Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Grace and Alicia got off the bus and walked to Grace's front door. "Our church is having a kids' festival on Saturday," said Grace. "We'll have crafts and food, and the high schoolers will perform a drama about Jesus's death and resurrection. You want to come?"

"Nah," said Alicia. "My parents say church is made up of people who believe in silly things. Besides, I think it's crazy to think that something that happened so long ago makes any difference in people's lives today." Alyssa quickly changed the subject. "What topic did Mr. Larsen give you for your history project? I got Armistice Day. Mr. Larsen said that was the day World War I ended. What did you get?"

"The Lusitania," said Grace. "Mr. Larsen said that was a British ship that was torpedoed right before the war. I don't know much about it, but I think my parents have a picture of it."

Grace's mom greeted them when they walked in. "Did you get your project topics today?" she asked.

"Alicia got Armistice Day, and I got the Lusitania," said Grace. "Don't you have a picture of that around here somewhere?"

"I do," Mom said. "Because you know what, Grace? If the Lusitania hadn't been destroyed by a torpedo, you wouldn't be here!"

Grace was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Your great-great-grandfather's first wife was sailing from New York to England to visit her very ill father. She was on the Lusitania and lost her life when it went down. A few years later, your great-great-grandfather married again and your great-grandmother was born, followed by my mother and then me and then you. None of us would've been here without the Lusitania sinking. Life would've been very different for our family if that event hadn't happened."

"Wow," Grace said, "I didn't know that." Then she thought of something. "Alicia, you said a long-ago event couldn't make a difference in our lives today, but that's not true! Just like the Lusitania changed lives in our family, Jesus's death and resurrection changes lives too! What He did changes everything, because now anyone can be forgiven for their sins and have a relationship with God."

"I never thought about it like that," said Alicia. "Maybe I'll go with you Saturday after all."

–Linda Weddle

How About You?
Is there a historical event that changed your family's history? What about Jesus's death and resurrection--has that made a difference in your life? If God hadn't sent His Son to die for our sins and then raised Him from the dead, we wouldn't be able to have His joy and peace in our lives and the promise of eternal life with Him. Jesus changes lives, and if you trust in Him, He will change yours today! (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Today's Key Verse:
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and…He was buried, and…He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (NKJV) (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 )

Today's Key Thought:
Jesus's death and resurrection changes lives

Bible Reading: Acts 20:17-21

"The British are coming! The British are coming!" Jacob cried as he spurred his horse past Uncle Eric and thundered through the pasture back toward the barn.

Uncle Eric soon caught up. "You must have learned about the Revolutionary War and how Paul Revere warned the colonists that enemy troops were coming," he said as they slowed the horses to a walk for the rest of the way in.

Jacob grinned and nodded. "I wish I could have lived back then. Riding at night to warn people of danger must have been really exciting!"

Uncle Eric shrugged. "Exciting, yes, but don't you think it sounds scary too? How many of us would really have dared to do that and risked getting captured?"

"I would have!" Jacob exclaimed as he dismounted and led his horse inside the barn to rub him down.

"Maybe," said Uncle Eric thoughtfully. "But we have an even more important message to share with people, yet sometimes fear keeps me from sharing it."

Jacob looked doubtful. "What do we have to tell people about?"

Uncle Eric began to rub down his horse. "God has given Christians the task of sharing His message of love with the world. We need to tell people that Jesus died and rose again to free us from sin and that the only way we can be forgiven for our wrongs and have eternal life is by trusting in Him."

"Oh!" Jacob frowned. "Won't they think we're kind of weird?"

"Do you think Paul Revere worried about what people might think when he warned them that the British were coming?" asked Uncle Eric. Jacob shook his head. "But we worry about things like that, don't we?" said Uncle Eric. "Our message is far more important than Paul Revere's, yet we often keep quiet out of fear of being embarrassed or judged. But time is short, just like it was for Paul Revere. Jesus is coming again one day to bring all those who trust in Him to live with Him forever, and no one knows when that will be. That's why we need to depend on Him to give us the courage to tell others about Him now."

Jacob latched the door shut behind his horse and got an idea. "Next time we ride, maybe I'll shout, 'Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!'"

–Jean A. Burns

How About You?
Have you ever shared the message of Jesus's love and forgiveness with someone? God wants every single person on this planet to experience His love, and He wants us to be part of His work! If you trust Jesus as your Savior, you can ask Him to give you the words to say and the opportunity to share the good news of His love with others.

Today's Key Verse:
And then [Jesus] told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." (NLT) (Mark 16:15 )

Today's Key Thought:
Share the message of Jesus

Bible Reading: Psalms 23; 139:1-6; Matthew 7:9-11

"Layla is crying again," Kiera told her aunt. "What do you think she wants this time?"

"She's probably hungry," said Aunt Michelle as she picked up her five-week-old baby.

"She can't do anything for herself, can she?" asked Kiera. "You have to pick her up and carry her. You dress her, you feed her, you rock her, and you have to give her baths."

"That's right," said Aunt Michelle. "Right now your little cousin depends on me for almost everything. I take care of her day and night."

When Kiera returned home, she told her parents all about Baby Layla. "Aunt Michelle must get really tired," said Kiera. "She has so much work to do. She does everything but breathe for that baby!"

"We were all babies like that once," Dad said. "You were too, and Mom and I did the same things for you."

"Well, I'm not like that anymore," replied Kiera, standing tall. "I take care of myself."

"I'm still like a baby in some ways," said Mom. Kiera giggled. "But I am!" Mom insisted. "I depend on my Father for everything. Sometimes I get upset because He doesn't meet my needs right when I want Him to. But most of the time I rest, trusting my Father to care for me."

"But Grandpa lives in California!" said Kiera. "You don't depend on him to take care of you."

