Give Us This Day (Vol. 7) by Our Daily Bread Ministries

Give S I H T US DAY ad e r B y l i a Our D s and Kids for Familie

This Book Belongs To:

WRITER S: Chia Poh Fang (CPF), Esther Eio (EE), Jasmine Goh (JG), Selena Heng (SH), Leslie Koh (LK), Emily Lim-Leh (EL), Jayni Manners (JM), Heather Owens (HLO), Kimberly Quek (KQ), Ruth Wan-Lau (RW), Charmaine Weng (CW), Betsy Whittaker (BW), Alina Teo (AT) EDITORIAL: Asia Pacific Content Development Team DESIGNER S: Grace Goh, Joshua Tan Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION These devotions are written specially for children and families. They can be read out loud during family devotional time. Children can also use these devotions for their personal time with the Lord. Through the use of stories and examples, these devotions aim to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable to children and families, and to challenge them to apply the Word of God to their daily lives. Here are some tips on how to carry out family devotional time using these devotions: • Set aside a specific time every day as family devotional time. • Read the Bible passage out loud. • Read the devotion out loud. • Ask the children to summarize the devotion. • Read the reflection questions out loud. Have a discussion about them. • Summarize the key learning points for everyone. • Pray, asking God to help everyone apply His Word to their lives. As you use this book, we pray that you will enjoy meaningful moments with God and with one another! The Our Daily Bread team

i sely W e im T r u o Y Use ay Verse of the D r days, ber ou Teach us to num a heart of that we may gain 90:12 wisdom. —Psalm

READ

Psalm 90:12–17

“H

ow was your violin lesson, Keith?” Mom asked. “Cool! I was amazed at how much my teacher Mrs Chew did with me,” Keith replied. “First, I played all the scales for her, then, we went through my three exam pieces. After that, we did singing, clapping, and sight-reading. And, that’s not all! Mrs Chew even found the time to have me write down three goals to improve my violin playing.” “Wow! You did all that during your one-hour lesson? That’s great! By the way, what are you planning to do tomorrow now that the school holidays have begun?” Mom asked. “Oh . . . I was thinking of lying in bed and playing computer games for eight hours . . .” Keith replied. Mom raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat. “You know, Keith,

relaxing sounds great, but let’s think about what Moses wrote in Psalm 90:12: ‘Teach us to number our days, that we may 4

Pra yer gain a heart of wisdom.’ Just like your violin lesson has a one-hour time limit, our lives also have a limit—the time we have won’t last forever. When we realize this, we’ll want to use our time wisely, as part of pleasing God.”

Lord ,h reali elp me t o ze th e tim I hav e e forev won’t las t er. I w my t ant t ime o use wi plea se Yo sely, to u. I d want on’t to w aste my t ime.

Mom continued: “Mrs Chew made excellent use of one hour to help you practice and set goals. Isn’t it amazing how much can be done with the limited time we have, when we put our minds to it? So, let’s not waste our time! Now, it’s your turn: how can you use your holiday time wisely, in a way that pleases God? And, what spiritual goals can you set for yourself?” —RW

tion Reflec e wisely during the How can you spend your tim res around the house or holidays? Could you do cho ritual goals could you set help your siblings? What spi Bible, memorizing verses, for yourself, e.g., reading the g for people? Let’s use our ser ving in church, or prayin ases God. holiday time in a way that ple

e) n O t r a P ( ? e e More Fr ay Verse of the Done you

the You are slaves of u are slaves yo obey—whether s to death, or to sin, which lead ch leads to to obedience, whi Romans 6:16 righteousness. —

READ

Romans 6:16–18

ai Xuan stomped into Sunday School and sat at the back, pouting. “What’s the matter?” Auntie Michelle asked. Kai Xuan told her Sunday School teacher what had happened: that morning, she had been playing her favorite mobile game but her parents made her stop because it was time to go to church. Kai Xuan was very upset. “Why can’t I be free to do whatever I want?” Kai Xuan blurted out. “As a Christian, I have to do this or not do that. Wouldn’t I be freer if I didn’t follow Christ?” “Oh, I don’t think that’s true, Kai Xuan,” Auntie Michelle looked concerned. “Some people may think following Christ is about following rules, and if they weren’t Christian, they wouldn’t have to follow rules, so they’d be free. But, the freedom to do whatever you want

Pra yer Lord is not true freedom at all. Romans 6:16 , I wa nt Your tells us that we are slaves to the one team to be in ,n team we obey; if we do not obey God, we . I do ot sin’s not w be e nslav are actually slaves to sin.” a ed to nt to s i “Slaves? To sin?” Kai Xuan n. thought about this. “Yes!” Auntie Michelle replied. “You play netball in school, right? In a netball game, two teams compete against each other. In a similar way, according to Romans

6:16–18, in the ‘game of life’, there are two teams: God’s team or sin’s team. If you aren’t part of God’s team, that doesn’t make you free. It means you’re part of sin’s team: you’re enslaved to sin. Today’s Sunday School lesson is about that. Why don’t you sit in front and we can talk more after the lesson ends?” Kai Xuan nodded and walked to the front with Auntie Michelle. —RW

tion Reflec phone, tablet or computer, When you play games on the when your parents tell do you sometimes get upset thought, said or done as a you to stop? What have you l you do dif ferently? reaction to them? What wil

o) w t t r a P ( ? e e More Fr ay Verse of the D

you So if the Son sets free indeed. free, you will be —John 8:36

READ

John 8:34–36

ai Xuan found Auntie Michelle’s Sunday School lesson very engaging that day. The children took turns to bind Auntie Michelle’s wrists together with a ball of thread. At first, with just a few strings around her wrists, she broke free of the binding easily. But, as more string was wound around her wrists, it was impossible for her to break free. Auntie Michelle explained the lesson: “Jesus said in John 8:34 that ‘Everyone who sins is a slave of sin.’ Sin is our disobedience to God. The more we disobey, the harder it is to break free; just like when more strings are tied around my wrists, it was harder for me to break free. Thankfully, Jesus reassures us that ‘if the Son sets

you free, you will be free indeed’ (John 8:36). Jesus, the Son of God, died for us on the cross to set us free from the bondage of sin. Because of Him, we can be truly free. Does anybody know what it means to be truly free?” 8

Pra yer Lord While the children thought about , help m awar this question, Kai Xuan raised her e tha e to be t b si inds hand. “To be truly free doesn’t mean me. I n is wha t t is Y sets you are free to do whatever you ou w me f r h ee o Jesus Your through want. It means you’re free from sin!” Son. You for it I pra Auntie Michelle smiled. “Very ! ise good, Kai Xuan! When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are freed from sin—God forgives our sin and He gives us the power to resist sin through the Holy Spirit.” After the lesson, Kai Xuan hugged Auntie Michelle. “Thanks for today’s lesson. I’m going to say sorry to my parents for being rude to them this morning. I don’t want to be a slave to sin. I want to be free in Jesus!” —RW

tion Reflec atever you want. It is True freedom is not doing wh the Son of God is able to freedom from sin. Only Jesus to accept Jesus as your set us truly free. Say a prayer give your sin and give you Lord and Savior. God will for the Holy Spirit’s help. the power to resist sin with

