Bible Reading: Luke 14:16-24

"So are you coming with me to our church youth retreat next weekend?" Molly asked her friend Addison one day.

"No, my parents are going to the college football game," replied Addison. "I think I'll go with them."

Molly frowned. "But everyone's going on the youth retreat. It'll be so much fun! Why don't you come?"

"I don't have the right clothes for it," said Addison.

"Oh, you do too!" said Molly. "All you need is jeans and a T-shirt."

Addison shrugged. "It costs too much."

"You know that's not true! Like I told you, some of the families in the church offered to sponsor the whole group, so it won't cost you a thing." But in spite of Molly's best efforts to persuade her friend to go to the retreat, Addison stubbornly refused.

After Bible club the next week, Addison was quiet as she and Molly waited for their parents to pick them up. "I don't get it," said Addison suddenly. "It seems like every time I go to Bible club, Miss Ellis tells us we need Jesus to save us from sin. I don't think I've done anything all that bad."

"But the Bible says sin separates us from God, so all the wrong things you've done have to be forgiven," said Molly. "Even if they don't seem that big to you."

"Maybe so," said Addison with a shrug. "But Miss Ellis said that Jesus paid the price for everyone to be forgiven and go to heaven. So the price is paid, right? I don't need to worry about it."

Molly hesitated. "Remember the retreat last weekend?" she asked.

Addison sighed. "Yeah. I didn't go, but it sounds like you guys had a lot of fun. Now I wish I'd gone, but I was worried there'd be a lot of people I didn't know, so I made up a bunch of dumb excuses."

"Well, you could have gone," said Molly. "The price was paid for you to go, but you refused to accept the offer. It's like that with being saved too. Jesus paid the price for your sins to be forgiven so you could spend eternity with Him, but unless you accept the gift He offers, you don't get to go."

Addison was quiet. "I guess I need to accept the offer then," she finally said.

-Hazel W. Marett

How About You?
Have you accepted God's offer to save you from sin so you can live with Him forever? Or do you say things like, "I'll think about it," or "I want to do some fun things first"? Jesus paid the price for you to have your sins forgiven, but you must accept the free gift of eternal life He offers. Stop making excuses. Accept God's offer today! (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)

Today's Key Verse:
"Come now, let's settle this," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow." (NLT) (Isaiah 1:18)

Today's Key Thought:
Accept God's offer of salvation

Bible Reading: Psalms 25:4-5; 143:5-8

Liliana let out a long sigh as she closed her four-year-old sister's bedroom door.

"Whew! I went in to say goodnight to Emma while Mom was getting her ready for bed, but I barely even got to say it! Emma was talking non-stop."

Liliana's brother Milo laughed. "Whenever I talk to her, I feel like all I can say is 'mmm' and 'oh' every once in a while. Did she ask about your field trip to the pumpkin patch today?"

"She did, but before I could answer her, she started talking about something else, and I never got a chance to tell her I brought her back a pumpkin." Liliana giggled. "In our social studies class, we had a lesson on communication, and Mrs. Butler emphasized that it's a two-way thing! Emma must not have figured that out yet, because she just talks and talks."

"She'll learn as she gets older," said Dad. "Though I guess we're all like that sometimes."

Milo and Liliana shook their heads. "Not me!" they said at the same time.

"What about the way we communicate with God?" asked Dad. "Don't we spend most if not all of our time with God telling Him what's going on in our lives, pouring out our problems, and asking Him for things we need or want?"

"But that's what prayer is," said Liliana. "It's talking to God."

"Yes, and spending time in prayer is important. But we also need to spend time being quiet and hearing what God says to us. For instance, if you ask God what you should do about a problem you're facing, shouldn't you stop and listen for His answer?"

"But God doesn't actually talk to us, does He?" asked Milo. "I mean, we don't hear a voice or anything."

