Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-15

Carter helped his older brother Nate pull and heave their boat to the water's edge. Then Nate looked over the items in the boat. "Fishing poles, net, tackle box. I think we're ready." The boys jumped in the boat and headed for the other side of the lake.

"What color lure should I use?" asked Carter as he looked at the rows of colorful fishing lures in the tackle box. "There's green, pink, blue, and yellow twisty tales. I'll try this bright pink one. I want to catch a big trout."

Carter cast out his line in hopes of a bite. He settled back in his seat, enjoying the rocking of the boat.

"I have a fish!" he yelled a while later. He started reeling his line. The fish fought and struggled, but Carter soon had his first fish in the boat.

"Look at that big trout!" said Nate. "Pink must be the color to use."

Carter grinned and threw his line back in. A few minutes later his pole jerked again. "It's another one," he said excitedly, scooting to the edge of his seat. He reeled his line as fast as he could, but this time he heard a sickening snap.

"My line broke!" he wailed. "It was a big one too. Maybe I can still get it."

Soon his line was back in the water with another pink twisty tale. Both boys sat quietly and waited.

"You know," said Nate, breaking the silence. "Fishing reminds me of our spiritual lives. We use bright colors hoping the fish will notice our lures and bite. The fish think it's a tasty worm, but it's really only a plastic lure with a hook. They don't know there's a hook until they bite, and then it's too late."

"Unless the line breaks," Carter said with a laugh.

Nate grinned. "That's how sin is. It looks attractive, but once we bite, we find out how much of a mess it makes. That's why we need to remember that Jesus freed us from sin and trust Him to help us resist its bright lure."

Carter nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good lesson." Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Now I just need to give you a lesson on how to catch fish!"

–Kristi Yutzy

How About You?
Has something ever looked good to you, even though you knew it would be wrong? Cheating to get a good grade, stealing money to buy something nice, or lying so you don't get in trouble are some of sin's bright lures that tempt us. Don't believe those lies. Sin is always harmful--that's why Jesus died to free us from its hold over us. Trust Him to help you resist sin's temptation.

Today's Key Verse:
God is faithful…when you are tempted, He will make a way for you to keep from falling into sin. (NLV) (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Today's Key Thought:
Be aware of sin's bright lures


Bible Reading: John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:20-21

Charlotte was sitting on the couch doing homework when her little brother, Georgie, came bounding into the room. "Incoming!" he shouted as he leapt onto the couch, right into her lap.

"Georgie! Get off me!" shouted Charlotte and she pushed him away. Georgie fell off the couch and started to cry.

Mom came into the room. "What did you do, Charlotte?" she asked.

"Nothing!" replied Charlotte. "He's the one who jumped on me, and look! He ripped the page of my textbook! I always get blamed for everything." She stomped to her room and slammed the door behind her.

A little while later, Mom paid her a visit. "What's going on, Charlotte? Why are you so angry at your brother?" she asked softly.

"He's so annoying!" Charlotte exclaimed. "And he never leaves me alone."

"You know that's because he loves you, don't you?" said Mom.

"Well, I don't love him," said Charlotte flatly.

"You may not always like what Georgie does, but you can still love him," said Mom. "Love isn't a feeling, Charlotte, it's a choice. As Christians, we choose to love others because God loved us first and sent Jesus to save us from sin. Because of Him, you can choose to act in a loving way toward your brother, even if you don't feel like it."

Later that day, Charlotte was reading in a chair on the driveway while Georgie rode his bike. "Look at me, Charlotte!" he shouted as he raced around. Charlotte ignored him. She was still mad.

Suddenly, Charlotte heard the squeal of tires as a car rounded the bend too fast. Georgie was headed right for the road! Charlotte jumped up, ran down the driveway, and pushed Georgie off his bike and into the grass. The speeding car went up onto the curb and hit their mailbox. Charlotte scooped her startled brother into her arms and buried her face in his hair. Her heart was beating wildly.

That evening, Georgie told their dad all about the day's excitement. "Charlotte saved me, Daddy!" he exclaimed as he hugged Charlotte's legs.

Mom gently embraced them both. "Thank you for choosing love, Charlotte," she whispered and gave them each a kiss.

–Laura Kuehn

How About You?
Do you ever have a hard time getting along with your brothers and sisters? Do you sometimes get angry with your parents or your friends? If you know Jesus, you can choose to act in a loving way toward others, no matter how you might feel. Because He loves us, we can love others. Choose to love, even when you don't feel like it.

Today's Key Verse:
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (NKJV) (1 John 4:11)

Today's Key Thought:
Choose to love others

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:26-32

Willa was so upset at her sister Margot. All week long she'd been using Willa's things without asking, and today she had taken one of Willa's best shirts and worn it to school. As she walked into the house, Willa felt like her temper was about to explode. She slammed her backpack down on a kitchen chair, and it tumbled to the floor. Willa let out an exasperated scream.

"Willa, please sit down and cool off," Mom said. She poured two glasses of lemonade and sat down next to her. "Did I ever tell you about the summer my friend Carolee and I rented a small cottage by the lake for a week?" Mom asked.

Willa sniffed. "No, but that sounds like it would be fun."

Mom nodded. "It was great--until we decided to bake cookies one day. I opened the oven of the old gas stove while Carolee lit a match. It didn't light right away, but then, all of a sudden…WHOOSH! A bright yellow flash lit up the whole oven."

"Were you hurt?" asked Willa, wide-eyed.

"We both had deep burns." Mom rolled up her sleeve and pointed at a pink scar on her forearm. "We learned later that the oven hadn't been used for a long time, and little by little, dirt had clogged the gas line. When the gas forced its way through, it came with a rush and caused an explosion." Mom sipped her lemonade. "Do you know why I told you this story?"

