“And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy” (Exodus 33:19).

“And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness” (Jonah 4:2).

My sister Jennifer and I were fighting. We raced toward our mom. Bang! Jennifer reached the door first and slammed it shut, trying to keep me from tattling on her. At the same time, I grabbed the hinge, trying to keep the door open. I failed. Suddenly the top knuckle of my middle finger was hanging by a thread of skin.

It took several different doctors and a specialist to sew my finger back together. They told my parents that I would never have feeling in that finger again—if they were even able to save it.

But you know what? God is gracious (kind, good, and sympathetic), and He answers prayers. He answered my parents’ prayers. God not only allowed the doctors to reattach my finger and for it to stay attached, but He also gave me complete feeling in that finger!

Our God is so gracious and loving! He didn’t have to save my finger. My sin and my sister’s sin caused that terrible accident, but not only did our parents forgive us and show us love, God forgave us and healed me. He graciously tended the finger of a small child and graciously healed it when the doctors didn’t think it would heal well. Now today I can play the piano, sew, type, and feel everything that I touch. What a gracious and loving God we have!

God has been gracious, forgiving, and loving to me.

My response:
» How does God show His grace and love to me?
» When was the last time I thanked God for the kindness He’s shown me?

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

“Kevin, grab the butter and eggs from the refrigerator, please. And Cara Ann, see if there’s more sugar in the pantry,” instructed Mom as she checked over the recipe. Kevin and Cara Ann were helping their mom make a special treat: a chocolate cake with chocolate icing for Dad’s birthday.

As they finished gathering the necessary ingredients, Mom got out the baking chocolate. “Yummmm!” said Kevin as he watched her set the large, thick bar on the counter.

“Can we have a little bit of that?” asked Cara Ann, her mouth already watering.

“That’s not such a good idea,” Mom replied. “This kind of chocolate doesn’t taste good at all. It’s called bittersweet chocolate. I don’t think you’ll like it.”

But Kevin and Cara Ann pleaded, “Pleeeeeease! Just a teeny bit!” Mom consented and gave them each a sliver of the chocolate bar. “Yuck! Disgusting!” they both said as they started spitting the chocolate into the trash can.

“You were right, Mom,” said Kevin. “That’s awful.”

“But it’s so good in the birthday cake,” pointed out Cara Ann. “Why does it taste so bad by itself?”

Both Cara Ann and Kevin listened as Mom explained that the bittersweet baking chocolate needed the other ingredients in the cake, like the sugar and butter, to make it tasty. Until it was all mixed together, the chocolate would taste nasty.

“That reminds me of our memory verse from Sunday School last week,” said Cara Ann excitedly. “It was Romans 8:28. ‘All things work together for good—’” she began.

“Oh, yeah!” Kevin interrupted. “Our teacher told us that God will take both bad and good things in our lives and combine them to produce something good. That’s just like the gross baking chocolate being mixed with other ingredients to make a delicious chocolate cake.”

“You’re exactly right,” said Mom, nodding her head. “God has a purpose in everything He brings our way—whether it’s enjoyable for us at the time or not. In the end, though, we’ll see that His plan was the best. He’ll bring everything together for good. We just need to trust Him and leave the results in His hands.”

If you belong to God, He is working everything in your life together for your good.

My response:
» Are there some things going on in my life that I don’t really like?
» Have I given those things over to God?
» Am I completely trusting Him to make “all things work together for good” in my life?

“But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]” (Hebrews 11:6).

Remember the Old Testament stories about Noah building an ark, baby Moses floating in a basket, and Daniel surviving the lions’ den? Did you know that those people are also in the New Testament? The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often called the “faith” chapter. It reminds us of people such as Noah, Moses, and Daniel to show us what faith is and how faith pleases God.

Faith caused Noah to obediently build an ark even though he had never seen rain. Faith caused the midwives to hide Moses when all the other Hebrew baby boys were being murdered by the Egyptians. Faith caused Daniel to continue praying to God even though he knew that doing so meant being thrown into a den of hungry lions. We know the ending of those stories. We know that God saved Noah and his family, rescued baby Moses, and kept Daniel safe. But, Noah, Moses’ parents, and Daniel could not see the end of their stories. They did not know how their faith would affect them, but they did know that faith pleased God—and that was all that mattered!