The Best Food ay Verse of the Das fied I will be fully satis foods. with the richest of —Psalm 63:5

READ

Psalm 63:1–5

ndrew was feeding his sister Audrey who was seated in her high chair. “Open your mouth, Audrey. Yum, yum!” Andrew said, feeding her one spoonful of porridge. Then, he checked his smartphone, and Audrey began to pick her nose. Her finger dug out a dried lump of mucus, and she ate it. “Yum, yum!” Audrey giggled. Andrew looked up. “Eeow! Boogers shouldn’t be eaten! Mom!” he hollered for help. “What happened?” Mom came running. After Andrew told her what Audrey had done, Mom talked to Audrey firmly, then helped her blow her nose. “What are you looking at on your phone?” Mom asked Andrew. “Oh, nothing much,” Andrew’s eyes were glued to his social media feed. “Just a bunch of random videos, pictures, and memes.” 10

Pra yer Lord Mom shook her head. “Andrew, you , You ful me. I agree with me that Audrey shouldn’t want ly satisfy my h to fil feed herself boogers, right? Well, just ea l with rt and m think about what we are feeding our ind You. hearts and minds when we spend too much time on social media. Just as boogers have little nutritional value, there may be little value in consuming too many random videos, pictures, and memes.” Mom continued: “Remember what we studied during our family Bible Study group? Psalm 63:5 says: ‘I will be fully satisfied as

with the richest of foods.’ The psalmist recognized that only God fully satisfies us. His love is better than life (v.3) and when we fill our hearts and minds with God’s power, glory, and praise (vv. 2,4), it’s like eating the yummiest, best of the best food.” “Yum, yum!” Audrey squealed with delight. Andrew laughed. “Okay, I get your point, Mom. I’ll put my phone away. No boogers for Audrey, and no boogers for me!” —RW

tion Reflec your phone or other media Instead of spending time on or TV, start the daily habit channels, like the computer prayer, writing, and drawing. of praising God with song,

Hope in Jesus ay Verse of the D hope We boast in the d. of the glory of Go 2 —Romans 5:

READ

Romans 5:1–5

n a hot July afternoon, Joni went swimming with her friends. She dived head first into the water, without realizing that it was too shallow to do so. Severely injured, Joni was sent to the hospital where they discovered that she had broken her spinal cord and was paralyzed from the shoulders down. Only 17 years old at that time, Joni Eareckson Tada had been keen on pursuing sports in college. Yet, she could no longer move her hands and legs. All hopes of living out her passion were dashed. She became angry and depressed. But with the help of her friends, she found hope in Jesus and discovered a new purpose in life. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he tells them that as followers of Jesus, they can “boast in the hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). We too have the same hope, if we put our faith in Jesus.

Pra yer Lord Because Jesus took the punishment , than k bein for our sins, we have a restored g my You for prese and relationship with God. We can now nt fut me t ure hope help ol enjoy His empowering presence to .H when ook to Je elp s u I am help us in our trials, and joyfully feeli s n g look forward to sharing in God’s down . glory, where we will have a new and perfect body that will never decay. Today, with Jesus, Joni looks at her situation differently. She is still unable to move her hands and legs but instead of dwelling in despair, she is determined to live her life as a follower of Jesus Christ joyfully. She has learnt to paint, and she has starred in a movie, written many books, and even hosted her own radio show. Through all these, she shares her story of how Jesus is her present help and future hope. —JG

tion Reflec i’s story? Think of ways to What can you learn from Jon He has given you eternal focus on Jesus and remember . How does this help you life and is your eternal friend ressed, or when your hopes when you are angry and dep are dashed?

i gh t l F ’s t i w d o G The ay Verse of the Dorks,

ur w How many are yo you made LORD! In wisdom h is full of them all; the eart Psalm 104:24 your creatures. —

READ

Psalm 104:24

“M

y Papa is going to New York for work. He says he will fly on the world’s longest non-stop flight,” Zach told his friend Caleb. “How long is the flight?” Caleb asked. “Nineteen hours,” Zach said. Caleb smiled. “That isn’t the world’s longest non-stop flight.” Zach frowned. “There’s a longer one?” Caleb nodded. “I’m talking about the bar-tailed godwit. Did you know this small bird can fly non-stop for eight to nine days from Alaska to New Zealand to escape the winter?” “No way!” Zach cried. “The bar-tailed godwit eats lots of food to build up stores of fat for energy,” Caleb said. “It doesn’t eat or sleep during flight. As it flies, it uses up its energy store till its internal organs shrink.” “Really?” Zach gasped. His tummy tightened at the mention of food.

Pra yer Lord “The godwit makes this epic round, in Y ou You trip of 29,000 kilometers every year,” have r wisdom creat , a wh Caleb continued. ed ol amaz e world o “Seriously?” Zach cried, arms f in me t g creatu r o e flapping and ready to take off from s s creat ee and v . Help alue ion! the sofa. Your “Yes!” Caleb exclaimed. “God, in His wisdom, created this amazing bird and gave it an inner compass to find its way across the world. No human invention can

ever be better than God’s creation. It’s like the psalmist says in Psalm 104:24: ‘How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.’” “Wow!” Zach cried. “My inner compass tells me that Mom bought the world’s best chocolate cake for us and it’s over there.” “First one to fly from the sofa to the fridge gets extra cake!” Caleb cried as he took off. —EL

tion Reflec upon one or two amazing Read Psalm 19:1–3. Reflect Remember that the God wonders of God’s creation. th also created you. Thank who created Heaven and Ear Him for this.

ther o n A e n O e g a Encour ay Verse of the Done another age Therefore encour her up, just as ot ch and build ea ing. in fact you are do s 5:11 —1 Thessalonian

READ

1 Thessalonians

“I

5:9–15

have a new game for us to play,” announced Dad. “Great, what is it?” asked Max excitedly. “Each one of us is going to say something nice about one person in the family. I will start by saying something nice about Mom, then you children will also say one thing nice about Mom. Then I will say something nice about Conor, and each of you will say something nice about Conor,” explained Dad. “I don’t think I like this game,” said Conor. “I can’t think of anything nice to say about my brothers.” “Of course you can,” replied Dad. “It doesn’t have to be long. For example, I like Mom because she makes nice cakes.” “I can’t think of anything nice to say either,” piped in Adam, the youngest of the three brothers. “My brothers don’t let me play with them.” “Children, it’s not good to have this attitude,” said Dad. “I’m sure

Pra yer you can think of one thing nice to say about each other. In 1 Thessalonians

5:11, we are told to encourage one another and build each other up. You should praise your siblings when they do something well.”

Lord , help me t enco o urag e my and siblin build gs them up.

