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After playing for a while in the basement, little Penelope came upstairs and walked into the living room with an armful of bundles. “Look!” she cried. “I made presents!” She handed one to each member of her family.

Bryce wrinkled his nose. “Something stinks!” He sniffed the present in his hand. “I think it’s this . . . whatever it is.” He held up a slightly damp object made from old newspaper.

“See? It’s an airplane!” Penelope announced. “We learned to fold them in preschool. I made one for Anna too. And see—I folded hats for Mommy and Daddy. We learned to do them in preschool too!”

“Why, thank you,” said Mom with a faint smile. “That’s sweet of you, but . . . Penelope, where did you get newspapers to make these?”

“In the basement,” Penelope replied. “There was a whole pile of them by the window.” She looked at her mother anxiously. “Is that okay?”

“I noticed that it was damp by that window, and I’ve been meaning to get rid of those old papers!” Dad said. “They’re all wet. That must be why they smell so bad.”

“Don’t you like my presents?” asked Penelope.

Mom tried to soothe Penelope’s hurt feelings. “It was a very nice idea! Come on, let’s find some construction paper so you can make new ones.”

After Mom and Penelope left the room, Bryce and Anna quickly scooped up the smelly “presents” to take them out to the garbage can. “Penelope really did mean well, and I’m afraid she was surprised and disappointed when we weren’t delighted with her presents,” Dad said with a sigh. “She thought they were so nice, but we just see them as smelly junk.” He grinned at the two kids. “Kind of like good deeds.”

“Good deeds?” echoed Bryce.

“A verse in Isaiah says that the good deeds people do to earn their salvation are like filthy rags,” Dad explained. “Some people think they can please God just by doing their best, but all their good deeds are like those smelly presents from Penelope. Only Jesus can remove the smelly, filthy sin from our lives. We need to trust Him to save us and make us clean.”

Do you think God will be pleased with the good things you try to do and let you into heaven? God won’t accept your good deeds as payment for salvation. They look—and smell—like filthy rags to Him. You need to trust Jesus as your Savior in order to be saved and have eternal life. He will remove your sin and give you a clean heart.

"We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6 NLT

Good deeds can’t save you

Titus 3:3–7

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Speaking parts were being assigned for the church Christmas program, and Kaylee eagerly waited for her name to be called. She was sure she was the perfect one to take the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus. No one can memorize lines as well as me, she thought. 

“Braelyn.” Mrs. Roberts’ voice interrupted Kaylee’s thoughts. “I think you would be a good choice to play the part of Mary.”

Kaylee gasped. Braelyn! She stutters sometimes, Kaylee thought. What kind of Mary would she be? Kaylee scowled. Well, that’s just fine with me. Who wants to be in this dumb play anyway? When Mrs. Roberts offered her another part, Kaylee made excuses and refused to be in the production at all.

On the night of the program, Kaylee sat in the front row. She had come to laugh at Braelyn’s mistakes. Mrs. Roberts will be embarrassed for making such a dumb choice! she thought in disgust as Braelyn walked up front. That drab outfit looks like it was made from a feed sack. Mom would have made me a much better costume than that! She snickered to herself and rolled her eyes. 

Hesitantly, Braelyn began reciting from Luke chapter one: “My soul magnifies the Lord…because…because…” She paused briefly. “Because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.”

Humble condition, thought Kaylee. That sure fits Braelyn! Suddenly another thought struck her, causing her mouth to drop open in surprise. It fits Mary too! Kaylee tried to push that thought away, but she couldn’t. More unwanted thoughts persisted as she watched the rest of the Christmas performance. Mary was willing to obey God and carry out His commands, and Braelyn’s like that too, Kaylee realized. She’s a good Mary!

In her heart, Kaylee knew that if she had gotten the part, she would be saying Mary’s words only to make herself look good and be the star performer. But Braelyn was humble like the real Mary was—and like how Jesus was too. They were both willing to obey God and make sacrifices for the good of others. Feeling ashamed, Kaylee prayed silently, asking God to forgive her proud spirit and to help her be humble like Mary—and Jesus.

Are you humble like Mary? Or do you think you should be the one chosen to sing the solo, answer the questions, or lead the group because you do it best? Jesus wants humble servants who are willing to serve His purpose instead of their own so that He will be honored. Even though He is God, Jesus was willing to die for our sins so we could be saved. Mary was His humble servant. Does that description fit you?

"Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your servant." Matthew 20:27 NLV

Be a humble servant.

Luke 1:26-33, 46-49

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Anthony flicked off the radio. He couldn’t stand to hear one more Christmas song. Ever since his dad walked out on him and his mom on Christmas Eve two years ago, Anthony dreaded the holiday season. He sighed and flopped onto the couch as Mom walked into the room.

“Hey, Anthony. Uncle Sam just called. Aunt Tricia had the baby this morning! I’m going down to the hospital to see how everyone is doing. Want to join me?”

“I guess,” Anthony answered, “as long as I don’t have to listen to any Christmas carols on the way.”

When they got to St. Thomas Hospital, they took the elevator to the newborn unit on the third floor. Everyone looked so happy. Great, Anthony thought, more cheery people.

When they reached the room, Anthony walked over to a clear-sided bassinet and peered in. There lay his new cousin, all wrapped in blankets.

“Anthony, meet Caleb,” said Aunt Tricia. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Um…sure,” said Anthony, a little hesitant. Mom had him sit in a chair and told him how to hold his arms to support the baby’s head. She then gently laid Caleb in his arms. He looked down at the baby. He seemed so helpless all wrapped up like that.

Anthony glanced across the room and noticed a painting of the Virgin Mary on the wall. She was cradling a wide-eyed, newborn Jesus. The title under the painting read: A Gift for You. Anthony turned his gaze to Caleb and was startled to see similar dark blue eyes looking back at him. “Wow,” said Anthony softly.

“What is it?” asked Mom.

“I never really thought about how helpless Jesus was as a baby. He sure had to give up a lot to come to earth, didn’t He?”

Mom nodded and wrapped an arm around him. “I know Christmas is hard for you because of what happened with your dad. But that’s exactly why Jesus came to earth as a baby—so He could die for our sins and give us hope. Because of Him, we know that even though things go wrong, one day He’ll come again and make everything right. Christmas doesn’t have to be about what happened to you—it can be about what happened for you. Jesus gave it all up for you.”

Does the Christmas season stir up bad memories for you? You are not alone. Holidays can be hard when you’ve lost a loved one. But this year, instead of focusing on what you don’t have, focus on what you do have—Jesus. He gave up all of the glory in heaven to come to earth as a baby and die to save you from your sins. He’ll always be there to help you, and one day He’ll make everything right.

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" Matthew 1:23 NLT

Jesus came to earth for you.

Philippians 2:5-11

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“That was a good play,” said José, an exchange student from Mexico who was living with Ronan’s family. They were returning home after attending a Christmas program at church. “I’ve heard a lot about the Bible, but I’ve never been to a pageant like that one.”

Ronan pointed. “Look! There are some carolers. They go from house to house singing Christmas songs. Do you have carolers in Mexico, José?”

“No,” said José, “but we do have what we call Los Peregrinos. Like Mary and Joseph, people go from house to house. They pretend to be looking for a place where they can stay. It’s planned ahead so that the third one they stop at lets them in. There’s a piñata ready for the children and hot drinks for the adults.”

“Sounds fun!” said Ronan.

“When we get home, I could show you pictures of that and other Christmas traditions we have,” José said.

Ronan nodded. “I’d like that.”

Later that night, Dad and Ronan wrapped gifts while José talked to his family in Mexico. “Do you like having José stay with us?” asked Dad.

“Yeah, I do,” Ronan answered. “We’ve studied Mexico at school, but learning that way isn’t the same as knowing somebody who’s from there. Having José live with us and listening to him explain what people were doing in the pictures he showed me is a better way to learn.” Ronan fastened a bright red ribbon to a package. “If I had just read about Mexico but had never met José, I wouldn’t know half as much about his culture as I do now.”

Dad put down his scissors and tape. “You know, it’s the same with knowing Jesus too. Just knowing things about the Bible is much different from having a personal relationship with Jesus and trusting Him with every part of your life.”

“Yeah,” Ronan said thoughtfully. “I think we should explain that to José. He seems to know quite a bit about the Bible, but we should make sure he understands why Jesus died and that he needs to know Him personally.” Ronan paused. “I’ll try to talk to him some more about it when I get a chance.”

“That’s a good idea,” Dad said. “I’ll do the same.”

Do you know Jesus personally? Do you trust Him as your Savior and Lord? Studying the Bible is great, but just knowing Bible stories, facts, and verses is not enough. You need to understand that you’re a sinner who is unable to earn your own salvation and that Jesus died to pay the price for you to have eternal life. Trust Him as your Savior. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. Philippians 3:10 NLT

You can know Jesus personally.

Ephesians 3:14-21

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“Rayna, how would you like to have a roommate for a few days?” Mom asked when she picked Rayna up from school. “Pastor Rollins is looking for places for the Peterson children to stay while their mother is in the hospital. I thought maybe we could take Morgan.”

Rayna groaned. “Mom, no! She’d want to tag along everywhere I go.”

That evening, Rayna’s family read part of the Christmas story during family devotions. “Imagine Joseph’s disappointment when he asked for a room and the innkeeper turned him away,” Dad said as he closed the Bible. Then he prayed that they would be careful not to do the same thing.

Rayna thought about that when she went to bed. In her mind, she could almost hear the innkeeper saying, “Sorry. We have no room!” As Rayna tried to go to sleep, she couldn’t get the phrase out of her head. “No room! No room!” No room for the Son of God! she thought. That’s terrible! Then the words of a Bible verse echoed through her mind: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” She tried to forget those words but couldn’t. Maybe letting Morgan share my room is like offering Jesus a room too.

When Rayna sat down for breakfast the next morning, she smiled at her mother. “Did you tell Pastor Rollins to send Morgan to us?” she asked.

Mom shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Well, let’s tell him,” said Rayna. “I know she’s a lot younger than me, but she needs a place to stay, and maybe I can help her forget her troubles for a while.”

Mom smiled. “I’m glad you decided that, but why the change?”

“I thought about the innkeeper last night,” said Rayna. “I don’t want to make the same mistake he did.”

“The innkeeper?” asked Mom. “Oh. The one who didn’t have room for Jesus?”

Rayna nodded. “I realized that Jesus wants me to make room for her this Christmas. Since I’ve welcomed Him into my life by trusting in Him, He wants me to welcome others too. And I don’t want to turn either one of them away.”

Have you made room in your heart for Jesus? Have you invited Him into your life? If you trust in Him, He’s shaping your heart so you can show His love and hospitality to others. Perhaps there’s someone He wants you to make room for in your life, like an older person who is lonely or a classmate who needs a friend. By showing them hospitality, you’re showing them the love of Jesus.

The King [Jesus] will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 NIV

Be hospitable.

Matthew 25:37-40; Luke 2:1-7

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“I love Christmas!” Aaliyah told her friend Piper. “Did you see that huge tree in the mall? It went all the way up to the ceiling! And I love the lights everywhere, and parties—and presents! I think I’m getting that new video game I told you about.”

“My grandma’s giving me a tablet,” said Piper, “and I want a scooter. I think Christmas is the best time of the whole year! I hope I get lots of stuff.”

Mom glanced up from the book she was reading. “Sounds like you two are forgetting what Christmas is really about.”

Aaliyah tugged at Piper’s sleeve. “Come on. Let’s go to my room and play with my dollhouse.”

The next afternoon, Aaliyah and her mother went to a birthday party for Aaliyah’s three-year-old cousin, Joey. When they got there, most of her cousins were playing in the rec room—but there was no sign of Joey.

“Where’s the birthday boy?” asked Aaliyah, who was very fond of her little cousin. “I want him to see the present I brought for him. I wrapped it myself!”

Aunt Gabby laughed. “He’s fast asleep in his room. He was so excited about the party that he wore himself out. I’ll get him up pretty soon.”

Aaliyah frowned as excited squeals drifted in from the rec room. “I don’t think it’s right for everybody to have fun without Joey,” she told her mother after Aunt Gabby left the room. “It’s his birthday party, and no one’s even thinking about him!”

“Hmm. Well, before you get too upset at the kids here, let me ask you something,” said Mom. “Remember your conversation with Piper yesterday?”

“You mean about Christmas presents and stuff?”

“Yes. You girls talked about all the fun you’d be having this Christmas, but you didn’t say a word about Jesus, even though it’s His birthday we’re celebrating. Christmas is when we remember how He came into the world as a baby so He could die for our sin.”

Aaliyah sighed. “You’re right. I was using Christmas to celebrate all the things I wanted instead of Jesus.” She smiled at her mom. “Let’s ask Aunt Gabby to get Joey up now. We can’t let this party go on without the birthday boy!”