Obedience to God requires faith, and faith pleases God. Living by faith does not mean you get what you want, nor does it keep you from being teased or persecuted. But faith does please God, and that is the only thing that should matter. You will not know the outcome of your faith in God at the time you are obeying and trusting Him, but you know that your faith pleases God regardless of how it affects you.

Revelation 4:11 tells us that God created all things and that all things were created for His pleasure. As a person who was created by God, you must please Him. That is impossible to do without faith. And it is impossible to live by faith that pleases God unless you first have faith in God for your salvation.

Faith pleases God, and it proves that someone believes in God and seeks after Him (Ephesians 2:8–10).

My response:
» Have I trusted God to save me?
» Am I afraid to trust God if I cannot see how things will turn out? Or do I trust Him no matter what?
» How can I demonstrate faith in God today?

“God, who…spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds….Being made so much better than the angels.” (Hebrews 1:1-2, 4a)

When I was in school I had a friend who was really smart. Every time we finished taking a test, I asked him how he did. I remember the extremely rare times when I did better than he did. I was so happy! I think all of us have a desire to be better than someone else.

Did you know that the Bible tells us that Jesus is better than anyone else who has lived? The first chapter of Hebrews tells us that He is better than prophets and angels.

First, Jesus is better than the prophets. God used men called prophets to tell the world what He wanted them to know (vv.1-3). These prophets were important people who did amazing things. For example, Elijah asked God for fire to come down from heaven, and God sent it. And Daniel was thrown into a den of lions, but God didn’t let the lions hurt him. A third prophet, Elisha, made a river split into two so he could walk across on dry land.

But the only way these prophets could do these things was because God worked through them. The first part of Hebrews 1 teaches us that Jesus is better than the prophets. Why? First, because Jesus is the Creator of everything, including those prophets! Second, because He upholds everything, He is the one who made it possible for the prophets to do their work. Third, the prophets were sinners, so they could not save anyone from his sins. But Jesus never sinned. In fact, He cleansed our sins (v. 3).

Not only is Jesus better than the prophets, but second, He is better than the angels. We know that God uses angels for special jobs. An angel warned Lot and his family that judgment was coming to their city. It was an angel who told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. It was an angel who told Jesus’ disciples that He had risen from the dead.

But for all of the supernatural power that angels have, Jesus is still better than they are. God hasn’t called any of the angels His Son – only Jesus has that honor (v. 5). In fact, God told the angels to worship Jesus when Jesus came to earth to be born as a baby (v. 6). Angels have their place, but they are under Jesus the King (vv. 7-9). Angels are to care for those who will be saved, but Jesus is the one who provides the salvation (v. 14).

If a prophet or even an angel were to die for you, it would do nothing to save you from your sins. But since Jesus is God, His death provides a way for you to be saved from your sins. That power makes Him far better than prophets and angels.

Jesus is better than anyone else, including prophets and angels.

My Response:
» Do I recognize Jesus for all He is worth?

“I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20b)

Have you ever had such wonderful news that you were just bursting to tell someone else? Maybe you got a good grade on a test, or perhaps you won an important ballgame. Good news is something you always enjoy sharing, isn’t it?

But what about the Gospel – the Good News about Christ’s death and resurrection? Do you enjoy sharing that Good News?

For some reason, it’s easy to talk to other Christians about what Jesus Christ has done and is doing in your life. But when it comes to talking to people who don’t know Him, it just seems a lot harder. What if they think you’re weird? Or what if they make fun of you? Or what if they just don’t understand? Because you don’t know how they may respond, there are times when you might feel afraid, or even pretend that you don’t know Jesus.

But Jesus wants you to share Him with others! In fact Jesus says in Matthew 28:19-20a, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” These are words that Jesus spoke to His disciples, in His last earthly message, before He ascended to heaven. Jesus told them that they should teach others about Him and show them how to be followers of Him. If you are serious about being a follower of Christ, then this command is for you, too.

Wow, what a big task! Maybe even a scary one as well! But the best part is that Jesus offers you a promise with His command: I am with you always, even to the end of the world. (Matthew 28:20b). Always – that includes when you speak to others about Jesus! Even though you may feel afraid and even outnumbered at times, Jesus is always with you. You can be confident because Jesus has assured you that you are not alone!

