Reasons to Obey

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 John 5:1-5

TO CHEW ON: "In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world." 1 John 5:3,4


Which of these people would you obey?

policeman    teacher       

doctor       parent        God

Did you choose them all? Name one reason to obey:

• a policeman:
• a teacher:
• a doctor:
• a parent:
• God:
  

We have different reasons for obeying.

We may obey the policeman because we know if we don’t, he can fine, arrest or put us in jail. We obey out of fear.

We may obey the doctor, even though we don’t like the taste of the medicine he gives us, because we want to feel better. We obey because it will help us.

We may obey parents and teachers because we want to please them. We obey out of love.

We probably obey God in all these ways. Before we know Him well, we may obey Him because we’re afraid of Him. Then we may obey Him because we think doing what He asks will help us. But the best reason to obey God is because we love and trust Him and want to please Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to obey You out of love, knowing You always want the best for me. Amen.


MORE: Obedience School
Have you ever trained an animal to obey you or to do tricks?

• How did you use fear and punishment?
• How did you use treats and rewards?
• How did you use love?
  

Which worked best?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 

Too Scared to Eat!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 27:27-44

TO CHEW ON: "Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” (Acts 27:34)

Have you ever been seriously scared or nervous? Perhaps it was the time your team had to play the championship game, or you had to perform a solo in a piano recital, or you were driving through a snowstorm and the car started sliding all over the road.

Our bodies respond to fear in a physical way. How does your body feel when you are nervous or afraid?

- You can’t eat.
- You get sick to your stomach.
- You feel shaky.
- You get a headache.
- Your hands get cold and clammy.
- Your face gets red.
- You bite your nails.

The 275 passengers with Paul had been in the storm for 14 days. They were terrified the whole time. Many of them hadn’t eaten anything and were growing weak.

"The Storm" by Johann C. Weigel, 1695

But Paul had heard from God. Now Paul told everyone on board to let go of the fear that upset their stomachs and to eat, for God had promised him no one would be hurt in any way.

God has promised to be with us in our storms as well. When we’re in the middle of them we too have a choice. We can choose to stay fearful, or to trust God and relax. And that means relax so completely that even our bodies will tell the difference.

(And did God’s word to Paul come true? It sure did!

The next morning someone saw land in the distance. Though the wind was still blowing strong, the sailors cut the anchors loose, hoisted the sail, and headed for the beach.

Before the boat got there, it hit a sandbar.

"But the ship hit a sandbar" - Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

As the pounding waves broke the boat into pieces, the centurion guarding Paul ordered everyone to swim for shore. Many grabbed onto planks or parts of the ship and paddled for their lives.

"Paul shipwrecked in a storm" by F. T. Lix

Everyone made it to land!)

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to relax in Your care for me. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Boats

Find out about boats in Bible times:

• What were they made of?

• How were they powered?

• How did sailors find their way (navigate)?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Obey Whom?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 4:13-21

TO CHEW ON: "Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!'” Acts 4:18,19

After God healed the lame man through Peter, many people believed in Jesus. This made the religious leaders jealous.

"Preaching to the multitudes" - Artist unknown

First they ordered Peter and John to stop preaching. Then they grilled them with questions. Finally they told them not to speak of Jesus any more OR ELSE and let them go.

"The boldness of Peter and John" - Artist unknown

But Peter and John had no intention of obeying the leaders’ order. They knew in some things it’s more important to obey God than people.

"Peter and John before the Sanhedrin" - Artist unknown

What about today? Can you think of a situation when you would need to disobey what someone told you to do or the law of your land in order to obey God?


PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to know when I should obey You even if it means I would be disobeying others. Then give me the courage to do what pleases You. Amen.


MORE: Hard Choices
Are there times when we too have to choose between obeying God and people? What would you do in the following situations? Why?

• You see your friend steal something. Your friend demands that you don’t tell.

• Someone on the phone asks for your dad, but he tells you to say he’s not home.

