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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
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Burdens"This is cool!” said Weston as he and some other boys from church hiked through the woods. Sometimes they walked easily along the well-beaten trail, but other times they had to scramble over fallen trees or weave their way around them.
“Hey, Lucas!” Weston called out. “Race you to that tree up there!” But as he started off he tripped on a tree root, and down he went. “Ouch!” he cried, grabbing his ankle. Their leader, Mr. Greg, hurried over as Weston got up. “I think I can walk okay,” Weston said, gingerly testing his ankle. “It doesn’t hurt too bad.”
“It’ll be easier on him if he doesn’t have to carry the extra weight of his backpack,” said Lucas. “I’ll carry it for him.”
“Me too,” chimed in several other voices.
“Thank you, boys,” said Mr. Greg. So for the rest of the hike, the boys took turns carrying Weston’s backpack.
At the end of the hike, the boys built a campfire and had a hot dog roast.
“You know,” said Mr. Greg, “what you boys did for Weston today is exactly what Jesus tells us to do for others. We all carry different responsibilities and problems in our lives, but if one of us has a load that’s too heavy, the others need to help carry it until that person is able to handle it on their own again. You helped Weston carry his backpack, and Jesus wants us to help others carry their life’s burdens. He carried our greatest burden of all—our sin—to the cross, and He offers us help and comfort whenever we’re weighed down with life’s struggles. When we help carry other people’s burdens, we show them His love. What are some ways kids like you get burdened down, and what could a friend do to help?”
After a moment, Weston spoke. “Some kids have trouble with tests,” he said. “Maybe we could offer to help them study.”
“Yeah, and we could make friends with new kids at school and invite them to church,” offered Lucas.
“We could even try to reach out to kids who aren’t always nice to us,” said Pete. “And pray for them too.”
Mr. Greg nodded. “Good suggestions,” he said. “This week, let’s see how many burdens we can help carry for others.”
- Gayle J. Thorn
So how about you?Does anyone around you have a burden you could help carry? Maybe you know someone who’s struggling with homework or who’s lonely and needs a friend. Even if you can’t help them with their problems, you can still help carry their burdens by praying for them. When we show that we care about others by helping meet their needs, we show them the love of Jesus.
Key VerseGalatians 6:2 NIV "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Key ThoughtHelp one another
Further ReadingEphesians 4:32-5:1; Philippians 2:1-4
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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
If you like them, you can subscribe to or follow the Keys for Kids podcast for free: https://keysforkids.net/kfkpodcast
Always Showing Up"It’s so snowy,” Johnny said as he looked out the school bus window. “I wonder if my mom will make it to meet the bus.”
Caden glanced at his friend. Sometimes Johnny’s mom was waiting for them when their bus got to their neighborhood, and sometimes she wasn’t. “My grandpa will be there,” said Caden.
Johnny nodded. “He always is.”
When their bus reached its first stop, a younger girl started crying. “I don’t see my aunt. She’s supposed to meet me.”
“She’s probably having trouble walking through the deep snow.” An older girl took the younger girl’s hand. “I’ll walk with you until you find her.”
Johnny watched them get off of the bus. “My grandpa knows to head out early. He’ll be waiting for me. I trust him.” Ever since he and his brother had moved in with their grandpa, he had made sure to be waiting each day when the bus came to a stop.The bus moved on, and there was drama at each stop as kids looked for the people who were supposed to walk them home. Caden relaxed against his seat. His grandpa would be there.
When they pulled up to his stop, Caden spotted his grandpa waiting with a big sled.
“Have you seen my mom?” Johnny asked when they got off the bus.
“She asked me to help you home,” Grandpa said. “She didn’t want to take your baby sister out in this weather.”
Caden climbed into the sled with his friend. “I told you he’d be here.”
They bounced their way home, and Caden put the sled away after Johnny ran to his house across the street.Inside, Caden sat down by his big brother. “Grandpa is always there. He never changes. He’s just there. Waiting.”
Cole smiled. “Kind of like Jesus, huh?” He pointed to the Bible in front of him. “I was just reading about how Jesus is the same every day. Never changing. We can trust Him because of that. He loved us enough to die for us, and He’ll always be there for us.”
“I really do trust Grandpa,” Caden said. “When someone shows up over and over again, you know they’ll do what they need to do to be there.”
Cole rubbed Caden’s head. “I’m telling you, Jesus is like that too.”- Emily Acker
So how about you?Do you have someone in your life who you trust as much as Caden trusts his grandpa? Someone who is always there when you need them? Someone who does what they say they’re going to do? Jesus is like that. He is always there for you, and that will never change. Even trustworthy people might let us down sometimes, but Jesus never will. You can always trust Him.
Key VerseHebrews 13:8 NKJV "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Key ThoughtJesus never changes.
Further ReadingJames 1:16-18
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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
If you like them, you can subscribe to or follow the Keys for Kids podcast for free: https://keysforkids.net/kfkpodcast
The Path Less Traveled“This is so much fun!” exclaimed Scarlett as she tramped along through the snow with the other kids from her church.
“Yeah,” said Ada. “This is a cool place to have a winter retreat.”
Soon they came to a fork in the path. The kids ahead of them took the path to the right. “Wait!” called Scarlett. “Mr. Bailey said to turn left at each fork, and then we’ll end up back at camp.”
The other campers hesitated. “Yeah, but look! This path on the right is full of footprints. There aren’t as many in the path to the left,” argued one of the boys. “I think we should take the one everybody else used.” Most of the kids agreed, and they all continued down the well-trodden path.
