Sure Success

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Nehemiah 2:11-20

TO CHEW ON:“The God of heaven will give us success . . .” Nehemiah 2:20a

When Nehemiah got to Jerusalem he took a few days to rest. Then he gathered some men and went to look at the wall. As they circled the city, Nehemiah saw that it was every bit as bad as Hanani had described.


What had once been sturdy walls were now piles of boulders and bricks. Where thick wooden gates had once protected the city, there were now only charred posts and empty spaces. He realized this would be a huge project. But he came back from exploring more determined than ever. With God’s help he would rebuild the wall!


The next day he met with the city leaders. He told them who he was. He explained how he had heard about the broken walls and had prayed to God about them. Then he told how King Artaxerxes had given him permission to come and rebuild the Jerusalem walls.

The men listened closely. As Nehemiah talked they became more and more hopeful. “We’re with you,” they said, when he had explained everything. “Let’s start rebuilding.”



But not everyone was happy about this. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem were leaders of the tribes nearby. They didn’t want Jerusalem to be a strong city again. When they saw Hezekiah’s men getting to work on the walls they mocked and threatened them.

But Hezekiah was not scared. “Jerusalem is not your property,” he said. “God in heaven is helping us with this project.” Nehemiah knew that the tribes around would respect God when Jerusalem's walls were strong again. Because this project was for God’s glory, Nehemiah was sure God would give them success.

We need to ask ourselves why our dreams are important to us? Is it because they will bring us fame, attention, money or beautiful things? Or will they bring glory to God. It is for those dreams that God promises success.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to understand why my dreams are important to me. Help me to want Your honor above everything else. Amen.



MORE Jerusalem Before
Nehemiah 2:13-15 describes what Nehemiah saw when he got back to Jerusalem. Draw a picture of what you think Jerusalem looked like before the wall was repaired.

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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. 

Double Strength

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you?'
'Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,' Elisha replied." 2 Kings 2:9

One day as Elijah and Elisha were walking down the road, Elijah said, “God has told me to go to Bethel. But you stay here.”

Elisha had a strange feeling about this day. Somehow he knew that Elijah wouldn’t be with him much longer. He wanted to spend every minute he could with this incredible man. “No,” he replied. “I want to go with you.”

After spending some time in Bethel Elijah said “Now God is sending me to Jericho. You stay behind.”

But Elisha wouldn’t. He walked with Elijah to Jericho.

After they had visited the prophets in Jericho, Elijah said, “Now God is telling me to go to the Jordan, but you stay here.”

“I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.

When they got to the Jordan River, Elijah took off his robe, rolled it up and struck the water. Instantly it parted and the two men walked to the other side on dry ground.

“What can I do for you before God takes me away?” Elijah asked Elisha.

What should he ask for, Elisha wondered. He knew he didn’t want money or fame or nice things. What he wanted more than anything else was to be just like Elijah. “I want a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha answered.

“That’s a hard thing,” Elijah replied “You’ll get that only if you see God take me away.”

Then, as they were walking along, out of no where a chariot of fire and fiery horses appeared. In the next instant Elijah was swept away on the chariot and out of Elisha’s sight.



“My Father! My Father!” he called out. But Elijah was gone. All that was left was his robe. Elisha picked it up and walked back the way they came. When he got to the Jordan, he did just as Elijah had done. The water parted just like before.

Prophets watching on the other side of the Jordan saw what happened. “Elijah’s spirit is on Elisha,” they said. When they met him they promised to serve him like they had served Elijah.

Elijah wanted God’s best in his life. Because he had the determination and courage to go after it, God blessed him by answering his request.

PRAYER: Dear God, please put in my heart and mind to go after Your best for me. Amen

MORE: Mentors and Models
When Elisha got to know Elijah, he wanted to be like him. When Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted as a parting gift, more than money, nice things or popularity he wanted God’s power in his life just like he had seen it in Elijah.

Is there a Bible character, or a person that you’ve read about in a book, or someone you know of whom you would say, ‘I’d like to be just like that person?
Who is it?
Why do you want to be like that person?

You can pray that God will give you the godly qualities you see in their lives.

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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. 

