Bible Reading: Romans 3:21-24

Several old picture albums and many loose photographs were scattered over the living room floor. "I'd like to rearrange our albums with captions above the pictures," explained Mom when Greta and Marnie asked what she was doing. "You can sort these photos and see if you can come up with something to write about them."

"Okay." Greta reached for a picture. "'Lifeguard blows whistle at Marnie' will be great for this one. This was the time we were at the beach and the lifeguard yelled at you for disobeying the rules, Marnie. Remember?"

Marnie rolled her eyes and picked up another photo. "Look at this picture of our Thanksgiving dinner last year. The food looks yummy!"

"The caption for that could say, 'Give thanks for food--if there's any left,'" said Greta with a grin. "I remember you tried to grab the gravy before anyone else and it splattered all over the floor." She picked up another photo and laughed. "Look at this one, Marnie. You're pouting in this snapshot. We could call it--"

"Will you stop bringing up all the bad things I've done!" Marnie said angrily. "You're no angel yourself, you know. In fact, you can really be a pain sometimes!"

"Well, none of these pictures remind you of bad things about me," Greta said smugly.

"That's because you're two-faced. You smile for the camera so everyone thinks you're so sweet and good, and then you do something bad when no one's looking!"

Mom picked up two photos. "In these pictures I see not one but two sinful little girls."

"Mom! Those are our baby pictures," said Greta. "You can't find anything bad about a baby."

"You look sweet enough," Mom agreed. "But every single baby is born a sinner--no one is better than anyone else. The Bible says we're all sinners from the moment we're born." She looked at the girls. "It doesn't matter what you see in any of these pictures--the Bible is the only thing you need to look at to know you're both sinners. But the Bible is also a picture of God's love for you. Jesus died for our sins so we could be saved, and He doesn't take snapshots of the bad things we do. Whenever we do something wrong, we can confess our sin and He will forgive us."

–Nance E. Keyes

How About You?
Do you ever think you're not as sinful as someone else? The Bible says we're all equally sinful--we've all chosen to follow our selfish hearts instead of doing what is good. But sin can be forgiven through Jesus Christ, who died to take the punishment we deserve. Have you admitted that you're a sinner and trusted Jesus to forgive you? If not, do it 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:
There is no one who does what is good, not even one. (CSB) (Romans 3:12)

Today's Key Thought:
Everyone has sinned

Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-10

One day when Nathan and his dad were shopping, an elderly man walked up to them. "Excuse me," the man said. "My name is Bill Cook. I've been watching the two of you, and I can't help but notice how much both of you look like someone I went to school with years ago. His name was Nathan Nobel. Are you related to him?"

"That's my name, and my dad's too!" Nathan grinned. "Dad is Nathan Nobel Jr., and I'm Nathan Nobel the third," he added proudly. "But you look too old to have been in school with my dad."

The two men laughed. "Nathan, I think this gentleman is talking about your grandfather," explained Dad.

Mr. Cook nodded. "I just knew you must be related," he said after they had talked a few minutes. "Your boy here, with his red hair and freckles, looks very much like Nate did in grammar school. You both walk and talk like him too."

After Mr. Cook left, Dad smiled at Nathan. "I consider it a real compliment to have been recognized as my father's son," he said. "I've always admired my dad very much, and I guess I've copied his ways more than I realized. I'm really proud to be just like Dad."

"Yeah--that was amazing!" Nathan said. "Mr. Cook hasn't seen Grandpa in years, and yet he recognized how much we were like him."

Dad looked at him thoughtfully. "There's someone else we should be like, Nathan," he said. "The Bible says we should be imitators of God. People watch our actions and hear our words, and they should be able to tell that God is our Father."

"But God is perfect, and He can do all kinds of miracles," Nathan pointed out. "We can't be exactly like Him."

"That's true," said Dad. "But if we remember that we're God's children and that He's given us the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and make us more like Jesus, it will help us show His love, forgiveness, and kindness to others. Then some people will say, 'There goes a child of God.'"

–Mary Rose Pearson

How About You?
Have you ever been told that you look, sound, or act like one of your parents? Can people also tell by watching you that you're a child of God? If you do and say the same things Jesus would if He were on earth today, others will recognize you as one of God's children. Trust Him to help you show others the love of Jesus so they will be able to tell that you are God's child.

Today's Key Verse:
Be imitators of God as dear children. (NKJV) (Ephesians 5:1)

Today's Key Thought:
Be like your heavenly Father

Bible Reading: Psalm 104:24-31; 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Sara! Lauren!" Mom said as she walked into the twins' bedroom. "Mimi called and said the baby chicks are going to be hatching in a couple days. She invited you both to the farm for the weekend."

Sara and Lauren jumped up and down with excitement. They loved going out to Mimi and Pop's farm. "I can't wait to see the baby chicks hatch!" Sara said.

When the twins arrived at their grandparents' farm that weekend, they eagerly followed Mimi and Pop to the barn to see the incubator set up in the feed room. When they looked inside it, Sara and Lauren counted twelve eggs.

"The eggs have to sit in the incubator for twenty-one days and then the chicks will begin to hatch," Pop explained. "Tomorrow will be twenty-one days."

"We'll get up early tomorrow and see if any of the chicks have started hatching," Mimi said.

The next morning after breakfast, the twins took off for the barn with Mimi following behind them. Pop was already out feeding some of the animals and met them at the gate.

"Good morning! Are you ready to watch some chicks hatch?" he asked.

"Yes!" the twins yelled.

Lauren and Sara peeked inside the incubator. They could hear soft peeping noises, and some of the eggs were starting to move. Before long, they saw a few little beaks and then little wet heads peeking out.