Scarlett and Ada didn’t know what to do. “Mr. Bailey said to take the fork to the left,” said Ada. “I think we should do that.”
“Me too,” said Scarlett. “Let’s at least take it for a little ways. If we don’t get back to camp soon, we can turn around and follow the other kids.” Ada nodded, and they started off.
To the girls’ delight, it wasn’t long before they arrived back at camp. They explained to Mr. Bailey why the other campers weren’t with them. He shook his head. “They’ll come to a dead end and have to turn around. I’ll send someone out on a snowmobile just to make sure they’re all right.”
During camp devotions that evening, Mr. Bailey grinned at the group. “We have some tired campers tonight,” he said. “Most of you took a longer hike than you planned because you didn’t follow the directions you were given. Instead, you followed the path many others had taken.”
He opened his Bible. “As many of you learned today, the right path is not always the popular one. God’s Word tells us that many people choose the wrong path in life. We might be tempted to follow our own selfish desires thinking it will make us happy, but the Bible says that well-worn path only leads to destruction. There’s only one way to have true joy and peace, and that’s Jesus. When we trust in Him, He walks with us along the path that leads to eternal life. Choose to follow Him, not the crowd.”
– Mary Rose Pearson
So how about you?Which path have you chosen to follow? Are you walking with Jesus down the path that leads to eternal life? Or are you going your own way? Though the world may tell us we can find our own way to happiness, the Bible says that path only leads to a dead end. Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Trust and follow Him. (To learn more, go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)
Key VerseMatthew 7:14 NIV "Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Key ThoughtFollow Jesus, not the crowd.
Further ReadingProverbs 4:10-15, 18-19; Matthew 7:13-14
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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
If you like them, you can subscribe to or follow the Keys for Kids podcast for free: https://keysforkids.net/kfkpodcast
The Smelly Cover-UpJonathan took out his dad’s aftershave lotion and rubbed some on his face before leaving the bathroom. When his mother stepped into his room a little later, she sniffed the air. “What do I smell?” she asked.
“Jonathan used Dad’s aftershave lotion,” Sophie hollered from her room across the hall. She came to the doorway. “He didn’t take a shower again.”
Mom checked the bathroom. “His towel is damp.”
“Check the soap,” said Sophie. “Lots of times when I shower after him it’s not even wet—he just wets his washcloth and towel and pretends he showered.”
“Is that true, Jonathan?” asked Mom. She went to the shower and picked up the bar of soap. It was bone dry, and she glared at him.
“I just don’t like getting all wet,” Jonathan said defensively.
“You’re so gross!” said Sophie.
“Shhh.” Mom held up a finger. “Jonathan, I’m sure you know that using this—” she held up the aftershave, “doesn’t take the place of using soap. When you splash on cologne or lotion instead of washing, you may smell nice for a while, but the dirt remains. And pretty soon people can tell.”
“Yeah,” said Sophie. “That smelly lotion can’t cover up the fact that you’re still as dirty as a pig!”
Mom cast Sophie a warning glance before turning back to Jonathan. “Well, Jonathan is going to take his shower now,” said Mom. She sighed. “It’s important to keep our bodies clean, but we also need to think about something even more important. Just like our skin gets dirty, our hearts can get dirty—dirty with sin. Things like pride or an unloving attitude fall into that category, Sophie. And so does deceiving your mother, Jonathan.”
Both Sophie and Jonathan looked at the floor as Mom continued. “We may sometimes try to cover up the wrong things we do and hide them from other people, but there is nothing we can hide from God. Whenever we sin, we need to confess our wrongs to Jesus. He’ll forgive us and wash us clean.”– Nance E. Keyes
So how about you?Do you try to cover up your sins? God can see through any cover-up. Even if you can keep people from knowing what you did wrong, you can’t hide it from God. You need to confess your sins to Jesus so He can forgive you and make you clean. He died to pay the price of your sins, so you never need to hide them. Trust Him to give you a clean heart so you can enjoy fellowship with Him.
Key VersePsalm 51:2 ERV "Scrub away my guilt. Wash me clean from my sin."
Key ThoughtDon’t cover up sin.
Further ReadingPsalm 51:1-12; 1 John 1:9
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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
If you like them, you can subscribe to or follow the Keys for Kids podcast for free: https://keysforkids.net/kfkpodcast
Stretched ThinAngelo kicked at a stone on the pavement. “Did I tell you that I can’t go live with my dad?” he asked his friend Tai. “I have to stay with Mom.”
Angelo sighed. “Dad always took time to do stuff with me. Y’know—guy stuff. Now I’ll only get to be with him every other weekend.”
“Well, you can still call and text him, can’t you?” asked Tai. “You still have a lot to be thankful for.”
As Tai spoke, Angelo noticed that his eyes were bright. Are those tears in Tai’s eyes? he wondered. As he thought about it, he realized he’d never heard Tai talk about his father. “Does your dad live with you?”
Tai shook his head. “My dad died,” he said softly.
“Oh! I’m sorry,” said Angelo, not sure what else to say.
The boys walked quietly for a while. “It’s been tough, and I miss Dad a lot,” Tai said finally. “But one day, Mom helped me understand how she deals with it. I had this toy guitar I made by stretching rubber bands around a long box. When I strummed them they made different sounds, depending on how tight they were.” He paused, and Angelo looked at him curiously. “Some of the rubber bands fit over my box easily,” Tai continued, “but others were tight and had to be stretched out thin in order to get around the cardboard. A few even snapped.”