• On the school playground you talk to a friend about Jesus. Someone tells the teacher and she asks you never to talk about Jesus on school property again.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Minas and More

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 19:11-27

TO CHEW ON: "He replied: 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.'” Luke 19:26

One day Jesus told the story of a king. Before the king went on a trip, he gave ten servants one mina* each. He told them to put the money to work for him.

When the king got back, he asked the servants for a report. Servant One had made ten minas with his one mina. Servant Two had made five. But Servant Three only had the original mina.

This made the king angry. He took the mina away from Servant Three and gave it to Servant One.

"Servants reporting to the king" - Artist unknown

This parable teaches us:
1. Life isn’t fair.
2. It pays to be greedy and get all we can.
3. If we don’t use the things we’ve been given, we’ll lose even those things.

I think it’s number 3 - don’t you?

Jesus' stories are not only interesting but they teach us about God and what is important to Him. In this story we learn about how God wants us to use what we have.

The king in the story gave his servants money. You may not have money, but you have other things. Some of them could be health, energy, special abilities, an education, a friendly nature. Can you think of more?

God gave you these things to use not just for yourself but for Him. You could use your health and energy to help a neighbor or play with a younger brother or sister. If you’re smart in school you could use your intelligence to tutor a friend who has a hard time. If you’re good at writing, drawing or singing you might want to take lessons and learn more so that you can bless others with your talents.

Someday we’ll all report back to God about how we used the things He gave us. Let’s not neglect them or use them selfishly. Instead let’s use them well, so we can look forward to report day.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to use all You’ve given me so I will welcome the day I report back to You. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Use Your Gifts:
How can you use these gifts you’ve been given:

- Your talents and special abilities?




- Your education?

- Your experiences?

- Your money and possessions?



* 1 mina = about three months’ wages.


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Don't Be Afraid

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 2:1-10

TO CHEW ON: " And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people." Ezekiel 2:6

As Ezekiel lay on the ground, a voice came from the bright vision of God. It was talking to him. “Stand up,” God said.

Ezekiel stood and God continued. “I am sending you to be a prophet to the people of Israel. They are rebellious, stubborn and obstinate. They may or may not listen.”

Ezekiel had wanted to be a priest. Now God was giving him a different job – the job of being a prophet. But it sounded hard and dangerous.

Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll... On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe." Ezekiel 2:9

Before Ezekiel had a chance to argue with God about how hard this job was going to be, God encouraged him. Three times God said to Ezekiel, “Do not be afraid.”

Ezekiel’s Vision – “And then they shall know that I am the Lord” © 1996 by Darlene Slavujac (Used with the artist’s permission).

God would encourage you in the same way. If you are the only Christian in your family, God says to you, “Don't be afraid.” If you are the only person who talks to your friends about Jesus – and they make fun of you for it – God says to you, “Don't be afraid.” If you want to live for God but don’t know how it will all work out, God says to you, “Don't be afraid.”

Why should we not be afraid? Because we are not alone in this. God is with us. And with Him beside us, we don’t need to fear anything!

PRAYER: Dear God, when I am afraid, help me to remember You are here. Amen.

MORE: Fears

God can help us overcome fears of all kinds. What are you afraid of – dogs, spiders, losing, being laughed at, having no friends, ____________________? David wrote in a Psalm:

Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.What can flesh do to me? - Psalm 56:3,4

This would be a good verse to memorize. It will help you remember, next time you feel afraid, that God is with you.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Temple Superstition

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jeremiah 7:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, 'This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!' " Jeremiah 7:3,4

People thronged to the temple after Josiah’s clean-up. Looking at the crowds in “church” you’d think that everything had changed in Judah. But for many people, once they were away from God’s house, nothing had changed.

Crime and murder were common. Widows and orphans were ignored. Foreigners were mistreated. People thought that these things didn’t really matter. They thought Jerusalem would never be destroyed because the temple was there. They had a superstitious faith that the temple would save them no matter what they did.

One day God told Jeremiah to stand at the entrance way of the temple. He was to give the worshipers this message from God: “Change the way you act. Don’t put your faith in the temple. Look at what happened to Shiloh where the ark used to sit. I will do the same thing to Jerusalem if you don’t change your ways.”


