Scroll down to find the month of July's daily devotion and activity for children.
Thursday
July 1, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 9:2b and 6b-8a
People brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Rise, pickup your stretcher, and go home."
He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God.
God's Word Today
Jesus performed a miracle and healed the man who couldn't walk. He did this because the people had faith in Him. They believed He could do it. Do you have that kind of faith in Jesus?
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of the paralytic man walking after Jesus healed him.
Friday
July 2, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 9:13b
Jesus said,
"I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
God's Word Today
Jesus came to earth because He wanted to save all of the sinners. Everyone is a sinner at one time or another. Do you get angry? Do you talk back to your parents or teachers? Don't worry. Jesus will forgive you. That is why he came to earth.
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of something good you did this week. You were righteous when you did something good.
Saturday
July 3, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 9:14-15
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?"
Jesus answered them.
"Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast."
God's Word Today
Do you know what "to fast" means? It means to give up something.
The people were complaining because the disciples weren't fasting or giving up something. Jesus said they didn't need to fast while He was there with them. When he leaves, they will have plenty of time to fast. s
Now when you have a special emergency prayer, you can fast before you pray.
To Do Today
Today, think of something you can give up if you ever need to fast. Make a list of things. Ask your parents to help you with your list.
Sunday
July 4, 2010
God's Word
Luke 10:5-6
"Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him, but if not, it will return to you."
God's Word Today
Jesus wants you to spread His love and peace. When you go visit friends, tell them you love them. You can say "Peace to this household."
To Do Today
Today, talk to your family about visiting someone in your neighborhood. When you enter, say "Peace to this household." They will be blessed and so will you.
Monday
July 5, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 9:20-22
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured."
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
"Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you."
And from that hour the woman was cured.
God's Word Today
Jesus honored the womans's prayer for healing. He did so because the woman truly, truly believed Jesus would heal her. Jesus wants you to have faith that strong.
To Do Today
Today, make a list of all the prayers Jesus has answered. This will help build your faith.
Tuesday
July 6, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 9:36-38
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is abundant but the laboreres are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."
God's Word Today
Jesus sees there are many people who need Him. He is asking for helpers to help Him. He says you can help him heal the sick and feed the hungry. He needs helpers to tell others about Jesus and His Father, God.
To Do Today
Today, ask your family to help you think of ways you can help Jesus.
Wednesday
July 7, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 10:7
"Make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"
God's Word Today
Jesus wants you to tell people about Him. He wants you to tell them that "The Kingdom of heaven is at hand." That means you can know some of the joys of heaven if you know Jesus. You can love, joy, peace and kindness.
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of what you picture heaven to look like. Show it to a friend.
Thursday
July 8, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 10:12
"As you enter a house, wish it peace."
God's Word Today
Jesus wants you to bring His peace everywhere you go. If you enter someone's house, say "Peace be with you." That is a greeting Jesus loves to hear.
To Do Today
Today, visit a family member or friend and when you enter their house say, "Peace be with you." How does that make you feel?
Friday
July 9, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 10:22
Jesus said,
"You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
God's Word Today
This is one of the hardest things Jesus tells you. He says if you love Him there will be people who will hate you. They will hate you because they do not have the love of Jesus in them. They are afraid of Jesus. They are afraid of you. But Jesus says if you love Him anyway, you will be rewarded. You will be saved. He wants you to be strong and to be brave. He will help you.
To Do Today
Today, think of someone who hates you. Pray for that person. They need Jesus.
Saturday
July 10, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 10:32-33
"Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
God's Word Today
Jesus says if you are ashamed of Him or if you won't tell people about Him, He won't tell God about you. He wants to tell God about you. He wants to tell God what a wonderful person you are. For Him to do that, you need to tell others about Jesus. You must tell them you believe in Him even if they might hate you.
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of Jesus and show it to someone. Tell them all about Jesus.
Sunday
July 11, 2010
God's Word
Luke 10:25-28
"Teacher what must I do to have eternal life?"
Jesus said to him,
"What is written in the law?"
