Nesting Thoughts

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Philippians 4:4-9

TO CHEW ON: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Philippians 4:8

You’ve probably heard the proverb, “You can’t stop a bird from landing on your head, but you can stop it from building a nest in your hair.”


Our thoughts are a lot like that bird. The first time a thought occurs to us is like the bird sitting on our head. We can’t help that it landed there but we can choose what happens after that. We can choose to invite the thought to stay by thinking about it more, or shoo it away by replacing it with a better thought.

For example, suppose you stop by your best friend Jessica’s house to walk her to school. Her Mom tells you that she’s already left with Danielle. Immediately you have the thought: “Danielle’s trying to steal my friend.”

Now you have a choice. Do you encourage that jealous thought by telling yourself things like:

• I never could trust Jessica.
  
• Next time I see Jessica and Danielle I'll give them a piece of my mind.

Or do you replace it by thinking things like:

• I don’t know everything about the situation (truth thoughts).
• I can have more than one good friend (right thoughts).
  
• I don’t own Jessica - she needs to be free to walk to school with anyone she likes (noble thoughts).

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to recognize thoughts that don’t please You. Then help me to replace them with thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Amen.



MORE: Thought-provoking
We can do something about the thoughts that come to us. Which activities below may lead to good thoughts? Which do you believe would lead to bad thoughts?



1. Go on chat rooms where people post put-downs.

2. Memorize Bible advice about your thoughts.

3. Read Christian fiction and stories of famous people who loved God (biographies).

4. Watch every new movie that comes out.

5. Listen to music with God-honoring lyrics.

6. Hang around with kids who swear.

7. Play violent video games.

8. Spend time online at Christian web sites for kids your age.

9. Go to church, Sunday School and club.


You might want to memorize today's TO CHEW ON verse. It's a good way to remind yourself about the thoughts to encourage and the ones to shoo away.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

- Philippians 4:8

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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.

Closed-door Prayer

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 6:5-15

TO CHEW ON: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. " Matt. 6:6

Sometimes we do things with secret motives. Match the action on the left with a possible reason for doing it on the right.


One of the things Jesus talked to His disciples about while on the mountain was the reason we do things. Though the people who see us may not know our motives, God always knows. It makes Him especially sad when we use things like prayer to impress others. That’s why He told the disciples – and us – to pray in private and not use praying to show off.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to pray to you simply, humbly, honestly and privately. Amen.

"The Lord's Prayer" by James Tissot

SUPERSIZE IT: The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. This is called “The Lord’s Prayer.” Maybe you know it.

We often think of prayer as only asking for things. But the Lord’s Prayer is made up of much more than that. Can you find examples of these kinds of prayer in The Lord’s Prayer?

Purple - Praise and worship (praising God for who he is and telling him how great he is)

Red - Confession (confessing the wrong things we’ve done)

Blue - Intercession (asking for things for others) and Petition (asking for things for ourselves)

You could print the Lord's Prayer, then mark each kind of prayer with a different color of highlighter pen or pencil crayon.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

ANSWERS




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. 

David's Secret

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 2 Samuel 12:1-10

TO CHEW ON: “Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in His sight?” 2 Samuel 12:9

David was now a successful and loved king. One day when he was relaxing on the palace roof, he caught sight of a beautiful woman taking a bath. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. So he told his servant to bring her to the palace.


She came and David found out her name was Bathsheba. She was married to Uriah, one of David’s soldiers. But that didn’t stop David from taking her to his room and making love to her. Then he sent her back home. A short time later, Bathsheba sent word to David that she was pregnant.

Now this was a problem, because her husband wasn’t home. He was on the battlefield. People would ask, “Who is the father of this baby?” Maybe David would be found out. So David sent for Uriah to come back from the war. David thought Uriah would welcome the chance to be with his wife. Then he would think the baby was his.

But when Uriah came home, he refused to go home to Bathsheba. “Why should I enjoy my wife when my fellow soldiers are dying?” he asked. Then he spent the night with David’s servants.

So David went to Plan B. He sent Uriah back to the war with a note for his captain. The note said to make sure Uriah was sent to the most dangerous place on the battlefield. No one should defend him when he was attacked. This way he would be killed by the enemy.

A few days later Uriah was killed in battle. Soon after that, David married Bathsheba. He thought that no one knew what had happened and everything would be just fine.

But God knew. One day God sent Nathan the prophet to see David. He told David a story about a rich man who stole the only pet lamb of a poor man, in order to feed his guests.

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

When David heard Nathan’s story he was angry. “That rich man should pay four times for the lamb he stole,” he exclaimed.

“You are that man,” Nathan replied. “You had all the women you wanted. Yet you weren’t satisfied. You stole Bathsheba from Uriah and had him killed. There are consequences for your sin. Now there will always be killing in your family.”

PRAYER: Dear God, am I hiding any sin like David was? Please help me remember, face up to it and make things right. Amen.

MORE: Snowball Sin
Have you ever made a snowball with sticky snow? Though you start with a ball of snow so small you can hold it in your hands, as you roll it in the snow and more and more snow sticks to it, it’s soon so big and heavy you can hardly push it.

Sin is like that. David’s look at Bathsheba led to thinking about her and wanting her. That led to adultery (having sex with someone who is married to someone else), and deceit and eventually murder.

- Can you think of a time sin was like a snowball in your life?

- Remember how easily sin grows next time you’re tempted to let your thoughts go where they shouldn’t, tell a ‘white lie,’ take something that isn’t yours.

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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. 

Mind Matter

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Psalm 1:1-6

CHEW ON: "But they (people who try to please God) take joy in doing all God wants them to. They think about God’s laws day and night. They think about ways to follow him more closely." Psalm 1:2 (The [Simplified] Living Bible)

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

Saul tried to kill David because he was jealous. He kept his envious thoughts growing by going back to them again and again. He imagined how the people were saying David should be king instead of him. He wished David weren’t around. Maybe if he killed David, the people would admire him the most again …

Our minds are always busy, thinking about something. But we don't have to let our minds go wherever they choose. We can control what we think about. If we find ourselves thinking jealous, hateful, revengeful thoughts, we can stop. We can turn our minds to other things – and think thoughts that are good, loving, wholesome and kind.

What are your favorite things to think about? What are some things you try NOT to think about?

Read Philippians 4:8, then make a list of good things to think about.

When you think happy thoughts, thank God for the good things in your life. When you think sad, scary or angry thoughts, stop. Pray and ask God to help you change them.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for my mind. Please help me think wholesome, good, true, loving thoughts today. Amen.

SUPERSIZE IT: Your favorite things
There’s a song called “My Favorite Things.” In it the singer lists the nice things she tries to think about when feeling bad or sad – things like roses, kittens, and packages tied with string.

You can listen to it here.

















Now draw a picture of your favorite things to think about. Write a short prayer of thank-you below your picture.

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 Scriptures marked The Living Bible (or TLB) copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The Living Bible, TLB, and the The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.


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