“What does that have to do with missing your dad and getting along without him?” Angelo asked.“Mom pointed out that when I strummed my make-believe guitar, the rubber bands that fit super-tight made different musical sounds than the ones that were looser. She said life is like that too, and when bad things happen, we’re stretched like those small rubber bands. We may be hurting, but we can still make music during the hard times of our lives because Jesus is with us. He understands what we’re going through because He suffered too. We don’t have to give up and snap.”
Tai looked at his friend. “Mom and I decided to trust Jesus to be with us through the hard parts of our lives. I’ll pray that you’ll be able to do that too.”
– Nance E. Keyes
So how about you?Have you had hard things happen in your life? The death of someone you love, a divorce in your family, a move away from old friends, a difficult time at school? Jesus understands your pain and promises to be with you. Because He suffered and died to save us, we have hope knowing that we will spend eternity with Him. Trust Him to make your life a beautiful song that points to His love and faithfulness, hard times and all.
Key VersePsalm 40:1 NIV "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry."
Key ThoughtTrust God in hard times.
Further ReadingPsalm 40:1-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
If you like them, you can subscribe to or follow the Keys for Kids podcast for free: https://keysforkids.net/kfkpodcast
Instant ReplayLevi and his dad were enjoying a football game on TV. “Watch out for that guy on your right!” yelled Levi, and Dad waved his arms as if the players could see him. But it was no use—the man they were cheering for went down. “That was dumb!” exclaimed Levi in disgust. “He should have seen that guy coming at him! He wasn’t paying attention.”
Dad nodded. “The coach pulled him out now. I expect they’ll show him an instant replay of that move and he’ll see his mistake.”
Once the game was over, they headed to the table for dinner. “Hey! How come Henley gets pizza and the rest of us get meatloaf?” asked Levi, glancing at his sister’s plate. He yanked out his chair and bumped the table hard as he sat down. “You’re such a spoiled brat,” he said to Henley.
Henley began to speak, but Levi wouldn’t listen—not even when his mom tried to explain. Instead, he gave his plate a rough shove, spilling his milk.“Levi, go to your room!” said Dad. “Your behavior is not fit for this table. You can come back when you’re ready to apologize.”
Levi trudged to his room, hungry and angry. He plopped down on his bed. In his mind, he replayed what had happened. He tried to tell himself he’d been treated unfairly and that Henley was spoiled. But then he remembered that Henley had been sick when they’d had pizza the day before and his mom had saved some for her. That’s why she’s getting it now, he thought. He’d made a mess of the situation and hurt his sister’s feelings.
The rest of the family was almost finished when Levi returned and took his place at the table. He looked at his dad. “In my mind, I watched an instant replay of what happened and saw that I made a mistake.” Levi turned to his mom and his sister. “I’m really sorry for the way I acted.”
“We forgive you,” Mom and Henley said together.
“And remember that God will forgive you too,” said Dad. “Whenever He shows us our mistakes through an instant replay of our actions, we can confess our sin to Jesus and He will forgive us and help us do better.”
– Phyllis M. Robinson
So how about you?Do you sometimes say or do things you later regret? Maybe you often find yourself snapping at your siblings or talking about others behind their backs. When you replay your words and actions in your mind and notice any that were hurtful and wrong, confess them to Jesus. He will forgive you and help you speak and act in a way that reflects His love instead. Then ask anyone you hurt for their forgiveness too.
Key VersePsalm 32:5 ERV "I decided to confess my sins to the Lord. I stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all!"
Key ThoughtConfess sin.
Further ReadingPsalms 19:12-14; 139:23-24
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Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.
If you like them, you can subscribe to or follow the Keys for Kids podcast for free: https://keysforkids.net/kfkpodcast
No Strings Attached“Grandma, in Bible times people had to sacrifice animals to God, didn’t they?” Jovie asked one day. “Why don’t we do that now?”
“When Jesus died for our sins, He was the perfect sacrifice. Animal sacrifices are no longer needed because Jesus’s sacrifice covers all our wrongs when we trust in Him.”
“Well, when people made a sacrifice, something had to be killed, right?” said Jovie. “But my memory verse talks about a living sacrifice. What does that mean?”
“To be a living sacrifice means to give your whole life to God.” Grandma picked up a small piece of yarn. “Pretend this yarn is my life. It’s my love, my family, my time, my actions—my everything. Here, I’ll give it to you.” Grandma held out one end of the yarn. Jovie took it, but Grandma kept hold of the other end. “There—my life is all yours now. I’m sacrificing it to you.” She tugged on the yarn a little as she spoke.
Jovie giggled. “Then why are you still holding on to it?”
“Good point,” said Grandma. “That’s like Christians when we say we’ve made our lives a living sacrifice to God, but then we leave strings attached to some areas. For example, we might not want God to have any say in how we spend our time or our money. Or perhaps we continue to put ourselves in situations where we’ll be tempted to do things that are wrong. It’s possible to hold something back in any number of areas.” Grandma dropped her end of the yarn. “Now tie that into a bow.”
“Okay,” said Jovie, but as she began to tie a bow, Grandma reached out and took hold of the yarn again, almost tugging it out of Jovie’s grasp. “Grandma! What are you doing?”
“That bow you’re making is too small,” said Grandma. She smiled at Jovie’s puzzled look. “Christians sometimes act the way I just did. When we don’t like the way things are going, we try to pull our lives back out of God’s hands. To be a living sacrifice, we need to remember that we belong to Jesus, who sacrificed His own life to save us, and trust Him to guide us in every part of our lives.”
