Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Keys For Kids Ministries
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Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids

Keys For Kids Ministries is a children's ministry organization, offering Keys for Kids, Down Gilead Lane, and much more.

  1. 13 HR. AGO

    Rain, Rain, Rain

    Barrett threw his bag on top of the others in the trunk, then slammed the back door shut. "Ew, gross!" he said, looking at the dirt that covered his hands. "Hey, Dad, I think it's time to wash the car!" Dad nodded. "It's pretty dirty. I didn't notice how bad it had gotten--until now, that is." He pointed at Barrett's little sister, Aurora, who was drawing smiley faces on the car's windows with her finger. "Well, at least our dirty car will bring a smile to other people on the road today." He grinned at Barrett. "Then you and Aurora can wash it when we get back." When they got to the campsite, they set up their tent and had lunch. Barrett was looking forward to hiking some of the trails nearby when the sky suddenly grew dark and rain started pouring down. They all scrambled into the tent and zipped up the door. Barrett sighed as he listened to the rain beat against the canvas sides of their tent. "Why did it have to rain today? We're not going to be able to do any of the stuff we had planned!" "Well, we'll just have to make the best of it," said Dad. A while later the rain stopped, and they ventured out of their tent. "My smiley faces are gone!" said Aurora, pointing to the car. "So they are," said Dad. "I haven't seen the car that clean in a long time!" He winked at Barrett. "See, that's one good thing about the rain, right? Now you and Aurora won't have to wash it when you get home." Barrett smiled. "I guess that makes up for being stuck in the tent for an hour." Dad nodded. "It reminds me of a song I sang in church when I was little about Jesus's blood washing away sin. We lived on a dirt road when I was a kid, so our car was always dirty. But whenever it rained, all the dirt got washed away, and I'd think of that song and Jesus washing all my sins away when He died on the cross." That night, when Barrett heard more rain pattering against the tent, he remembered that every one of his sins was washed away by Jesus. –Carol Albrecht

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    A Young Real Estate Agent

    Just as Jaden was about to leave for school, he learned it had been canceled because of a furnace breakdown. "Why don't you come to work with me today," said Dad, who was a real estate agent. "I've got a couple house tours." That morning, they met Mr. and Mrs. Pearson, who were moving from another town. "Since our boys couldn't come along to look at houses, it will be good to have you with us, Jaden," said Mrs. Pearson. "One of our sons is about your age." Jaden didn't like the first house they toured. It was too big and fancy-looking for him. The second house seemed dark inside, and the rooms were small. "Now this is my kind of house," Jaden said when they reached the third place. "That tree would be perfect for a treehouse!" The inside of the house was even better. "There are lots of hiding places in here," he said with shining eyes. "I think you just made your first sale, Jaden," Mr. Pearson said after they looked around. "If you like this house, we're sure our boys will like it too." On Sunday, Jaden pulled a piece of paper out of his Bible after church. "You're not going to believe this, Dad. We had to make a real estate ad for heaven in Sunday school today. Want to see what I wrote?" "Sure do." Dad took the paper and read it aloud. "A mansion built just for you on a street of gold. No bedrooms, because there is no night. No hospitals nearby, because there is no sickness. The entire city is decorated with fabulous jewels. Cost: Nothing! It has already been paid for by Jesus and is a gift to anyone who trusts in Him. Best of all, Jesus is there!" Dad smiled. "That's great! But don't forget that we advertise through our actions and attitude as well as our words. Just like Mr. and Mrs. Pearson saw how excited you were about that house, we can let others see the joy of having Jesus in our lives and the peace of knowing we will spend eternity with Him. And we can show them His love through our actions." Jaden nodded. "Then hopefully they'll want to spend eternity in heaven with Him too." –Linda Weddle

  3. 2 DAYS AGO

    Never Alone

    Skye sat on her front porch step. The sun shone from a clear blue sky, but deep inside, Skye felt as if a dark cloud hovered overhead. She looked down at Rags, her new brown puppy. She picked him up and hugged him. Just then Dad, who served in the military, got home. "What's wrong, pumpkin?" he asked as he sat down beside her. "You look as if you don't have one friend in the whole wide world." "I--I just wonder what's going to happen," said Skye. "What if…" She hesitated. "Sometimes I almost wish you weren't in the Army. What if you get transferred overseas? I'd be so lonely if you were so far away." "I understand how you feel--I'd be lonely then too," said Dad. "But remember how we prayed and talked about how God cares for us, no matter where we are?" Skye nodded, and Dad gave her a hug. "No matter where I might be sent, Jesus is with me, and He's with you and Mom and the rest of the kids too. He died and rose again to give us eternal life, and we can trust Him to be with us and take care of us, no matter what happens." Skye sighed. "I know." Dad looked at the little dog resting peacefully in Skye's lap. "Think about Rags for a minute," he said. "Do you remember how lonely he was the first few days you had him?" Skye nodded. "He cried for his mother a lot, especially at night when there was nobody to pay attention to him." She buried her face in the puppy's furry neck. "But you gave him so much love that he learned to depend on you, and he's happy to be with us now." Dad reached out to pet the little dog. "If you care so much for your puppy, don't you think the Lord cares even more for us?" Sighing, Skye nodded. "And just like Rags trusts you to take care of him, we can trust God to do the same for us," added Dad. "We may not always like everything that happens, but we can trust Jesus to be with us and give us the strength we need to carry on." –Marilyn J. Senterfitt