Jesus is with me when I talk to others about Him.

My Response:
» Am I obeying God by sharing Jesus with others? Am I trusting Him to help me tell others about Him?

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

When you look at a building, you know that there had to be a builder. The evidence of his work is right in front of you. When you look at a painting, you know that there had to be an artist. When you look at a pizza, you know that there was a pizza-maker!

What if I told you that the building built itself, that the painting painted itself, and that I had an empty fridge, but somehow pepperoni and cheese and flour just appeared and became a pizza? You would probably laugh just thinking about it. Many people, however, think that the universe did just that; it just “came together” on its own. They don’t believe that there was a Designer or Creator. Are they right? God says in Genesis that God created all things. He created the sun, moon, and stars; He created the animals and plants; He created us!

Let’s look for a moment at our Universe. Did you know that there are 70,000-million-million-million (that’s 7 with 22 zeros behind it) stars in the universe? Did you know that there are 206 bones in our body (and 6 of them are in your ear!)? Wow!

Those are only two facts that demonstrate how amazing our universe is. It is so complicated that even the most brilliant scientists do not understand how everything works together. What does that show you and I? Paul says in Romans 1:20 that since the beginning of the world, God’s invisible attributes – specifically His power and “God-ness” – have been clear to anyone with eyes because God’s creation proves that He’s powerful and that He’s God. If we simply look around us, we can clearly see that there must be a Creator and Designer of the world.

God says that He cannot lie (Titus 1:2). He has told us that He created everything. Let us praise Him for His wonderful design and creation!

God tells me in His Word that He is the Creator of all things.

My Response:
» Do I believe that God created everything?
» Do I praise God for creating everything?

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.” (Psalm 72:18)

Do you ever wish you could be a king or queen? It seems like kings and queens have everything! They have whatever food they want. They have servants to do their every bidding. People have to bow down to them out of respect. They tell their military leaders when to go to war. They can give away their money or jewels to whomever they want. It seems like being a king or queen would be the best thing in all the world.

David was a king, but he knew that his subjects, the people of Israel, deserved a better king than he was. So he prayed for a great king to rule perfectly over Israel. He wrote this prayer down in Psalm 72.

God is going to send a righteous king (vv.1-3, 7). Because God’s king will treat all people fairly, whether they are rich or poor, there will be peace for a very long time. When God’s king rules, there will be peace all over the world. God’s king will rule “from sea to sea and….unto the ends of the earth” (v. 8). Kings from all over the world, including places such as Spain and Saudi Arabia, will come to him with gifts because of how great he is.

God is going to send a king who will protect the “poor and needy” from evil. He will “redeem their soul from deceit and violence.” This king will care for his people so much that he will protect them not only from physical danger but also from spiritual harm.

God is going to send a king who will rule forever! Sometimes people in history have been glad when a king died, because he was not a good king. But the king that God will send will be blessed – that means honored – by all nations because of how wonderful he is.

So David blesses the Lord God because He will do the wondrous thing of sending this great king. David did not know who the king would be, but you and I do. Jesus is the king! When the wise men came looking for Jesus, they asked where the King of the Jews would be born. At the triumphal entry the people called Jesus a king. When Jesus spoke to Pilate at His trial, He told Pilate about His kingdom. Jesus is the king for whom David prayed.

God has sent a King for you to honor – and that King is coming again!

My Response:
» King Jesus came once to redeem sinners, and He is coming again to be King of All. Are you praying for Him to come as David prayed? Are you expecting Him to come as David expected Him?

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

I’ll never forget an experience I had as a five-year-old. I was visiting kindergarten for the first time, and I got stuck in the restroom. I was able to unlock the door, but it just wouldn’t budge open. I pushed and pulled, but I couldn’t get it to move. Then I panicked. Had the teacher forgotten about me? Would anyone ever find me? I began to cry, and thankfully, the teacher came to my rescue. She told me to crawl under the door to get out. How silly of me! Why hadn’t I thought of that myself? Soon I was on the other side and finally felt relief!