It’s easy for us to be like the people of that time. We may think, I go to church and read my Bible. I am part of a Christian family. These things will save me. But if our faith is in these things, we are just as superstitious as the people of Jeremiah’s time.

Only faith in Jesus can save us. The changed lives we live after we have trusted Him show that our faith is real.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, Help me to put my trust in You, not in anything or anyone else. Amen.


MORE: Superstitions
Living by superstitions can cause us to have feelings of false security. Or we may feel afraid that something bad will happen if we don’t do the things our superstitions say to have good luck. Either way, superstitions are not truth but lies. Jesus wants us to live by truth. He said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

1. Look up the dictionary definition of ‘superstition’?

2. What are some common superstitions that people believe?

3. Do you have any superstitious beliefs? If you do, ask God to help you get free of them.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Invisible Army

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 6:8-23

TO CHEW ON: “’Don’t be afraid,’” the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” 2 Kings 6:16

During the time of Elisha, the kings of Aram and Israel were at war. But because God told Elisha where the Aramaens were, and Elisha told the king of Israel, the Israeli king was always getting away.

“Who of you is telling Israel our plans?” the King of Aram demanded of his soldiers.

“No one,” they replied. “It’s Elisha, the prophet. He knows everything – even what you say in your bedroom.”

“Capture him,” The king commanded. He sent a large force of soldiers on horses to arrest Elisha. They came at night and surrounded Dothan, the city where Elisha was staying.

The next morning when Elisha’s servant got up, he saw the army around the city. “My lord, what shall we do?” he asked Elisha.

“Don’t be afraid,” Elisha replied. Then he prayed, “God, open his eyes.”

In the next instant the servant saw that the hills surrounding the city were full of horses – and these weren’t the enemy’s horses. They were surrounded by chariots of fire. God’s army of angels was all around, protecting Elisha and the servant.


Help tell the end of the story by choosing the right answer to each question.
1. What happened as the Aram army came toward Elisha ? (2 Kings 6:18)
a] soldiers threw spears at Elisha.
b] the servant screamed for help.
c] Elisha prayed and the soldiers became blind.

2. Where did Elisha lead the army? (2 Kings 6:19)
a] Jerusalem.
b] Bethlehem.
c] Samaria.


3. What did Elisha tell the king of Israel to do with the army? (2 Kings 6:22)
a] feed them.
b] kill them.
c] put them in prison.

4. Then what happened? (2 Kings 6:23)
a] the Aramaeans captured Elisha.
b] Aram stopped their raids on Israel.
c] Elisha and his servant sneaked out of the city.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for stories of Your protection. Please protect me today. Amen.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

MORE: Angel Protection
Many verses in the Bible talk about angels.
Three of them are:
Psalm 34:7, Matthew 18:10, Hebrews 1:14

Which is your favorite?
Draw a picture of what you think an angel might look like. Write your favorite angel verse under the picture. Then thank God for the protection of angels today.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Discouraged

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Kings 19:1-9a

TO CHEW ON: "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. ... he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,'  he said. 'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.' ” 1 Kings 19:3,4

No sooner did Ahab get home and tell Queen Jezebel that Elijah had killed her Baal prophets than Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life. “By this time tomorrow, you’ll be dead like them,” she told him by messenger.

If Elijah expected Jezebel to believe in God after the contest on the mountain, he saw now that wasn’t going to happen. Her message terrified him. He and his servant took off, running as fast and as far as they could. When they got to Beersheba, Elijah let his servant rest while he traveled another day, far into the desert.

As he ran and walked and ran some more, he probably thought of what had just happened. It seemed that Ahab hadn’t learned anything from the three years of no rain and the contest on the mountain. Even though he, Elijah, had done his best, nothing had worked out the way he hoped. He was just a big failure.

Finally too tired and discouraged to go on any further, he sat down in the shade of a broom tree and prayed, “God, I want to die.” Then he fell asleep.