  4. 3 DAYS AGO

    Inside Out

    "I miss Buster!" wailed eight-year-old Xander when the family's loyal dog died. "He was a hero! Remember when Finn got lost and Buster found him playing in the woods? And the time I got really sick and Buster stayed in my room every day until I got better?" Xander wiped his eyes. "I wish he was still here with us." "I wish we could have kept Buster longer too," Mom said sadly. "But he was very old, and his body just wore out. Let's try to be thankful for all the years we did have him." "But--" Xander had just begun to ask another hard question when his four-year-old brother burst into the room. "Vroooom!" shouted Finn as he zoomed in a circle and then stopped in front of Mom and Xander. He was wearing a yellow and blue shirt that had the name of his school on the front--except that where the school's emblem should have been, there was only a jumbled mass of colored threads. Xander was not happy about the interruption. "Your shirt's inside out, Finn," he snapped. "Yes, it is, but look closer, Xander," said Mom. "Maybe Finn's shirt can help answer your questions about Buster. These knots and loose threads here on the inside of the shirt are similar to how life's difficulties look to us. When someone we love dies, or when something bad happens, life can look like an ugly mess." Mom helped Finn turn the shirt right side out so the school emblem was visible. "The same threads that looked so bad a moment ago make this side beautiful," she continued. "God does the same thing in our lives. None of the difficult things that happen can separate us from His love. Jesus came into our messy world and died and rose again to save us, and He promises to help us through each disappointment and hardship. He even uses them to form a beautiful design--He works them together for our good." She put an arm around Xander's shoulders. "When you miss Buster, remember that Jesus loves you and understands how you feel. Trust Him to be with you through the hard, painful things and use them for good." –Joyce P. Jentes

  5. 4 DAYS AGO

    A Bright Reflection

    "Look at how bright the stars are tonight!" Dawson's little brother, Parker, gaped at the sky from his spot on the lawn. "Yeah, and the moon is really bright too," said Dawson. "Why is it so bright?" asked Parker. "Is it a great big ball of fire?" Dawson laughed and shook his head. "The sun is more like a ball of fire. The moon doesn't actually have any light at all. It reflects the light of the sun--that's why it looks bright. I learned about that in my science class." "Come on in, boys!" called Mom. "It's time to get to bed." The boys got up from the grass and headed for the house. Once they were inside, Parker ran over to the window and pointed to the moon. "Guess what, Mom! Dawson told me that the moon isn't really a big fireball--it just reflects the sun's light. Did you know that?" Mom smiled. "Yes, I did know that. Now scoot along to bed, or morning will come before you're ready for it." After church the following day, Dawson asked his parents a question that had been puzzling him. "My teacher says people are supposed to see Jesus in us. But we aren't Jesus, so how can they see Him? I don't get it." "Well," said Mom, "remember what you told Parker about the sun and the moon when you were outside last night?" "Sure," said Dawson. "I said the moon reflects the light of the sun." "Right," said Mom. "The moon isn't the sun, but it reflects it. When people look at the moon, the light they see is really the light of the sun. And we're not Jesus, but because we belong to Him and have His Spirit in us, we can reflect His light. When people see what we do and how we treat others, they should be seeing Jesus's character shining through us." "That's right," said Dad. "When we trust the Holy Spirit to help us be kind, patient, truthful, and unselfish, we reflect Jesus and His great love for everyone. Just like the moon reflects the light of the sun, Christians are able to reflect the love of God's Son--Jesus." –Anna E. Baumeister