Do you enjoy celebrating Christmas? Do you get excited about the parties, gifts, decorations, and other fun things of the season? That’s great, but remember that Jesus is the reason you’re celebrating. Christmas is a special time when we remember how He was born into the world as our Savior. As you do fun things this Christmas season, remember it’s His birthday you’re celebrating.

"There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 KJV

Celebrate Jesus at Christmas

Luke 2:7-16

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“Time to leave!” called Mom.

“I’m almost done with this level,” said Timothy, eyes glued to the computer screen.

Mom stepped into his bedroom. “Get dressed now,” she said. “We don’t want to hold up the pageant rehearsal.” She hurried down the hall, calling for Timothy’s little sister, Gabby.

“I don’t see why I have to be in the Christmas pageant,” muttered Timothy. “I’m just a dumb shepherd, anyway.”

He dug a brown robe from a pile of clothes and pulled it over his head. He looked at himself in the mirror. “Boy, I hope no one from school sees me wearing this!”

Timothy walked into the kitchen, tugging at the rope wrapped around his waist. “This costume is itchy. Do I have to do this?”

Mom was struggling with Gabby’s angel costume. “Stand still, honey. These buttons are hard to see.” She blew a wisp of hair from her face. “We’ve made a commitment, Timothy. We can’t let everyone down. Besides, you’re in the pageant every year.”

“That’s just it,” said Timothy. “It’s the same old thing, every single Christmas. A bunch of shepherds, a few wise men. It’s not like we’re telling a new story. It’s boring!”

Mom stood up. “Come here, Timothy.” She held out her arms and hugged him.

“I know you don’t want to do this. But some things can’t wait. Some stories need

us to tell them–over and over again, right now!”

“But I’m just a shepherd,” said Timothy. “They’re not interesting. Not like the angels.” He pointed at Gabby. His little sister smiled and twirled in her angel costume.

Mom straightened Gabby’s halo. “The angels’ job was to tell the shepherds about Jesus’s birth. The shepherds were the first people to learn and spread the word that God had sent Jesus as a Savior to the world!”

“That is pretty cool, I guess,” said Timothy.

“It sure is,” said Mom. “And did the shepherds say, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem in the morning, when it’s light outside’? No. Did they say, ‘Let’s find someone to watch these sheep, and then we’ll go to Bethlehem’? No! They said, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem now!'”

“Okay, Mom,” said Timothy, heading for the door. “I guess we do need to get to church. To tell the story of Jesus–now!”

How many times have you heard the Christmas story? Twenty times? A hundred times? Even if the story feels familiar, try to experience it the way the shepherds did—as a glorious revelation from God that can change your life right now! Pray that God will help you feel the urgency and power of the story this Christmas season and share it with others.

"The shepherds said to each other, 'Let us go now to Bethlehem and see what has happened. The Lord has told us about this.'" Luke 2:15 NLV

Feel the excitement of the Christmas story!

Luke 2:8-20

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“Mom!” Mason stormed through the living room, past the manger scene and Christmas tree, and into the kitchen. “Look at this.” He held up four baseball cards. “Abby drew hearts all over my best cards!”

“Oh no.” His mother closed the oven door. “I’ll talk to her about it after she wakes up from her nap. But you have to remember, she’s only four.”

“I know, but I’m tired of her mes

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Isaac slammed the door and began kicking off his boots while grumbling under his breath.

“Everything all right?” his mom asked.

“Not according to Mr. Hanson,” Isaac spat out. “Whatever I do for him is never good enough! I mean, it took me an hour to shovel his sidewalk, and what do I get for it? ‘You missed the second step, Isaac. You didn’t get all the way to edge.’ Mr. Hanson is a total grinch! This is the last time I help him out.”

Just then Isaac’s sister, Holly, came bouncing into the room. “Mom, the green popcorn is done, and the green soda for our grinch punch is cold. I can’t wait to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with our special treats!”

“I know a real grinch next door,” Isaac grumbled.

“Isaac,” Mom said gently, “I know Mr. Hanson can be difficult, but remember that he doesn’t know Jesus. The only way he’s ever going to change is if he allows Jesus to come into his life and transform him. Only God can make that happen, but we can point Mr. Hanson to Jesus by showing him love and joy, even when he doesn’t deserve it.”

“Kind of like how the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes when he saw how joyful the Whos were even after he stole all their Christmas gifts and decorations?” asked Holly.

“Exactly,” said Mom. “Even when Mr. Hanson is mean, that doesn’t have to kill your joy—it actually gives you a chance to show him the love of Jesus.”

“Hmm,” said Isaac, “I never thought about it like that before. I didn’t realize that just by shoveling snow and being kind to Mr. Hanson I was allowing the love of Jesus to shine through me. I’ll try to remember that the next time I shovel his sidewalk.”

“I’m glad to hear there will be a next time,” Mom said as she gave Isaac a squeeze. “And now it’s time to watch . . .”

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Holly squealed.

“I think I’ll watch that movie with a whole new perspective tonight,” Isaac said with a smile. Rachel Vruggink

When you have grinchy people in your life, do you still try to treat them with love and kindness? When we show others love and joy, it points them to the source of our love and joy—Jesus! He gives us the strength to be joyful in any circumstance. Trust Him to help you joyfully do good for others, even when they least deserve it.

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV

Joy points others to Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:13-17

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As Mateo and his friend Tory rode the bus home from school, they talked about their Christmas plans. “Grandpa and Grandma are coming for a whole week this year,” said Tory, “and on Christmas Eve we’re all going to see a movie about Santa Claus! Wanna come with us? I’m sure Mom will say it’s okay.”

“I can’t,” said Mateo. “Our family always goes to church on Christmas Eve. We have a candlelight service where we read the Christmas story and sing Christmas carols.”

“Christmas carols? Like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’?”

Mateo shook his head. “No, songs about the real meaning of Christmas, like ‘Away in a Manger’ and ‘Silent Night.’”

“Oh.” Tory frowned. “The Christmas story is about somebody named Mary, isn’t it? And a guy named Joseph? And about some special baby? What was so special about Him?”

Mateo could hardly believe Tory didn’t know the answer to that. “It’s about when Jesus was born. He’s the Son of God,” he explained.

“Well, then how could He be born as a baby on earth?” Tory asked. “If He was God’s Son, why did He come to earth anyway?”

“Because we needed Him to save us from our sin—our brokenness—so we could have eternal life,” said Mateo, and he did his best to help Tory understand who Jesus is and why He came.

When Mateo told his mom about their conversation, she had a suggestion. “It’s possible other friends of yours don’t know the real meaning of Christmas. Would you like to have a Christmas party so you can share it with them? You could play games and have prizes, and I’ll help with singing carols and tell the Christmas story before we have some snacks and hot cocoa.”

“That would be fun!” said Mateo.

Mateo invited several friends to come. He didn’t know if any of them would believe in Jesus because of the party, but he wanted to give them the chance to hear about the special baby who was born to save the world—the real reason for Christmas. Linda M. Weddle

Do your friends know who Jesus is and why He came to earth? How can you share the real meaning of Christmas with them? Maybe you can have a party where you sing carols and have someone tell the story of Jesus’ birth, or invite them to a Christmas program at your church. You could even simply talk with them about what Jesus has done for you. Share the message of Jesus at Christmas—and all year long.

"You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NKJV

Share Christ at Christmas.

Matthew 1:18-23

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“Ho, ho, ho! And a merry Christmas to you!” bellowed a tall Santa at the entrance to Mia’s favorite toy store. Mia and her dad were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. They needed a few more things for the shoeboxes they were filling for kids who lived in orphanages in poor countries. 

“Dad, why do I see so many Santas around at Christmas instead of manger scenes?” Mia wondered aloud. “Everywhere I look I see Santa! See, there’s a gigantic stuffed Santa right over there!”

“I agree, there’s a lot more of Santa than Jesus in most stores at Christmas,” said Dad. “I think the tradition of Santa has overshadowed the truth of Jesus’ birth. However, not many people know the story of the real Saint Nicholas where our tradition of Santa began. Do you want to hear it?”

“Of course!” said Mia.

“According to history scholars, Saint Nicholas was born a long time ago around 280 A.D., which means 280 years after Jesus’ birth,” Dad explained. “His parents were very wealthy and left him a large inheritance when they died. Nicholas was a Christian, so he decided to share his wealth by giving gifts and money to the poor and sick in his town. He later became a Christian bishop in the church and eventually became Saint Nicholas.”

“So, did he wear a red suit and have a white beard?” asked Mia.

“No one really knows what Saint Nicholas looked like. All we know is he had a reputation of giving to those in need,” Dad said. 

“Just like we’re filling those shoeboxes for the needy kids!” Mia exclaimed. 

“Exactly!” said Dad. “People often associate Santa with getting a lot of presents. Instead, I think we should think of Saint Nicholas and giving to others. And remember, the reason Saint Nicholas gave to others was to show Jesus’ love to them. As a Christian, he knew the greatest gift we could ever receive was Jesus, who became human in order to save us from sin. That’s really what Christmas is all about—celebrating the gift of Jesus!”

Do you focus on giving to others at Christmas? Sometimes it’s easy to make Christmas all about getting presents for ourselves rather than thinking of how we can give to others. Money and presents aren’t the only ways to give. Share a kind word, do something extra around the house, or let someone go ahead of you in line. When you give, you point to the greatest gift of all—Jesus.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15 NKJV

Give generously to others.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 11-15

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“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Seth,” Jaden told his big brother. They were playing one of their favorite video games while waiting for Mom’s homemade pizza to finish cooking.

“You could start by actually playing!” Seth paused a moment, then said, “No, really, what’s up?”

“Well, you know Brenden, that really awkward new kid in my grade I was telling you about?” asked Jaden.

“Yeah, it reminds me of how I felt when we first moved here and I was just starting middle school. That was not fun!”

“I know, that’s why I’ve been trying to help him out and sit with him at lunch, but now I almost wish I hadn’t. His birthday is coming up, and his mom told him he’s only allowed to invite one person over for his party to stay overnight at his house. Guess who that lucky person is?” Jaden said sarcastically. “Me!”

“That’s not so bad,” Seth said.

Jaden looked back at him with a very unconvinced frown. “It just happens to be on Friday–the Friday we have our last kid’s club at church before Christmas break, the Friday when everyone gets to take a big prize home instead of just hoping they win the prize drawing! If I ride the bus home with Brenden, I’ll miss kid’s club! I asked him if he could come, but his mom doesn’t know anything about it, so he’s not allowed to. I’d have to miss it, and miss my chance to get a prize!”

When Mom called the boys to dinner, she told them she had overheard them talking about Jaden’s problem. “It reminded me of what we read in the Bible this morning about Jesus giving up the glory of heaven to come into this world as a baby to save us,” Mom said. “Remember how we talked about looking for ways to show that same kind of love to others this Christmas?”

“Yeah.” Jaden sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell Brenden I’m in. Maybe I can tell his mom more about kid’s club and she’ll let him come with me. Then neither one of us will miss out on the fun–and Brenden can learn more about Jesus!”

–Alicia Albert

Have you heard the Christmas story many times, but never let it really sink in? Think about what Jesus gave up by coming into this world to save us. He left heaven to become a helpless baby so He could one day die for our sins on the cross. When you think about what He gave up for you, you may find it’s a little easier to give something up so that you can help change another person’s life in an awesome way!

"I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another." John 13:34 CSB

Live the Christian message

Isaiah 53:4-6; Matthew 1:21-23; Philippians 2:5-8

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As Sarah wound Santa-shaped lights around the Christmas tree, her stepsister, Laura, came in carrying a wreath.

“Oh,” said Laura. “Aren’t we using white lights?”

Smiling, Sarah shook her head. “My family used these every Christmas, and I’d like to share them with you since it’s our first holiday together.”

Laura touched the lights. “Well…my family doesn’t decorate with Santa stuff. We believe Jesus should be the focus of Christmas.”

“He still is,” Sarah said, pointing to a manger scene nearby.

“I just feel uncomfortable,” said Laura. “Maybe we could use white lights instead.”

“Maybe,” said Sarah, taking down the Santa lights. “Um, I’ll be back.”

Sarah walked to the garage, where her dad was organizing. She sat on a box and sighed.

“Decorating with Laura is impossible. All I did was put up Santa lights, and she freaked out.”

Dad glanced at Sarah. “Laura and her mom haven’t been Christians long. They might think it’s wrong to include Santa in their Christmas decorations.”

“That’s silly! Santa’s just a fun tradition. Laura needs to get over it.”

Dad looked around and then slapped his forehead. “I’m out of tape! Can you drive out and buy some?”

Sarah laughed. “I can’t drive!”

“There’s nothing to it. Hop in!” Dad opened the truck door, and Sarah climbed into the driver’s seat. Dad pointed down the steep driveway. “Careful on that ice. If you skid, you’ll end up in the ditch.”