Have you ever been trapped somewhere and had the feeling that you wouldn’t be able to get out? Have you ever been tempted to do something wrong and just didn’t feel like doing the right thing? Sometimes when being tempted to do wrong, you feel so alone and maybe you even think that the most important people in your lives have forgotten about you.

But God hasn’t! In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul says that God is faithful and will not leave you helpless in times of temptation. God will always provide a way for you to escape temptation.

Sometimes God allows temptations to happen in your life in order to test your faith in Him. Your circumstances may seem tough, but God offers you encouragement for each test. First, you are not alone. Every Christian is tempted to do wrong. Second, God knows how strong your faith is and knows how much you can take. Third, God always provides a way for you to escape temptation. He provides parents, teachers, and friends to help you resist temptation. He also gives you His Word, to help you fight temptation (Ephesians 6:10-11). Remember when Jesus was tempted by the Devil? Each time the Devil tempted Him (Luke 4), Jesus responded with verses from Scripture.

As a five-year-old, I wasn’t able to see that I could just crawl under the door to escape. Sometimes you might think that there’s no way that you escape temptations. But God knows exactly how He can help you, and He has promised to provide a way!

God always provides a way for you to resist temptation.

My Response:
» When am I tempted to do wrong?
» Do I look to God for help when I’m tempted to do wrong?
» What verses can I memorize to help me when I’m tempted?

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)

Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to go away from them. He said that He was going to go and prepare a place for them in His Father’s house. For three years, His disciples had followed Him. They had walked beside Him, listened to Him teach, watched Him heal sick people, and even eaten meals with Him. But now He said that He was leaving, and they weren’t going to see Him for a while. Their hearts were sad and troubled. Jesus was their Master, their Teacher, their dearest Friend.

But Jesus had good news for them. He was going to send them a Helper—the Holy Spirit—who would stay with them always. Even though Jesus was returning to heaven after His death, and even though His followers would not see Him anymore, He promised that they could still know Him, talk with Him, and be close to Him.

Do you have a desire in your heart to know God—I mean really know Him? Do you want to have a deep, personal relationship with Him, even though you can’t see Him with your eyes? Do you want to know what He thinks and how He feels? Do you want to understand Him as He really is?

According to this verse, knowing God starts with obedience. The very first thing we have to obey is the Gospel. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6) But after we’ve entered into a relationship with God through repentance and faith in Christ, we need to keep on obeying Him. We need to take everything that He tells us in His Word very seriously. That is the best way to show God that we love Him. And once we are saved, we have His Holy Spirit dwelling in us. The Holy Spirit helps us understand God’s Word and gives us power to obey it.

Jesus said that He will manifest Himself, or make Himself known in a special way, to those who love Him. If you really want that kind of closeness with Jesus Christ, He wants to give it to you. Ask Him for it, and then start listening to His voice and obeying Him. A close relationship with Jesus carries a price tag of obedience. But it is a price well worth paying, and the rewards will last through eternity.

Jesus reveals Himself to those who love and obey Him.

My Response:
» How much do I want to know God?
» Am I willing to pay the price of obedience?

“I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12b)

How do we know when someone really loves us? One way we can tell is when that person gives up something they love in order to spend time with us. Imagine that you came to your parents when they were busy with something they enjoy—maybe reading a good book or watching a basketball game on TV. What if your mom put her book down and said, “I can read this book any old time. I would rather spend time with you. Let’s go for a walk!” Or what if your dad turned off the TV and said, “You’re more important to me than a basketball game. I’d rather go shoot some hoops in the driveway with you.” If your mom or your dad were willing to give up something for you, you’d know that they really cared about spending time with you.

It’s the same way in our relationship with God. We show our love for God by showing that He comes first. One way that we can show Him how much we love Him is by spending time in His Word—even if it means giving up something else we love in order to do it. God’s Word is the primary place where He reveals Himself, the best place to get to know Him.

Job was a man who really, really loved God. He said that he would rank God’s Word even higher than the food he needed to stay alive! He would be willing to give up food if necessary, because God’s Word was more important to him.

We don’t always have to give up food or a sport or a hobby to spend time in God’s Word. Sometimes it just means pulling our thoughts away from some other fascinating topic we would rather think about. It means turning our minds to think about what God is saying, and turning our hearts to obeying.