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    Promises Kept

    "Mia? Why are you lying on the beach?" Mom asked as she came outside and sat down beside her daughter. "It's dark out." Mia turned to look at her mom, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, honey." Mom hugged her. "Why are you crying?" "D-d-dad promised he would come see me today. But he never came," Mia sobbed. Mom hugged her again. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry your dad didn't keep his promise." "Promises are stupid," Mia said as she pulled away from Mom and wiped the tears off her cheeks. Mom sighed. "It's very hard for people to keep promises. We make mistakes. But there is someone who keeps every promise He makes." "Who is that?" Mia asked. "God. In fact, He made Abraham a promise that I'm reminded of being out here tonight." Mom picked up a handful of sand. "God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the beach." "I think I remember that story," Mia said. "Didn't he and his wife have a baby when they were really old?" "Yes, that was Abraham. He had to wait a long time for a baby. And after God gave him a son, He asked Abraham to sacrifice that son. Abraham was going to do that, but God stopped him and told him it had been a test to see how much Abraham trusted God." Mia bit her lip. "God kept His promise?" "Yes, Abraham had many, many descendants. King David was one of them, and the Bible says Jesus Himself is a son of Abraham." Mom smiled. "Through His promise to bless Abraham with many children, God also kept another promise. He promised to send a Savior to rescue His people." "Jesus!" Mia exclaimed. "I know that one. Jesus came as a baby and grew up so He could die for our sins." Mom nodded. "He sent Jesus to die for our sins and then raised Him from the dead. If we trust in Jesus, He promises that He will always be with us and that we will spend forever with Him. And God always keeps His promises." –Kimberly Brokish

  7. 6 DAYS AGO

    The Nerve Worm

    BUZZ! Omari jumped as the timer went off. Mrs. Mary collected the tests. Omari's tummy rumbled, but this time he wasn't hungry. His mom told him that when he felt the nerve worm he should take deep breaths, so he did. But the wormy feelings returned on the bus ride home. As soon as Omari got home, he started to cry. His mom stopped preparing dinner and walked over to him. "Oh, sweetheart, what's the matter?" she asked, rubbing his back. "I-it's t-the worms," cried Omari. "Did you have another math test?" asked Mom. "Yes, and I forgot a lot of the answers!" Mom continued to rub his back, and she pointed at their puppy. Buddy was chasing his tail. He spun in circles, then tripped and thudded to the floor. Mom giggled. "Oh, Buddy, not again." Buddy whimpered, and Mom went over to pet him. She raised an eyebrow. "Did you see what Buddy did after he fell?" Omari nodded. "He called out for help." "Right," said Mom. "Then I went over to comfort and calm him. Do you know who else notices when we're in trouble? Jesus. Our situations might cause us to feel scared or anxious, but when we call out, He hears us." Mom pulled up Isaiah 41:10 on the Bible app on her phone. "He says, 'Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.'" A soft grin appeared on Omari's face. Then he sighed. "What if I'm still nervous and forget the answers again?" "When Jesus says He will be our help, that doesn't mean He will snap His fingers and make all our problems disappear. But, just like when I calmed Buddy, God will give us peace and comfort to make it through hard times." Mom gently squeezed his hand. "And when you take your next test, remember that Jesus loves you so much that He even died on a cross to save you! He won't leave you when you have the nerve worm." She tickled his tummy, and they giggled. –Toria Keyes

  8. JAN 23

    A Saving Miracle

    "Time for dinner!" At the sound of Dad's voice, Paisley and Bridger paused the level in their video game and hurried to the kitchen. "What were you guys playing?" Dad asked as he set a bowl of veggies on the table. "It's an adventure game!" Bridger said. "We win coins by going on quests and completing challenges, and we meet all kinds of interesting characters. We even get to learn sword fighting and protect the realm from darkness!" Paisley poured glasses of water. "Is Mom eating with us?" "Yes, I am!" Mom entered the room. "Thanks for cooking dinner, I appreciate it." When they sat down to eat, Paisley took a long sip of water and sighed. "My life is boring in reality. I wish the things in that video game were real." "Or even things in the Bible, like the amazing miracles Jesus did," Bridger said. "I wish those things still happened now." "Now hold on," Mom countered. "Do you really think God doesn't do amazing miracles today?" Paisley and Bridger looked at each other and shrugged. "Did you know that every person who believes in Jesus has been raised from the dead?" asked Mom. "You mean we will be raised from the dead," Bridger corrected. "We will, but we've already been raised too," Dad said. "The moment you trusted Jesus as your Savior, He brought you from death to life. Right then and there." "But that makes no sense," Bridger said. "The Bible says every single person is dead in our sin," Mom explained. "That means our souls are dead. But the Spirit of God raised Jesus from the grave so that we could also be raised to life. That's what salvation means. When we believe, we are given new life--God's Spirit of life lives inside us. Our souls are raised from the dead, and one day our bodies will be too." "That is a miracle!" Paisley exclaimed. "And," Dad said, "God did all that because He loves us and wants us to be a part of His story, which is the most exciting story. Like your video game, there are challenges and lessons to be learned, but in the end, God will defeat darkness and all of evil forever!" Bridger grinned. "And that's way cooler than our game because it's real!" –Zoe Brickner

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Keys For Kids Ministries is a children's ministry organization, offering Keys for Kids, Down Gilead Lane, and much more.

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