He woke up when something touched him. Someone – an angel – was beside him!

“Get up and eat,” the angel said. In front of him was fresh-baked bread and water.


Elijah ate, then fell back asleep. Some hours later he awoke to the angel’s touch again. Again there was food and water waiting for him.

After that Elijah had the strength and will to go on. He traveled forty more days till he came to Mount Horeb, far away from Jezebel’s threat. The God who could send fire to burn an offering also knew how to encourage His tired and hungry prophet.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for encouraging us when we feel like giving up. Amen.

MORE: Prescription for Discouragement
When you think about what had happened to Elijah, you'll agree it's no wonder he was discouraged.
1. He’d just been through a very exciting time of seeing God defeat Baal and sending rain.
2. He had just spent days running and was super tired.
3. He hadn’t had much to eat.

Next time you’re discouraged, ask yourself if some of the things that discouraged Elijah may also be affecting you. Then take the prescription for discouragement.



1. Has something very exciting happened to you lately? Sometimes a return to normal living makes us feel blah after the excitement we’ve just experienced.

Give yourself time to get used to everyday life again.


2. Are you tired? When you don’t get enough sleep, discouragement easily takes hold.

Take a nap. Go to bed early, get up late. Catch up on sleep and get rested.


3. Are you hungry? Not eating properly helps feed discouragement.

Have a good meal. Eat healthy foods (including fruits and vegetables) and drink lots of water.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Safe

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 91:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.'” Psalm 91:2

What things frighten you?

Do you know one person who isn’t afraid of something?

Even courageous David, when he was hiding from Saul, was probably afraid. He was scared of being found by Saul. He was afraid of being killed.


We don’t know if David wrote Psalm 91. He could have written it. In it the writer reminds himself how God is his protector. Find the word pictures from Psalm 91 that show how God protects us
- God is a 1._________ and 2._________ (Psalm 91:2).

A fortress was a place where soldiers were protected. They could see their enemies and shoot at them, but the enemies couldn’t get them. Sometimes it was a natural place, like rocks on a hillside. Sometimes it was man-made, like the thick-walled towers on city walls. God can be that safe place for us.

- God is like a bird. He covers us with his feathers like a mother bird protects her chicks.

- God is like a 3. ______________ (Psalm 91:9). We can live in God and be protected, just like we are safe from rain, storms and the sun when we are in our homes.

- God sends 4. _______________ (Psalm 91:11). God gives them the job to protect us from physical harm.

PRAYER: Dear God, please remind me of Your protection whenever I feel afraid. Amen.


MORE: Pictures of protection
The Bible gives us more pictures of God as our protector. He is compared to:

- A shelter from the storm (Isaiah 25:4).

- A shade from the heat (Isaiah 25:4).

- a watchman (or security guard) who never goes to sleep (Psalm 121:4).

Choose your favorite picture of God giving you protection. Draw a picture of yourself as you are kept safe by God in that way.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Take That Step

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 3:1-17

TO CHEW ON: “Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap .... So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.” Joshua 3:15,16

Excitement filled the air. Today was the day! After living in the desert and in tents for forty years, walking miles in the heat, sleeping in the cold, eating only manna for as long as they could remember, the Israelites would enter Canaan, their new home.

People made manna sandwiches and filled up water skins. They packed their clothes and tools, rolled up their tents and got in line. The priests who carried the ark led the way.

But there was one HUGE – problem. In order to enter Canaan, they had to cross the Jordan River which was wide and fast-flowing. How would they do it?

“Tell the priests to keep walking toward the river,” God told Joshua.

When the priests were nearly at the water’s edge, God gave the next instruction. “Tell the priests to step in the river and stand there.”


So even though the river was wide and swift, and there was no bridge, boat or raft in sight, the priests carrying the ark did as Joshua said. And an incredible thing happened. As soon as the priests stepped into the water, it stopped flowing! By the time the first people got to where the priests were, there was a path. Everyone walked through the river on dry ground.