“I will start,” said Adam. “I like Max because he gave me some of his blocks.” “Well done, Adam. That’s very gracious of you. Conor, your turn now,” said Dad. —JM

tion Reflec die for us, we are to love If Jesus loved us enough to rt by loving our family, others as He does. Let’s sta including our siblings.

s e i b m o Z e r e W We ay Verse of the Deat love for

s gr But because of hi h in mercy, made ric is us, God, who t even when we us alive with Chris sgressions. were dead in tran 5 —Ephesians 2:4–

READ

Ephesians 2:1–10

“D

ad, did you know that zombies are found in the Bible?” Jasmine said. “Where did you hear that from?” Dad asked, raising

an eyebrow. “Pastor Matthew gave us a short message at Sunday School this morning. He said zombies are found in Ephesians 2:1–2!” Dad grabbed his Bible and looked up the verses. “See,” Jasmine said, pointing at God’s Word, “it says ‘you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live.’ ” Dad smiled. “Before we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were dead in sin, yet we were alive. Hmm . . . that is a bit like . . .” “ . . . zombies!” Jasmine exclaimed. “Zombies are the walking dead, and that’s what we were! We were walking around, but we were dead.” Dad laughed. “I guess I see Pastor Matthew’s tongue-in-cheek

Pra yer point! When we are disobedient to

God, our relationship with Him is broken and we can’t fix it. We may be enjoying ourselves at school or with friends and family, but actually, we’re dead—that means: we’re finished because we can’t get rid of our sin; we’re helpless and hopeless.”

Lord , than k You Your f grea t lov or us. I e wa fo but a s dead in r m no sin, w Chris t bec alive wi th au my L ord a se Jesus nd S i avior s .

“Pastor Matthew said that dead people can’t save themselves. But God made us alive again,” Jasmine recalled. Dad nodded. “Verses 4 and 5 say: ‘because of his great love for us, God . . . made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.’ What a merciful God we have! With Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are no longer dead in sin, but alive with Him!” “Hooray!” exclaimed Jasmine. “We aren’t zombies anymore!” She stuck out her arms and walked around the room like a zombie. Dad laughed, then joined in. —RW

tion Reflec being dead in sin. Then, In your own words, describe . Having Jesus as our Lord describe being alive in Christ ference. Praise Him for it! and Savior makes all the dif 19

? m o d s i W r o i F Wiay Verse of the Dprofitable ore For [wisdom] is m ds better el yi d than silver an . returns than gold —Proverbs 3:14

READ

Proverbs 3:13–19

“N

o Wi-Fi?!” Zac exclaimed as his family entered the retreat center. “I need to update my social media page and find out what’s happening with . . .” Dad interrupted, “Our goal this weekend is to spend time away from distractions, including our gadgets and the Internet. We are in search of something far greater than Wi-Fi!” “What’s that?” Zac asked. “Wisdom!” Dad answered. “Wi-Fi connects us to information

and people via the Internet and social media, but without God’s wisdom, such connections could lead us down wrong paths! Proverbs 3:14 reminds us that wisdom is more profitable than silver, and yields better returns than gold. It is the most valuable treasure we could ever possess.” Mom said: “Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is 20

Pra yer Lord understanding. This means: When we , gran t me Your know God—His character and power— wisd om i decis n the and take His will and ways seriously ions that I ma by obeying Him, we’ll be able to ke. live wisely.” Glancing at Zac’s phone, Mom added: “For example, we’ll be wise about what to click on, swipe, post and type on our phones. It’s one thing to have Wi-Fi connection to information and people; it’s another thing to wisely choose what information to accept or reject, and to communicate wisely with the people you are connected with.” “That’s right,” Dad nodded. “You’ll need wisdom for that!” “I get it! Wi-Fi connects us to the Internet, but wisdom connects us to God!” Zac smiled and put away his mobile phone. “OK, Mom and Dad. Shall we begin our quest for wisdom?” —CW

tion Reflec isions? Think of several How do you usually make dec ere fearing the Lord— examples from your life wh character and power, and meaning we know God, His sly by obeying Him—helps take His will and ways seriou you make wise decisions.

ds Gracious Wor ay Verse of the Dhoneycomb, are a Gracious words and healing to sweet to the soul erbs 16:24 the bones. —Prov

READ

Proverbs 16:20–

hen he was a young boy, Benjamin West attempted to draw a picture of his sister, Sally, but it didn’t really look like her. In fact, it looked a bit messy. When his mother saw his creation, she kissed him on the head and remarked, “Why, it’s Sally!” Later on, when Benjamin became a famous American painter, he told others that it was that kiss from his mother that made him decide to become an artist. He persevered and succeeded in art, because his mother encouraged him. Encouragement is a powerful thing. There are many reminders in the Bible of how we are to encourage one another. Proverbs 16:24

says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” and Proverbs 12:25 tells us, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” This means that your kind words can be most pleasant and uplifting to others. 22

Pra yer When you are with your friends or on social media, remember to use kind words only. Build people up with your words; don’t tear them down. We bring glory to God by being encouraging and kind to others. And, it pleases Him too. So, whom can you support, comfort, and affirm today?

Lord , help m alwa ys be e to kind enco and ur fami aging to ly an my df me t o cho riends. H el o will build se words p that them up.

Excerpted and adapted from Our Daily Bread 10 August 2019 article, by Peter Chin.

tion Reflec aging words? Or, have Have you always used encour ss and unkind? Ask God to you sometimes been carele to others, and ask for His help you to be encouraging t been kind. forgiveness when you haven’

Bless You! ay Verse of the Dlesome talk

who Do not let any un mouths, but only ur yo come out of up r building others what is helpful fo r needs. according to thei —Ephesians 4:29

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Ephesians 4:29–

ohan was watching TV when it suddenly went blank. “What the f---!” “Hey! Do you know that that is a really rude word?” Joel asked. “No,” Johan mumbled. “Don’t all big boys use such words?” “I don’t,” Joel said. “What’s the big deal?” Johan asked. “It’s just a word.” “That’s what I thought until my Sunday School teacher pointed me to Ephesians 4:29,” Joel said, opening up the Bible app on his phone. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” “What does that mean?” Johan asked. “It means we should choose words that help and are good for those who are listening,” Joel said. “What happens if our little sister 24

Pra yer Lord Jolene heard you using rude words?” , help me t guar “Not good?” Johan said. “But if I o d my m a outh n d cho don’t talk like my friends, they will ose word laugh at me.” s wis my ely. H to sp elp m ea Joel replied: “True friends are e enco k words that urag those who accept you for who you e othe a rs up nd build are, not what they want you to be. . I lost some friends when I chose to use decent language. But I found better friends who accepted me.” Just then, Jolene burst into the TV room. “What the f---!” she shouted. Johan looked horrified. “Jolene, do you know that that word is very rude?” Johan said. “We won’t use that anymore, okay? When we are angry, we can say something that’s the opposite, like . . . ‘Bless you!’” “Best you!” Jolene cried. “That’s fine too,” Johan said with a smile. “And yes, I’ll try to be the ‘Best Me.’” —EL

tion Reflec use of inappropriate Have you struggled with the ause it seems like the cool language just to fit in or bec can replace such words thing to do? Think of how you . with more wholesome words 25

tion o v e D d e t r a e Wholeh ay Verse of the D e

ed th I, however, follow holeheartedly. LORD my God w —Joshua 14:8

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Joshua 14:7–15

anjay kicked a pebble on the pavement as he trudged home from church. His friends in Sunday School had not been keen to invite others to the upcoming outreach event organized by the church. They had whined: “No point asking. My friends won’t come.” Sanjay thought: Don’t they believe that God can work through them? “Ouch!” Sanjay squealed. “A penny for your thoughts, Sanjay?” his Sunday School teacher Alex said with a wink. Sanjay had walked straight into Alex! Sanjay replied shyly, “Oops. Sorry. I was thinking about inviting friends to the church’s outreach event. I was excited about it, but everyone else didn’t seem keen, so I’m feeling discouraged.” “Do you remember Caleb?” Alex asked. “He was one of the twelve spies who went to look at the Promised Land. Though ten spies saw only the difficulties and challenges, Caleb and Joshua

Pra yer Lord believed that God would give them the , help me to fo land.” llow Y o w u hole Alex took out his Bible and h when eartedly showed Sanjay Joshua 14:7-8: e my f riend ven othe r s “I brought him back a report way. go th e according to my convictions, but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” Alex continued, “Caleb wasn’t swayed by the crowd. He was

fully devoted to God and focused on Him. Even at the ripe old age of eighty-five, Caleb continued to have a great attitude about serving God and fighting for him. Let’s follow his good example, shall we? Let’s not be discouraged by those around us, and let’s follow God wholeheartedly.”