Willa studied her fingernails. "Because my temper exploded?"

Mom nodded. "Anger we allow to build up in our lives will eventually cause an explosion. But when we recognize our emotions and surrender them to Jesus, He will help us deal with our anger. He always forgives us when we act out of anger and will help us forgive others."

Willa sighed. "But Margot makes me so mad sometimes!"

"I know. I'm not saying you should never feel upset with anyone, because that's impossible. Just remember that Jesus understands how you feel. He loves you and wants to help you work things out."

Willa didn't want her anger to explode again. "Do you think you can help me talk to Margot and fix it?" She looked up and saw a smile on her mom's face.

–Nance E. Keyes

How About You?
Have you lost your temper before? Do you let your angry feelings build until you feel like you're going to burst? When you feel upset, pray right away. Share your angry feelings with Jesus, and trust Him to give you peace and self-control. With His help, you can learn to work out conflicts in a forgiving, loving manner. If your anger feels overwhelming, ask an adult for help too.

Today's Key Verse:
"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. (NIV) (Ephesians 4:26 )

Today's Key Thought:
Give your difficult feelings to God

Bible Reading: Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 121; Colossians 1:15-16

Maia was excited! She and her dad were going on an all-day excursion to the city zoo. "I love watching all the animals, but the penguins are my favorites," she said. "They look so funny strutting around on land, and it's even more fun to watch them swim. They look like they're flying underwater!" Whenever she went swimming herself, Maia would try to imitate the smooth, flowing motions of the birds.

At the zoo, a guide explained how the penguin room was kept cold so the birds would be comfortable. "Otherwise," he said, "the birds would get sick and possibly even die from the change of climate." Maia listened eagerly as he described a number of other special things that were done to keep the penguins comfortable and healthy.

That evening for devotions, Dad read Psalm 121. "How do these verses remind you of those penguins?" he asked after reading the psalm. "Remember how careful the zookeepers are in taking care of them?"

Maia nodded. "They make sure they get the foods they need, and they keep the room at the right temperature and even have special lights for them! The zookeepers know how to keep the conditions just right so the penguins won't get sick."

"Yes, and this psalm reminds me that God does the same thing for us," said Dad. "The Bible explains how God not only created our world with the conditions perfect for life but sustains it, meaning He controls everything and watches over us. The zookeepers don't just put the penguins in a tank and leave them be--they monitor them with care and loving attention."

"So God takes care of us, just like the zookeepers take care of the penguins," said Maia. "I think one of the verses in that psalm says God is our keeper, doesn't it?"

Dad nodded. "God is in control of both our physical environment and all the situations that affect our lives. He is a good and loving keeper who gives us all we need--including forgiveness, peace, and eternal life--through His Son, Jesus. Even when hard things happen, we can trust that God will work everything out for our good."

"Yeah," said Maia thoughtfully. Then a smile spread across her face. "I think we should go to the zoo more often to remind ourselves of that!"

–Deborah S. Marett

How About You?
Did you know that God is your keeper who watches over you day by day? He's the one who provides the air you breathe, the food and water you need, and the type of environment where you can survive. He also provides for all your spiritual needs through His Son, Jesus, who died for your sins so you could live with Him forever. Trust Him to care for you and work everything in your life out for good.

Today's Key Verse:
The Lord is your keeper…The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. (NKJV) (Psalm 121:5, 8)

Today's Key Thought:
God is your keeper

Bible Reading: Romans 6:5-7; Galatians 2:19-21

"You're so funny!" Shiloh laughed as his grandpa juggled three strawberries then caught one in his mouth. "Was he always like this, Dad?"

The two men looked at each other before Grandpa shook his head. "I wasn't a very good person when your dad was growing up."

Shiloh turned to his dad, expecting him to argue and say that Grandpa was just being humble. Dad didn't speak up though, just continued pouring cream into the bowl in front of him.

"The way that I was, and the way that I changed…" Grandpa handed Shiloh a strawberry. "It shows the power of God and how He can change anyone." Grandpa looked to Shiloh's dad, who was holding a whisk. "Look in that bowl, Shiloh."

He did, and he saw a whole lot of liquid. It looked like milk, but thicker.

"Start mixing," Grandpa told Dad. He put a hand on Shiloh's shoulder as Dad began whisking the liquid. "Once I trusted in Jesus to save me, I started to see that I needed to change my life. I saw all the things I was doing that were really selfish and how your dad needed me to be better."

Shiloh frowned. "You've always been nice to me. I only remember you being funny and kind and a good guy."

"Thank you." Grandpa chuckled. "I don't know if that's necessarily true, but thank you. It's all because of God." Grandpa pointed to the bowl in front of Dad. "Look at that!"

Shiloh looked and saw that the cream in the bowl was now thick and fluffy.

"Your dad transformed that cream into something else completely," Grandpa said. "Pouring liquid cream over these strawberries wouldn't be any good, but just wait until he serves them with that whipped cream after dinner--you're going to love it! And through the power of the Holy Spirit, who came into my life when I trusted in Jesus, God transformed me and made me into something different altogether. I feel bad that your dad only knew a worse version of me when he was young, but I'm thankful that God showed me grace."

Dad put an arm around Grandpa. "He shows grace to all of us."

–Emily Acker

How About You?
Do you believe that God can change lives? Have you seen Him change someone you know--maybe a parent, a sibling, or a friend? Has He changed your life? The Bible says that when we trust in Jesus, our old, sinful selves die with Him on the cross and we become new people who have His Spirit living in us. If you haven't yet trusted in Jesus, do it today, and He will transform you. (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:
We know that our old life, our old sinful self, was nailed to the cross with Christ. And so the power of sin that held us was destroyed. (NLV) (Romans 6:6)

Today's Key Thought:
God can change lives