Sarah swallowed hard. “I don’t think I can do this. I haven’t been to driver’s ed!”

Dad leaned on the frame of the truck window. “You’re a lot like Laura. You need training. If I urge you to drive before you’re ready, you might hurt yourself. Laura needs training too—Bible training. Along with freedom from sin, Jesus gives us freedom to enjoy many things, but Laura doesn’t fully understand that. If you push her to do something she believes is wrong, you’ll cause her to sin—and you’ll be sinning too. We need to be patient as she gains more experience and understanding as a Christian.”

“I hadn’t thought of that!” said Sarah. “I’ll use white lights on the tree this year. I’ll go ask Laura to help me put them up!”

Do you know someone who’s uncomfortable doing something that you think is harmless? Perhaps you disagree on how God feels about certain books, clothes, or TV shows. Base your choices on God’s Word, and enjoy the liberty Jesus gives you. But never push others to read, wear, or watch something when they believe it would be wrong. Be patient and trust God to help them understand the freedom they have in Jesus.

"Yes, we know that 'we all have knowledge' about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church." 1 Corinthians 8:1 NKJV

Be patient as others learn.

1 Corinthians 8:4-13

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Sarah looked longingly at the fluffy stuffed kitty on the shelf. It was just what she wanted for Christmas, right down to the glittery collar around its neck. Slowly, she placed it in the cart.

Mom bent down to check the price. “Sarah, this one doesn’t fit our budget. We have to pick out something else for our little girl.”

Every year, Sarah’s family participated in a program that sent shoeboxes with gifts to children around the world who would otherwise not receive any Christmas presents. More importantly, the kids were also told about Jesus and His love for them.

“I know, Mom.” Sarah’s lip trembled a little. “This girl needs the kitty more than I do, so you can get it for her instead of me for Christmas.”

Mom smiled. “Then we will get it for her. I can see Jesus shining out of your heart right now. You are being the gift by sacrificing what you really want so someone else can have something special.”

Sarah nodded at Mom. “Just like Jesus is the gift to us! He didn’t have to come to earth as a baby in a manger. He didn’t have to give His life up and die on the cross for us…but He wanted us to have forgiveness for our sins and eternal life with God.”

“Now, that is the ultimate gift!” Mom said with a smile.

They continued walking down the aisles of the store. “Toothbrush, bar of soap, socks…” Mom checked items off her list. “Looks like our girl has everything she needs!”

“And some things she might want too.” Sarah winked.

Mom paused, looking thoughtful. “When we trust Jesus to be our Savior, He not only gives us eternal life; He also gives us everything we need for this life.”

“Like toothpaste?” Sarah asked.

Mom laughed. “Toothpaste too, but I was thinking of His spiritual blessings—like the ability to love others, say no to sin, and persevere in hard times. He gives us everything we need for a life of godliness.”

Sarah grinned. “I’m so glad Jesus was the gift to us so we can follow His example and be a gift to others!”

Mom nodded. “Me too, sweetie!”

Have you received the gift God freely offers? The Bible tells us God loves us so much He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to save us. When we trust in Him, He gives us eternal life with Him forever. He also gives us a new life here on this earth with everything we need to live for Him. If you are God’s child, you have every spiritual blessing in Christ. How can you follow His example and be a gift to someone today?

You will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 2 Corinthians 9:11 NLT

Be a gift to others.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Ephesians 1:3-8; 2 Peter 1:3-8

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“All right, boys. Turn off that video game and help set the table.” Ethan hit the pause button. “We should be able to beat that level after dinner,” he told Levi as they scooted into the kitchen.

Mom was balancing the baby on her hip and stirring a bubbling pot of spaghetti sauce. “Don’t forget to put out napkins,” she told the boys. “And don’t forget we’re heading out to do some Christmas shopping after dinner.”

“We’re in the middle of a video game, Mom,” Levi said.

“You’ve been playing that game for over an hour. It’s time to take a break. We need to get presents for your cousins, pick up ingredients for Christmas cookies, and buy some extra Christmas tree lights.”

“Can’t we go shopping tomorrow?” Ethan asked.

Mom shook her head. “We have rehearsal for the Christmas play tomorrow.”

Dad walked into the kitchen and pulled a strand of spaghetti from the pot. Mom turned and handed him the baby. “You seem really stressed out,” Dad told her. He turned to the boys. “I’ve got an idea.”

“Does it involve video games?” Levi asked.

“It does not involve video games, but it does involve hot chocolate. I’m going to make a batch of hot chocolate, and we’re going to sit down as a family and watch a Christmas movie.” Dad already knew what Mom was thinking. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll get up early and take care of all the shopping. It sounds like everyone needs a little break from the craziness of the Christmas holiday. Think of it as a Santa pause.” Everyone laughed, even Mom.

“I guess you’re right,” she said. “Even Jesus and His disciples needed some time to rest. If I remember the Bible story correctly, Jesus told his disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and rest because so many people were coming and going that they didn’t even have time to eat.”

“No time to eat!” Ethan said. “There’s not a crowd big enough or even a video game that could keep me from your spaghetti, Mom!”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Mom said. “But we still need to take time to rest and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus coming to save us.” • Jared Hottenstein

Do you need some time to rest? Sometimes life can get very busy, especially around the holidays. We’re busy doing a lot of really good things, but there’s nothing wrong with hitting the pause button and taking a break. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired. If He took some time to rest, so should we. Take a breather and spend some time with Him. After all, He’s the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

"[Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Mark 6:31 NIV

Take time to rest.

Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:30-32

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“What do you think about this one?” Mom asked.

“It’s too skinny. We need something fatter.” Dad was pretty particular about finding the perfect Christmas tree. It was a family tradition. The entire family would hop into the van and drive an hour to a Christmas tree farm in the middle of nowhere. Next came a long hike through drifting snow until the perfect Christmas tree was found.

“Can’t we just get a fake tree, Dad? I can’t feel my feet.”

“Just a little bit longer, Noah. We have a thermos of hot chocolate waiting in the van. Where’s your Christmas spirit?”

“I think I left it back in the van with my gloves.”

“Very funny.” Dad pointed down the row of trees. “I think your mom and sister just found the perfect tree. Let’s go help them cut it down.” Noah trudged through the snow, trying to warm his hands by tucking them into the sleeves of his jacket.

“That’s the perfect tree! Nice job, ladies!” Dad crawled under the tree and started sawing. It didn’t take long for the tree to topple over onto its side and the rich scent of pine to fill the air.

“Seriously, Dad. Why do we go through all this trouble just for a Christmas tree?” Noah asked as he took the saw and folded it up.

“I go through all this trouble because it reminds me what Christmas is all about,” said Dad. “Think about it. This tree is the real thing. We couldn’t bring it home without cutting it down—it had to die. And just like this tree, Jesus is the real thing. The Bible says He’s the way, the truth, and the life. And just like this tree, God sent Him to earth to die for us. I go through all of this trouble because I don’t want to forget what Christmas is all about.”

Noah smiled. “That’s pretty good, Dad. Maybe I’ll continue this tradition when I get older. Just don’t forget to put some gifts under this tree. That’s also why we celebrate Christmas—Jesus was God’s gift to the world.”

Dad smiled. “I already know the perfect gift for you, Noah. A pair of gloves!” • Jared Hottenstein

Are you remembering what Christmas is all about? It’s easy to think only about the piles of presents and bright shining lights. But the most perfect present of all is God’s gift to us—His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the real thing; there’s nothing fake about Him. He really lived, He really died, and He defeated death and rose from the dead. He’s alive!

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NLT

Jesus is the real thing.

John 3:16; 14:6

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Ezra, Clark, and Genevieve sat in the living room with their parents, holding small boxes in their hands.

It was their family’s yearly tradition to go to a special Christmas ornament store where each person would pick out one ornament to put on their family Christmas tree.

Ezra, the youngest, had chosen a blue ornament with his name on it. Clark, who was interested in all things at sea, had picked out an ornament that looked like a ship. Genevieve had chosen one that looked like a nativity scene and was made with wood from Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born. Mom had found an ornament that was in the shape of a giraffe, her favorite animal. And since Dad played the saxophone, he had brought home an ornament featuring a picture of the instrument.

After they had all placed their new ornaments on the branches, the family stood back to admire their tree. Mom smiled. “You know, I can’t help but see the way our unique personalities—the way God made each of us—come through in what we picked to decorate the tree.”

Dad spoke softly. “’That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.’”

“What?” asked Ezra.

“It’s our memory verse right now,” explained Genevieve. “Adorn means decorate, right?”

“Exactly,” said Mom. “We’re told to decorate God’s doctrine—the truth of the good news of Jesus—with all we do. That’s a lot like us decorating the Christmas tree. Just like each of our ornaments is different but decorates the same tree, each Christian has different talents, interests, and life circumstances, but we all represent the same truth—that Jesus loves us and died to save us from our sin.”

Dad nodded. “The Christmas tree, like God’s truth, is beautiful on its own, but God calls us to decorate His truth to help others see just how beautiful it is. In fact, just like ornaments, God uses us as part of the beauty of His good news. When we share what Jesus has done for us and use our gifts, personalities, and actions to express our love for Him and for others, we bring out the beauty of His love and grace.”

Did you know that your life is an ornament that decorates God’s message of hope in Jesus? In today’s passage, Paul speaks about all kinds of Christians—each with unique circumstances and abilities. God has also given you these things. If you know Jesus, you can show others you love Him by using those gifts in godly ways. When you look at your Christmas tree, think about how you can point others to the beauty of Jesus.

"That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things." Titus 2:10 NKJV

Decorate the good news of Jesus

Titus 2:10-14; John 14:6

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“You’ll never capture me!” Ava yelled to her friend Jack. They were in Ava’s backyard pretending to be medieval knights.

“On my noble steed, you’ll never outlast me!” cried a galloping Jack.

As Jack caught up to Ava, they both drew foam swords and shields. “On my honor as a knight, you’ll never get your hands on the king’s treasure!” Ava stood with her hands square on her hips, proudly showing off her knight’s tunic over her pink leggings.

The door to Ava’s house opened. “Ava, it’s time to come in!” Mom called.

Ava lowered her sword and shield. “This was fun!” she said.

“Yeah! Let’s meet here again tomorrow to play some more!” Jack said, shivering. “We don’t have much time before it’ll be too cold to play outside.”

When Ava entered her house, the warm smells of oregano and garlic bread greeted her. She had forgotten Dad said it was spaghetti night! Ava found her mom sorting through a box of candles. “What are you doing?” Ava asked.

“Putting a candle in each window of our home,” said Mom. “Candles are often used during Advent to help prepare our hearts for Christmas. I thought it would be a good tradition to start.”

“To prepare for the presents we’re gonna get?” Ava asked with a grin.

“No, goofball, to prepare for the gift of Jesus!” Dad said, giving Ava a silly eye-roll from where he stood stirring the tomato sauce. “Let me put it another way. I know you love history, so I’ll tell you how people think the custom of candles in windows at Christmastime may have started. In the Middle Ages, the light of a single, large candle was used to represent the Star of Bethlehem, which is what led the wise men to seek and find Jesus. Shining out from a window at the coldest time of year, it reminded people to seek the King who came to earth as a baby so we could have His warmth and light in our lives.”

“And that’s not something we remember only at Christmas,” Mom said, holding out a candle for Ava to put in the window. “Jesus became human and sacrificed Himself so we could be saved. That’s something to celebrate all year long.” • Lauren N. Simmons

How does your family prepare for Christmas? Do you put up a tree? String lights up outside? Those are great things to do, but you can also prepare by thanking Jesus for the sacrifice He made when He came to earth as a baby so He could one day die for our sins. When the world was dark and cold, He came and shined His light on us. How can you share His warmth with others this Christmas—and every other time of year?

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'" John 8:12 NKJV

Jesus is the light of the world

Psalm 27:1

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Summer carefully placed the last glittering ornament on the Christmas tree and grinned. “Cameron, it’s ready!”

Summer’s older brother started the countdown, then plugged in the lights. “It looks awesome!” Cameron exclaimed. “I like how we pick a color theme every year. Red and gold is the best theme yet!”

“Mom, I’ve been wondering—why do we decorate with certain colors at Christmas? You see some colors way more than others, like red, green, and gold,” Summer mused.

“That’s a great question, sweetie! Let’s look it up.” Mom took out her phone. “What do you think red stands for?”

“The blood of Jesus?” Summer guessed.

“You got it!” Mom said. “He became human and then died on the cross for our sins.”

“That probably means the color white stands for purity,” Cameron stated.

“Yes, and for peace as well,” Mom said. “We use green for evergreen trees, which symbolize the eternal life Jesus gives us when we trust in Him alone to save us from our sin. The color gold represents one of the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus, which reminds us that He is King. And blue was worn by royalty back in Jesus’ time, so it’s traditionally used at Christmas in honor of Jesus’ mother, Mary, to show her importance.”