Sanjay replied with a nod and a bright smile. —CPF

tion Reflec be with us as we obey God promises that He will ke disciples” (Matthew His command to “go and ma ch out to for God today? 28:19–20). Whom can you rea

God With Us ay Verse of the Dthe blazing

into If we are thrown e serve is able w d Go furnace, the it, and he will to deliver us from ur Majesty’s deliver us from Yo 17 hand. —Daniel 3:

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Daniel 3:13–25

“W

hy, Mom?” Anna whispered, her eyes welling up with tears as she recounted what her classmate Mei had told her. “Why would Mei’s parents say such things?” Mei’s parents had told Mei that she was not allowed to become a Christian. They had taken Mei’s Bible away and threatened to throw her out of the house. Mom sighed. “Her parents must have their reasons. I’m afraid that for many, the cost of following Christ is high and the path a difficult one.” Anna remained silent, unsure of what to think or do. “Honey, do you remember the story of Daniel and his three friends in the Bible, how they were punished for their beliefs while they were exiled in Babylon?” Mom asked. “Yes, the king of Babylon threw Daniel into the lions’ den for praying to God (Daniel 6), and threw Daniel’s friends into a fiery

Pra yer furnace for refusing to bow down to an idol made of gold (Daniel 3). God saved them though,” Anna said. “Yes, He did,” Mom nodded. “God can intervene—though He doesn’t promise miracles every time. His promise is that He is always with us. The Bible

Lord , than k You are w You that ith m will e. Yo ne u nor f ither lea ve orsak e me when , ev I suffe face any en ring for m kind of y fait h.

tells us that Jesus is called Immanuel, a Hebrew word that means ‘God with us.’ Jesus, who is God, has said that He will never leave or forsake us. Just as God was with Daniel in the lions’ den, and with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire, He is with us when we face any kind of suffering for our faith. Anna, shall we pray for Mei and her parents?” Mother and daughter bowed their heads in prayer. —KQ

tion Reflec ris tians are shunned by Around the world , many Ch imprisoned , or even friends, disow ned by family, ief s. Take some time to killed because of their bel ng persecuted for their pray for those who are bei faith in Jesus.

Anxiety ay Verse of the Dout

s ab Do not be anxiou ery situation, ev in t anything, bu tition, with by prayer and pe ent your thanksgiving, pres 6 . —Philippians 4: requests to God

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Philippians 4:1–

re you worried about not getting top marks on school tests? About the way you look? About not being good at sports? Or, are you worried that your classmates are more popular than you? That you don’t have the latest toys or screen devices, like your friends do? As you can see, there are many things we may be worried about. But in the Bible, God tells us not to worry, because worrying is like telling God you don’t trust He is in control. The Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but

in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). This means that whenever you feel anxious, tell God about it. God is in control of all things; He rules over all His creation. Even when bad things happen, God is in control. 30

Being anxious is more than just feeling sad or unhappy about

Pra yer Lord something. It actually reveals that our , I’m sor I get hearts are not fully trusting in God. anxi ry when ous a thing God wants you to have His peace and bout s my c and don’ love in your heart, so that you can be on t brin g Help cerns to Y me t a light for Christ in the darkness. o tru ou. and st Yo give So, the next time you start u, me Y our p to worry about something, eace . remember what God wants you to do. Give all your anxious thoughts to Him, and then trust that He will help you in every situation. —JM

tion Reflec our anxiet y on Jesus The Bible tells us to cast all Peter 5:7). Say a prayer to because He cares for us (1 rries to Him. Jesus and surrender your wo

Bread of Life ay Verse of the DWhoever

life. I am the bread of , never go hungry comes to me will ill w e lieves in m and whoever be —John 6:35 never be thirsty.

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John 6:32–40

“D

id you share your snacks with your friends today?” Mom asked Alethea. Alethea had brought to school some crispy seaweed snacks which the family bought during their holiday in Thailand. “Yeah. They liked it so much they kept asking for more. Even students from other classes were crowding around me during recess, begging for a piece.” Mom looked amused, “The snacks were that popular, huh?” “Yup. I felt like Jesus feeding the 5000!” Alethea exclaimed. Mom laughed. “Did you know that after Jesus fed them, the crowd continued following Him wherever He went?” “Well, my friends asked if I could bring more snacks tomorrow. I guess the crowd following Jesus must have been hoping that Jesus would feed them again,” said Alethea. “You’re right. They didn’t realize that there was something more

Pra yer important than food that Jesus wanted to give them,” Mom said. “So, Jesus told them in John 6:35: ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’

Lord , th Jesus ank You fo who is ab r to gi l ve e life. I me etern want al satis to be fie f to tru d in Him ully . Hel st in p me H and Savio im as m y r. Lord

Jesus was saying that He is able to give them eternal life. Whoever believes in Him as their Lord and Savior will be able to live forever with Him, and so, they will always be fully satisfied.”

Alethea thought for a little while, and asked, “Mom, do we have more of the crispy seaweed snacks?” “Yes, we do,” Mom replied, “Are you going to ‘feed the 5000’ again tomorrow at school?” Alethea giggled. “I can’t give them life, but I can give them food! And I will also tell them about Jesus being the bread of life.” —JG

tion Reflec fully satisfied? Describe What does it feel like to be your Lord and Savior, you such a feeling. With Jesus as want to accept this bread can be fully satisfied. Do you how to do this. of life? Ask an older Christian 33

d Sin Likes to Hi

ay Verse of the Dto great

go Woe to those who r plans from ei th de depths to hi their work in the LORD, who do ? ink, “Who sees us darkness and th —Isaiah 29:15 Who will know?”

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Isaiah 29:15–16

om was cleaning the house when she found a thin, shiny bracelet under a sofa cushion in the living room. “Mom, I’m home!” shouted Julie as she burst in from school. Suddenly, Julie saw Mom holding the bracelet and froze. “Where did this come from?” Julie asked nervously. “Oh, I found it under a cushion. It looks like your friend, April’s. Did she leave it behind when she came to play?” Mom said. “Uh . . .” Julie stammered. She swallowed hard, then sank down on the sofa. “Mom, I need to tell you something.” In a rush of tears and words, Julie confessed that she had taken the bracelet from April’s desk at school a few days before. She knew it was wrong, so she hid it under the sofa cushion. “I wanted it so badly. But after I took it, I felt awful! Then, when April started looking for it, I knew she would be so mad at me. How come I felt so bad, Mom?”