Are you willing to love God by showing Him that time in His Word is very important to you—every day?

We show love for God by placing great importance on our time in His Word.

My Response:
» Have I spent time reading and thinking about God’s Word yet today?
» Is there anything I’ve been doing that is stealing away the time I would usually spend with God?
» What do I need to do to guard my time with God?

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.” (Genesis 1:24)

Have you ever wondered why snakes were created? Most people do not like snakes! And there are many other pesky little insects and rodents that are not our favorites. Why were they created? We really do not know the answer, but God is infinitely wise, and He does know. God wanted everything that He created to be observed and appreciated. Well, it can be hard to appreciate a mosquito, can’t it? Perhaps you are thinking right now of another “creature” that God created…and you can’t help but wonder “why?” In Genesis 3, we read about the first “serpent” (snake).

Did you know that the first “lie” happened in God’s own Garden of Eden? Eve was approached by the serpent, and she was sharing with the serpent the things God had told her. God had told her that if she ate of the fruit of a certain tree (the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil), then she would die.

Did you know that this snake could talk? Do you know what he told Eve in the garden that day? He said, “Ye shall not surely die.” In other words, he told Eve that God was lying to her! Does God lie?

Who was this serpent? This serpent was the Devil, the “Father of lies.” The snake was Satan himself in snake form! Because of what he did, lying to Eve and tempting her to disobey God, the serpent was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:14 “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above the cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.”

Today, this same Devil wants us to believe in the lies he tells, just as he wanted Eve to believe him when he acted like he knew better than God. Like a slithering snake, Satan comes right up to us with his tempting lies. He comes with very clever words and tries to make us believe that God is wrong and he is right.

The Devil is not the only one who tempts us. Our own selfish, fleshly nature is a dangerous enemy, too! And the world wants us to have a worldly attitude that leaves God out or calls God a liar. God wants us to be aware of the dangers that are in this world and to run from them when we are tempted.

God is faithful. That means He is always true and trustworthy. You do not ever have to doubt (wonder) whether God is being honest with you or not. Do you remember that there are people who want you to doubt God? Do you keep in mind that you need to run from the Devil’s lies? The next time you see a snake slithering along a path, let it be a reminder to you. God never lies, but the Devil and others would have you think so. Do what Eve should have done when the serpent told his lies! Turn away and run from temptations to doubt God and His Word. Ephesians 6:11 tells us to “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

God is trustworthy because He is always faithful and never lies.

My Response:
» Do I ever start to doubt (wonder) whether something that God has said is really true?
» What should I do when I am tempted to think God might not be faithful?

“O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. . . For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.” (Psalm 139:1, 4)

How many words do you speak in a day? Have you ever counted? Probably not! But did you know that God knows how many words you spoke today? Not only that, but He knows what words you spoke and exactly what you were thinking when you said them! He knows if your words were kind or unkind, loving or unloving, respectful or disrespectful. He knows if you just talked about yourself all day or if you thought to ask about someone else’s life.

Psalm 139 says that God knows everything about you! It even says that He knows every time you sit down and every time you get back up. He knows everything you say, everything you do, and even everything you think…both good and bad. No one else knows that much about you, not even your Mom or Dad or your best friend.

This psalm also says that God is always with you. You cannot run away or hide from God like you can from other people.

So, if God knows everything about you, and He is always with you, what does that mean? It means that you must remember to obey Him. Ask God to help you remember to speak only good and kind words, and ask Him to help you do and think right things.

If you are a Christian, it should comfort you to know that God is always with you and that He knows all about you. You should be glad when His voice talks to your heart when you do wrong. Always listen to His voice and obey right away. There is nothing that will make you ultimately happier than pleasing Him.

God knows you better and loves you more than anyone else in the whole world.

My Response:
» Do I remember throughout the day that God is listening to my words and knowing my thoughts? https://equipu.kids4truth.com

“And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.” (I Kings 17:4)

During the days of Elijah the prophet, God sent a drought–a long period of time without rain–to the land of Israel. God was punishing Israel because the wicked rulers, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, were causing the people to stop serving the Lord and to worship idols. Even though Elijah had warned King Ahab that God would punish them, Ahab did not listen. So God did not send any rain to Israel for a long time, and food could not grow. The people of Israel, including Elijah, soon became hungry and thirsty. Even though Elijah trusted in the Lord, he must have wondered where he would find food and water.