"He doesn't talk in a voice like mine, but He speaks to us through the Bible, and Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to help us hear His voice and understand what the Bible says. As we read it and meditate on it, He often quietly impresses on our hearts and minds promises found in His Word and principles He wants us to follow. Just like conversations with other people shouldn't be one-sided, the time we spend with God should include listening to what He has to say."

-Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
Do you spend most of your time with God pouring out all your problems and worries? God cares about what's going on in your life and wants you to bring your needs and concerns to Him in prayer. But He also wants to speak to you through the Bible. He has things to tell you, and you won't hear them if you don't stop and listen to what He has to say. So keep talking to God, but also spend time quietly reflecting on the truth of His Word.

Today's Key Verse:
Be still, and know that I am God. (NKJV) (Psalm 46:10)

Today's Key Thought:
Listen to God

Bible Reading: Psalm 19:7-11; John 14:26

Lydia ran into the house waving a paper she'd brought from school. "Guess what? Miss Peterson gave us an assignment to do!" she said, out of breath with excitement. "Her projects are always so much fun!"

Mom smiled. She was used to hearing about Miss Peterson. Lydia liked her teacher very much and talked about her constantly.

"Miss Peterson gave us these pictures of birds, and we have to look them up online and color them in with the right colors," said Lydia. "I love coloring! I'm so glad I got her for a teacher this year. She's just perfect!"

Lydia pulled out her laptop and started coloring in the birds. But when she came to one of the pictures, she was confused. The bird Miss Peterson had labeled blue jay didn't look like the blue jays she found online. Lydia took the problem to her mother. "Can you help me, Mom? Where can I find this kind of blue jay?"

"I think Miss Peterson labeled this wrong," Mom said after looking at the picture. "This isn't a blue jay."

But Lydia shook her head. "Miss Peterson knows birds!" she insisted. "And she said this is a blue jay."

"Just leave it then," said Mom. "You can ask her about it tomorrow."

When Lydia came home the next day, she got out her bird homework again. "Miss Peterson did write down the wrong name," she told Mom. "This is a bluebird, not a blue jay." Lydia sighed. "Maybe she's not perfect--but she's still a really great teacher!"

Mom nodded. "Yes, and I'm glad you like her so much." After a moment she asked, "Do you know who the only perfect teacher is? The only one who never makes a mistake?" Lydia looked puzzled and shook her head. "It's God," said Mom. "When He tells us something, we know for sure it's right. He teaches us through His Word, the Bible, and He gives Christians the Holy Spirit to help us understand the truth of His Word and guide us in how to live our lives as followers of Jesus."

"I never thought of God as my teacher," Lydia said. "But I guess He'd be the best teacher of all!"

-Carolyn E. Yost

How About You?
Do you know anyone who never makes a mistake? Every human being makes mistakes--even the best teachers, pastors, parents, and friends. But God is perfect, and when He says something, you can be sure it's true. He teaches us truth through His Word, the Bible, and guides us in how to live our lives. As you read and study the Bible and listen to what God is telling you, you'll be learning from the greatest teacher there is!

Today's Key Verse:
As for God, His way is perfect. (NKJV) (2 Samuel 22:31)

Today's Key Thought:
Only God is perfect

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:17-24, 32

Diego watched as Lucas walked around the picnic table on stilts and then jumped to the ground. "Wanna try?" asked Lucas. He held the stilts while his cousin climbed up on the picnic table to get on them. "You have to use your arms to help your legs take steps," said Lucas. "Kinda like you're a puppet pulling your own strings."

When Lucas let go of the stilts, they went flying from under Diego's feet. One crashed sideways, smacking Lucas on the side of the head. Mean, angry words exploded from his mouth as he winced in pain and grabbed his head with his hands.

Diego stared at his cousin in surprise. "I didn't mean to hit you with the stilts. I'm sorry."

Lucas sighed. "It's okay. I shouldn't have lost my temper and called you that. I'm sorry too. Here, I'll help you get started again."