Pra yer “Isaiah 29:15 tells us why.” Mom opened the Bible app on her phone and read out loud: “ Woe to those

Lord , Yo every u see th done ing that is in se cr sorry for th et. I’m forge e tim es I t You. this and disob Plea se ey toda y tha remind m t e Y me a lway ou are w ith s, he say “ lp no” t o sin ing me t o .

who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’” You thought no one knew what you did. But God sees everything. And it seems like the Holy Spirit was working through your conscience and making you feel upset. Do you feel better now that the

secret is out?” “Yes. I know I need to say sorry to God and April. Can I bring the bracelet to her now?” asked Julie. “Sure. Let’s go together,” Mom replied. —BW

tion Reflec es hiding the sin make it Why do we choose to sin? Do rize the verse for today so bet ter or worse? Why? Memo that He sees when you God can use it to remind you help you through it. are tempted to sin and can

d Special to Go ay Verse of the D nce to adopt us

va God decided in ad by bringing us to ily m fa into his own is Jesus Christ. This himself through him ve to do, and it ga what he wanted LT Ephesians 1:5 N great pleasure. —

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Acts 9:1–19

“D

ad, my conversion was so ordinary. Is something missing?” Lionel was reading the story of Paul’s dramatic conversion in Acts 9:1–19. It seemed that his conversion, and that of his family, was boring by comparison. After a friend had shared the good news about Jesus with them, they had decided to follow Christ. “Of course not,” Dad replied immediately. “Remember what it was like before we became Christians?” Lionel nodded. The family used to quarrel a lot and worry over their problems. While they still faced many struggles, they were now able to turn to God for help and guidance. Mom and Dad had become more patient and forgiving, and they were now praising Lionel for being more helpful at home and diligent in his studies. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess our lives have changed a lot, just like Paul’s did.”

Pra yer Lord Dad agreed. “I think the changes , th comi ank You in our own family are dramatic too, in for ng in to m and their own way.” y life chan ging And me. Lionel thought a bit more. “But than k You assu f r or th a do you think God is as interested in nce t is spec h a t I am ial to us as He was in Paul?” You. “Well, God certainly had special plans for Paul,” Dad replied. “But that doesn’t make us less special. In fact,

Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:4–5 that ‘Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us . . . God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.’ I believe God was just as overjoyed when you decided to follow Him.” Lionel smiled, “Thanks, Dad. It’s assuring to know that I am special to God too!” —LK

tion Reflec became a follower of Jesus? Can you remember how you d by Him since then? How has your life been change

ry t n u o C e u q i n AU ay Verse of the Da great multitude was There before me y count, from ever d ul co that no one , ge ua le and lang nation, tribe, peop the throne and standing before —Revelation 7:9 before the Lamb.

READ

Revelation 7:9–10

“D

ad, where’s Singapore on the world map?” Lauren asked, clicking on Google Maps on the computer. Dad typed in “Singapore” and Google Maps “flew” across the world and “landed” on Singapore. “Wow! Singapore’s just a tiny dot!” Lauren exclaimed as she used the computer mouse to zoom out. “I wonder where China is.” The family was travelling to China for a holiday soon. Lauren zoomed out further until she spotted China. “Dad! China is shaped like . . . a rooster!” Lauren laughed. Dad laughed too. “You’re right!” “I wonder what Malaysia and Indonesia look like,” Lauren said. These were the countries the family had visited on vacation. Dad helped Lauren find them on the map. “You know, Lauren, every country has a unique shape because every country has different borders. But I know of a country that

Pra yer Lord has no borders.” , th Jesus ank You “Which country is that?” Lauren th is Savio my Lord at asked. r. a to th I look fo nd rwar “It’s God’s ‘country’. We’re e day d Ic what heav an see learning about this in church as our en lo oks l sermon series is on Revelation. ike. Pastor Jason told us last Sunday that God gave John the Apostle a vision of what heaven would look like. In Revelation 7:9, John recorded that he saw a large crowd of people from every nation.” “Will there be people from Singapore, China, Malaysia and Indonesia in heaven?” Lauren interrupted. “Yes, and from every tribe, people, and language too!” Dad replied.

“God’s ‘country’ or kingdom won’t have borders in the sense that it will welcome everyone who calls Jesus Lord and Savior.” “That’s fantastic, Dad!” Lauren said. “I wonder what the ‘country’ of heaven will look like!” “Well,” Dad said. “No one knows, but I hope to find out some day. Don’t you?” —RW

tion c e l f e R m a foreign countr y? Do you know of anyone fro from every nation, tribe, Imagine a crowd of people praise God for His amazing people and language, then ‘country’ of heaven! 39

me! o C s a H d r o L The ay Verse of the D and man [Jesus] became hu ong us. made his home am —John 1:14 NLT

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John 1:1–5, 9–14

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.”

here is a good reason we sing this well-known carol every Christmas season. We celebrate the greatest gift ever given—Jesus! Jesus is God’s Son. Even though He is divine, He obeyed His Father’s will and became human. He became a tiny baby. Grew big and strong. Traveled and taught and did amazing miracles. Soon, people began to see that Jesus was not just a man. He was God’s Son sent to save us from our sin, which is disobedience to God. He came to help us know God and to be our forever King. There are lots of things that make us feel happy at Christmas— sparkling lights, Christmas trees, yummy foods, and visits with our grandparents, aunties and uncles. Of course, we can’t forget

Pra yer presents! We all love presents. Every Christmas, though, we

remember that the best gift of all is not under the Christmas tree. It is not wrapped in paper or tied up with a ribbon. The best present of all is Jesus, God’s own Son!

Lord , th send ank You ing J for es be n ear t us to o us. are fi We lled w beca ith jo us y Chris e Jesus is tmas the b gift o est f all.

The world is filled with joy because Jesus came to die for us on the cross in order to take away our punishment for sin, to save us and to be our King. When you sing “Joy to the World”, remember that Jesus “became human and made his home among us” (John 1:14 NLT). He came to be near us and to help us. He is the reason the world is filled with joy. —HLO

tion Reflec World” is “Let every heart The nex t line of “Joy to the “making room” for Jesus in prepare him room”. Are you to love Him more and to your heart? Are you learning h day? know Him a little bet ter eac

A Real Person ay Verse of the D

e into Christ Jesus cam sinners. the world to save —1 Timothy 1:15

READ

Luke 2:15–20

“M

iss Jacob!” Erin bounced over to her Sunday School teacher excitedly. “Last night, I saw Jesus!” Miss Jacob’s eyes widened. “Really?” “Yes! Daddy brought us to see a performance at a shopping center. I saw baby Jesus in a manger!” Erin exclaimed. “Well,” interrupted Vanessa. “I’ve got baby Jesus in my house!” Miss Jacob rubbed her ears. “You do?” “Uh-huh. My mom took out the wooden figures of the manger scene for us. My brother and I play with baby Jesus!” Miss Jacob smiled. “You know, children, the baby in the performance at the shopping center was not the actual Jesus. He was pretending to be Jesus to show everybody what the original birth of Jesus might have looked like. And, Jesus isn’t a wooden figure either! He’s a real person in history, just like you and me. He was born over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. He was very special,