But God still took care of Elijah. Even though there was no rain and little food or water, God provided for the needs of His faithful servant. God knew where to find water, and He told Elijah to go to a little brook that still had water to drink. God also knew where to find food, and He commanded the ravens to bring bread and meat to Elijah. What a surprising way to meet the prophet’s needs! Twice a day, the black birds delivered food to him. Even though the people who worshipped idols were hungry and thirsty, Elijah always had enough to eat and drink. God always provided for the needs of His servant.

God will always take care of you, as well. If you truly know the Lord, He will always provide for your needs, just like He did for Elijah’s. Sometimes, like Elijah in the drought, you may find yourself in the middle of a hard situation. Maybe one of your parents has lost a job, and your family needs money. Or maybe you have moved to a new school, and you need to find good friends. Whatever your need, God will never forget about you. Like in Elijah’s time, God knows where to find the things you need (Matthew 6:8). He will always be faithful to provide for you–sometimes in surprising ways!

God will always meet your needs.

My Response:
» What are some needs I have?
» Am I trusting the Lord to provide for my needs?

“Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?” (Job 40:9)

In the Bible, God is sometimes called “the most high God.” What does this mean? Does it mean that God is high up in the sky, or that He lives above and beyond all of us down here on Earth? Well, we know from the Bible that God is everywhere. But the words “most high” refer to God’s preeminence, which means He is the greatest of all, the highest of all. God is everywhere, so He is “high” above us in that sense. But in a spiritual sense, He is higher and far above anyone or anything else. God is preeminent. He is the most high God.

But where is God in our thoughts? How do we think about Him? How important is He is our lives? Is He preeminent over all other loves and interests? Does the way we spend our time and money and energy show whether we believe God really is the most high God?

Remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Nebuchadnezzar was the king ruling over these three young men. King Nebuchadnezzar thought so highly of himself (he had so much pride) that he had an image/idol of himself set up for his people to worship in his honor. Nebuchadnezzar considered himself a god, and he expected everyone to worship him. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, however, served only the most high God. In fact, because they were true to God by not refusing to worship anyone or anything else, a whole kingdom learned about the most high God.

When their king grew angry with the three men, God saved them from dying in the fiery furnace that was their punishment. When God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Nebuchadnezzar finally realized that God is the most high. Nebuchadnezzar figured it out that he himself was not most high. When he called the three men to come out of the furnace, the king even used a phrase that shows he understood finally. He called, “Ye servants of the most high God, come forth” (Daniel 5:18).

Maybe you do not have an idol you worship like Nebuchadnezzar did, but do you ever have a problem thinking too highly of yourself? How about the pride you take in a collection or hobby that you have? Do you start to treat something else or someone else as more important than God?

God is and always will be “the most high God.” No matter where we put God in our priorities or how often we think of Him, it does not change that He is the most high God. We can trust Him. We can serve Him and obey Him and never be ashamed. Psalms 57:2 says, “I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.”

Thank the most high God today that He is all you need to be completely satisfied. You need no other gods. Lift Him up high!

God is and always will be the most high God.

My Response:
» Do I acknowledge (think of, live before) God as “the most high”?
» How can my life be a testimony to the most high God in front of the leaders and people of my community?

“And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.” (Luke 22:8-13)

If you look at verse 8 above, you see that Jesus asked Peter and John to go prepare a place where they could celebrate the Passover feast. This was the last meal Jesus would share with his twelve disciples, and it needed to be very special. He did not want a crowded place, but somewhere perfect for the occasion. On top of that, it was the day of the feast itself! Have you ever gone out to eat on an Easter Sunday or on Thanksgiving Day, only to find all the restaurant lobbies filled with people waiting to be seated?

Peter and John were entrusted with the task of finding a very special place on very short notice. If you had been in their shoes (their sandals?) you might have left immediately, all worried about having to find this special place. Instead of panicking or leaning on their own wisdom, these men actually took the time to ask Jesus what He desired. In the end, their choice was probably a great blessing to them! If they had hurried away without asking for some direction, they may have wandered the city for a long time and still not found that perfect place that had already been prepared ahead of time.