“Even when things aren’t going the way we want, right?” Jovie nodded. “I think I get it.”
– Jean A. Burns
So how about you?Are you listening to God as He guides you in every area of your life? Or are you still holding on to some strings and trying to control some areas yourself? Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so you could be saved from sin and spend eternity with Him. He cares about you and what’s going on in your life—every part of it. Trust Him to help you and guide you in every area of your life—no strings attached.
Key VerseRomans 12:1 NIV "I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."
Key ThoughtGive your whole life to God
Further ReadingRomans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20
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End of VacationWhen Jack sat down for lunch, his mom noticed his glum mood. “What’s wrong, Jack?” she asked. Jack just shrugged.
Mom placed sandwiches and chips on the table. “It’s a beautiful day,” she said after they thanked God for their food. “You have several Christmas gifts to keep you busy, and school is out for a few more days. But you don’t look very happy.”
“It’s just that…Christmas vacation is almost over,” Jack replied. “School starts next week, and I haven’t gotten anything done.”
“What do you mean?” asked Mom. “What didn’t you get done?”
“I was going to read the book Tommy lent me and learn how to ski during vacation,” said Jack. “And I was going to surprise Dad by cleaning the garage and vacuuming the car. I was even planning to shovel Mrs. Patten’s walks and driveway for free, but I never got around to it. She ended up hiring someone.” He sighed loudly. “I wasted my whole vacation.”
“I understand how you feel,” Mom said. “I often feel that way myself when I don’t get to everything on my to-do list. But, Jack, you didn’t waste your vacation.”
Jack looked up from his sandwich. “I didn’t?”
Mom shook her head. “You spent time with friends and family, and you also got a much-needed break from a busy school year. Rest and relationships are important too. Instead of fretting over everything we want to get done, we need to trust Jesus to help us do the things He wants us to do. We can rest and enjoy time with others because Jesus did what we could never do ourselves—He died and rose again so we could have eternal life with Him!”
“So, it’s okay I didn’t do all that stuff?” asked Jack.
“Would it even be possible to do all that in two weeks?” Mom asked, grinning. Jack smiled. “I guess not.”
“But it’s good you want to use your time well and help others,” said Mom. “Maybe you can set aside time to work on things that are really important to you. And you still have a couple days of vacation left.”
Jack nodded and began wolfing down his sandwich. “I should have time to clean the garage before Dad gets home!”
So how about you?How have you been spending your Christmas vacation? Did you have fun? It’s important to relax and enjoy spending time with others. Maybe you had things you hoped to accomplish too—did you do them? It’s good to set goals and get things done, but remember that Jesus has already accomplished the most important thing of all. Trust Him to help you use your time well as you balance work, fun, and rest.
Key Verse1 Peter 3:18 NLT "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God."
Key ThoughtUse your time well.
Further ReadingEcclesiastes 3:1-14; John 19:28-30
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Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
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Unexpected AnswerChristmas was over. Colorful wrapping paper and bright ribbons had been cleared away, and the opened presents were sitting under the tree.
Because Dad had been out of work for several months, most of the gifts were very practical—useful things like socks, sweaters, mittens, and boots. “God is good,” Dad said. “My best Christmas present is that He has provided a job for me. It’s an answer to prayer!”
Grandma noticed her grandson’s frown as he got up and walked to the kitchen. She followed him. “Is something bothering you, Marcus?” she asked.
“God may have answered Dad’s prayers, but He sure didn’t answer mine! I prayed and prayed for a scooter, but did I get it? No! I hardly got any fun stuff at all!”
“Could it be that you missed God’s answer?” Grandma asked.
“Is there another present somewhere?” Marcus asked in surprise. He started back to the living room to look, but Grandma stopped him.
“That’s not what I mean. What would you think if your dad had turned down his job offer and then declared God wasn’t providing for his family?”
“Why would he do that?” asked Marcus. “That would be silly.”
“Yes, it would,” agreed Grandma, “yet your mother told me Mrs. Brown offered you the job of shoveling her walkways this winter, but you weren’t willing to do it.” She paused for a moment. “You asked God for a scooter, and He gave you a chance to earn it. But now you’re blaming God because you don’t have it. Isn’t that silly too?”
Marcus sat down at the table. “I guess it is,” he admitted.
Grandma sat down next to him. “I know it’s been a tough year for your family, and you just wanted to get something fun for Christmas. God understands that too. He loves you and promises to do what’s best for you. Sometimes that means His answer to your prayers is no, but in this case, I think it may be a yes, but you need to take action. Perhaps He knows you’ll appreciate your scooter more if you work to pay for it yourself.”
Marcus nodded. “I’ll see if Mrs. Brown still needs help. Maybe it’s not too late to earn money for a scooter.”
So how about you?When you pray for something, are you prepared to be part of God’s answer by taking action? For example, do you pray for good grades and then study hard? Sometimes God answers prayer by providing you with the next step to take. In today’s Bible reading, God answered Cornelius’s prayer by instructing him to ask Peter for help. So pray, and then be ready to follow God’s action plan.
Key VerseMatthew 7:7 NIV "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Key ThoughtPray and be ready to act!
Further ReadingActs 10:1-2, 30-33
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Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
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Gabe and AsaphGabe crossed his arms and scrunched his face in disgust. “Hunter’s parents let him do anything he wants,” he told his dad, “and it seems like everything always turns out right for him. He just got a brand-new skateboard for Christmas!” Gabe started to feel bitter as he thought of all the things Hunter had. “I thought God would treat people who love Him better than those who don’t. Hunter isn’t a Christian, but he’s got better things than me! How come?”