“Mom, I’m wearing blue! I must be royal!” Cameron said.

“You wish!” Summer threw some tinsel on her brother’s head.

Mom laughed. “Actually, you are royal, Cameron—and you too, Summer. Blue also represents the sky and reminds us of heaven and how Jesus will return one day and reign over the whole earth—and Christians will reign with Him.”

Summer glanced at the manger scene. “I’m so thankful that God sent Jesus as a little baby in a manger to grow up and save us.”

“And I’m thankful that I’m royal!” Cameron shaped the tinsel on his head into a crown. “Now, please bring me some cookies, royal subjects!” Savannah Coleman

Do you enjoy decorating for Christmas? Did you know that many of the colors and objects we use have meaning? They remind us of the true meaning of Christmas—that Jesus became human, died and rose again to save us from sin, and will one day make everything new. This Christmas, celebrate the birth of our Savior and all He’s done for us.

Celebrate Jesus at Christmas

"A Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." Luke 2:11 NIV

Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 2:1-20

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“Dad, Christmas is coming!” said Marisol with a grin.

“Christmas? It’s pretty early for that. You’re not giving me your wish list already, are you?”

“I haven’t even thought about that yet,” Marisol said. “This will be our first winter since we moved here, so I have an idea for making Christmas special this year.” 

“I’m listening,” said Dad.

“Remember when we went shopping and I asked if I could get those red leather boots I saw in the store window?” Marisol asked.  

“I remember.”

“You said that, living here, I’d need waterproof snow boots, so if I also wanted fancy boots I’d have to save up and buy those myself,” Marisol said. “So last week while I was visiting the leather boots—”

“Wait,” Dad interrupted. “You visited the leather boots?”

“Sometimes I go admire them at the store. But this time I saw something else in the window. There was a poster about a toy drive for families that don’t have much money. The police department collects toys and passes them out to kids at a Christmas party. Isn’t that cool?”

“Absolutely. I’ve heard about that. They ask the public to donate new toys. So, did you want to donate a toy?”

“No,” Marisol said. “I want to donate six toys. They have three age groups for boys and three for girls, so six total.”

“That’s a lot of money, Marisol.”

Marisol nodded. “I’ve been saving boot money for months. And I still have my birthday money from Grandma and all the money Mrs. Sadler pays me to walk her dogs.”

Dad smiled. “I love this idea, Marisol, and I’m so glad to see you focused on caring for people, just like Jesus calls us to do. But I’m curious—what made you decide to give up all your boot money like this?”

“Well, I can’t stop thinking about that poster,” said Marisol. “I already have a lot, and some kids have almost nothing. And moving to a new place helped me realize how much Jesus gave up for us—He left heaven and came to earth that first Christmas as a baby. I want to be like that.”

Dad nodded. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our Savior’s birth.”

How can you celebrate the birth of Jesus this year? Even though Christmas is still a couple months away, it’s not too early to start thinking about how you could show others the love of Jesus this holiday season. Celebrate His birth by blessing someone else who could use a small gift, a kind word, or a helping hand. 

Give to those in need.

"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" 1 John 3:17 NIV

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Noel reached up high on her tiptoes and placed a sparkling silver bell on an empty tree branch. “Look, Gi-Gi! Just a few more branches and we’re finished!”

Noel’s great-grandmother smiled at her excitement. “Noel, I enjoy this tradition of decorating with you every year. It’s amazing how high you can reach now!” Gi-Gi chuckled. “I remember when you could hardly hang that bell on the lowest branch.”

Grandpapa waltzed in with the angel tree topper. “Are we ready for the final touch?”

“Wait!” said Gi-Gi. “I have one more ornament to add!”

Grandpapa winked at Noel and whispered, “Gi-Gi always has something new up her sleeve.” His eyes bulged in surprise as Gi-Gi pulled an ornament out of her actual sleeve. “Guess it’s not just an expression!”

Noel giggled. She carefully took the ornament from Gi-Gi’s hand. “It says ‘Wonderful Counselor’—oh, like the verse about Jesus from Isaiah that we learned last Christmas!”

Gi-Gi nodded. “Every year we have special traditions—decorating the tree on the first day of December, receiving a new ornament that represents something you enjoy, baking a birthday cake in honor of Jesus—those are just a few of my favorites. This year, I wanted to add one more. Do you remember what advent is, Noel?”

“Yep! It’s preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus. Even though He already came, we take the month before Christmas to remember why He was born and to celebrate Him.”

“Absolutely! There are many different ways to celebrate, but I wanted to start a new tradition. I want us to reflect on some of the names of Jesus—twenty-five, to be exact. Every day, we will add a new ornament with a name for Jesus to our tree.”

Noel ran her finger over the gold lettering of the ornament. “‘Wonderful Counselor’—that describes how Jesus is here anytime I need to talk to Him. Whenever I’m upset, scared, or happy, I know He will always be there to listen and help me through hard times.”

“He sure is the best counselor,” Grandpapa agreed thoughtfully. “I suppose tomorrow’s ornament will be ‘Mighty God’?”

Gi-Gi tossed a fake snowball at Grandpapa. “Let’s focus on one name per day, mister!”

Grandpapa winked at Noel. “Yes, ma’am!”

What Christmas traditions does your family have? Do you set up a nativity scene in your house? Or buy gifts for children in need? Traditions can help remind us of what Christmas is truly about—celebrating Jesus coming to earth as a baby to save us. What can you and your family do each year as a reminder of who Jesus is and what He did for us?

Use traditions to celebrate Jesus.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 NIV

John 14:6-18

Hey! Welcome back! I'm Zach, your host on the Countdown to Christmas with...well, me!

I'm glad to be in your family's podcast feed again, and I hope you'll join me for a great Christmas season of stories to help your kids get to know God and love Him more.

Grab the new printable discussion guide with the questions for each day's story here.

And that link ^ is also where your kids can go to send in their own voice messages, answering each day's question. On that page you'll also find all the different Christmas activities and radio shows your family can listen to on Keys for Kids Radio!

I hope you listen to each day's story as we count down to Christmas Day, and take the time to talk with your kids about the key verse, key thought, and question. And we all pray here at Keys for Kids Radio that it will help your family stay focused on Jesus!

Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.

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"You take the sword, Leo, and be ready when I storm the castle,” Javier instructed as he slipped on his dragon mask.

His little brother nodded, put on his knight helmet, and paced back and forth in front of the tent.

Javier ran off and disappeared from Leo’s view, crouching behind a bush. Then he crawled back to the tent and quietly entered it from the back, unnoticed by Knight Leo.

“RAAAAAAWR!” Javier bellowed. “This is my castle now! Flames! Run for your life, knight!” He continued to yell as loud as he could as he ran at his brother.

Leo threw his helmet down and dropped his sword. “That’s not fair!” he exclaimed. “You came from behind. I wasn’t ready for you!”

Javier ripped off his mask. “Oh, come on, Leo! Knights don’t throw their helmets down and whine. I hate playing with you, you always wreck everything!”

“Whoa, you are a fiery dragon,” Mom said as she came over at the yelling. “Calm down, Javier. Don’t treat Leo that way.”

“But he does this every time! When we played astronauts and the aliens came, he threw a fit. When we played superheroes and the villain caught him, he started crying. Superheroes don’t cry, Mom!”

“I know, Javier,” Mom said. “Leo just has some trouble staying in character.” She turned to Leo. “Javier has a point, Leo. When you’re playing pretend, it’s more fun if everyone stays in character.” She turned back to Javier. “But you’re also acting out of character when you talk to Leo like that.”

“But he makes me so mad!” said Javier.

“All the more reason to stay in character,” said Mom. “It’s easy to be kind when everything goes smoothly. It’s when things don’t go our way that we need to remember who we are as followers of Jesus. He defines our true character. He has freed us from sin and given us the Holy Spirit, who lives in us and is helping us become more like Jesus. Remember that the next time you’re tempted to do something wrong—like lash out at Leo in anger. Jesus wants us to love others the way He loves us.”

Javier looked at his brother. “Sorry, Leo,” he said. “I didn’t mean to be such a dragon.”

Do you ever act out of character? Do you have moments when you treat others poorly or do things you know are wrong? If you’re a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit in you so that you can show other people the good, gentle, and gracious character of Jesus. That’s who you are—a forgiven chi ld of God who is becoming more like Jesus every day. Trust God to help you stay in character and show His love to others.

Galatians 5:25 "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (NIV)

Stay true to who you are in Jesus

Romans 5:3-5; Galatians 5:22-25

Thank you for listening to the Countdown to Christmas with Zach podcast. We'd like to introduce you to our daily devotional Keys for Kids podcast, so for this first week of 2024 we're releasing those episodes on this feed too.

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"Well, if that’s the way you’re going to be, I’ll just find someone else to do my science project with!” Will turned and walked away from Torin and Carlos before they had a chance to respond.

At dinner, Will was still angry. “Torin and Carlos won’t listen to me,” he told his dad. “They want to change the whole science project. I don’t care what they say. I like the way I planned it.”

“Sounds like you’re having trouble flying in formation,” said Dad.

“Huh?” Will frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Remember when we saw the Navy’s flying team perform at the air show last week? How far apart were those six jets?”

“They were really close!” said Will. “I think the announcer said they sometimes were within three feet of each other.” He remembered the thrill of watching the shiny blue and yellow jets. “When the leader moved in a certain direction, they all moved that way. If they didn’t, they’d be in big trouble.”

“Right,” said Dad. “Flying in formation like that takes real teamwork! But doing a good job on any group project requires teamwork—and that includes your science project. You need to work together as a team.”

“But they won’t listen to me!” said Will.

“Well, they should listen to your ideas,” said Dad. “But you should also listen to theirs. Have you done that? Have you really thought about whose ideas would work the best?”

Will sighed. “I guess not. I’ll talk to Carlos and Torin and see if they’ll still let me work with them.”

“Good,” said Dad. “You know, this reminds me of how Christians need to fly in formation too. Since you know Jesus, you’re part of His team of believers—the church. As Christians, we need to work together to help more people know about Jesus. But we can’t do that if we’re only thinking of ourselves and what we want.”

“We need to be like Jesus, right?” asked Will.

“Right,” said Dad. “We need to show one another the kind of love He shows us, and that includes listening to each other’s ideas and being patient and understanding. When we do that, others will see God’s love in us and want to know more about Jesus.”

Do you have a hard time working as part of a team? Do you get upset when others don’t agree with your ideas? Remember that God wants Christians to work together in unity. Ephesians 4:2 says to be humble, gentle, and patient as we bear with one another in love. Share your ideas, but also listen to other people’s suggestions so you can work as a team in love and unity.

Psalm 133:1 "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!" (NIV)

Work in unity with others

Ephesians 4:1-6

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Malia jingled the coins in her pocket. She liked the sound they made. She called it her Sunday song because she often jingled coins before Sunday school started each week. Malia earned her own money for offerings, but lately she hadn’t been able to find many jobs, so the amount she could give had become smaller and smaller.

Antonio, the boy sitting next to her, saw her put the coins into the offering plate and snickered. “Is that all you have?” he asked loudly.

“Why even bother?” Malia felt her face grow hot. She put her head down and didn’t answer.

When Malia got home, she told her mother what Antonio had said. “I guess he was right,” she said with a sigh. “I think my offering was the smallest one anybody had today.”

Mom raised her eyebrows. “I think your first mistake was to compare your offering to what the other kids gave. We should never give just to impress others. Tell me—what does Jesus think about what you gave?”

Malia shrugged.

Mom was quiet for a moment. “Malia, at your birthday party last month, your friends gave you presents. Were the gifts all the same, or were some smaller than others?”

“The gifts? They were all different, of course,” said Malia. “Why?”

“Well, are the kids who gave you the nicest presents the ones you like best now?” asked Mom.

Malia shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what they brought. Izzy’s dad had been sick a long time, so she couldn’t spend much on a present, but who cares? It wouldn’t have mattered if she hadn’t brought anything at all. She’s my best friend!”

“I know,” said Mom. “And you’re Jesus’s friend—He loves you so much that He died for your sins and rose from the dead to save you! And He’s pleased with any gift you give Him from your heart out of gratitude for what He’s done for you.”

“Just like I’m happy with Izzy’s present,” Malia said, smiling. “Before the party, Izzy said she didn’t know if she should even come. She was afraid of what the other kids would think of her gift. But I told her I would love any gift she brought me because she’s my friend.”

Are you afraid that your gifts to the Lord aren’t good enough? Do they seem small compared to what other people can give? Remember that Jesus sees your heart. Your desire to give to Him out of love and gratitude for what He’s done for you is what matters—whether it’s through giving money or serving in other ways. God knows your circumstances, and He loves any gift you’re able to give Him because you are His friend.