In the same way, when we have a task to accomplish, no matter how small it seems or how able we feel, we always need to seek the Lord and ask Him for directions. He does not visibly stand before us these days, like He did with Peter and John, but he is with you and will guide you if your heart’s desire is to do what He would have you do. As we see in verses 9-13, Jesus knows what He is doing. He knows all things, and He is the most wise and most able. He has plans that include you, too. Take the time to ask Him for specific directions. Do not lean on your own wisdom and strength; lean on the One Who is most wise and able to help you. Like that room God provided for the disciples’ Passover feast, you will find that God’s guidance always leads to the best thing.

God is the best Guide when we need direction.

My Response:
» When I need direction, is my first response to go to God, or do I rely on other people and things for guidance?
» How can I show that I trust God’s wisdom and strength more than my own?

“O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 136:26)

Do you know what it means to be loyal? Stella’s grandpa kept a white pony named Ginger on his farm. Whenever Stella visited Grandpa, she loved to ride Ginger around the pasture. Sometimes Stella would sit on the fence for an hour at a time talking to Ginger. When she would have to leave Ginger and go back home to the city, the pony stayed in her thoughts. Stella often drew pictures of Ginger or wrote about her in stories.

Now the truth is, Ginger was a very stubborn pony, and she was even a little bit mean at times. But if anyone ever said anything bad about her, Stella always stood up for her. She thought of Ginger as her horse. When Grandpa finally had to sell Ginger away to another farm, Stella went out to the empty pasture and found some long white hairs from her tail stuck in the fence. For years afterward, she kept that horsehair in a special little box. Her love for Ginger was loyal.

Did Ginger deserve to be loved like that? No, probably not. And neither do we. But God’s love for His people is just as loyal as that–in fact, it is even more loyal than any human love could be, because God is God. When you read the Old Testament, you can see God showing loyal love to His people, the Israelites, over and over again. He faithfully led them. He defended them against their enemies. He shared the deep thoughts and plans of His heart with them. He revealed Himself to them with wonderful miracles. He did not overlook their sin. When they broke their covenants with Him and went after idols, He always punished them. But even the punishments were signs of His loyalty. He never gave up on His people. He never “let them go.” He always drew them back. When they humbled themselves and sought Him, He mercifully restored them again to a right relationship with Him. And best of all, He sent them a Redeemer–His own dear Son, Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew word for God’s loyal love is hesed. You will often see this word in our English translations as lovingkindness or mercy. God acts the same toward His redeemed people today as He did toward His people Israel in the Old Testament days. He will never give up on His people, nor will He ever give up a good work that He has begun. He loves us with a loyal, steadfast love.

God’s love for His people is loyal and steadfast.

My Response:
» Am I loyal in my love for God?
» How can I demonstrate (show) loyalty like God’s in my relationships with my friends and family members?

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

God used Mandy’s friend Crystal to teach her the meaning of this verse. Mandy was talking to Crystal on the phone one day, and she told Crystal a lie. Mandy lied because she cared more about pleasing Crystal than about pleasing God, and because she wanted to make herself look better than she was. As soon as the lie was out of her mouth, Mandy was shocked and sorry. But she did not tell Crystal she had lied. “What would she think of me if she knew?” Mandy thought. “She might not want to be my friend anymore. I’ll just confess my sin to God. That will be enough.”

But for a few days after that, Mandy was still miserable. She could not stop thinking about the lie. Finally, she wrote Crystal a note. She told Crystal about the lie and asked her to forgive her.

When Crystal got Mandy’s note, she went out of her way to come and find her. Mandy was so ashamed to face her that she began to cry. She felt that she did not deserve to have Crystal’s friendship anymore.

Mandy will never forget what Crystal did next. She put her arm around Mandy and told her she had forgiven her. Then she reached out and wiped away one of Mandy’s tears as it fell.

Have you sinned against God? Are you ashamed and sorry? Maybe it is a sin that you have committed many times before. Maybe you feel like you just cannot face God and ask His forgiveness yet again. What must He think of you?