Dad smiled. “You sound a lot like Asaph.”
“Like who?” Gabe peered quizzically at his father.
“Asaph. He was a man who wrote some of the psalms in the Bible. Come over here—I’ll show you.”
Gabe and Dad sat down on the sofa, and Dad brought up Psalm 73 on his phone. “Look here, Gabe,” he said. “At the beginning of the psalm, Asaph is complaining to the Lord because evil people are prospering and having lots of success while terrible things are happening to him.” Dad read several verses.
“Wow! I know just what he means,” said Gabe.
“I thought you might,” said Dad. “Later verses show that Asaph changed his mind. He was reminded that people who don’t know the Lord can only look forward to destruction in the end. Those who are saved will have it good when life on earth ends.”
Gabe thought about that. “I guess I don’t have it so bad after all,” he said. “Hunter will get what’s coming to him someday.”
“Whoa!” said Dad. “Not so fast. We can be thankful that God has shown us mercy. It’s only because we trust in Jesus, who took the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross, that we won’t get what we deserve. It’s not up to us to judge Hunter. Instead, let’s pray for him. Ask God to use you to show Hunter His mercy and love so he will put his trust in Jesus and all will be well for him in the end. Okay?”
Gabe nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I know Jesus loves Hunter too, and I want both of us to spend eternity with Him.”
So how about you?Do you know unsaved people who seem to have it better than you? Unless they trust Jesus as their Savior, they don’t have a future with Him in heaven. Thank Jesus for saving you from sin, and pray for those who don’t know Him. Tell others what He’s done for you so they might know they can be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him too.
Key VersePsalm 73:28 NLT "How good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."
Key ThoughtJesus saves us from destruction.
Further ReadingPsalm 73:3-7, 12-18, 25-28
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Hey, I’m Zach, host of the Countdown to Christmas podcast. If you liked this podcast series, you can catch me on the daily “Keys for Kids Ministries” podcast too. It’s a lot like the Countdown to Christmas with a story and Bible reading every day.
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Happy New Year!
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The Hidden GiftChristmas was over, and Henry and Nevaeh helped their parents remove the ornaments, lights, and strands of garland from the Christmas tree branches. Soon the shimmering and festive tree looked bare except for the colorful tree skirt surrounding the tree stand.
“Hey,” Henry called out. “Look at that!” He pointed to a small box wrapped in green and red paper peeking out from under a fold in the tree skirt.
“Where did that come from?” Mom asked as she bent down to pick up the box. “We must have missed this when we opened our gifts.” She held the box in her hands and looked for a name. “It’s for me! From Aunt Martha,” she said in surprise. “I didn’t think she had sent anything this year, and here it was under the tree the whole time.”
Mom opened the gift and found a necklace and matching earrings. “They’re so pretty!” Nevaeh said as Mom held them up for everybody to see.
“Just think—Aunt Martha’s gift was here all this time, but Mom couldn’t receive it because she didn’t know it was there,” Dad said. “It reminds me of another gift—God’s gift of salvation. It’s available to everyone, but many people don’t even know it’s there. It stays hidden until someone shows it to them—like you showed the package to us, Henry.”
Nevaeh and Henry thought about that. “So we need to show people God’s gift by telling them about Jesus,” Nevaeh said.
“And tell them that if they accept it, Jesus will save them from sin and give them eternal life,” added Henry.
“That’s right,” said Dad. “It’s an amazing gift! But they can’t accept it if they don’t know it’s there. That’s why we need to share it with others.” Dad motioned to the boxes of decorations. “Let’s see if we can all come up with a person we can tell about God’s amazing gift by the time we finish putting
So how about you?
this stuff away.”Have you received the gift of salvation? (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) It’s wonderful to know you have eternal life through Jesus. But many people don’t know this amazing gift exists. Think of someone you know who may not know about Jesus and the eternal life He offers—then tell them about it! God may use you to help someone receive Jesus, the best gift of all.
Key VerseRomans 5:18 NKJV "Through one man's righteous act the free gift came to all men."
Key ThoughtTell others about God's gift.
Further ReadingRomans 5:8-15
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Skating on Thin IceAt midnight on New Year’s Eve, the Wagner family always walked to ice-covered Pine Lake, where they would bring in the New Year under the stars as they tossed glow sticks into the air.
But this year Aiden was in a grumpy mood. Three times that day his dad had told him to do something, and even though Aiden eventually got around to listening, his father had not been happy with his hesitation.
“You’re skating on thin ice, Aiden,” Dad said. He said that a lot when Aiden was about to get in big trouble.
Now at midnight Aiden dashed onto the frozen lake. “We’re here!”
“Stay close,” Dad warned. “The weather has been unusually warm. The area around the dock is especially unstable because of the heat from the underwater plants growing there.”
Aiden threw his glow sticks in the air. Immediately the blue one skidded across the ice toward the dock area. He knew Dad had warned him about the dock area, but it was so close…
Suddenly he heard the ice crack beneath him, and he was in the water. “Help! Help!” Aiden screamed. The water was freezing, and he was sure he was going to drown.
“Put your feet down!” called Dad. “You should be able to touch bottom.”
Aiden did and was surprised to discover the water only came to his waist.
“Here.” Dad took off his coat and threw it to Aiden, still holding on to one of the sleeves. “Grab hold.”
