, as David asked for in Psalm 51:10.

My response:

» Have I learned some of God’s Word today to guard my heart against sin?

» Will I choose to read some of my Bible each day from now on?

Home Page

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25–26).

“Wait.” Most of the time we don’t like to hear that word, do we? Sometimes we are looking forward to something, like a vacation or a birthday, because we know that something fun or exciting is going to happen. When we have to wait for this type of event, it seems like forever before it comes. But it’s just as hard to wait for something to be over as it is for something that we want to happen. For example, when we are in the dentist chair getting a tooth drilled to fill a cavity, it seems to take a very long time, doesn’t it? No matter what, it’s hard to wait!

Lamentations 3:25 and 26 were written by a prophet named Jeremiah. A prophet was called by God to bring God’s people a special message from Him. Sometimes the people the prophet spoke to were not nice, because they did not want to hear what God had to say. They wanted to keep living the way they wanted to live, instead of living God’s way. That’s what happened to Jeremiah. One time, people threw him into an empty cistern (“a pit that can hold water”). Jeremiah did not have an easy life, but in these verses he writes, “The Lord is good unto them that wait for him.” Jeremiah understood that sometimes waiting, even though it’s hard to do, is really God’s way of showing good to us.

How can waiting be good? We must remember that God is always working for our good, even if we must wait for something that we really want, or even when we must wait for a hard time to be over. If God is always working for our good, then what should we do as we wait for Him? Lamentations 3:25 and 26 say we should first seek God. That means we need to talk to Him through prayer. Don’t be afraid to tell God how hard it is to wait. Ask Him to give you the faith you need to trust Him while you wait. These verses also tell us we should wait quietly and expect God to help us. Waiting quietly means that we don’t complain or fight against what God is trying to do for us. That’s sometimes very hard, but God’s timing is different from our timing. As we wait for Him quietly and with faith that He will work things for our good, our faith will grow. This pleases the Lord. So, the next time you must wait for something, remember that God is working for your good, even though it may be hard to wait.

When God makes us wait, waiting is what’s best for us.

My response:

» When I must wait for something, will I seek God by praying to Him?

» When I must wait for something, I will not complain. I will trust God instead!

Home Page