Parent Problems

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 23:19-25

TO CHEW ON: "Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old." Proverbs 23:22

Have you ever had thoughts like this:

- My parents are too serious. They just want me to work and not have any fun.

- My parents are old fashioned. They don’t understand me and my friends.

- My parents don’t let me do anything. All my friends are allowed to do it, why can’t I?

Kids getting along with parents, and parents getting along with kids has been a big deal since kids and parents were invented. In our Bible reading today, Solomon gives advice to kids on how to handle all the do's and don’t's that parents give.

Which things he does not say Proverbs 23:19-25 :

1. Don’t join those who overeat and drink a lot of wine.

2. As long as there’s an adult to supervise, you can go.

3. Be disciplined.

4. Make a project out of becoming wise and getting understanding.

5. You become like the people with whom you hang out.

6. It isn’t a big deal to your parents whether or not you obey them.

7. When you show yourself a wise, good person, you’ll make your parents proud and happy.

Though it may be natural for kids and their parents to have some clashes, it’s important to remember a few things about your parents before you ignore what they say:

1. They know you very well. They have taken care of you for years and have lived with you in good times and bad.

2. They love you very much. Your parents work hard to provide food, clothes and a house for you and want only your best.

3. They have more experience than you have. They may have made some of the same mistakes they see you making. By giving you advice, they may be trying to save you from trouble.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to value, respect, obey and love my parents. Amen.

MORE: My parents

Appreciate the parents you have.

1. Write five things you like/love about your mother.

2. Write five things you like/love about your dad.

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. 

Recipe for Success

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Chronicles 28:4-12

TO CHEW ON: “And you my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

David was an old man. He had been king for forty years, but he knew he would soon die. One day he crowned his young son Solomon to rule after him. Then he called the people together to introduce them to their new king.


In front of everyone he challenged Solomon to be a good king and serve God for his whole life. His speech told Solomon how to do that. It went something like this:

“Solomon, be sure you search out all of God’s commands and obey them. Get to know God. Worship Him with a clean heart. Serve Him with a willing mind. Don’t think you can fool Him with pretending. Not only can He see what you do, He also knows your thoughts. Search for Him and He will show Himself to you.

“But if you don’t do these things and instead ignore God and forget Him, He will cast you aside.”

Then David gave Solomon a very precious parcel – the blueprints and plans for the temple. It was time to replace the Tabernacle tent with a building. David had wanted to do it but God had said no. Now David gave Solomon the job of building God’s house.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to seek You, find You and know You. Amen.

MORE:
Can David’s recipe for success still be used by us today?
How do you think a kid today would:

1. Search for God?

2. Get to know God?

3. Worship God with a clean heart?

4. Serve God with a willing mind?

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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. 

Hands Off!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Samuel 26:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "But David said to Abishai, 'Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?'” 1 Samuel 26:9

Messengers came running to Saul. “We’ve seen David,” they said. “We can tell you where he is!” So Saul took three thousand soldiers and went to the place the messengers had said.

David had his own spies. They knew exactly when Saul arrived and where his army was camped. One day David went to the hill overlooking Saul’s camp. As he peered down, he saw Saul asleep in the middle of all the soldiers. Even his bodyguard, Abner, was asleep.

After dark, David and his friend Abishai crept down the hill and into the camp. They tiptoed right past all the sleeping soldier to the place where Saul lay.

“Here’s your chance,” whispered Abishai. “God is giving Saul into your hands. Let me kill him for you.”


“No!” David said. “He’s the king that God chose. It’s up to God whether he lives or dies. I won’t lay a hand on him.” But David took Saul’s spear and the water jug that was close to his head. Then they left the camp as quietly as they had come.

When they were at the top of the hill David shouted, “Abner!”

Abner woke up “Who are you?” he asked.

“Where is the king’s spear and water jug?” said David. “You didn’t guard your king very well!”

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

By now Saul was awake. He realized the danger he had been in and how David had spared his life. He felt bad. “I have sinned,” he said. “I won’t try to harm you again.”

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to respect and honor the people You have called in a special way, like David honored Saul. Amen.
 
MORE Respect for leaders
Saul was doing bad things. God’s blessing was no longer on his life. Still David knew that he had been God’s choice as king over Israel. David was determined to respect God’s choice.