It took several hours, but by the time the twins and their grandparents had finished dinner, all the chicks had hatched. Once the chicks had fully dried off, Pop removed them from the incubator and placed them in a little pen so Sara and Lauren could hold them.

"Isn't God's creation wonderful?" said Mimi. "Whenever I see new life, I'm reminded of Psalm 104:24, which says, 'O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.'"

"I sure am glad God made little chicks," Lauren said as she gently ran a finger over the baby chick in her hand.

"Me too," said Sara. "They're so cute!"

Mimi smiled. "I'm glad God made us too--and gives us new life through Jesus."

–Lisa Fuller

How About You?
Have you ever stopped and really looked at God's wonderful creation? Next time you take a walk in nature, take time to notice how beautifully God made everything. He cares about His creation--especially you! He created you, and Jesus died and rose again to save you and give you new life. Let the amazing world and creatures He's created remind you of His love.

Today's Key Verse:
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. (NLT) (Psalm 19:1)

Today's Key Thought:
God made everything

Bible Reading: Isaiah 53:5-6; 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9

After placing dishes full of fragrant food on the table, Sunita sat down and sighed. "What's wrong, my love?" Mummy asked after they thanked God for their meal.

"Last week I made a plan to do a good deed every day. Or at least not a bad one. I wrote myself a note to remind me," Sunita explained.

"That's nice, but why do you look gloomy?" Mummy asked.

"Because it's the end of the day, and I haven't done a good deed. And I got mad at my friends playing cricket today. I yelled at Anaya and said that I was leaving if I didn't get a turn as the wicketkeeper." Sunita's chin trembled. "I couldn't keep my plan for even one week!"

Mummy scooped a serving of chicken tikka masala onto Sunita's plate. Then she took her daughter's hands in her own. "Sunita, remember last summer when you gave your life to Jesus?"

Sunita nodded. "Yes, I wanted to be right with God, so I confessed that I'm a sinner and asked Jesus to forgive me. Because He died for me. But why do you ask?"

"Why did Jesus die for you, my dear?" Mummy asked.

"Because somebody had to pay for my sins. Jesus died in my place so I can have eternal life."

"That's right, Sunita! We can't keep our own standards, as you have seen. And we certainly can't keep God's standards. That's why we need Jesus. We cannot pay for our wrongs by doing good deeds or by avoiding bad ones. The only way we can have a relationship with God is to receive the gift of forgiveness through His Son."

Sunita took a bite of food and smiled. "So, even if I miss a day of good deeds, or get angry at my friends, I'll still have God's forgiveness?"

"Yes, once we have trusted in Jesus for forgiveness, we don't lose it," Mummy assured her. "We will still do wrong things, but He will always forgive our wrongs, and He'll also help us do good things that show others His love. But our good deeds don't to anything to make us right with God--Jesus did that for us."

"I'll write another note," Sunita announced. "It will remind me to do good deeds--but to remember that Jesus did the best one of all."

–Allison Wilson Lee

How About You?
Do you wonder if you've done enough good works to please God or fear you have too many sins for Him to forgive? Forgiveness and eternal life come only through Jesus, who died to take the punishment for all our sins. We can't earn forgiveness by doing nice things or avoiding bad choices. Knowing God is a gift that becomes ours when we accept it by trusting in Jesus. (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:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (NIV) (Ephesians 2:8)

Today's Key Thought:
Forgiveness comes only through Jesus

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"We're harvesting tomatoes today!" Aunt Micki said when Landon and Baleigh arrived. She handed them each a basket. "Be careful to only pick the red ones--the green ones aren't ready yet."

Baleigh was excited to help in the garden, but Landon sighed as he started picking tomatoes. He'd wanted to stay home by himself while his parents were gone for the day, but they'd said no.

Landon looked over at his sister. "Baleigh," he exclaimed, "don't pick the green ones!"

"Let's see, Baleigh," Aunt Micki said as she came to look at what the youngest had picked. "Hmm…those tomatoes are too green. But that's okay. With a little TLC, we'll still be able to use them."

"What's TLC?" Landon asked.

"TLC is tender, loving care. Come on inside and I'll show you!" Aunt Micki led them into the house. "Baleigh, bring me a paper bag from the hall closet."

Aunt Micki placed Baleigh's tomatoes in the bag and closed the top. "After being in this closed bag for a few days, these tomatoes will ripen," she explained. "Without it they wouldn't continue to ripen and would never taste good."

Aunt Micki looked at Landon. "That's true with our lives too," she said. "I know it's hard to wait to do more grown-up things sometimes, but you're not ready for them yet. When we try to do them too soon, we can miss out on some of the blessings and growth we would have had along the way. God wants us to wait for the right time to do things, and for kids that means listening to your parents and doing what they say--they know when it might be too soon for you to do something."

"But you're going to be able to use these tomatoes after they have some TLC, aren't you?" asked Baleigh.

"Yes!" said Aunt Micki. "And even when we insist on doing things our own way instead of listening to God, Jesus offers us forgiveness, and He will give us TLC to help us through the consequences our disobedience may cause. But waiting for His timing in the first place is always the best thing, just like ripening on the vine would have been best for these tomatoes."

–Myrical Barton

How About You?
Are you content to wait for some things until your parents feel you are ready? Or do you wish they'd let you do them now? Don't try to grow up too quickly. Just like tomatoes need time to grow before being harvested, you need time to grow before you do certain things. Ask God to help you be content with the things you can do now, knowing you can trust His tender, loving care.

Today's Key Verse:
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (NKJV) (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Today's Key Thought:
Wait for God's timing