Pra yer Lord and that’s why we have performances , th send ank You and wooden figures to remember Him.” ing J for esus to be “What’s so special about Jesus?” t o b earth bein orn a hu g an man Erin asked. d liv life. T hank e a hum “Yes, tell us! I always thought an Y died for o ou that H Jesus was the wooden figure, just u e r sin if we so th a like Barbie is a doll!” Vanessa said. at, we m re sorry f o ay be r Miss Jacob said, “Jesus was beco forgi our sin, me p v art o en and God, but He chose to be born f You r fam a human being and live a ily.

human life. He came to earth to die for our sin—that’s our disobedience towards God—so that, if we are sorry for our sin, we may be forgiven and become part of His family—God’s family. Jesus came to save us from sin! That’s why He’s special. Do you want to hear more about Jesus?” The girls nodded excitedly. —RW

tion Reflec celebrate Christmas? The What are some ways people us’ bir th as it is God’s plan real celebration is about Jes l about Jesus’ bir th this to save us. Whom can you tel Christmas?

t n e s e r P e u r T The ay Verse of the Ds that

new I bring you good joy for all the will cause great 10 people. —Luke 2:

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Luke 2:1–10

“W

hy does your family celebrate Christmas?” Kevin asked Auntie Becky, Ethan’s mom. Kevin and Ethan were neighbors and Auntie Becky always walked both of them home after school. “Each year we celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas,” Ethan chimed in, before his mom could reply. “Who is Jesus?” Kevin questioned. “Isn’t he just a myth?” “No, Jesus was a real person,” Auntie Becky responded. “Even though we don’t have pictures of Him, we know He existed because many people wrote about Him. Some books in the Bible are written by people who saw Jesus and followed Him when He was on earth. And there were also Roman and Jewish historians who recorded Jesus as a historical figure, even though they didn’t follow Him.” “Really?” Kevin replied. “Yes,” Ethan chimed in again. “Jesus is a real person in history,

Pra yer as real as my great grandfather or your great grandmother!” Kevin sighed, “Sometimes I wish my family would celebrate Christmas, like yours, so I could get presents.” “Well, Christmas isn’t really about getting material presents, like toys and games,” Auntie Becky said.

Lord , than k You ente ring for this as a w o tin rl away y baby to d our s take ins. H to ce le el Chris brate You p me tmas this .

“Christmas is about God’s present to all of us. At the first Christmas, God gave us His Son, Jesus, who was born as a tiny baby. Jesus would grow up to become our Savior, the one who would die on the cross to take away our sins. That’s why an angel announced the first Christmas by calling it ‘good news that will cause great joy for all the people’ (Luke 2:10).” “What is sin, Auntie Becky?” asked Kevin. “Sin is our disobedience towards God. Why don’t you celebrate Christmas with us?” Auntie Becky invited. “Then you could find out more.” —JM

tion Reflec Christmas? Presents? What do you like most about d showing us His love by Food? Christmas is about Go the world. It’s not just about sending His Son Jesus into God’s present, Jesus Christ, material presents. It’s about who saves us from our sins. 45

So It ’s True! ay Verse of the DDavid a

n of Today in the tow born to you; Savior has been , the Lord. he is the Messiah —Luke 2:11

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Luke 2:11–20

harilynn dashed into the room and shouted excitedly, “Tornado sighted in Singapore! Look at the pictures my friend sent me on my phone!” Mom, who was baking Christmas cookies, asked skeptically: “Are you sure? Could it be fake news?” “Well, let’s ask Google!” Sharilynn replied. After a while, she looked up from her phone and proclaimed: “It’s a waterspout, rather than a tornado. Major newspapers have reported on it.” Mom listened with a smile, “You know, this reminds me of the Christmas story recorded in Luke 2:11–20. The shepherds were

having an ordinary day, when they were told extraordinary news: ‘Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” 46

“Imagine the shepherds’ questions: Could this baby that is so

Pra yer Lord vulnerable and weak possibly be the , he to kn lp me Savior? Would God who is holy and ow t ha Chris mighty lie in a dirty feeding trough tmas t the e real for animals? That’s quite hard to even vents we t re s tha place t too believe, right? So, the shepherds in hi k story . went to check it out. They found Mary and Joseph. And, there was the baby, lying in the manger. It was just as the angel had told them! How about you? Would you like to check out the Christmas story for yourself to find out if it’s true?” Mom asked Sharilynn. “Er . . .” Sharilynn replied haltingly, “Yes, I’d like to . . . but how?” “Just like what you did with the tornado news,” Mom said. “We can find out if the Christmas story was reported by reliable sources by looking into the Bible. Shall we do that together?” Sharilynn nodded eagerly. —CPF

tion Reflec Christian in church to Ask your parents or an older o the gospel writers guide you to investigate wh at evidence did they give Matthew and Luke were. Wh events they recounted are to show that the Christmas indeed true?

Good News ay Verse of the Dation, salv I have seen your epared pr ve which you ha for all people. NLT —Luke 2:30–31

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Luke 2:25–32

elicious smells of grilled sausages wafted out of the kitchen. Alex sniffed the air. His tummy growled. He padded into the kitchen, where a row of juicy sausages lay on the hot grill. Mom was carefully sliding a stuffed turkey into the oven. “What time’s dinner, Mom?” Alex asked. “Not so soon, dear,” Mom replied. “We have guests tonight. They won’t be here until 7 p.m.” Sigh, thought Alex gloomily, that’s another two hours of smelling good food without eating anything. Have you, like Alex, had to wait for something that you really wanted? Waiting can be difficult, especially when we don’t know how long it will take. From the time the Old Testament was written, the people of God were waiting. God had promised them a Messiah—someone

Pra yer anointed by God to save His people. They did not know when this promise would be fulfilled. So, for years, they could only wait. Simeon is one such man

Lord , th givin ank You for g us a is th e Me Savior. H e ssiah Chris , Jesu t. s

who waited for the fulfilment of God’s promise. He was told that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. When he saw baby Jesus in the temple, he was so happy that he praised God, saying: “I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people” (Luke 2:30-31 NLT). Finally! The wait was over—the Messiah had arrived! Jesus has come to save not only Israel, but also the world, which includes you and me. After waiting for years, the birth of the Messiah was indeed good news. God has fulfilled His promise to His people. Jesus’ birth was a cause of great joy 2000 years ago and still is today. —JG

tion Reflec God’s promise tell you What does the fulfillment of about God’s character?

a il N s a m t s i r h C The ay Verse of the Dpearance as a

in ap And being found ing himself by becom ed bl m hu he , an m cross! even death on a h— at de to nt ie obed —Philippians 2:8

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Philippians 2:6–

ad clapped his hands and said: “Kids, it is time to decorate the Christmas tree. Sam, could you hand me the blue box please?” “Sure! But what’s inside and why are we putting it on the tree?” Sam replied. Dad smiled. “Well, let’s open the box and see.” Sam and Sarah watched eagerly as Dad slit the sticky tapes and removed the cover, revealing a huge, long nail. Mom took out a paper and read, “This is the Christmas nail. It is hung on a sturdy branch to remind us that the Christmas tree foreshadows the Christ-tree—the cross where Jesus would hang with nails like this.” Sarah frowned, “What does ‘foreshadows’ mean?” “Good question!” Dad said, “At Christmas, we put up the Christmas tree to remember the day Jesus was born. The tree also