Some people God puts over us are parents, pastors, school and Sunday school teachers, coaches. Most times those people are good. But sometimes they are bad and want to hurt us. Below are some things from this story about how to act toward people over us. Which thing does this story does not teach:

1. We should respect the people in authority over us.
2. Sometimes the people over us are bad or evil.
3. It’s always okay to get a teacher or coach we don’t like in trouble
4. God is able to care for us even when we’re under bad leaders.

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. 

God's Fiery Smile

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Leviticus 9:1-5, 22-24

TO CHEW ON: "Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people." Leviticus 9:23

On the first day that the priests sacrificed animals to take the place of sinful people who deserved to die, Moses explained what God had said to him on the mountain. His brother Aaron was to be the person in charge of making these sacrifices. Helpers for Aaron were to be from his family or tribe - the tribe of Levi. They were called ‘Levites.’ They had to wear the special priest costumes we talked about on this day.

On the first sacrifice day, Aaron brought animals to pay for his sin. Moses told him how to make each type of sacrifice – the sin offering, the burnt offering, the peace or fellowship offering and the grain offering. Different animals were needed for each one. These animals had to be perfect male animals (goats, lambs, calves or oxen) from the peoples’ own flocks.

Choosing animals for sacrifice (Graphic courtesy CC-Art.com)

As Aaron and his sons brought and slaughtered the animals, the crowd watched. The sight of innocent animals dying reminded them how serious it was to disobey God.

At the end of the day, Moses and Aaron spoke a blessing on the people. Then God blessed them too – not in a peaceful way but with an awesome, fearful sign. As the people watched, God’s glory came down as fire. Bright hot flames simply appeared and consumed the animal parts still on the altar.

When the people saw it, they were happy. The fire showed that God had accepted the sacrifice. But they were also afraid. What kind of a God could send fire like this? The people fell on their faces in worship.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for showing us Your awesome power. Help us to know Your power too, and to respect and fear You. Amen.

MORE: God’s ‘Yes!’
After this first day of sacrifices, God said “Yes!” by sending fire. Of course God doesn’t always respond in such spectacular ways. Here are some other ways God showed the people in the Bible that He was there, right with them. Match the incident to the person who lived it (listed below). How has God sad "yes" to you?

1. God’s sent a rainbow to show He would keep a promise. (Genesis 9:11-13)
2. God sent helpers (angels) to get a family out of an evil city (Genesis 19:15)
3. God answered a prayer (Genesis 24:12-16)
4. God spoke in a dream (Genesis 28:10-17)
5. God gave a prisoner favor with the king (Genesis 41:39,40)

A. Abraham’s servant
B. Lot
C. Jacob
D. Noah
E. Joseph.

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. 

Priestly Fashion

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Exodus 28:1-5

TO CHEW ON: "Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor." Exodus 28:2

What clothes would you choose?

Match the activity on the left to the clothes you would choose to wear for it on the right:




We dress differently for different activities and seasons. Though there are no right or wrong answers to the quiz above, if you answered honestly you probably didn’t say you would wear a swim suit to play in the snow or your formal dress clothes to go swimming.

What we wear may also depend on what we think of the people we’re with. If you were picked to meet a king or president, would you choose to wear dirty, ripped play clothes? Probably not. Because what you wear says something about you and how you feel toward the person you’re meeting. Your respect for an important person would stop you from dressing in a sloppy way.

God used this rule of personal appearance when He told Moses what the workers in the tabernacle – the priests – should wear. Again God gave detailed instructions.

Aaron's priestly clothes

The priests were to wear special things – a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. These things were to be made of the best linen, using gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn. The priests were to dress that way so that the people would give them 1.____________ (ynidigt) and 2. _______________ (ronho).

If you go to this page, you will see a picture of the priest in his robe. Click on parts of the priest’s clothes to find out more about each part.

Does your minister or pastor wear special clothes? If he or she does, we see here that it was God’s idea to set apart people who served Him in special ways even by the clothes they wear. In that way, we are reminded to treat them with dignity and give them honor. Of course that is something we should do anyway, whether our pastor wears a robe, a suit or jeans!

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to always respect my pastor. Amen.

MORE: Church Wear

What I choose to wear to church says something about how I feel toward God.

Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Tell why.

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.