Ezra 2:69 "According to their ability, they gave." (NKJV)

God accepts your gifts

Mark 12:41-44

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"How about a break?” said Dad. He stopped pedaling, leaned his bike against a tree, and then plopped onto the park bench beside the bike trail.

“Good idea!” said James. “I’m tired and thirsty!” He and Dad took water bottles from their bikes. Dad also pulled two granola bars from his bike bag and handed one to James.

As James removed the wrapper, a piece of granola fell to the ground. A tiny ant appeared and tried to whisk it away. James watched as the ant tried again and again, but the piece was just too large for it to handle.

A moment later, a mass of scurrying ants appeared. They worked together, lifting and dropping the chunk several times until it fell apart. Then each ant seized a small piece, and they all ran off in the same direction.

“Did you see that?” asked James. “That ant needed help—and he got it!”

“He sure did,” said Dad. “That’s a good example of how we should act as Christians.”

James looked at Dad. “You mean we should help each other, right? Like when that big storm ripped shingles off our garage roof last summer and a bunch of guys from church helped repair it. With all their help, it didn’t take very long before it was fixed. A big job became a small one—just like with the ants.”

Dad nodded. “I’m sure the guys from church didn’t think about it at the time, but they were demonstrating to our neighbors the love Christians should have for each other.”

“But aren’t we supposed to show God’s love by helping people who don’t know Jesus too?” asked James.

“Yes,” said Dad. “Helping those who don’t know Jesus can be a powerful way to show them who He is and what He’s like, and helping other Christians can too.” Dad and James got up and put on their helmets.

“Mr. Locke next door was so impressed by what our church friends did to help with our roof that he wanted to know more about our church,” added Dad. “I explained that we love one another because Jesus loves us—so much that He died for our sins and rose again. I’m praying that Mr. Locke will soon know Jesus too.”

Can people see God’s love in your willingness to help others? By having a kind, helpful attitude, you can show others that you belong to Jesus. When people see you do things like help a neighbor rake their yard or show a new kid around school or church, they see the love that Jesus has put in your heart—and some of them might decide they want Jesus in their lives too.

Galatians 6:10 "As we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." (NKJV)

Show God’s love

1 John 4:7-11

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Callie sat on her bed, so engrossed in her new library book that she didn’t even notice her mom enter the room. When Mom sat down next to her, Callie jumped and shoved the book under her, hoping her mom hadn’t seen the title.

Mom frowned. “You doing okay? I was just wondering why you were so quiet up here.” She peered around Callie. “What were you reading?”

Callie shot her a thin smile. “Oh, nothing. Just a book I got at the library.” She blinked, trying to clear her flustered brain. “So, did Dad finish working on the car?”

Mom folded her arms, studying her. “No, he’s still trying to figure it out. The check engine light keeps flashing.”

Callie nodded. “Wow. I hope the car’s okay!”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” said Mom. “Your Dad always takes the car’s warning lights very seriously, so I’m sure he’ll be able to fix the problem before it causes too much damage.” She cleared her throat and scooted closer to her daughter. “Callie, you’re twelve, and you’re getting to the age when you’ll be making some important decisions.”

Callie swallowed and nodded.

“I’m not going to make you show me the book you’re hiding. I don’t know what it has in it that makes you feel the need to hide it. All I’m going to say is that your conscience is telling you something without me having to say a word.”

Callie studied her fingernails, and Mom sighed. “The embarrassment I see on your face is a God-given warning light, Callie. It’s telling you that something in that book doesn’t line up with who you are as a follower of Jesus. Because He has freed you from sin, it doesn’t belong in your life anymore. When you’re tempted to focus on sinful things, the Holy Spirit uses your conscience to warn you. If you listen to His warning, it can prevent major problems down the road.”

Callie squirmed. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew Mom was right. She pulled out the book. “I guess I’ll need a ride to the library so I can return this.” As the weight of the book lifted from her conscience, she smiled. “Let’s go see how Dad’s coming along on the car!”

Has a twinge of embarrassment or unease ever made you want to hide what you were doing? God has given each of us a conscience to warn us when we’re stepping into danger. When it tells you that what you’re doing isn’t right, stop immediately! Listen to God’s warning and trust Him to help you resist temptation.

Romans 14:23 "Whatever is not from faith is sin." (NKJV)

Listen to God’s warnings

Psalm 101:1-8

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Kahlil closed the book he was reading and sighed.

“You don’t look very happy,” said his sister, Anisa. “What are you thinking about?”

Kahlil hesitated. “God,” he admitted. “I’ve been wondering if God really hears us when we pray.”

“Of course He does!” said Anisa.

“And my teacher at church says God is everywhere,” said Kahlil. “How can that be? And how can He have no beginning?”

“I can’t believe you’re questioning God!” said Anisa. “Better not let Mom or Dad hear you do that.”

“Do what?” asked Dad as he walked in and sat down.

Kahlil nervously picked at the corner of his book. “Well, sometimes I don’t understand things about God and what the Bible says about Him. I have lots of questions, and Anisa thinks that’s wrong.”

“No, it’s not wrong,” said Dad. “It’s perfectly okay for you to have those kinds of questions.”

“It is?” asked Anisa. She and Kahlil looked at each other in surprise.

Dad nodded. “You learn by asking questions. For example, you made macaroni and cheese yesterday, right? How did you learn to do that?”

Anisa chimed in. “I heard him ask Mom a ton of questions. He asked how much water to use and how high to set the burner. And he asked how long it had to boil.” She turned to her brother. “You’ve seen Mom make it a million times, but you didn’t know anything when you tried to do it yourself.”

Kahlil made a face at his sister. “Well, I could do it now!”

Dad smiled. “I’m sure you could. Asking questions helped you learn what to do. That’s one reason God welcomes our honest questions—He knows they help us learn.”

“You mean God’s not mad?” Anisa asked.

Dad shook his head. “The book of Psalms is full of hard questions the writers asked God. Their questions helped them understand more about God and why they could trust Him. So don’t be afraid to ask hard questions. Questions can strengthen your faith as you learn more about who God is and how Jesus came to save you and promises to be with you through life’s difficulties.”

Standing up, Dad said, “I’m hungry. Why don’t we ask God some questions together over a bowl of Kahlil’s mac and cheese?”

What are some things about God you don’t understand? It’s okay to ask hard questions—they can help you learn and grow in your relationship with Jesus. Ask your parents, teachers at church, or any Christian adult you feel you can talk to. Look to the Bible for answers too, and ask God to help you understand more about who He is and what He’s done for you.

Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know." (CSB)

Ask and learn

Psalm 73:13-28; Proverbs 2:1-9

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Malachi put down the wood for the campfire and hurried to see why Boomer, his puppy, was barking. The little dog stood at the edge of the stream, looking down into the clear water. “What is it, Boomer?” asked Malachi. He looked down to see what was in the water and began to laugh.

“What is Boomer barking at, Malachi?” asked Dad.

“Himself! He’s barking at his own reflection in the water.” Malachi shook his head. “Silly dog! Come on, Boomer. I’ll get you a treat.” The magic word was treat—Boomer immediately left the edge of the water and scurried over to the tent. Soon he had his treat and was stretched out near the stream.

Dad smiled as he watched Boomer happily chomp on his treat. “This reminds me of an old fable about a dog and a bone,” he said. “As the dog carried his bone across a bridge, he thought he saw another dog in the water below, and he bristled.”

“That sounds like Boomer, all right!” said Malachi.

“Yes, and this dog wasn’t going to let that other dog get his bone,” continued Dad. “So he began to bark to make the other dog go away. I’m sure you can figure out what happened when he opened his mouth to bark.”

Malachi laughed. “His bone fell into the water, right?”

“Right, and the greedy dog ended up with nothing.” Dad added another log to the campfire. “Greed makes us want to get things and hold on to them at all costs, but in the end we lose everything we had and more. True riches and fulfillment come from Jesus, not from anything we own. Money and possessions don’t last, but Jesus offers us a gift that lasts forever—forgiveness for our sins and eternal life with Him. To loosen the grip of greed on our hearts, we need to turn to Jesus and trust Him to provide us with everything we need, including joy and contentment.”

Just then Boomer ran up, looking for another treat. Malachi smiled and got one out. “Here you go, Boomer,” he said, holding it out for Boomer to take from his hand. “But it won’t last long, so don’t get greedy.”

Do you think having the right things will bring you happiness? Are you so focused on getting and keeping those things that you don’t care about anything or anyone else? Lasting joy doesn’t come from having lots of money or cool stuff—it comes from knowing Jesus. Having a relationship with Him brings us true riches that last forever. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)

Mark 8:36, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (NIV)

Seek true riches

Luke 12:16-21

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Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!

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When Jack sat down for lunch, his mom noticed his glum mood. “What’s wrong, Jack?” she asked. Jack just shrugged.

Mom placed sandwiches and chips on the table. “It’s a beautiful day,” she said after they thanked God for their food. “You have several Christmas gifts to keep you busy, and school is out for a few more days. But you don’t look very happy.”

“It’s just that…Christmas vacation is almost over,” Jack replied. “School starts next week, and I haven’t gotten anything done.”

“What do you mean?” asked Mom. “What didn’t you get done?”

“I was going to read the book Tommy lent me and learn how to ski during vacation,” said Jack. “And I was going to surprise Dad by cleaning the garage and vacuuming the car. I was even planning to shovel Mrs. Patten’s walks and driveway for free, but I never got around to it. She ended up hiring someone.” He sighed loudly. “I wasted my whole vacation.”

“I understand how you feel,” Mom said. “I often feel that way myself when I don’t get to everything on my to-do list. But, Jack, you didn’t waste your vacation.”

Jack looked up from his sandwich. “I didn’t?”

Mom shook her head. “You spent time with friends and family, and you also got a much-needed break from a busy school year. Rest and relationships are important too. Instead of fretting over everything we want to get done, we need to trust Jesus to help us do the things He wants us to do. We can rest and enjoy time with others because Jesus did what we could never do ourselves—He died and rose again so we could have eternal life with Him!”

“So, it’s okay I didn’t do all that stuff?” asked Jack.

“Would it even be possible to do all that in two weeks?” Mom asked, grinning. Jack smiled. “I guess not.”

“But it’s good you want to use your time well and help others,” said Mom. “Maybe you can set aside time to work on things that are really important to you. And you still have a couple days of vacation left.”

Jack nodded and began wolfing down his sandwich. “I should have time to clean the garage before Dad gets home!”

How have you been spending your Christmas vacation? Did you have fun? It’s important to relax and enjoy spending time with others. Maybe you had things you hoped to accomplish too—did you do  them? It’s good to set goals and get things done, but remember that Jesus has already accomplished  the most important thing of all. Trust Him to help you use your time well as you balance work, fun, and  rest.

1 Peter 3:18 NLT "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God."

Use your time well.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14; John 19:28-30

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Christmas was over. Colorful wrapping paper and bright ribbons had been cleared away, and the opened presents were sitting under the tree.

Because Dad had been out of work for several months, most of the gifts were very practical—useful things like socks, sweaters, mittens, and boots. “God is good,” Dad said. “My best Christmas present is that He has provided a job for me. It’s an answer to prayer!”

Grandma noticed her grandson’s frown as he got up and walked to the kitchen. She followed him. “Is something bothering you, Marcus?” she asked.

“God may have answered Dad’s prayers, but He sure didn’t answer mine! I prayed and prayed for a scooter, but did I get it? No! I hardly got any fun stuff at all!”

“Could it be that you missed God’s answer?” Grandma asked.

“Is there another present somewhere?” Marcus asked in surprise. He started back to the living room to look, but Grandma stopped him.

“That’s not what I mean. What would you think if your dad had turned down his job offer and then declared God wasn’t providing for his family?”

“Why would he do that?” asked Marcus. “That would be silly.”

“Yes, it would,” agreed Grandma, “yet your mother told me Mrs. Brown offered you the job of shoveling her walkways this winter, but you weren’t willing to do it.” She paused for a moment. “You asked God for a scooter, and He gave you a chance to earn it. But now you’re blaming God because you don’t have it. Isn’t that silly too?”

Marcus sat down at the table. “I guess it is,” he admitted.

Grandma sat down next to him. “I know it’s been a tough year for your family, and you just wanted to get something fun for Christmas. God understands that too. He loves you and promises to do what’s best for you. Sometimes that means His answer to your prayers is no, but in this case, I think it may be a yes, but you need to take action. Perhaps He knows you’ll appreciate your scooter more if you work to pay for it yourself.”

Marcus nodded. “I’ll see if Mrs. Brown still needs help. Maybe it’s not too late to earn money for a scooter.”

When you pray for something, are you prepared to be part of God’s answer by taking action? For example, do you pray for good grades and then study hard? Sometimes God answers prayer by providing you with the next step to take. In today’s Bible reading, God answered Cornelius’s prayer by instructing him to ask Peter for help. So pray, and then be ready to follow God’s action plan.