Walking through on dry land - Artist unknown

Joshua didn’t know how God’s instructions would turn out. But he said what God told him to say anyway. The priests didn’t know that when they stepped into the river that it would stop flowing. But they stepped in anyway. By doing what God told them to do even though they didn’t know what would happen next, they showed their faith in God.

Are you praying for something that seems as impossible as crossing a river without a bridge or boat? Remember, God can make that impossible thing happen. And if God has told you to do something to answer that prayer, show your faith in Him by doing what He says.

PRAYER: Dear God, please give me the faith obey You, even when it means stepping into the unknown. Amen.

MORE: Remember the manna
All the time they were in the desert, God had fed the Israelites with manna. Then one day shortly after the Israelites entered Cannan, there wasn’t any! (Joshua 5:11,12) Why? Because now there was lots of other food to eat – like grain, fruit and honey. The need for manna was past.

I’m sure, though, that sometimes during those years in the desert, the people thought they’d be stuck eating manna forever. They were wrong of course. God brought them to a time and place where they didn't need manna any more.

Are there things in your life that seem to be going on forever? List them. Now when you are tempted to worry that they’ll never end, remember how God ended the manna for the Israelites. He can make things end in your life too.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.



Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Busy Behind the Scenes

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Joshua 2:1-14

TO CHEW ON: “'I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you." Joshua 2:9

After Moses died, Joshua became Israel’s leader. “Get the people ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I’m giving you,” God said to him. “Tell them if they do everything I say, I will help them.”

Forty years before the Israelites had been at the same place. Then they refused to trust God. What would they do this time?

“Pack up!” Joshua told the people. “We’ll be leaving soon.”

Secretly he sent two spies to look over Canaan. “Pay special attention to the city of Jericho,” he told them.

When the men got to Jericho, someone saw them and went to the king. “Get those spies!” the king commanded his servants.

The spies hid in the home of a woman named Rahab. “The people are scared to death of you,” she said.

Why? (Joshua 2:10).
How do you think this made the spies feel?

Picture from CC-Art.com
The spies hiding under flax on the roof of Rahab's house

Later Rahab helped the spies escape from the city.

Rahab helps the spies escape - James Tissot

When the spies made it back to camp, they told Joshua and the people how scared the Canaanites were. Then the people were filled with courage. “God is preparing the way for us to beat the Canaanites,” they said to each other. “He will help us win.”

Has God asked you to do something hard? Don’t look at the hard thing and feel discouraged. Instead have faith that God is preparing the way, working quietly and secretly behind the scenes for you too.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for preparing the way for me to succeed at what you’ve asked me to do. Amen


MORE: How spy-savvy are you?
1. Another name for a spy is: a] diplomat; b] civil servant; c] secret agent.

2. The job of a spy is to: a] get information about the enemy; b] find out who did the crime;
c] bring criminals to justice.

3. Spyware is: a] the web site where you make payments for things you buy;
b] software that collects information on where you surf on the internet; c] a website that collects passwords.

Spy stories: Stories about spies are full of suspense, adventure and excitement. Look for a spy story in your school or church library or your Christian book store.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Banned

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 14:1-12, 20-23

TO CHEW ON: "Not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it." Numbers 14:23

When the twelve spies came back from Canaan, only two thought they could conquer the people and move in. The ten others saw only walled cities and fierce, tall people. They were afraid and refused to trust God and Moses.

When the people in the camp heard their report, they started to grumble and cried, “We don’t want to die in a war. We want to go back to Egypt. We want a new leader.”

Joshua and Caleb tried to change the peoples’ minds. “The land is wonderful,” they said. “God isn’t afraid of those people. If He is with us, those people should be afraid.”

But the people wouldn’t change their minds. Instead they ganged up on Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. “Let’s kill them!” they shouted, and began picking up stones.

Then God’s glory came to the tabernacle and God said to Moses, “I'm going to destroy these people!”

“Please don’t kill them,” Moses begged. “Forgive them instead.”

God answered Moses’s prayer. He did forgive the people that day. But there were consequences. What were they? Pick the right answer (Numbers 14:20-23).