Dad smiled. "Mom isn't talking about her earthly father. She's talking about God--her heavenly Father."

Mom nodded. "My heavenly Father is with me day and night. I need Him all the time."

"We all do," said Dad. "Aunt Michelle loves Baby Layla, so she's happy to take care of all her needs. But just think of how much more God loves us, and how much more capable He is in providing everything we need. When we needed a Savior to rescue us from sin, God loved us enough to send His own Son, Jesus."

"Right," Mom said. "Unlike human parents caring for their children, God knows what we need before we can even ask for it."

"Well, then I guess it's okay to be like a baby in that way," said Kiera. "I know I want God to take good care of me!"

–Nance E. Keyes

How About You?
Do you know that in some ways you're like a baby? Even though you're much bigger and able to do lots of things a baby can't, you still need to depend on God. He gives you the air you breathe and provides everything you need. He knows how to best care for you and understands your deepest needs and desires. Trust that He is a good Father to you--His precious child.

Today's Key Verse:
If you…know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him. (CSB) (Matthew 7:11)

Today's Key Thought:
God takes care of you

Bible Reading: Galatians 3:11-13; 4:4-7

"Mom, what does 'redeem' mean?" asked Brock.

"Redeem?" repeated Mom. "It means to buy back. Why?"

Brock pointed to a coupon in a paper. "This coupon for popsicles says it will be 'redeemed in accordance with company policy.' Does that mean somebody will buy the coupon back?"

Mom nodded. "An ice cream company put that coupon in the paper to get people to buy their popsicles. After the coupon is used at the store, the ice cream company will redeem it--they'll buy it back by giving the store the amount of money the customer saved with the coupon."

Brock's sister Madeline looked at the coupon. "I'd rather have ice cream bars," she said. "Do you think they'd let us use the coupon for that?"

"I don't think they'd allow that," Mom replied. "'Redeemed in accordance with company policy' means according to their redemption policy--their rules." She looked at the kids thoughtfully. "You know, the Bible talks about redemption too," she said.

"You mean people way back in Bible times used coupons?" asked Madeline.

Brock grinned. "I don't think so! I'm sure they didn't have coupons back then."

Mom laughed. "No, but when Jesus died on the cross, He paid the price for us to be redeemed by God. Everyone has sinned and strayed away from God, but Jesus gave His life to buy us back."

"So does that mean God has a redemption policy like this ice cream company does?" Brock asked, holding up the coupon.

"Yes," Mom said. "And that means we have to be redeemed according to God's rules. God has a pretty simple redemption policy, but people often don't want to follow it. They want to make their own rules. Many people think they're not really so bad or that the good things they do will get them into heaven."

"But that's not God's way of redeeming us, is it?" said Madeline.

"No," said Mom. "God's redemption policy requires that we confess our sin and our need for Him to redeem us. We must believe that Jesus really did die to save us. We need to trust in Him as our Redeemer--our Savior."

"I've done that!" Brock said.

"Me too," said Madeline. She looked at her brother. "So we've both been redeemed!"

– Lyndel F. Walker

How About You?
Have you taken advantage of God's redemption offer? Or are you trying to get to heaven according to your own plan? It doesn't work that way. You can only be redeemed and have eternal life with God in accordance with His redemption policy. Jesus paid the price of your redemption. Trust Him as your Redeemer today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Today's Key Verse:
In [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (NKJV) (Colossians 1:14)

Today's Key Thought:
Trust Jesus and be redeemed

Bible Reading: Ephesians 6:17

Jadyn thrust his blue foam sword at his brother's arm and shouted, "Ha! I got you."

Tyler smacked his green foam sword across Jadyn's leg and yelled back, "I hit your leg! You can't fight now."

"I don't need two legs. I will fight you to the death!" Jadyn hopped on one foot and sliced his sword down, narrowly missing Tyler's hand.

"Well, I will fight you until snack time!" Tyler swung his sword high in the air with both hands, his eyes wide with intensity.

"Snack time!" Mom called from the front porch.

The boys tossed their swords to the ground like paper airplanes taking a nose dive and scrambled to get to Mom first.

"You boys having fun?" Mom sat on the front step as she handed out the snacks. Tyler took a large bite out of his apple, while Jadyn put an entire granola bar in his mouth and chewed like a squirrel saving nuts for winter.

"We are the strongest boys on the block, and we have the best weapons!" Tyler said with apple juice running down his chin.

"Yeah, we're good fighters," Jadyn mumbled through his mouth full of granola.

"I believe it," Mom said. "But there's an even more powerful weapon than your blue and green swords. Do you know you can have the greatest weapon of all time?"

The boys' eyes bulged as they looked at each other in excitement. "Really? Where is it?" Tyler asked as he took another bite of his apple.

"Well, Ephesians 6:17 says that we have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. There isn't anything more powerful in the world than the Word of God. That's why we memorize Bible verses--to keep our sharp swords ready for use."

"I don't get it. How can words be swords?" Jadyn asked.

"Remember when you were scared last week, and we read a verse about God's peace?" asked Mom. "You felt better after that. That's God's Word going to battle for you. It reminded you that you belong to Jesus and can have His peace in any situation."

"Oh, I get it," said Tyler. "We'll be sharpening our God-swords when we do our devotions tonight!" He looked at his brother. "But now, we fight!" The boys laughed and ran to pick up their swords.

– Tannis Oliveri

How About You?
Do you want to be strong and courageous? Do you want the best weapon to help you defeat the enemies in your life? Then take time to make sure God's Word is in your heart and mind. When you feel attacked, you'll be able to bring His Word to your situation. Let its truth speak God's power into your life as you read it, study it, and remember what it says.

Today's Key Verse:
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. (NKJV) (Hebrews 4:12)

Today's Key Thought:
Read and memorize God's Word