Diego wobbled dangerously when Lucas let go of the stilts, but before long he was able to keep his balance for quite a few steps at a time. "Look, Mom!" he said proudly when she came out to watch. "I'm walking on stilts!"

After Lucas left to go home, Diego turned to his mom. "Do you think Lucas really meant it when he said he trusted Jesus to forgive him and save him at church last month? When I fell and one of the stilts hit him, he got mad and called me a mean name just like he used to."

"Well, think about walking on stilts, Diego," said Mom. "You had to go carefully and think about each step, otherwise you'd fall. That's what we all have to do as Christians. We need to go carefully and think about the steps we take in life. When we're not careful, it's easy for us to fall back into old habits instead of walking the new way Jesus teaches us to walk."

"Well, Lucas did apologize," said Diego. "That's new for him."

"We all fall in our Christian lives sometimes," said Mom. "But Jesus forgives us and helps us back up. We need to remind each other of that and help each other. You can encourage Lucas in his Christian walk by being patient and forgiving."

"Okay," said Diego. "I'll do what I can to help him in his walk with Jesus."

-Catherine Runyon

How About You?
Are you patient with other Christians? Or are you quick to point out their faults? Remember that we all stumble and fall in our Christian lives sometimes, but Jesus forgives us and patiently helps us walk with Him. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to support and encourage one another as we walk through life. Be patient with other Christians and encourage them as we all learn to leave old habits behind and walk in a new way.

Today's Key Verse:
Walk worthy of the calling you have received…with patience, bearing with one another in love. (CSB) (Ephesians 4:1-2)

Today's Key Thought:
Encourage other Christians

Bible Reading: Matthew 25:34-40; James 2:14-17

"Dad, can you pass the gravy, please?" said Noelle as she plopped a heaping serving of mashed potatoes on her plate. Mashed potatoes and gravy were one of her favorite side dishes, along with pumpkin pie, which was also on the table.

Dad handed her the white pitcher. "You sure do like mashed potatoes."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Noelle said as she poured the creamy gravy on her potatoes.

"Save some for me," Dad said with a laugh.

Noelle set the pitcher of gravy back on the table. "I miss Mom."

"I do too," Dad said. "But we should be thankful she was able to go and help Aunt Dawn for a while after her surgery. It'd be hard for Uncle Tim to do it all by himself."

"I'm glad the operation went well," said Noelle. "I love Aunt Dawn."

"And you've really helped get things done while Mom is away," said Dad. "It sure is nice to have the extra help around here, just like it is for Aunt Dawn to have Mom's extra help."

"It's kind of like having extra gravy for mashed potatoes," said Noelle.

"What do you mean?" asked Dad.

"Well, it's not like you have to have it--mashed potatoes would be okay if you didn't. But it makes them taste so much better. Just like Mom helping Aunt Dawn--it makes things easier even though Aunt Dawn could have managed with just Uncle Tim's help."

"And you have made things better for us around here," said Dad. "We would have managed even if you hadn't worked harder, but I'm so pleased that you did." Dad smiled at Noelle. "You know, the Bible says that a willingness and desire to help others points to the fact that we belong to Jesus. Because we know Him as our Savior, we have the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with His love. And both you and Mom have shown that love through your actions this week."

Dad got up and went into the kitchen to do the dishes, and Noelle followed.

"I'll help," Noelle said as she began clearing the table.

"Well, I'd sure like the extra help," said Dad. "And it means much more to me than a little extra gravy on mashed potatoes!"

-Sharon Lee Roberts

How About You?
Have you ever given extra help to someone who needed it? Maybe you visited someone who was sick or helped a neighbor with yardwork. Perhaps your family has experienced a situation when you needed help from someone else. One of the ways God shows His love to people is through Christians who demonstrate the kind of love Jesus has for us. Who can you show God's love to with some extra help today?

Today's Key Verse:
Truly I [Jesus] tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (NIV) (Matthew 25:40)

Today's Key Thought:
Show God's love by helping others