He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart with all your being, with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus replied,
"You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
God's Word Today
Do you know how to have eternal life? What does eternal life mean? It means to live forever with Jesus.
Jesus want you to live forever with Him. What must you do?
To Do Today
Today, tell god how much you love Him. Draw Him a picture of something you love and give it to Him.
Monday
July 12, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 10:37
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
God's Word Today
This is very hard to understand. How can we not love our mother and father the most? But if you love Jesus more, He will show you how to love. Then you will end up loving your mother and father in a much better way.
To Do Today
Today, tell Jesus how much you love him. Give your parents a hug and tell them you love them also.
Tuesday
July 13, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 11:20
Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented.
God's Word Today
Jesus reproached the towns. That means He scolded them. He was upset with them because He had taught them how to live and they did not repent. Repent means to change. They did not stop doing bad things. They did not love one another. So He is upset with them. Have you repented? Do you try to stop doing bad things? Do you love others? If not, Jesus will be upset with you too. If you do, then He is smiling.
To Do Today
Today, list all the ways you need to repent and make a plan to start doing so.
Wednesday
July 14, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike."
God's Word Today
Jesus is very happy that His Father, God, wants you to know Him. He knows that you probably have more faith than most grownups. He is very happy.
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of Jesus talking to His Father God.
Thursday
July 15, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 11:28
Jesus said:
"Come to me, allyou who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."
God's Word Today
Jesus wants you to bring your burdens to Him. Burdens means all of your troubles. He wants you to bring Him your problems. He promises to give you rest from those problems.
To Do Today
Today, make a prayer box or if you don't already have one. Write down or draw a picture of all of your problems and give them to Jesus. Put them in your prayer box and thank Him for taking care of them.
Friday
July 16, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 12:7b
Jesus said,
"I desire mercy, not sacrifice."
God's Word Today
In the old days before Jesus was born and while He was growing up, people made sacrifices to God. This meant they killed animals and put them on the alter. You weren't supposed to eat those animals. But Jesus thinks its better to feed the hungry than to put meat on an alter that no one can eat. What do you think?
To Do Today
Today, ask your family to help you take food to someone who is hungry.
Saturday
July 17, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 12:15b
Many people followed him, and he cured them all.
God's Word Today
Jesus healed all of the people that followed Him from the city. He was showing them that He was the Messiah.
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of Jesus healing the people.
Sunday
July 18, 2010
God's Word
Luke 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
God's Word Today
Martha is so busy. She doesn't listen to Jesus. She complains because her sister is listening to Jesus instead of helping her. Jesus says it is better to listen to Him than to be so busy.
The Lord wants you to be busy. But what He is saying here is that it isn't good to be too busy to sit and listen to Him. Take time every day to pray and listen to God.
To Do Today
Today, sit quietly for awhile and talk to God. Tell Him you love Him.
Monday
July 19, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 12:42b
"The queen from the south came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here."
God's Word Today
The Queen of Sheba had heard about how wise Solomon was. She came hundreds of miles to learn from him. Jesus is explaining that His wisdom ad the wisdom of the Holy Spirit is much better than Solomon's wisdom. So He wants you to search for Him like the Queen of Sheba searched for Solomon.
To Do Today
Today, ask your family to help you find where Sheba is on a map. Draw a map of the route the queen took.
Tuesday
July 20, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 12:50
"Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."
God's Word Today
Jesus is the Son of God. If you believe this, then you become a son or daughter of God also. If you believe in Jesus then you are His brother or sister.
To Do Today
Today, tell someone that Jesus is the Son of God.
Wednesday
July 21, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:1-2
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
God's Word Today
Jesus is very popular at this time. Everyone wants to touch Him so they can be healed. But too many people pushing to speak to Him, make it very dangerous. So He got in a boat so He could talk to them. They couldn't push or shove Him when He was in the boat.
To Do Today
Today, draw a picture of Jesus talking to the people on the shore. Draw Him standing in the boat.
Thursday
July 22, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:16
Jesus said:
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear."