Matthew 7:7 NIV "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Pray and be ready to act!

Acts 10:1-2, 30-33

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Gabe crossed his arms and scrunched his face in disgust. “Hunter’s parents let him do anything he wants,” he told his dad, “and it seems like everything always turns out right for him. He just got a brand-new skateboard for Christmas!” Gabe started to feel bitter as he thought of all the things Hunter had. “I thought God would treat people who love Him better than those who don’t. Hunter isn’t a Christian, but he’s got better things than me! How come?”

Dad smiled. “You sound a lot like Asaph.”

“Like who?” Gabe peered quizzically at his father.

“Asaph. He was a man who wrote some of the psalms in the Bible. Come over here—I’ll show you.”

Gabe and Dad sat down on the sofa, and Dad brought up Psalm 73 on his phone. “Look here, Gabe,” he said. “At the beginning of the psalm, Asaph is complaining to the Lord because evil people are prospering and having lots of success while terrible things are happening to him.” Dad read several verses.

“Wow! I know just what he means,” said Gabe.

“I thought you might,” said Dad. “Later verses show that Asaph changed his mind. He was reminded that people who don’t know the Lord can only look forward to destruction in the end. Those who are saved will have it good when life on earth ends.”

Gabe thought about that. “I guess I don’t have it so bad after all,” he said. “Hunter will get what’s coming to him someday.”

“Whoa!” said Dad. “Not so fast. We can be thankful that God has shown us mercy. It’s only because we trust in Jesus, who took the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross, that we won’t get what we deserve. It’s not up to us to judge Hunter. Instead, let’s pray for him. Ask God to use you to show Hunter His mercy and love so he will put his trust in Jesus and all will be well for him in the end. Okay?”

Gabe nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I know Jesus loves Hunter too, and I want both of us to spend eternity with Him.”

Do you know unsaved people who seem to have it better than you? Unless they trust Jesus as their Savior, they don’t have a future with Him in heaven. Thank Jesus for saving you from sin, and pray for those who don’t know Him. Tell others what He’s done for you so they might know they can be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him too.

Psalm 73:28 NLT "How good it is to be near God! I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."

Jesus saves us from destruction.

Psalm 73:3-7, 12-18, 25-28

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Christmas was over, and Henry and Nevaeh helped their parents remove the ornaments, lights, and strands of garland from the Christmas  tree branches. Soon the shimmering and festive tree looked bare except for the colorful tree skirt surrounding the tree stand.

“Hey,” Henry called out. “Look at that!” He pointed to a small box wrapped in green and red paper peeking out from under a fold in the tree skirt.

“Where did that come from?” Mom asked as she bent down to pick up the box. “We must have missed this when we opened our gifts.” She held the box in her hands and looked for a name. “It’s for me! From Aunt Martha,” she said in surprise. “I didn’t think she had sent anything this year, and here it was under the tree the whole time.”

Mom opened the gift and found a necklace and matching earrings. “They’re so pretty!” Nevaeh said as Mom held them up for everybody to see.

“Just think—Aunt Martha’s gift was here all this time, but Mom couldn’t receive it because she didn’t know it was there,” Dad said. “It reminds me of another gift—God’s gift of salvation. It’s available to everyone, but many people don’t even know it’s there. It stays hidden until someone shows it to them—like you showed the package to us, Henry.”

Nevaeh and Henry thought about that. “So we need to show people God’s gift by telling them about Jesus,” Nevaeh said.

“And tell them that if they accept it, Jesus will save them from sin and give them eternal life,” added Henry.

“That’s right,” said Dad. “It’s an amazing gift! But they can’t accept it if they don’t know it’s there. That’s why we need to share it with others.” Dad motioned to the boxes of decorations. “Let’s see if we can all come up with a person we can tell about God’s amazing gift by the time we finish putting
this stuff away.”

Have you received the gift of salvation? (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) It’s wonderful to know you have eternal life through Jesus. But many people don’t know this amazing gift exists. Think of someone you know who may not know about Jesus and the eternal life He offers—then tell them about it! God may use you to help someone receive Jesus, the best gift of all.

Romans 5:18 NKJV "Through one man's righteous act the free gift came to all men."

Tell others about God's gift.

Romans 5:8-15

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“Visit our store and enjoy Christmas every day of the year!” Anissa read the billboard out loud as she and her family traveled home from a week-long vacation. “Cool! That’s in the town at the next exit, isn’t it? Can we stop at that store?”

Dad shrugged. “Why not? It will be a good break for us. Watch for signs so we’ll know where to turn.”

They found the store, and everyone smiled when they heard “Jingle Bells” playing over the loudspeaker as they walked in. The store was filled with all kinds of Christmas decorations–ornaments, trees, twinkling lights, and wreaths. In one corner, a woman was handing out fruit punch and decorated Christmas cookies.

“All these things are nice,” said Dad, “but while we eat our cookies, let’s go over there and think about the real meaning of Christmas.” He led the way to a manger scene that looked so real, Anissa could almost imagine she was in Bethlehem. As she thought about the events of that night long ago, she imagined Mary putting baby Jesus in a manger, and the angels singing and the shepherds and wise men arriving at the stable to worship Him.

“Come on, kids,” said Dad, interrupting Anissa’s daydreams. “Time to be on our way.”

Anissa continued thinking about the manger scene as they continued toward home. “I wish we could celebrate Christmas all year long like they do at that store,” she said.

“We can,” said Dad. “What is Christmas, Anissa?”

“It’s the time when we remember the night Jesus was born,” replied Anissa.

“Exactly!” said Dad. “The night God sent His Son to earth as one of us so He could save us from sin. Don’t you think that’s something we should celebrate all year long?

“Well, sure,” said Anissa. “We should thank God every day for sending Jesus, shouldn’t we?” She grinned. “So can we put the Christmas tree back up when we get home?”

Mom laughed and shook her head. “We’ll save that for next December,” she said. “We can remember the real meaning of Christmas without the tree.”

Are you thankful every day for God’s amazing gift? He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to take the punishment for your sin so you could have eternal life. There is no better gift than that! Don’t wait until next December to thank God for His great gift—Jesus is the reason to celebrate Christmas all year long!

2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

Think of God’s gift all year long.

Luke 2:1-7

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"Look at my new sweater!” said Brianne, holding it up for her dad to see. “You should see all the stuff Mom and I got on sale today.”

Mom sighed. “Yes, but it was such a hassle getting through the crowds at the mall and pawing through the racks of clothes that I wondered at times if it was really worth it. But we did get some really good deals.”

“Yeah!” said Brianne. “It makes you wonder how the stores can afford to sell things at those prices.”

“They know what they’re doing,” Dad assured her. “They’re clearing out things that are no longer profitable and making room to restock their shelves with new things people want—things that will make them more money. Right now, they’re selling off winter stuff to make room for spring merchandise.” He paused for a moment. “I think we could take a lesson from them.”

“Like what?” asked Brianne curiously.

“There are things in our lives that we need to clear out from time to time,” Dad explained as he reached for his Bible. “Let’s read about them for our devotions tonight.” He opened his Bible and read a passage from the book of Colossians.

“Hearing those verses makes me regret getting angry and impatient with some people in the store today,” Mom confessed. “I need to get rid of anger and selfishness from the shelves of my life and make room for patience and humility.”

“How much do you suppose we can sell our bad qualities for?” asked Brianne with a mischievous grin.

Dad laughed. “Forget having a sale and just trash them. Those unprofitable traits don’t fit who we are now because Jesus has saved us from sin. Instead of wasting space on them, we can restock our shelves with good things like compassion, kindness, and patience—qualities that fit the new life Jesus gave us when we trusted in Him.”

“And how much of a profit can we get with our new qualities?” asked Brianne. “That’s the best part,” said Dad. “We can give them away for free, and they’ll still be profitable. When we are kind, gentle, and forgiving with others, we show them God’s love and help them see who Jesus is, and He can use those good qualities in our lives to draw more people to Him.”

What traits are found on the shelves of your life? Do others see qualities that reflect Jesus and fit the new person He’s made you to be? Or do you still have outdated habits from your old life taking up space—things like lying, a hot temper, or a desire to get even with someone? Trust God to help you replace old, sinful attitudes with loving qualities that fit your new life with Jesus.

Colossians 3:12 "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Put on traits that reflect Jesus.

Colossians 3:8-15

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"Mom! Tell Ella to stop dipping her finger in the icing!”

“Karis, you know she’s only five. You can’t expect her to make a gingerbread house without eating any of it.”

“But I want it to be perfect!” It was a Christmas tradition for Karis and Ella to make a gingerbread house. Karis lined up the red and green gumdrops like little army men. The containers of colored sprinkles stood at attention like soldiers. “Mom, I think there’s more icing in Ella’s hair than on our gingerbread house.”

“Don’t worry about it, honey,” said Mom. “I’ll give her a bath when you’re finished.” 

Karis smiled at her sister. “If you get any more icing on your face, you’ll look like a snowman.”

Ella giggled and handed her sister a broken piece of graham cracker. 

“That’s a great idea, Ella,” said Karis. “We can use little pieces of graham cracker to make shingles for our roof. We’ll stick them on with icing.” 

An hour later, Karis plopped the last gumdrop on the roof of the gingerbread house to make a chimney.

Mom picked up a leftover graham cracker and used it to scrape the bottom of the icing bowl. “That’s one of the most beautiful gingerbread houses I’ve ever seen, girls. I’m so proud of you.” She popped the graham cracker into her mouth.

“You know, this gingerbread house reminds me of a Bible verse. Jesus said He was going to heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. It took you girls a whole hour to make your house. Can you imagine how awesome the place is that Jesus is preparing for us? If we trust in Jesus, He’s already made a home in our hearts, and one day we’ll get to be with Him in heaven forever.” 

Karis smiled. “I’m pretty sure the place Jesus is preparing for us in heaven isn’t made out of gingerbread.”

Mom smiled and licked a bit of icing off her finger. “You’re right. I don’t think it will be made of gingerbread. But it will be just as sweet!”

Have you ever built a gingerbread house? Then you know how much time and preparation it takes to make it look good. Right now Jesus is preparing a place for those who trust in Him, and it will be better than any mansion on earth! But there’s only one way to get there. Trust in Jesus, and He will make a home in your heart—and prepare one for you in heaven too. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”)

John 14:2 ERV "There are many rooms in my Father's house...I am going there to prepare a place for you."

Christians have a home with Jesus.

John 14:2-4, 23; Romans 10:9

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Julie sighed in satisfaction as she looked at the Christmas decorations she had hung in her room. She had tried to tie a string from her closet door to her curtain, but the string wasn’t long enough, so she’d stretched her curtain into the middle of her room and managed to tie the string tightly around it. Bells and Christmas ornaments were meticulously strung along the string. It had taken her the better part of an hour to get it all set up the way she wanted.

A few minutes later, Mom walked in to close Julie’s blinds and noticed the string contraption and the curtain suspended parallel to the floor. “Julie?” Mom asked. “Will you please cut this string so we can close your blinds? It’s getting dark outside.”

Julie stomped her feet and wailed, “But it took me forever to tie that string!”

“I’m sorry, honey, but it can’t stay this way. Next time, make sure you’re connecting it to something that won’t have to move if you want it to last a long time.” Julie burst into tears and flung herself on her bed.

Mom sighed. “I understand you’re upset. When you’ve had a chance to process, we’ll talk about it.”

Mom walked out to the living room where Julie’s older brother, Dan, was working on building a ramp for his car and connecting it to the couch. “Just so you’re aware, you’ll have to take your ramp down before bedtime,” Mom told him.

“Okay, Mom. Why is Julie so upset?”

“I asked her to cut a string she tied to the curtain.”

Dan nodded. He had seen Julie stringing up her decorations earlier. “She spent a long time doing that.”

“I know. I explained if she wanted it to last a long time, she’d have to be wiser about how she set it up.” Mom sat on the couch to watch Dan build. “It’s a good reminder for how we should live our lives. The things of this world are temporary, but the truth and salvation of Jesus lasts forever! We need to build our lives wisely by trusting and obeying Him.” 

Are you building your life in a way that will last? The only way to do that is to trust in Jesus. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) Then live out His truth in your daily life. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells a story about a man who built his house on rock and another who built his house on sand. When the rain came, the house on sand washed away, but the one on the rock stood firm. Jesus is the Rock—build your life on Him.

John 6:27 NIV "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Song of Man [Jesus] will give you."

Build your life on Jesus.

Matthew 7:24-29; John 6:27-29

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Speaking parts were being assigned for the church Christmas program, and Kaylee eagerly waited for her name to be called. She was sure she was the perfect one to take the part of Mary, the mother of Jesus. No one can memorize lines as well as me, she thought. 

“Braelyn.” Mrs. Roberts’ voice interrupted Kaylee’s thoughts. “I think you would be a good choice to play the part of Mary.”

