Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

• No Greater Joy

  Read: Matthew 2:9-11 The Ravens were up by one in the championship game of the winter league basketball tournament when the scoreboard buzzed. The game was over! All the guys huddled around their star player, Bryson Phillips, who scored 28 of their 62 points. On the car ride home, Bryson couldn’t stop looking at his Most Valuable Player trophy. “This is the best day of my life!” he told his dad. Suddenly a bird swooped down in front of their car. “Watch it!” yelled Bryson. Dad tried to swerve, but it was too late. The car hit the bird head-on, and it instantly fell to the ground. Dad pulled over. Bryson raced out and knelt beside the bird. “Is it still alive?” “I’m afraid not,” said Dad. As they continued driving, Bryson set his trophy aside and peered out the window. He thought of his friend Alex. It had been over a year since Alex had passed away from cancer. It had taken him and his family by surprise—one day Alex was fine, and then suddenly, he was gone. Just like that bird getting hit by our car, Bryson thought. “Are you okay?” asked Dad. Bryson looked at the trophy in the seat next to him. “All of a sudden this trophy seems kind of worthless,” he said. “I’d give it back in a heartbeat—along with every Raven basketball victory—if it meant getting Alex back.” Dad sighed heavily. “I miss Alex too. Life is precious—more precious than anything we earn or receive on this earth.” “Much more precious than winning basketball championships,” added Bryson. Dad nodded. “Jesus is the giver of life. That’s why He came into the world. He sacrificed His life on the cross so we could have eternal life—a life that goes beyond the years we live on earth. The joy of life with Him is better than anything else. Even when we experience difficult things—like losing Alex—we can be joyful knowing that Jesus walks with us through life’s troubles and promises us a life with Him that lasts forever.” Bryson smiled as he thought of Alex in heaven with Jesus. He picked up his trophy again. “I do like the joy of winning, but it will never come close to the joy Jesus brings.” Dad smiled. “Nothing does.” –Randy Saller How about you? What things in life give you joy? Winning a game? Spending time with family and friends? Having others recognize your accomplishments? God blesses us with many good gifts, but there’s one thing He wants us to treasure above everything else—His Son, Jesus. Only Jesus can give us life that lasts forever and joy that is unlike anything else. Today's Key Verse: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Matthew 2:10 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Rejoice in Jesus

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• Try Again

  Read: Matthew 13:18-23 When Penelope got home from school, she found Grandpa on his knees in the garden. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Planting vegetables,” replied Grandpa. He grinned. “Aren’t you glad we live in a climate where we can grow things all year round? Nothing tastes better than vegetables fresh from the garden.” “But didn’t you plant stuff in those same rows last week?” asked Penelope. “I did, but the hard rains washed most of the seeds away.” “Oh.” Penelope picked up a pile of empty seed packets and flipped through them. “You planted radishes before, but you don’t have any now, do you?” Grandpa shook his head. “They haven’t done very well, so I’m trying something else instead. I might try them again next year.” He stood up. “Tell me about your day. You were going to ask Michaela to go to Bible club with you this week. What did she say?” Penelope sighed. “She said she’d rather go shopping with her mom.” “Well, inviting someone to do something with you is kind of like planting seeds,” Grandpa told her. “Sometimes you get good results, and sometimes you don’t.” He looked down at his garden. “In fact, your invitation to Michaela points to a much bigger invitation God offers each one of us.” “It does?” asked Penelope. “What’s that?” “His invitation to trust in His Son, Jesus, and have our sins forgiven. The Bible says telling others about His invitation is like planting seeds in a field. Some of the seeds yield good results—people believing and trusting in Jesus—but some don’t. When you invite your friends to church and Bible club where they can hear about Jesus and what He did for them, you’re planting seeds.” Grandpa smiled at Penelope. “Keep praying for Michaela and planting seeds in her life by spending time with her and sharing what Jesus has done for you. But since she doesn’t want to go to Bible club with you this time, maybe there’s someone else you could invite.” Penelope thought about it. “There’s a new family on our block with a girl my age.” Grandpa nodded. “She may need a friend,” he said. “A friend who can help her understand how much Jesus loves her.” –Margaret M. Primrose How about you? Do you give up if you tell someone about Jesus or invite them to come to church with you and they aren’t interested? Don’t give up! Keep on praying for them and showing them God’s love—and keep looking for other people you could reach out to who don’t know Jesus. God wants us to help spread the good news of Jesus by planting seeds in people’s hearts, but only He can make them grow. Keep sharing His invitation with others and trust Him with the results. Today's Key Verse: Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Keep on sharing Jesus

