The Light

"I am the light of the world"

John 8:12

Jesus said He is the light of the world. If you try and walk around in the dark there's a good chance you're going to trip over something, stub your toe, or get hurt or lost. It's much better when you can see isn't it? 

One thing that can happen in the dark is that someone can lie to you about something going on and you can't tell if that's the truth or not. They can make you afraid, or get  you to do something you shouldn't be doing just because you can't see. In the same way, people have lots of their own ideas about what's good and bad and the only way to know the truth is to listen to Jesus--the light of the world. 

Truth is important. If you don't know the truth about what 2 + 2 is, then you're going to have a hard time doing a lot of things. You will have a hard time at the store trying to buy things, or knowing how many bananas you need to pass out when your friends come over and its time for a snack! The way to know the truth is to have light, and Jesus wants to give you all the light you need--just ask Him for it!

What Kind of Dirt Are You?

"The seed is the word of God." Luke 8:11

Jesus told a parable to a crowd of people. A parable is a story with a hidden meaning. A lot of times Jesus told stories to the crowds of people that they didn't understand, but He told His disciples His secrets. The closer you are to Jesus, the more of His secrets you will hear!

In this story, a man planted seed in the ground, but some of it fell in three different kinds of dirt. The seed couldn't grow very well at all in those kinds of dirt. Finally, the seed got planted in a good kind of dirt and good fruit grew.

The secret of this story is that the seed is really the Word of God. God's Word is written for us in the Bible. Jesus is also called the Word of God made flesh. God made the whole world by speaking words. His words are very powerful! When they get planted in your heart, they will grow up like a plant that is full of life and good fruit!

The thing is, your heart needs to be good ground in order for God's Word to grow in your life. Your heart needs to be like soft dirt that a seed can grow in. A soft heart means that you will listen to God's Words and do what He says.

A Bottle For Your Tears

"Put my tears in Your bottle." Psalm 56:8

Did you know that God has a bottle to put your tears into? He loves you so much that He wants to catch every tear you ever cry. He sees every one. He knows every time someone hurts your feelings. He knows every time you feel stupid and embarrassed. He knows when you are afraid. He knows when you are sad. 

If you will ask Him, He will give your heart a hug. When Your heavenly Father gives you a hug, it takes away all of the bad feelings. His love for you is so strong that it chases away all of the sadness and fear. God is stronger than the biggest, scariest thing there is, so you can feel safe with Him. But He is so full of love, that He is also very gentle and kind to you, and always wants what is best for you. Never forget that God is love and He loves you!

The Walk to the Well

"whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst;"

The Bible tells the story of a woman who walked to a well to get water. In those days, they didn't have water in their house. They had to walk to a well carrying a waterpot. She didn't like walking a long way to the well. But one day she met someone interesting at the well. She met Jesus.

She was thirsty and Jesus talked to her about her thirsty spirit, not just her thirsty body. He told her that He could give her living water so her spirit would never be thirsty again! As they talked, she realized Jesus was the Messiah. He was the One God promised to send to save all people. She was so excited she ran off telling everyone about Him. She became a worshiper and her heart was never thirsty again!

This story is in the Bible in John chapter 4.