Kaylee gasped. Braelyn! She stutters sometimes, Kaylee thought. What kind of Mary would she be? Kaylee scowled. Well, that’s just fine with me. Who wants to be in this dumb play anyway? When Mrs. Roberts offered her another part, Kaylee made excuses and refused to be in the production at all.

On the night of the program, Kaylee sat in the front row. She had come to laugh at Braelyn’s mistakes. Mrs. Roberts will be embarrassed for making such a dumb choice! she thought in disgust as Braelyn walked up front. That drab outfit looks like it was made from a feed sack. Mom would have made me a much better costume than that! She snickered to herself and rolled her eyes. 

Hesitantly, Braelyn began reciting from Luke chapter one: “My soul magnifies the Lord…because…because…” She paused briefly. “Because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.”

Humble condition, thought Kaylee. That sure fits Braelyn! Suddenly another thought struck her, causing her mouth to drop open in surprise. It fits Mary too! Kaylee tried to push that thought away, but she couldn’t. More unwanted thoughts persisted as she watched the rest of the Christmas performance. Mary was willing to obey God and carry out His commands, and Braelyn’s like that too, Kaylee realized. She’s a good Mary!

In her heart, Kaylee knew that if she had gotten the part, she would be saying Mary’s words only to make herself look good and be the star performer. But Braelyn was humble like the real Mary was—and like how Jesus was too. They were both willing to obey God and make sacrifices for the good of others. Feeling ashamed, Kaylee prayed silently, asking God to forgive her proud spirit and to help her be humble like Mary—and Jesus.

Are you humble like Mary? Or do you think you should be the one chosen to sing the solo, answer the questions, or lead the group because you do it best? Jesus wants humble servants who are willing to serve His purpose instead of their own so that He will be honored. Even though He is God, Jesus was willing to die for our sins so we could be saved. Mary was His humble servant. Does that description fit you?

Matthew 20:27 NLV "Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your servant."

Be a humble servant.

Luke 1:26-33, 46-49

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"All right, boys. Turn off that video game and help set the table.” 

Ethan hit the pause button. “We should be able to beat that level after dinner,” he told Levi as they scooted into the kitchen. 

Mom was balancing the baby on her hip and stirring a bubbling pot of spaghetti sauce. “Don’t forget to put out napkins,” she told the boys. “And don’t forget we’re heading out to do some Christmas shopping after dinner.” 

“We’re in the middle of a video game, Mom,” Levi said. 

“You’ve been playing that game for over an hour. It’s time to take a break. We need to get presents for your cousins, pick up ingredients for Christmas cookies, and buy some extra Christmas tree lights.”

“Can’t we go shopping tomorrow?” Ethan asked. 

Mom shook her head. “We have rehearsal for the Christmas play tomorrow.”

Dad walked into the kitchen and pulled a strand of spaghetti from the pot. Mom turned and handed him the baby. “You seem really stressed out,” Dad told her. He turned to the boys. “I’ve got an idea.” 

“Does it involve video games?” Levi asked.

“It does not involve video games, but it does involve hot chocolate. I’m going to make a batch of hot chocolate, and we’re going to sit down as a family and watch a Christmas movie.” Dad already knew what Mom was thinking. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll get up early and take care of all the shopping. It sounds like everyone needs a little break from the craziness of the Christmas holiday. Think of it as a Santa pause.” Everyone laughed, even Mom.

“I guess you’re right,” she said. “Even Jesus and His disciples needed some time to rest. If I remember the Bible story correctly, Jesus told his disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and rest because so many people were coming and going that they didn’t even have time to eat.”

“No time to eat!” Ethan said. “There’s not a crowd big enough or even a video game that could keep me from your spaghetti, Mom!”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Mom said. “But we still need to take time to rest and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas—Jesus coming to save us.”

Do you need some time to rest? Sometimes life can get very busy, especially around the holidays. We’re busy doing a lot of really good things, but there’s nothing wrong with hitting the pause button and taking a break. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired. If He took some time to rest, so should we. Take a breather and spend some time with Him. After all, He’s the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Mark 6:31 NIV "[Jesus] said to them, 'Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'"

Take time to rest.

Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:30-32

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Isaac slammed the door and began kicking off his boots while grumbling under his breath.

“Everything all right?” his mom asked.

“Not according to Mr. Hanson,” Isaac spat out. “Whatever I do for him is never good enough! I mean, it took me an hour to shovel his sidewalk, and what do I get for it? ‘You missed the second step, Isaac. You didn’t get all the way to edge.’ Mr. Hanson is a total grinch! This is the last time I help him out.”

Just then Isaac’s sister, Holly, came bouncing into the room. “Mom, the green popcorn is done, and the green soda for our grinch punch is cold. I can’t wait to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with our special treats!”

“I know a real grinch next door,” Isaac grumbled.

“Isaac,” Mom said gently, “I know Mr. Hanson can be difficult, but remember that he doesn’t know Jesus. The only way he’s ever going to change is if he allows Jesus to come into his life and transform him. Only God can make that happen, but we can point Mr. Hanson to Jesus by showing him love and joy, even when he doesn’t deserve it.”

“Kind of like how the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes when he saw how joyful the Whos were even after he stole all their Christmas gifts and decorations?” asked Holly.

“Exactly,” said Mom. “Even when Mr. Hanson is mean, that doesn’t have to kill your joy—it actually gives you a chance to show him the love of Jesus.”

“Hmm,” said Isaac, “I never thought about it like that before. I didn’t realize that just by shoveling snow and being kind to Mr. Hanson I was allowing the love of Jesus to shine through me. I’ll try to remember that the next time I shovel his sidewalk.”

“I’m glad to hear there will be a next time,” Mom said as she gave Isaac a squeeze. “And now it’s time to watch . . .”

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Holly squealed.

“I think I’ll watch that movie with a whole new perspective tonight,” Isaac said with a smile.

When you have grinchy people in your life, do you still try to treat them with love and kindness? When we show others love and joy, it points them to the source of our love and joy—Jesus! He gives us the strength to be joyful in any circumstance. Trust Him to help you joyfully do good for others, even when they least deserve it.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."

Joy points others to Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:13-17

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As Mateo and his friend Tory rode the bus home from school, they talked about their Christmas plans. “Grandpa and Grandma are coming for a whole week this year,” said Tory, “and on Christmas Eve we’re all going to see a movie about Santa Claus! Wanna come with us? I’m sure Mom will say it’s okay.”

“I can’t,” said Mateo. “Our family always goes to church on Christmas Eve. We have a candlelight service where we read the Christmas story and sing Christmas carols.”

“Christmas carols? Like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’?”

Mateo shook his head. “No, songs about the real meaning of Christmas, like ‘Away in a Manger’ and ‘Silent Night.’”

“Oh.” Tory frowned. “The Christmas story is about somebody named Mary, isn’t it? And a guy named Joseph? And about some special baby? What was so special about Him?”

Mateo could hardly believe Tory didn’t know the answer to that. “It’s about when Jesus was born. He’s the Son of God,” he explained.

“Well, then how could He be born as a baby on earth?” Tory asked. “If He was God’s Son, why did He come to earth anyway?” 

“Because we needed Him to save us from our sin—our brokenness—so we could have eternal life,” said Mateo, and he did his best to help Tory understand who Jesus is and why He came.

When Mateo told his mom about their conversation, she had a suggestion. “It’s possible other friends of yours don’t know the real meaning of Christmas. Would you like to have a Christmas party so you can share it with them? You could play games and have prizes, and I’ll help with singing carols and tell the Christmas story before we have some snacks and hot cocoa.”

“That would be fun!” said Mateo.

Mateo invited several friends to come. He didn’t know if any of them would believe in Jesus because of the party, but he wanted to give them the chance to hear about the special baby who was born to save the world—the real reason for Christmas.

Do your friends know who Jesus is and why He came to earth? How can you share the real meaning of Christmas with them? Maybe you can have a party where you sing carols and have someone tell the   story of Jesus’ birth, or invite them to a Christmas program at your church. You could even simply talk with them about what Jesus has done for you. Share the message of Jesus at Christmas—and all year long.

Matthew 1:21 "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

Share Christ at Christmas

Matthew 1:18-23

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Mom turned from the sink when she heard a door slam and feet running quickly down the stairs.

“Mom!” Alicia cried as she ran into the kitchen. “Candice is being mean to me, and she even said she hates Christmas!” 

Alicia’s foster mom dried her hands. “I heard some loud voices up there and wondered what that was all about.” 

“I wanted her to help me look for Christmas toys online,” Alicia explained, “but she just got mad and yelled at me.”

Mom poured Alicia a glass of water as they sat at the table. “Honey, Candice just moved into our house a month ago. She’s still having a hard time adjusting to the big changes in her life. You can remember what that’s like, can’t you?” Alicia shrugged as she drank her water. “Christmas can be a hard time for people,” Mom continued. “Instead of being a celebration, it can sometimes remind them of the people and things they have lost.” 

“Oh, like Mrs. Jameson next door?” Alicia asked, remembering how they brought meals to their elderly neighbor after her husband had died.

“Yes, exactly,” Mom replied. “Mrs. Jameson is probably going to have a difficult Christmas this year missing Mr. Jameson. Maybe we can think of a way to show love to her.”

Alicia brightened. “She really likes my chocolate chip cookies! Could I make some for her?” 

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. How about you give some to Candice too?”

Alicia’s face clouded again. “But she was just so mean to me. Why should I make her cookies?”

Mom pointed to a plaque above the sink that read, People need loving the most when they deserve it the least. “Candice may not be acting very loving toward you, but that doesn’t change the fact that she needs our love. Wouldn’t we be in sad shape if Jesus only loved us when we deserved it?” 

“Oh, I guess that’s true,” Alicia agreed. “Sharing chocolate chip cookies is a pretty small thing compared to how much Jesus loves me.” 

Mom smiled. “That’s a great attitude, honey. You go ahead and get started on the cookies while I go upstairs and talk with Candice."

Do you feel like you should only love people who are loving toward you? That’s not the way Jesus loves us—He showed us His love by coming to earth and dying for our sins when we least deserved it. This Christmas, look for ways to show love to people who might be sad or hurting and perhaps not acting in a loving way toward others. Be like Jesus and love others even when they don’t deserve it.

John 13:34 "A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

Love one another.

John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:7-11

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"Ho, ho, ho! And a merry Christmas to you!” bellowed a tall Santa at the entrance to Mia’s favorite toy store. Mia and her dad were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. They needed a few more things for the shoeboxes they were filling for kids who lived in orphanages in poor countries. 

“Dad, why do I see so many Santas around at Christmas instead of manger scenes?” Mia wondered aloud. “Everywhere I look I see Santa! See, there’s a gigantic stuffed Santa right over there!”

“I agree, there’s a lot more of Santa than Jesus in most stores at Christmas,” said Dad. “I think the tradition of Santa has overshadowed the truth of Jesus’ birth. However, not many people know the story of the real Saint Nicholas where our tradition of Santa began. Do you want to hear it?”

“Of course!” said Mia.

“According to history scholars, Saint Nicholas was born a long time ago around 280 A.D., which means 280 years after Jesus’ birth,” Dad explained. “His parents were very wealthy and left him a large inheritance when they died. Nicholas was a Christian, so he decided to share his wealth by giving gifts and money to the poor and sick in his town. He later became a Christian bishop in the church and eventually became Saint Nicholas.”

“So, did he wear a red suit and have a white beard?” asked Mia.

“No one really knows what Saint Nicholas looked like. All we know is he had a reputation of giving to those in need,” Dad said. 

“Just like we’re filling those shoeboxes for the needy kids!” Mia exclaimed. 

“Exactly!” said Dad. “People often associate Santa with getting a lot of presents. Instead, I think we should think of Saint Nicholas and giving to others. And remember, the reason Saint Nicholas gave to others was to show Jesus’ love to them. As a Christian, he knew the greatest gift we could ever receive was Jesus, who became human in order to save us from sin. That’s really what Christmas is all about—celebrating the gift of Jesus!”

Do you focus on giving to others at Christmas? Sometimes it’s easy to make Christmas all about getting presents for ourselves rather than thinking of how we can give to others. Money and presents aren’t the only ways to give. Share a kind word, do something extra around the house, or let someone go ahead of you in line. When you give, you point to the greatest gift of all—Jesus.

2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

Give generously to others.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 11-15

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Austin woke with excitement and quickly jumped out of bed, wondering  what would be in the wrapped presents under the tree. “It’s Christmas Eve, Mom!” he said as he ran into the kitchen for breakfast. Austin’s family had a tradition of opening their gifts on Christmas Eve. 

Throughout the day, Austin made many trips to the Christmas tree to look at the presents. Just when he felt he couldn’t wait any longer, the evening meal was over and the family gathered to open presents. Austin got a book, a pair of jeans, a movie, and the thing he wanted most of all—a baseball mitt! 