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• The Greatest Engineer

  Read: Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3 “Grandpa’s going to like that birdhouse you’re making for him, Tomás,” said Dad. “It looks great—but I see it’s not quite like the one pictured in your woodworking manual.” “No,” replied Tomás. “I left the perch off and made the hole smaller. This way, starlings won’t move in before the songbirds get a chance.” “Good thinking!” said Dad. “That reminds me of the model plane you made that flew twice as far after you changed the design of the wings.” Tomás grinned. “I like to make things work better. Maybe I’ll be an engineer when I grow up.” “I thought you didn’t like long trips,” said Tomás’s little sister, Liliana. “Wouldn’t you get tired of riding on a train all the time?” Tomás laughed. “I don’t mean the kind of engineer who drives trains. I mean the kind of engineer who designs things, like bridges and buildings. They don’t just get thrown together. Engineers carefully figure out how to build them so they’ll be strong and safe and work the way they’re supposed to. They draw up the plans for skyscrapers and roads and all kinds of things.” “Wow!” said Liliana. “I bet you’ll be the best engineer of all!” Tomás grinned. “Thanks!” “Actually, the best engineer of all made more than buildings and machines,” said Dad. “He designed the whole universe—the forests and the deserts. The canyons and the mountains. All the plants and animals. The sun and the moon and the stars. Even us!” “I know who that is,” said Liliana. “God!” “Right,” said Dad. “God made everything. He knew how much we’d like to watch the birds and animals, and how much we’d love climbing the mountain trails and seeing all the stars at night. He also drew up a plan to save us from sin by sending Jesus to die for us so we could be with Him and enjoy His beautiful creation forever. Aren’t you glad He created so many amazing things and carried out His wonderful plan of salvation?” Tomás nodded. “That’s an engineering job no one could ever match!” –Katherine E. Swarts How about you? Are you impressed by things people make—like big buildings and new technology? God created humans with the ability to do amazing things, but only He could engineer the whole world and all that’s in it. He also drew up a plan to provide salvation—forgiveness of sins and eternal life—by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for us. By trusting in Jesus, you can have eternal life and enjoy God and all His wonderful creation forever! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: God created everything through [Jesus], and nothing was created except through him. John 1:3 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: God engineered everything

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• When in Doubt

  Read: Luke 1:11-19, 26-38; John 20:24-29 Yamen set his pencil down with a sigh. “I can’t concentrate on schoolwork, Mom. All these doubts keep filling my mind.” Mom plopped down next to Yamen. “Like what?” “Like…stuff they taught us in science class when I was going to school last year. They made it sound like we’re just here by chance instead of being created by God. I’ve trusted Jesus as my Savior, and I believe the Bible is true, but sometimes other people sound so sure about what they believe that I doubt.” “We all have times when we doubt,” said Mom. “It’s what we do when we have doubts that matters.” “What do you mean?” asked Yamen. “Remember the story of Thomas in the Bible? After Jesus rose from the grave, He appeared to some of the disciples, but Thomas wasn’t there. When they told him they had seen the Lord, he said he wouldn’t believe until he put his fingers on Jesus’s scars.” “Then Jesus appeared to Thomas and he believed,” said Yamen. “If He appeared to me, it would make believing a whole lot easier.” “But don’t forget what Jesus told Thomas,” said Mom. “He said those who have not seen Him and still believe are blessed.” “Oh yeah, I remember! And there are other stories in the Bible of people doubting—like when an angel told that old dude he would be the father of John the Baptist, but he didn’t believe so the angel said he would be mute until the baby was born.” “Yes, that was Zechariah,” said Mom. “And when the same angel told Mary she was going to give birth to the Son of God, she didn’t understand how it would happen. But unlike Zechariah, she accepted what the angel said. Like Mary, we can still believe and trust God even when our questions are left unanswered.” “So you’re saying there will be things we don’t understand but we can trust that God is with us and for us because He sent His Son to die for us and raised Him from the dead?” Mom laughed. “You’re one smart kid! How about you be the teacher for the day?” –Savannah Coleman How about you? Do you ever have doubts about God or His Word? It is human to have questions and doubts, and God understands that. When Thomas doubted, Jesus appeared to him and showed him His scars, and He wants to help you see who He is too. Pray and ask for wisdom in understanding the truth of the Bible, and talk to a trusted adult about your questions. Even if you don’t get the answers you’re looking for, you can trust Jesus to be with you in times of doubt because He died for you. Today's Key Verse: Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 (NIV) Today's Key Thought: Bring your doubts to God

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• Presents—What’s the Point?

  Read: Romans 5:15-17 “Melanie says it doesn’t make sense that Christians give each other presents at Christmas,” Andrew told Mom on the way home from school. “She says we just use Jesus’s birthday as an excuse to be greedy like everybody else. Is she right? What makes us different from people who celebrate Christmas but don’t believe in Jesus?” “Well, tell me this,” said Mom. “Who was Jesus?” Andrew frowned. “Is this a trick question?” Mom shook her head. “Well, Jesus was God’s Son,” said Andrew. “God sent Jesus to save us from sin.” “Absolutely right,” said Mom. “And did we pay anything to receive Jesus?” “No,” said Andrew. “Jesus was a free gift.” “A free what?” “A free gif—aha! Jesus was God’s present,” said Andrew as Mom pulled into the church parking lot. “Hey, why are we at church?” “I had an idea as we were passing by,” said Mom as she opened the car door. Inside stood a giant tree covered with envelopes, each one labeled with a child’s first name and age. “Why don’t you pick three?” said Mom. “These are kids who could use some presents this Christmas.” Andrew picked the envelopes of a boy named Andrew, a girl named Ruby Jane, and then—“Melanie—and she’s my age!” exclaimed Andrew. On the way home, Andrew opened the envelopes and read the lists. “Melanie wants a new hat. When can we go shopping, Mom?” “As soon as you answer your own question. What makes Christians different, Andrew? Now do you know why we give gifts?” “I think so.” Andrew thought for a moment. “Christians give Christmas gifts because God gave us His gift. We give presents to remind each other of the best present—Jesus—and show others His love.” Weeks later at school, Andrew noticed Melanie was wearing a new hat. “I like your hat, Melanie.” “Thanks. It was a Christmas present.” Melanie smiled. “I was wrong, Andrew. I guess some Christians give presents because, well, Jesus was God’s present. At least that’s what the card that came with my hat said.” Andrew smiled. “I want to be a Christian like that.” –Kelly Carlson How about you? Did you know that when you give a Christmas present, you are pointing to Jesus? When we give gifts with generous hearts, we point others to the greatest gift of all—Jesus Christ. This Christmas, tell a friend or family member why you’re giving them a present. Tell others about Jesus, God’s greatest present to the world. Today's Key Verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the best present

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