Pra yer helps us remember another event that would happen later, that’s what foreshadows means.” Dad held the nail to one of his wrists and added, “The soldiers used nails like this to hang Jesus on the wooden cross.” “Yes,” Mom chimed in. “ Every time we look at our

Lord , th send ank You ing J for esus to ea t o rt c Than h as a ma ome k You n. for lo so m uc vi to di h that Je ng us ef su us to or our si s came ns. H sprea elp to ot d You hers r l o ve !

beautiful Christmas tree, let’s remember why we celebrate Christmas. Philippians 2:8 tells us, ‘Being found in appearance as a man, [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross.’ At Christmas, we remember the day Jesus was born, and that He came for a reason, that is to save us by dying on the cross. Shall we hang the nail on the tree now?” Sam shouted excitedly, “Yes! And let’s put it where everyone can see it!” —BW

tion Reflec rself remember why Jesus What can you do to help you out and put them up in a was born? Draw some ideas you of the reason for the prominent place to remind season.

ere h w y r e v E d o Prai se G ay Verse of the D u

, all yo Praise the LORD m, all you nations; extol hi 117:1 peoples. — Psalm

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Psalm 117

he Yeo family were sitting on the beach in Bintan island, Indonesia, enjoying the sunset. “This is beautiful!” Mom exclaimed as vibrant hues of pink and purple filled the sky. Dad suddenly started singing a song of praise to God. Yan Min shushed her father. “Not too loud, Dad!” she said. “Why, my dear?” Dad asked, perplexed. “Because we are not in church,” said Yan Min. “How can we just praise God aloud like this, in a public place?” Dad thought for a moment, then said, “God is not just God in

our church. He is God of this world and its rightful King. We can acknowledge and praise Him anywhere.” Mom added: “Psalm 117 tells the nations to praise the Lord because of His great love and faithfulness. One day, all nations will worship Him. And right now, Dad is praising God for His wonderful creation.” 52

Pra yer Lord Dad nodded. “And I feel especially , than k we c thankful to Him now, for giving us this an si You that ng Yo prais beautiful sunset that we can enjoy as ur es For g anywhe a family.” re! reat is Yo and u Y r our f “I see,” Jin Han said. “So if we’re love ai endu res f thfulness thankful for what God has given orev er. us, we can worship and praise Him anywhere, not just in church.” Yan Min nodded. Then, she added: “Maybe it’d be okay if Dad sang better.” Dad pretended to look offended, and jumped up to chase a laughing Yan Min around the beach. “So that’s the real reason you think I shouldn’t sing!” —EE

tion Reflec today? Think of three What can you praise God for things and praise Him now!

s e c n i r P d n a o Her

ay Verse of the D, the

Lord Praise be to the use he ca be , God of Israel ople and pe s has come to hi —Luke 1:68 redeemed them.

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Luke 1:68–75

“O

nce upon a time, there lived a great king.” Mom paused and turned the page. “I don’t like this kind of story!” Jude complained. “It always has princesses and kissing at the end. Yucks!” “You haven’t given this one a chance,” Mom insisted. “It has a monster and a hero who saves the kingdom. No princesses, I promise. Anyway, the very best story of all is about a hero who came to rescue a princess.” “No way! I’ll never listen to that story,” Jude scowled. Mom laughed. “You’ve already heard that story. It is the story of the hero, Jesus. Remember? Jesus defeated Satan and saved His people from sin, which is disobedience to God. He didn’t do it with a sword or in a battle, but on the cross. He took our punishment for sin, and set us free—just like a superhero who defeats the bad guys and saves the city.”

Pra yer Mom pulled out her Bible and turned to the Gospel of Luke. “In

Luke 1, Zechariah praises God for sending Jesus ‘to rescue us’ and ‘to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness’ (vv.74–75). With Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become a part of God’s family and seek to please Him.”

Lord , th send ank You ing J for esus rescu t o e sin. I me from acce pt Yo my Lord u and Savio as my to be r . I wa come nt fami a par ly an t o f d Y o my li plea se Yo ur fe. u wit h

“I get it,” Jude nodded. Then he looked puzzled, “But there are no princesses in that story.” “There is a princess,” Mom smiled. “The Bible says that Jesus rescued us. Now, we are waiting for Him to come again. When He does, there will be a real ‘happily ever after’ ending.” “Wait! We’re the princess!” Jude exclaimed. “We are,” Mom laughed, “and Jesus is our hero, rescuer, Lord and Savior.” —HLO

tion Reflec us have sinned, meaning The Bible tells us that all of Yet, God sent a rescuer we have all disobeyed God. nt Jesus to be your hero, to save us: Jesus. Do you wa today’s prayer. rescuer, Lord and Savior? Say 55

What ’s Best ay Verse of the Dall things

at in And we know th e good of those th r God works fo ho have been who love him, w to his purpose. called according —Romans 8:28

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Romans 8:26–28

“W

hat are you doing, Aaron?” Dad asked as he entered Aaron’s bedroom, munching on some chocolate biscuits. “I’m praying!” Aaron replied, raising his head. “I’m asking God to change my class assignment and put me in the same class as my best friend when school starts!” Aaron was disappointed that his best friend, Jeremiah, was assigned to a different class from him, starting next year. “I know God will answer me,” Aaron smiled. “God answers prayers, right?” “Well, yes, but . . .” Dad was about to continue when Trooper the family dog barged in, saw the chocolate biscuits Dad was holding, and lunged at them. “Woof! Woof! Woof!” “Trooper, no!” Aaron shouted, grabbing Trooper and holding him

Pra yer Lord back. “Chocolate is poisonous for dogs! , help me t You I’ll give you some other snacks.” o tr whe n Y ‘n ou sa ust o’ to As Aaron fed Trooper some doggy y me. I truly k treats, Dad spoke up, “You know, know now You for m what e, ’s be Aaron, Trooper wanted chocolate, st the g and You ood work but we didn’t give him what he o love f f tho You. se w or wanted because it was bad for him. ho

In the same way, we may want certain things, and ask God for them, but He may not give us what we want. We may think we know what’s best, but God truly knows what’s best for us. Do you remember this month’s

memory verse from Sunday School?” Aaron replied: “Romans 8:28 says ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him’ . . . So, God answers prayers but sometimes, He may say ‘no’?” Dad nodded. “God’s answer may be ‘no’ when what we ask for doesn’t fit in with what’s best for us. We can still bring our heart’s desires to Him, but we need to trust God if His answer is ‘no’.” —RW

tion Reflec ted about recently? Have What have you felt disappoin d for the wisdom to know you prayed about it? Ask Go ept His answer. how to pray, and how to acc 57

ort f m o C o t d e t Comfor ay Verse of the Dall our

in [God] comforts us e can comfort w at th troubles, so ble with the those in any trou elves receive comfort we ours rinthians 1:4 from God. —2 Co

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2 Corinthians 1:3–

“H

ey sweetie, how was the first day of school?” Mom asked as Lucy hopped into the car. “Super!” Lucy replied. “Our form teacher Mrs Yeo put us into new groups, and Anne and I are group mates!” “How lovely!” Mom replied. “Who else is in your group?” “Well . . . there’s a new girl, Lynn. Her family has just moved here from Hong Kong. She’s really quiet and didn’t say a word during our group discussion, so Anne and I just talked to each other.” Lucy shrugged. Mom peered at her through the rearview mirror. “Do you remember how you felt when you transferred to this school last year and didn’t know anyone?” “Hmm . . .” Lucy thought hard. “That was a while ago . . . I remember feeling a bit scared . . . and lost.” Then she brightened as she recalled, “But Anne was really friendly and showed me around!”