Soon Aiden was back on solid ground. They ran back to the house, where Mom wrapped him in blankets.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” said Aiden once he’d stopped shivering. “If I’d listened to you and not gone on the thin ice… ” His voice trailed off.
“You wouldn’t have fallen into the lake,” Dad finished for him. “But you were on thin ice earlier in the day, too, remember?”
“You mean when I didn’t obey you right away when you told me to do something?”
Dad nodded. “Maybe it didn’t seem like a big deal to you at the time, but it was a sin. And sin always leads to trouble, no matter how small it may seem.”
So how about you?Do you like to skate on thin ice? Do you see how close you can get to doing something wrong without getting in trouble? The Bible tells us if we know what the right thing to do is but don’t do it, we’re sinning—and sin always leads to trouble. Stay far away from sin by refusing to do what you know is wrong—and by choosing to do what you know is right.
Key VerseJames 4:17 NKJV "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."
Key ThoughtStay far away from sin.
Further ReadingRomans 6:18-23
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After-Christmas Sale"Look at my new sweater!” said Brianne, holding it up for her dad to see. “You should see all the stuff Mom and I got on sale today.”
Mom sighed. “Yes, but it was such a hassle getting through the crowds at the mall and pawing through the racks of clothes that I wondered at times if it was really worth it. But we did get some really good deals.”
“Yeah!” said Brianne. “It makes you wonder how the stores can afford to sell things at those prices.”
“They know what they’re doing,” Dad assured her. “They’re clearing out things that are no longer profitable and making room to restock their shelves with new things people want—things that will make them more money. Right now, they’re selling off winter stuff to make room for spring merchandise.” He paused for a moment. “I think we could take a lesson from them.”
“Like what?” asked Brianne curiously.
“There are things in our lives that we need to clear out from time to time,” Dad explained as he reached for his Bible. “Let’s read about them for our devotions tonight.” He opened his Bible and read a passage from the book of Colossians.
“Hearing those verses makes me regret getting angry and impatient with some people in the store today,” Mom confessed. “I need to get rid of anger and selfishness from the shelves of my life and make room for patience and humility.”
“How much do you suppose we can sell our bad qualities for?” asked Brianne with a mischievous grin.
Dad laughed. “Forget having a sale and just trash them. Those unprofitable traits don’t fit who we are now because Jesus has saved us from sin. Instead of wasting space on them, we can restock our shelves with good things like compassion, kindness, and patience—qualities that fit the new life Jesus gave us when we trusted in Him.”
“And how much of a profit can we get with our new qualities?” asked Brianne. “That’s the best part,” said Dad. “We can give them away for free, and they’ll still be profitable. When we are kind, gentle, and forgiving with others, we show them God’s love and help them see who Jesus is, and He can use those good qualities in our lives to draw more people to Him.”
So how about you?What traits are found on the shelves of your life? Do others see qualities that reflect Jesus and fit the new person He’s made you to be? Or do you still have outdated habits from your old life taking up space—things like lying, a hot temper, or a desire to get even with someone? Trust God to help you replace old, sinful attitudes with loving qualities that fit your new life with Jesus.
Key VerseColossians 3:12 "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Key ThoughtPut on traits that reflect Jesus.
Further ReadingColossians 3:8-15
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A Gingerbread House"Mom! Tell Ella to stop dipping her finger in the icing!”
“Karis, you know she’s only five. You can’t expect her to make a gingerbread house without eating any of it.”
“But I want it to be perfect!” It was a Christmas tradition for Karis and Ella to make a gingerbread house. Karis lined up the red and green gumdrops like little army men. The containers of colored sprinkles stood at attention like soldiers. “Mom, I think there’s more icing in Ella’s hair than on our gingerbread house.”
“Don’t worry about it, honey,” said Mom. “I’ll give her a bath when you’re finished.”
Karis smiled at her sister. “If you get any more icing on your face, you’ll look like a snowman.”
Ella giggled and handed her sister a broken piece of graham cracker.
“That’s a great idea, Ella,” said Karis. “We can use little pieces of graham cracker to make shingles for our roof. We’ll stick them on with icing.”
An hour later, Karis plopped the last gumdrop on the roof of the gingerbread house to make a chimney.
Mom picked up a leftover graham cracker and used it to scrape the bottom of the icing bowl. “That’s one of the most beautiful gingerbread houses I’ve ever seen, girls. I’m so proud of you.” She popped the graham cracker into her mouth.
“You know, this gingerbread house reminds me of a Bible verse. Jesus said He was going to heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. It took you girls a whole hour to make your house. Can you imagine how awesome the place is that Jesus is preparing for us? If we trust in Jesus, He’s already made a home in our hearts, and one day we’ll get to be with Him in heaven forever.”
Karis smiled. “I’m pretty sure the place Jesus is preparing for us in heaven isn’t made out of gingerbread.”
Mom smiled and licked a bit of icing off her finger. “You’re right. I don’t think it will be made of gingerbread. But it will be just as sweet!”
So how about you?Have you ever built a gingerbread house? Then you know how much time and preparation it takes to make it look good. Right now Jesus is preparing a place for those who trust in Him, and it will be better than any mansion on earth! But there’s only one way to get there. Trust in Jesus, and He will make a home in your heart—and prepare one for you in heaven too. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”)
Key VerseJohn 14:2 ERV "There are many rooms in my Father's house...I am going there to prepare a place for you."
Key ThoughtChristians have a home with Jesus.