Austin was already dreaming of summer when Dad reached for his Bible. “Let’s read about the gifts the wise men brought Jesus.” After reading the story, Dad said, “We’ve given gifts to show our love for one another, and we have a gift for Jesus too.” He rattled a shiny red tin that had money from every member of the family in it. Collecting a Christmas offering was another tradition in Austin’s family. 

It was Mom’s turn to read, and she read a passage from Second Corinthians. “Just like the people in this story who gave gifts to help the apostle Paul, you all gave money to be used for God’s work,” Mom said when she finished reading. “But the most important thing they gave Jesus wasn’t their money. It was themselves. They gave themselves to the Lord by remembering that He died to save them and submitting to His will for their lives. As Christians, we need to do that too. While it’s good to give money, it’s more important to depend on Jesus to guide us in doing His will and help us love others the way He does.”

Austin thought about that as he went to bed. He trusted in Jesus, but he hadn’t really given much thought to how Jesus wanted him to live. Suddenly he jumped up and ran into the living room. “I want to give myself to Jesus! I want to ask Him to help me love others and live my life for Him.” He grinned at his parents. “That’s the most important gift I can give!”

Have you given yourself to Jesus? That’s the most important gift you can give. As Christians, we must continually give ourselves to the Lord by depending on Him to help us do His will and show others His  love. Give Jesus the gift of yourself this Christmas, and trust Him to use your life to share His gift of salvation with others.

2 Corinthians 8:5 "They first gave themselves to the Lord."

Give yourself to Jesus.

Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

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"That was a good play,” said José, an exchange student from Mexico who was living with Ronan’s family. They were returning home after attending a Christmas program at church. “I’ve heard a lot about the Bible, but I’ve never been to a pageant like that one.” 

Ronan pointed. “Look! There are some carolers. They go from house to house singing Christmas songs. Do you have carolers in Mexico, José?”

“No,” said José, “but we do have what we call Los Peregrinos. Like Mary and Joseph, people go from house to house. They pretend to be looking for a place where they can stay. It’s planned ahead so that the third one they stop at lets them in. There’s a piñata ready for the children and hot drinks for the adults.”

“Sounds fun!” said Ronan. 

“When we get home, I could show you pictures of that and other Christmas traditions we have,” José said. 

Ronan nodded. “I’d like that.”

Later that night, Dad and Ronan wrapped gifts while José talked to his family in Mexico. “Do you like having José stay with us?” asked Dad.

“Yeah, I do,” Ronan answered. “We’ve studied Mexico at school, but learning that way isn’t the same as knowing somebody who’s from there. Having José live with us and listening to him explain what people were doing in the pictures he showed me is a better way to learn.” Ronan fastened a bright red ribbon to a package. “If I had just read about Mexico but had never met José, I wouldn’t know half as much about his culture as I do now.”

Dad put down his scissors and tape. “You know, it’s the same with knowing Jesus too. Just knowing things about the Bible is much different from having a personal relationship with Jesus and trusting Him with every part of your life.”

“Yeah,” Ronan said thoughtfully. “I think we should explain that to José. He seems to know quite a bit about the Bible, but we should make sure he understands why Jesus died and that he needs to know Him personally.” Ronan paused. “I’ll try to talk to him some more about it when I get a chance.”

“That’s a good idea,” Dad said. “I’ll do the same.”

Do you know Jesus personally? Do you trust Him as your Savior and Lord? Studying the Bible is great, but just knowing Bible stories, facts, and verses is not enough. You need to understand that you’re a sinner who is unable to earn your own salvation and that Jesus died to pay the price for you to have eternal life. Trust Him as your Savior. Learn more at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.

Philippians 3:10 "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead."

You can know Jesus personally.

Ephesians 3:14-21

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"Rayna, how would you like to have a roommate for a few days?” Mom asked when she picked Rayna up from school. "Pastor Rollins is looking for places for the Peterson children to stay while their mother is in the hospital. I thought maybe we could take Morgan.”

Rayna groaned. “Mom, no! She’d want to tag along everywhere I go.” 

That evening, Rayna’s family read part of the Christmas story during family devotions. “Imagine Joseph’s disappointment when he asked for a room and the innkeeper turned him away,” Dad said as he closed the Bible. Then he prayed that they would be careful not to do the same thing.

Rayna thought about that when she went to bed. In her mind, she could almost hear the innkeeper saying, “Sorry. We have no room!” As Rayna tried to go to sleep, she couldn’t get the phrase out of her head. “No room! No room!”

No room for the Son of God! she thought. That’s terrible! Then the words of a Bible verse echoed through her mind: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” She tried to forget those words but couldn’t. Maybe letting Morgan share my room is like offering Jesus a room too.

When Rayna sat down for breakfast the next morning, she smiled at her mother. “Did you tell Pastor Rollins to send Morgan to us?” she asked.

Mom shook her head. “Not yet.” 

“Well, let’s tell him,” said Rayna. “I know she’s a lot younger than me, but she needs a place to stay, and maybe I can help her forget her troubles for a while.”

Mom smiled. “I’m glad you decided that, but why the change?”

“I thought about the innkeeper last night,” said Rayna. “I don’t want to make the same mistake he did.”

“The innkeeper?” asked Mom. “Oh. The one who didn’t have room for Jesus?”

Rayna nodded. “I realized that Jesus wants me to make room for her this Christmas. Since I’ve welcomed Him into my life by trusting in Him, He wants me to welcome others too. And I don’t want to turn either one of them away.” 

Have you made room in your heart for Jesus? Have you invited Him into your life? If you trust in Him, He’s shaping your heart so you can show His love and hospitality to others. Perhaps there’s someone He wants you to make room for in our life, like an older person who is lonely or a classmate who needs a friend. By showing them hospitality, you’re showing them the love of Jesus.

Matthew 25:40 "The King [Jesus] will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me."

Be hospitable.

Matthew 25:37-40; Luke 2:1-7

Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!

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"It’s still snowing, Grandpa,” said Evan. “We’ll have a white Christmas for sure!” Evan had not seen much snow when he lived in the valley, but now he was staying with his grandpa in the mountains.

Grandpa nodded. “It makes the whole world look so clean, doesn’t it?” he said. “It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses. Isaiah 1:18 says our sins can be made as white as snow. That happens when we trust Jesus as our Savior from sin.”

Evan nodded, even though he wasn’t really sure what that meant. “I like the snow,” he said. “Can I go sledding for a while?”

“Sure,” said Grandpa, so Evan bundled up and went out.

That evening, Evan enjoyed a mug of hot chocolate while Grandpa read the Christmas story from the Bible.

When Grandpa finished, Evan turned to him. “Grandpa, I was thinking about that verse you like—the one about snow. Didn’t you say my dad trusts Jesus as his Savior?” Grandpa nodded. 

“So does that mean his sins are as white as snow now?” Evan asked.

“It sure does,” Grandpa assured him.

“Then why is Dad still in jail?” asked Evan.

“Well, Evan, for many years, your father didn’t want to have anything to do with Jesus,” Grandpa explained. “Just like all of us, he sinned, and he started doing some very bad things and couldn’t stop on his own. He broke the law, so now he has to face the consequences for what he did—even though He decided to trust in Jesus while he was in jail and asked Him to forgive him for all the bad things he did. Jesus washed all his sin away and made his heart clean, and your dad is a new person and will spend eternity with God. Even though there are still consequences for the wrong things he did here on earth, God won’t hold those things against him. In God’s eyes, he’s as white as snow.”

Evan thought about that. “I want to be as white as snow in God’s eyes too,” he said.

“You can be,” said Grandpa. “Trust Jesus to forgive your sins and make you clean. Then you can have a white Christmas—inside and out.” 

Did you know that you can have a white Christmas anywhere in the world?  Even if you don’t get snow where you live, you can have a white Christmas on the inside by asking Jesus to wash away all the wrong you’ve ever done. He died to take the punishment for your sin, and when you trust in Him, He will make your heart as white as snow. Trust Him today! Learn more at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.

Isaiah 1:18 "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Trust Jesus as your Savior.

Romans 3:23; Psalm 51:1-4, 7

Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!

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"This is the worst Christmas ever!” Stella told her brother. “Not only did we have to move because of Dad’s job, we have to live in this tiny apartment because we can’t find a house.” She groaned as she tripped over a box on her way to the couch. “There’s no room in here!”

Logan shrugged. “At least we have beds. When Mary and Joseph got to Bethlehem, all they could find was a stable. They probably just had straw.”

Stella sighed. “Yeah, well, at least they had the gifts the wise men brought them. We don’t have any presents to open tomorrow because we’ve been so busy moving that we haven’t had any time to go Christmas shopping!”

“Actually, the wise men didn’t bring gifts to Jesus right when he was born,” Logan said. “They didn’t come until later.”

Stella crossed her arms. “Well, at least they had the angels singing. I can’t stream any music because the internet here is too slow!”

“It was actually the shepherds who heard the angels singing—not Mary and Joseph.” Logan looked at his sister. “It sounds like you’re having a crybaby Christmas.”

Stella raised her eyebrows. “A crybaby Christmas?”

“Yeah,” said Logan. “You’re complaining about everything! If you stopped complaining and started singing, at least you’d have some music to listen to and one less thing to complain about!”

Stella threw a pillow at her brother’s head, but Mom came down the hallway just in time and caught it in midair. “Okay, you two. What’s going on?”

“Logan says I’m complaining about everything!” said Stella.

“Well?” said Mom. “Are you?”

Stella sighed. “Well, maybe. But everything’s a mess, and just because he’s not bothered by any of it doesn’t mean he can make fun of me!”

Mom nodded. “I know Christmas is a lot different for us this year, but we can still be joyful. When we remember that Jesus came to earth to save us and that He’s always with us, we can be joyful even when things are hard. He cares about our problems—and He wants us to care for each other.”

Stella and Logan looked at each other and smiled. Then Logan started singing “Joy to the World,” and Stella and Mom joined in.

Have you been rejoicing in the birth of Jesus this Christmas season? Or have you been too weighed down by problems to feel joyful? Problems can be hard to deal with, especially at Christmas, but remember that Christmas is all about Jesus fixing our biggest problem of all—sin. Remember that He came to earth to save you and is always with you, no matter what problems you face. Then celebrate Christmas with joy!

Luke 2:10 "The angel said... 'I bring you good tidings of great joy.'"

Be joyful!

Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 2:8-14

Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!

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Rose sat forward in her seat, her eyes riveted to the screen. “Oh, no!” she exclaimed as Hugo, the main character in the movie they were watching, fell into the ocean while trying to get the sail of his ship down. “What will happen to Hugo now? He was sailing alone!”

Her brother Barrett grinned. “He’ll get rescued,” he said. “Just wait.”

The music played. Excitement mounted. Rose nibbled on a handful of popcorn as she watched the man on the screen struggle for his life. He kicked and splashed to stay afloat as angry waves rolled about and threatened to drown him. Suddenly, a shark’s fin sliced through the water behind the man. “Look out, Hugo!” Barrett exclaimed.

“Now who’s worried?” said Rose. But her heart pounded as the shark got closer and closer to Hugo. He fought the sea, unaware of the danger behind him. Just when it seemed the shark would surely gobble him up, a boat roared into view.

“Someone jumped in and got a hold of him!” Barrett yelled. “They’re reeling him in!”

“Wow!” Rose said when the movie ended. “Good thing that boat came when it did!”

Barrett nodded. “That was a good movie.”

“Yeah.” Rose got up and adjusted an ornament on the Christmas tree. “It was good, but I like watching Christmas movies this time of year, and that wasn’t very Christmassy.”

“Well, it may not have had any Christmas trees or caroling in it,” said Dad, who had watched the movie with them, “but Hugo’s story actually reminds me a lot of what happened at Christmas.”

“Really?” asked Rose. “How’s that?”

“Christmas is the day we celebrate God rescuing us,” Dad said.

“You mean because it’s when we celebrate Jesus’ birth?” Barrett asked. “He came to earth to rescue us.”

Dad nodded. “God knew we had no hope of being saved from the sea of sin we were drowning in without Him, so He sent His only Son to jump in and rescue us. When we trust in Him, He reels us in and gives us eternal life.”

“I’m glad Jesus came to our rescue,” Rose said. She looked at her dad and grinned. “I guess that really was a Christmas movie after all!”

Have you been rescued by Jesus? Or are you still drowning in sin? At Christmas, we celebrate that Jesus, God’s Son, was born in Bethlehem. He grew up and lived a perfect life. He died on the cross to take the punishment for your sin, and He rose from the grave to give you eternal life. Trust Him as your Savior today! (See “Have You Heard the Good News?” at keysforkids.org/GoodNews.)

1 John 5:12 "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Song of God does not have life."

Jesus rescues us from sin.

1 John 5:9-13