When we come to God with a mournful, brokenhearted spirit about our sin, God’s response to us is just like Crystal’s to Mandy–and even more wonderful, because He is God. The Bible tells us that He will never turn away a broken and a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). He will forgive us–every time we come. The blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing us from every sin (1 John 1:9). And someday, when we see God face to face, He will wipe away our tears forevermore (Revelation 21:4). That is how gracious He is.

God comforts and forgives those who are truly sorry for their sin.

My Response:
» When I sin against God, do I feel sorry and ashamed?
» Has my own attitude toward Jesus ever been rebellious?
» What do I do about my sin?

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” (Psalm 110:1)

This verse talks about God speaking to Jesus. God tells Jesus to sit and He will make His enemies a “footstool” for Him. What is a footstool? It is a thing designed to help you prop up your feet. A footstool is not a fancy piece of furniture, and it is not very costly. It gets knocked around and used a lot, because it makes people more comfortable when they are sitting down. To sit down is one thing. To sit down and prop up your feet — well, that means you are really settling in and getting comfortable! You are planning to stay there a while, and that is your place.

A footstool is great to have close by you when you sit. But why does God use a word picture of a “footstool” to describe His enemies? When you think of enemies, you really probably do not think of wanting them sticking around nearby. You do not think of enemies being nice, useful, or comfortable. Usually, they are under your skin–not under your feet! Enemies cause problems, whether they are real people or spiritual struggles. They try to mess up your plans and hurt you emotionally and physically. Why would anyone want to keep an enemy close by?

God said He would make Jesus’ enemies a “footstool” because of the idea of a footstool being low and common and completely at the service of the person using it. A footstool has no importance of its own. It is useful only if someone props his feet up on it. Basically, the image of God turning enemies into footstools is the idea of God completely conquering and humbling them, dominating them, squashing them down.

It is clear from God’s Word that Jesus has been given all authority and power. He is in control. Sometimes, we see artwork that shows a weak-looking “Jesus,” or pictures of Jesus in very humble circumstances. The truth about Jesus is that He did humble Himself, and He is a great example of humility. He submitted to His earthly parents. He washed His own disciples’ feet. He let His enemies crucify Him. And yet, He truly is the only One Who did not have to be humbled, which is why His example is so amazing to us sinful human beings. Jesus has always been, and always will be, the only One truly worthy of worship. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. The reality is that we are all in His power, and every knee will bow to Him.

Jesus has all authority and power over His enemies.

My Response:
» Do I have enemies?
» Has my own attitude toward Jesus ever been rebellious?
» Do I praise God for being the great God He is?

“And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: snd as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:2-5)

In Luke 24, Jesus had already been crucified and buried in the tomb. The people who loved Him were heartbroken. Three women went to Jesus’ tomb, only to find it empty. As they wonder what happened, two angels reminded them that Jesus had taught His disciples He would rise up again after three days. The angels told the women that Jesus was not dead anymore–He is now among the living!

When the women told this to the rest of Jesus’ disciples, they did not believe the news. Peter and John ran to the tomb, and they also found it empty. They believed, but they were still very confused about what had really happened and where Jesus was if He was not in His grave!

A couple days later, two other followers of Jesus were walking along on a road with a stranger who had joined them. They did not realize it at first, but it turned out that the stranger was Jesus Himself, and He preached to them a message that showed the Gospel story from the Old Testament until His resurrection. Imagine how it would be if Jesus Himself came and talked over the Gospel with you, with His scarred hands and feet and all His knowledge of the Scriptures!

It was not until later that the men finally realized who had been walking and talking with them. In Luke 24:32, they say, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

Does your heart ever “burn within” you when you hear the Gospel story preached? If you are a believer, do you spend time thinking about what Jesus Christ’s resurrection means for you personally? Are you confused like Jesus’ disciples were at first, or have you really come to understand that Jesus is no longer dead? When we talk to Jesus and seek to know Him better, we need to remember to seek for Him among the living. He is not just a story. He is not a dead and buried historical prophet. He is God–so He is everywhere at once–and He is alive!

Jesus Christ is living, not dead! We can seek Him anytime, anywhere.

My Response:
» Do I sometimes pray or listen to preaching as though the Gospel were just a pretend story?
» What habits would I change if I really believed and acted like God is alive and everywhere?
» How can remembering that Jesus has power over death help me be brave in fighting sin and sharing the Gospel?