Further ReadingJohn 14:2-4, 23; Romans 10:9
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Temporary ConnectionsJulie sighed in satisfaction as she looked at the Christmas decorations she had hung in her room. She had tried to tie a string from her closet door to her curtain, but the string wasn’t long enough, so she’d stretched her curtain into the middle of her room and managed to tie the string tightly around it. Bells and Christmas ornaments were meticulously strung along the string. It had taken her the better part of an hour to get it all set up the way she wanted.
A few minutes later, Mom walked in to close Julie’s blinds and noticed the string contraption and the curtain suspended parallel to the floor. “Julie?” Mom asked. “Will you please cut this string so we can close your blinds? It’s getting dark outside.”
Julie stomped her feet and wailed, “But it took me forever to tie that string!”
“I’m sorry, honey, but it can’t stay this way. Next time, make sure you’re connecting it to something that won’t have to move if you want it to last a long time.” Julie burst into tears and flung herself on her bed.
Mom sighed. “I understand you’re upset. When you’ve had a chance to process, we’ll talk about it.”
Mom walked out to the living room where Julie’s older brother, Dan, was working on building a ramp for his car and connecting it to the couch. “Just so you’re aware, you’ll have to take your ramp down before bedtime,” Mom told him.
“Okay, Mom. Why is Julie so upset?”
“I asked her to cut a string she tied to the curtain.”
Dan nodded. He had seen Julie stringing up her decorations earlier. “She spent a long time doing that.”
“I know. I explained if she wanted it to last a long time, she’d have to be wiser about how she set it up.” Mom sat on the couch to watch Dan build. “It’s a good reminder for how we should live our lives. The things of this world are temporary, but the truth and salvation of Jesus lasts forever! We need to build our lives wisely by trusting and obeying Him.”
So how about you?Are you building your life in a way that will last? The only way to do that is to trust in Jesus. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) Then live out His truth in your daily life. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells a story about a man who built his house on rock and another who built his house on sand. When the rain came, the house on sand washed away, but the one on the rock stood firm. Jesus is the Rock—build your life on Him.
Key VerseJohn 6:27 NIV "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Song of Man [Jesus] will give you."
Key ThoughtBuild your life on Jesus.
Further ReadingMatthew 7:24-29; John 6:27-29
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Mary's PartSpeaking parts were being assigned for the church Christmas program, and Kaylee eagerly waited for her name to be called. She was sure she was the perfect one to take the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus. No one can memorize lines as well as me, she thought.
“Braelyn.” Mrs. Roberts’ voice interrupted Kaylee’s thoughts. “I think you would be a good choice to play the part of Mary.”
Kaylee gasped. Braelyn! She stutters sometimes, Kaylee thought. What kind of Mary would she be? Kaylee scowled. Well, that’s just fine with me. Who wants to be in this dumb play anyway? When Mrs. Roberts offered her another part, Kaylee made excuses and refused to be in the production at all.
On the night of the program, Kaylee sat in the front row. She had come to laugh at Braelyn’s mistakes. Mrs. Roberts will be embarrassed for making such a dumb choice! she thought in disgust as Braelyn walked up front. That drab outfit looks like it was made from a feed sack. Mom would have made me a much better costume than that! She snickered to herself and rolled her eyes.
Hesitantly, Braelyn began reciting from Luke chapter one: “My soul magnifies the Lord…because…because…” She paused briefly. “Because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.”
Humble condition, thought Kaylee. That sure fits Braelyn! Suddenly another thought struck her, causing her mouth to drop open in surprise. It fits Mary too! Kaylee tried to push that thought away, but she couldn’t. More unwanted thoughts persisted as she watched the rest of the Christmas performance. Mary was willing to obey God and carry out His commands, and Braelyn’s like that too, Kaylee realized. She’s a good Mary!
In her heart, Kaylee knew that if she had gotten the part, she would be saying Mary’s words only to make herself look good and be the star performer. But Braelyn was humble like the real Mary was—and like how Jesus was too. They were both willing to obey God and make sacrifices for the good of others. Feeling ashamed, Kaylee prayed silently, asking God to forgive her proud spirit and to help her be humble like Mary—and Jesus.
So how about you?Are you humble like Mary? Or do you think you should be the one chosen to sing the solo, answer the questions, or lead the group because you do it best? Jesus wants humble servants who are willing to serve His purpose instead of their own so that He will be honored. Even though He is God, Jesus was willing to die for our sins so we could be saved. Mary was His humble servant. Does that description fit you?
Key VerseMatthew 20:27 NLV "Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your servant."
Key ThoughtBe a humble servant.
Further ReadingLuke 1:26-33, 46-49
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Santa Pause"All right, boys. Turn off that video game and help set the table.”
Ethan hit the pause button. “We should be able to beat that level after dinner,” he told Levi as they scooted into the kitchen.
Mom was balancing the baby on her hip and stirring a bubbling pot of spaghetti sauce. “Don’t forget to put out napkins,” she told the boys. “And don’t forget we’re heading out to do some Christmas shopping after dinner.”
“We’re in the middle of a video game, Mom,” Levi said.
“You’ve been playing that game for over an hour. It’s time to take a break. We need to get presents for your cousins, pick up ingredients for Christmas cookies, and buy some extra Christmas tree lights.”
“Can’t we go shopping tomorrow?” Ethan asked.
Mom shook her head. “We have rehearsal for the Christmas play tomorrow.”
Dad walked into the kitchen and pulled a strand of spaghetti from the pot. Mom turned and handed him the baby. “You seem really stressed out,” Dad told her. He turned to the boys. “I’ve got an idea.”
“Does it involve video games?” Levi asked.