Pra yer “Yes. And we were so grateful for Anne’s kindness, remember? Now, do you think there might just be a reason Mrs Yeo placed Lynn in your group?” “Oh! I guess . . .” Lucy’s face flushed. Mom gently added, “When you were feeling lonely and afraid in a new environment last year, God sent you a special friend.

Lord , than k prov iding You for peop chee le re help d me up who ed an sad o me whe d nIw r tro as ub me w hom led. Show I to, w ho n can reac eeds h care a frie out for a nd to nd co mfor t the m.

That reminds me of 2 Corinthians 1:4, which tells us that God comforts us in all our troubles, so we can understand and connect with others who are facing hard times, and share His love with them.” “I have a plan!” Lucy declared as she reached into her bag for her sparkly gel pens. “I’ll make Lynn a welcome card, and ask her to recess with Anne and me tomorrow! We’ll show her our favorite hangouts too!” “Great idea!” Mom beamed. —SH

tion Reflec t down and God sent Think of a time when you fel you think of someone who someone to comfor t you. Can ilar experience? Write an might be going through a sim encouraging note to them! 59

CPR ay Verse of the D ve been saved, you ha For it is by grace d this is not from through faith—an e gift of God. yourselves, it is th —Ephesians 2:8

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Ephesians 2:1–9

“W

hat are you doing with my teddy?” Rebecca yanked her giant plush bear from beneath her older sister’s interlocked hands. “Relax, I’m just practising the CPR steps I learnt at school today,” Rachel replied. “C-P-what?” “CPR. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. It’s what you do in an emergency, to help a person who has stopped breathing and whose heart may have stopped beating. You compress the person’s chest and breathe into the person’s mouth to try and get his heart and lungs to start working again.” “Breath into his mouth? Eeeew!” Rebecca grimaced. “You’d be grateful if you were the victim,” explained her sister. “You wouldn’t be able to save yourself!” “You know,” Mom interjected, “CPR is a really great picture of

Pra yer Lord what God does for us.” , he recog lp me to “How so?” Rachel asked. n spiri ize that I “Ephesians 2 tells us that we tuall am yd cann were all born dead. Not physically ot sa ead. I ve Than k You myself. dead, of course, but spiritually dead, for s aving because of our sin. That means me. that we’re separated from God and can’t save ourselves. Fortunately, God intervened. Verses 4 and 5 tell us: ‘But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.’ God sent Jesus His Son to

take away our sin, so that, if we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are made alive and become part of God’s family.” “So, God performed CPR on us?” Rachel asked. Mom smiled. “Something like that!” “All the more reason for me to practise CPR then!” Rachel smiled cheekily as she ran after her sister. “Give me your teddy, Rebecca!” —KQ

tion Reflec t of salvation? Pray for Have you accepted God’s gif s who haven’t come to family members and friend ed to accept God’s gif t of realize their need to be sav Jesus as their Savior.

s Worldly Gain ay Verse of the Dmeone

r so What good is it fo world, yet to gain the whole ? —Mark 8:36 forfeit their soul

READ

Mark 8:34–37

hen you do well in a sports or academic competition, you will be awarded a shiny medal or a beautiful certificate for your achievement. Would you throw your prize away? Most certainly not! However, that was what John Sung (1901– 1944) did. A young man from China, John went to the United States to study at a university. In just five years, he completed his studies and earned a PhD, which was a very high academic achievement. John’s accomplishments brought him fame and recognition. While in America, he was offered jobs and scholarships but he did not accept them. He felt that God wanted him in China to preach the message of Christ to his countrymen. On his way home, John threw his medals and awards into the sea. He kept only his university certificate so that he could give it to his father. Why did he do that? John’s actions were a response to

Pra yer Jesus’ question in Mark 8:36 “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

Lord , I wa nt Your disci to be pl to fo llow e. I want You.

Jesus tells us that to be His disciples, we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. In John’s case, he realized that those medals and awards he had earned could not help him follow Jesus. He was so determined to obey and serve God that he got rid of anything that would distract him from doing so. God wants us to do our best to honor Him in our studies, and in our interests and talents. But will we, like John, be willing to give up a shiny medal or a beautiful certificate so that we could obey and serve Him, if God asks us too? —JG

tion c e l f e R our in the world that take There are many things today e d. What will you giv up attention away from Go to follow Jesus Christ?

tly Love Differen Daayy hee D off tth rssee o VVeer “W,at st as juch to them,en another, th enpthe e id Thce onsa Ac ains d ag r t guu,arin orde ur yo yoed on Be t! pt ou ce ac t ris Ch e does lifd. tod;Go nd seee allbrkiin gsprofaigr to e t in:7an abundanc nssis15 t co noRo man — :1 Luke 12 5 of possessions.” —

READ

Romans 15:1–7

“H

ey Morgan! Have you seen that new boy in school?” Jarod asked. “You mean Xiao Ming, the new boy from Singapore?” Morgan replied casually. “Yeah, that’s him. He speaks in such a weird way. I can barely understand him!” Jarod replied mockingly, scrunching up his face. “Hmm . . . I didn’t notice. He seems really nice and friendly. He even offered me his pencil when I broke mine in class today,” Morgan said in Xiao Ming’s defence. “Well, I don’t like him one bit and I think you shouldn’t either,” Jarod continued, undeterred. “You know, Jarod. That isn’t very kind of you. Can you imagine if you swapped places with Xiao Ming and you entered a new school with no friends and people treated you this way? How would you feel?” Morgan retorted, trying to stay calm.

Pra yer “Just last week in church, I learnt about how we should accept one another just as Jesus accepted us (Romans 15:7). We weren’t the best

Lord , help me t acce o pt th ose w diffe h rent o are fro treat them m me an d way i as Yo n the sa me u wo uld. A men .

versions of ourselves when Jesus died for us, but He still chose to love us unconditionally. I know I’m grateful for that kind of love, and would like to be like Jesus in showing it to others,” Morgan continued.

“But Xiao Ming is so different from us . . .” Jarod argued. “God made all of us in His image and that makes every single person important; no matter how different they are from us. Would you at least try to get to know Xiao Ming? You might find that you really enjoy his friendship,” Morgan encouraged, placing his arm around Jarod. “I guess I could. Thanks for pushing me to love differently, Morgan!” Jarod smiled. “We’re all learning together. Race you to the basketball court!” Morgan piped up. —AT

tion Reflec meone things you can do for so Can you think of three hurch/ in your school/home/c who seems out of place d for encourage them? Ask Go community that could ek! e to this person this we the courage to show lov 65

Help!

I want my child to read the Bible

My teenager doesn’t want to go to church.

Acticles

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