God's Word Today
When you listen to Jesus you are blessed. How do you listen to Him? You can listen to His word in the Bible, your Sunday school teacher speaks Jesus word, your parents talk about Jesus. There are many ways to listen to Him speak. You will always be blessed when you hear Him.
To Do Today
Today, find a way to listen to Jesus. Ask someone to read the Bible to you. Read the Bible yourself.
Friday
July 23, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:23
Jesus said,
"But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."
God's Word Today
Jesus talked in parables. Parables are stories that tell about something that happens but also have a message in them. The message in this parable is to listen to Jesus with an open mind and heart. Then you live like He wants you to.
To Do Today
Today, sing a song to Jesus.
Saturday
July 24, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:29-30
Jesus replied,
"No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.""
God's Word Today
This parable helps explain why there are bad people. God does not want to pull out the weeds or the bad people because He doesn't want to hurt the good plants or good people. But in the end, the weeds and bad people will be gathered and burned. The good plants and good people will be gathered and placed in the barn with Jesus.
To Do Today
Today, talk about this parable with your family.
Sunday
July 25, 2010
God's Word
Luke 11:10
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
God's Word Today
Jesus is telling you that if you ask Him anything or want to know anything about Him, He will make sure you find the answers. It may be in Sunday school, from your parents or a friend. But He will always give you answers.
To Do Today
Today, write down all the things you want to know about Jesus. Leave a place for the answer and write it down when you find out.
Monday
July 26, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:31-32
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches."
God's Word Today
Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It is very tiny, but the bush grows into the size of a tree. Jesus says faith can grow like that. It can grow from a tiny bit to big, strong faith.
To Do Today
Today, see if you can find a mustard seed. Find pictures of a mustard plant. You can look in the library, a book or on the Internet.
Tuesday
July 27, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:41-42
"The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
God's Word Today
Jesus is the Son of Man. He will order His angels to gather all the evil people and throw them into the lake of fire. The reason they will gnash their teeth and grind their teeth will be because they are sorry now that they were evil, but it is too late. If you do anything mean or evil, tell Jesus you are sorry and He will forgive you. You will not be thrown in the lake of fire if you truly are sorry and you repent and change your ways.
To Do Today
Today, make a list of all the things you did that were mean. Ask Jesus to forgive you.
Wednesday
July 28, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:45-46
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."
God's Word Today
Pearls are very valuable. If the merchant found one, he would sell everything to buy it because it is so valuable.
Jesus is saying heaven is so valuable. It is like the pearl. You might want to do anything you can to have it.
All you have to do is believe Jesus is the Son of God and love everybody. Then you too will have heaven.
To Do Today
Today, ask your parents to show you what pearls look like.
Thursday
July 29, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:47-50
Jesus said to the disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
God's Word Today
Jesus knows how important it is to go to heaven instead of going into the lake of fire. It is so important that He died so you would be able to go to heaven.
Jesus tells this story to fishermen. They understand about a net full of good fish and bad fish. Jesus wants you to understand how important it is to not be evil.
To Do Today
Today, make a list of all the good things you do for other people. Tell other people you love them. This will make Jesus very happy.
Friday
July 30, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 13:54a and 57a
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and took offense at him.
God's Word Today
Jesus taught in His own town. People who knew Him and had grown up with Him didn't think He was important so they didn't listen to Him.
That might happen to you when you talk about Jesus. Your friends might make fun of you. But it is more important to be a friend of Jesus.
To Do Today
Today, tell a friend about Jesus.
Saturday
July 31, 2010
God's Word
Matthew 14:10 and 12b
John the Baptist was beheaded in prison. The disciples went and told Jesus.
God's Word Today
In some countries there are people who will behead someone who loves Jesus. It takes mighty courage to say you love Jesus if your head will be chopped off.
But Jesus makes it very clear. You are better off with your head chopped off and going to heaven than to deny Jesus and end up in the lake of fire.
John the Baptist felt that way. He loved Jesus very much.
To Do Today
Today, read the whole story about John and Herod. Talk about this story with your family.
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