“It does not involve video games, but it does involve hot chocolate. I’m going to make a batch of hot chocolate, and we’re going to sit down as a family and watch a Christmas movie.” Dad already knew what Mom was thinking. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll get up early and take care of all the shopping. It sounds like everyone needs a little break from the craziness of the Christmas holiday. Think of it as a Santa pause.” Everyone laughed, even Mom.
“I guess you’re right,” she said. “Even Jesus and His disciples needed some time to rest. If I remember the Bible story correctly, Jesus told his disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and rest because so many people were coming and going that they didn’t even have time to eat.”
“No time to eat!” Ethan said. “There’s not a crowd big enough or even a video game that could keep me from your spaghetti, Mom!”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Mom said. “But we still need to take time to rest and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus coming to save us.”
So how about you?Do you need some time to rest? Sometimes life can get very busy, especially around the holidays. We’re busy doing a lot of really good things, but there’s nothing wrong with hitting the pause button and taking a break. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired. If He took some time to rest, so should we. Take a breather and spend some time with Him. After all, He’s the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
Key VerseMark 6:31 NIV "[Jesus] said to them, 'Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'"
Key ThoughtTake time to rest.
Further ReadingMatthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:30-32
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The GrinchIsaac slammed the door and began kicking off his boots while grumbling under his breath.
“Everything all right?” his mom asked.
“Not according to Mr. Hanson,” Isaac spat out. “Whatever I do for him is never good enough! I mean, it took me an hour to shovel his sidewalk, and what do I get for it? ‘You missed the second step, Isaac. You didn’t get all the way to edge.’ Mr. Hanson is a total grinch! This is the last time I help him out.”
Just then Isaac’s sister, Holly, came bouncing into the room. “Mom, the green popcorn is done, and the green soda for our grinch punch is cold. I can’t wait to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with our special treats!”
“I know a real grinch next door,” Isaac grumbled.
“Isaac,” Mom said gently, “I know Mr. Hanson can be difficult, but remember that he doesn’t know Jesus. The only way he’s ever going to change is if he allows Jesus to come into his life and transform him. Only God can make that happen, but we can point Mr. Hanson to Jesus by showing him love and joy, even when he doesn’t deserve it.”
“Kind of like how the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes when he saw how joyful the Whos were even after he stole all their Christmas gifts and decorations?” asked Holly.
“Exactly,” said Mom. “Even when Mr. Hanson is mean, that doesn’t have to kill your joy—it actually gives you a chance to show him the love of Jesus.”
“Hmm,” said Isaac, “I never thought about it like that before. I didn’t realize that just by shoveling snow and being kind to Mr. Hanson I was allowing the love of Jesus to shine through me. I’ll try to remember that the next time I shovel his sidewalk.”
“I’m glad to hear there will be a next time,” Mom said as she gave Isaac a squeeze. “And now it’s time to watch . . .”
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Holly squealed.
“I think I’ll watch that movie with a whole new perspective tonight,” Isaac said with a smile.
So how about you?When you have grinchy people in your life, do you still try to treat them with love and kindness? When we show others love and joy, it points them to the source of our love and joy—Jesus! He gives us the strength to be joyful in any circumstance. Trust Him to help you joyfully do good for others, even when they least deserve it.
Key Verse1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."
Key ThoughtJoy points others to Jesus.
Further Reading1 Thessalonians 5:13-17
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A Special BabyAs Mateo and his friend Tory rode the bus home from school, they talked about their Christmas plans. “Grandpa and Grandma are coming for a whole week this year,” said Tory, “and on Christmas Eve we’re all going to see a movie about Santa Claus! Wanna come with us? I’m sure Mom will say it’s okay.”
“I can’t,” said Mateo. “Our family always goes to church on Christmas Eve. We have a candlelight service where we read the Christmas story and sing Christmas carols.”
“Christmas carols? Like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’?”
Mateo shook his head. “No, songs about the real meaning of Christmas, like ‘Away in a Manger’ and ‘Silent Night.’”
“Oh.” Tory frowned. “The Christmas story is about somebody named Mary, isn’t it? And a guy named Joseph? And about some special baby? What was so special about Him?”
Mateo could hardly believe Tory didn’t know the answer to that. “It’s about when Jesus was born. He’s the Son of God,” he explained.
“Well, then how could He be born as a baby on earth?” Tory asked. “If He was God’s Son, why did He come to earth anyway?”
“Because we needed Him to save us from our sin—our brokenness—so we could have eternal life,” said Mateo, and he did his best to help Tory understand who Jesus is and why He came.
When Mateo told his mom about their conversation, she had a suggestion. “It’s possible other friends of yours don’t know the real meaning of Christmas. Would you like to have a Christmas party so you can share it with them? You could play games and have prizes, and I’ll help with singing carols and tell the Christmas story before we have some snacks and hot cocoa.”
“That would be fun!” said Mateo.
Mateo invited several friends to come. He didn’t know if any of them would believe in Jesus because of the party, but he wanted to give them the chance to hear about the special baby who was born to save the world—the real reason for Christmas.
So how about you?Do your friends know who Jesus is and why He came to earth? How can you share the real meaning of Christmas with them? Maybe you can have a party where you sing carols and have someone tell the story of Jesus’ birth, or invite them to a Christmas program at your church. You could even simply talk with them about what Jesus has done for you. Share the message of Jesus at Christmas—and all year long.
Key VerseMatthew 1:21 "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Key ThoughtShare Christ at Christmas
Further ReadingMatthew 1:18-23
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