1. Manna stopped appearing each morning
2. None of the rebellious people would see or go into the land God had promised them.
3. An earthquake split the ground and swallowed up every rebellious person.

Rebellion against God is still wrong and still dangerous. Like the Israelites, if we don’t change rebellious ways, there will be consequences to us too.

PRAYER: Dear God, please teach me the danger of being stubborn and rebellious toward You. Amen.

MORE: Choices and Consequences
God is patient with us. He will forgive us for wrong things we’ve done if we ask Him.

Even then we will sometimes have to suffer consequences for bad choices we’ve made. Match the choice a person could make (left) with a possible consequence (right).


Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

A Can-do Attitude

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Numbers 13:26-33

TO CHEW ON: "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, 'We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.' But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.'” Numbers 13:30,31



The Israelites had been traveling through the desert for a long time. Now they were near the land God had promised them. To prepare for going in and settling there, Moses sent twelve spies to explore their new home. For forty days these men went from place to place in Canaan, secretly checking out the country.

When they got back, they told of the amazing orchards and farms. They brought back grapes, dates and pomegranates to prove how rich the land was. But they also told of huge walled cities and people who looked as big and strong as giants.

Ten of the spies didn’t think they would ever be able to live there. “The cities are too protected,” they said, “and the people are too tall.”

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, didn’t agree. “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we certainly can do it,” said Caleb.

Why do you think Joshua and Caleb disagreed with the other spies?
1. Joshua and Caleb needed their eyes checked.
2. Joshua and Caleb were taller, fiercer and braver than the other spies.
3. Joshua and Caleb remembered the ways God had helped them in the past and knew He could help them again.

Joshua and Caleb may have been braver than the others. But I’m sure that another reason they knew they could win over the people of Canaan was 3. They remembered all the times God had helped them in the past. They knew that with God they could do anything.

Things around us sometimes look impossible too. At those times it’s important that we remind ourselves of the times God has helped us. This will give us courage and confidence that He will be with us in whatever we’re facing now.

PRAYER: Dear God, please remind me of how You have helped me in the past and know that together we can get through hard things now. Amen

MORE: Story time
1. Pretend you are Caleb or Joshua. What stories could you tell the ten spies to remind them of God’s help in the past?

2. What stories could you tell a friend or family member about how God has helped you and your family?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Afraid

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 23:20-33

TO CHEW ON: " Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." Exodus 23:25,26

What things scare you:
- Walking alone in the dark?
- Changing schools?
- Trying something for the first time (diving, horseback riding, snowboarding)?
- _____________________________

It’s easy to be frightened when we don’t feel safe, or when we don’t know anyone, or when we’re trying something for the first time, or a lot of other reasons.

The Israelites had every reason to be afraid. They had gone from living in one spot to moving nearly every day. They went from being safe in Egypt to being easy prey to fierce desert tribes. They went from always knowing where they would find their next drink and meal to having to trust God for all these things.

A. God saw the fear inside them. He answered it with a whole lot of promises. Cross out the one thing, below, that He didn’t promise in TODAY'S SPECIAL reading.
God said he would:
1. send His angel to show them the way to go.
2. bless their food and water so they wouldn’t get sick.
3. give them a full life span.
4. make their enemies afraid of them.
5. give them a home in a new land.
6. drive enemies out in one day.

"The Giving of Manna" - Artist unknown

B. But in order for God to keep this promise, the Israelites needed to do something. What was it? (Exodus 23:24, 25)

God can take care of us just like He did the Israelites. But we also need to worship Him. That means respect Him, pray to Him, trust Him, and live the way He tells us to.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You care for me in every situation. Amen.


MORE: When Fear is at the Door
Next time fear thoughts come to call, answer them with these words:

"When I am afraid I will trust in you. " (Psalm 56:3)

Remind yourself of these words often by memorizing them, writing them on a poster, banner or note to yourself. Put it up on the bulletin board, mirror or other place in your room where you’re sure to see it often.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.