This Week’s Memory Verse

Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock.

Matthew 7:24 (CEV)

Person of Principles

Hey Kids!

Can you think of two words that sound alike but have a totally different meaning?  Like ate and eight, or ant and aunt.  What about principal and principle?  Do you know the meaning of each of these words?  Principal is the person who is the boss of the school you go to.  And principle is the way you choose to live your life and it never changes day to day.  

Like Daniel in the Bible, he’s the guy that God protected from being eaten or hurt by hungry lions when he got thrown in the lion’s den.  Isn’t that soooo cool!  God is cool and He’s amazing like that to you too!  Well, this guy Daniel had principles in his life that made him better, stronger, and smarter.  What do you think it was?

Daniel prayed three times a day.  This was the principle he lived by.  Whether it was a nice day to go to the beach, or his friends were all outside playing and having fun, or whether his favorite TV or YouTube video was playing, he never missed praying to God 3 times a day.  It never changed.  Even when King Darius made a law that no one should pray to God, or they would be thrown in a lion’s den.  Daniel still prayed 3 times a day because he knew it was the right thing to do! 

Daniel’s principle helped him when things went bad.  Every time he prayed; Daniel was making himself stronger and stronger.  So, when bad things happened, he was not afraid and he stayed in faith believing that God would protect him.  

What about you?  What kind of principles do you have in your life?  

Let’s see whether we have a weak or strong foundation:

WEAK FOUNDATION

• Playing videos games all day
• Will not obey parents & leaders
• Will not forgive others
• Lying, cheating, stealing, swearing
• Watching inappropriate TV programs & movies
• Do bad things on social media
• Don’t pray & read God’s Word
• Unkind & uncaring to others

STRONG FOUNDATION

• Pray to God everyday
• Speak Words of Life
• No swearing, lying, cheating, stealing
• Hear, read, & do God’s Word
• Watch & listen to good appropriate movies & music
• Obey parents & leaders
• Forgive & be kind to others
• Be honest & teachable 

The Bible says that if anyone hears and obeys the Bible, God’s Word you will be a wise or a smart person who built their house on a SOLID ROCK.  It rained hard and the water rose. The winds blew and hit that house. But the house did not fall, because the house was built on rock.  But the person who hears and does not obey God’s Word is like a foolish man. The foolish man built his house on sand.  It rained hard, the water rose, and the winds blew and hit that house. And the house fell with a big crash.

Today, let’s write down at least six principles from the Bible that you choose to have in your life to build a strong foundation.  Make a pledge and promise today that no matter what happens around you that no pressure or temptation will stop you from sticking with your principles.  Hang it up where you can see it every day.  Pray to God to help you.  And share it with your parents and your leaders so that they can help you to stick to your principles too.  You can do it!  You are strong in God and in the strength of His power!!!

Pledge of Honor

I am God’s hero, full of faith and courage. God is forming me to become a hero with firm principles. I will not be pressured to go against my God and His Word. God is my defender and protector.

This Week’s Bible Reading

DANIEL 6:1-23 (ICB)

King Darius thought it would be a good idea to choose 120 governors. They would rule through all of his kingdom. And he chose three men as supervisors over those 120 governors. Daniel was one of these three supervisors. The king set up these men so that he would not be cheated. Daniel showed that he could do the work better than the other supervisors and the governors. Because of this, the king planned to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom. So, the other supervisors and the governors tried to find reasons to accuse Daniel. But he went on doing the business of the government. And they could not find anything wrong with him. So, they could not accuse him of doing anything wrong. Daniel was trustworthy. He was not lazy and did not cheat the king. Finally, these men said, “We will never find any reason to accuse Daniel. But we must find something to complain about. It will have to be about the law of his God.”

So, the supervisors and the governors went as a group to the king. They said: “King Darius, live forever! The supervisors, assistant governors, governors, the people who advise you and the captains of the soldiers have all agreed on something. We think the king should make this law that everyone would have to obey: No one should pray to any god or man except to you, our king. This should be done for the next 30 days. Anyone who doesn’t obey will be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, our king, make the law. Write it down so it cannot be changed. The laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be canceled.” So, King Darius made the law and had it written.

When Daniel heard that the new law had been written, he went to his house. He went to his upstairs room. The windows of that room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times each day Daniel got down on his knees and prayed. He prayed and thanked God, just as he always had done.

Then those men went as a group and found Daniel. They saw him praying and asking God for help. So, they went to the king. They talked to him about the law he had made. They said, “Didn’t you write a law that says no one may pray to any god or man except you, our king? Doesn’t it say that anyone who disobeys during the next 30 days will be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “Yes, I wrote that law. And the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be canceled.”

Then those men spoke to the king. They said, “Daniel is one of the captives from Judah. And he is not paying attention to the law you wrote. Daniel still prays to his God three times every day.” The king became very upset when he heard this. He decided he had to save Daniel. He worked until sunset trying to think of a way to save him.

Then those men went as a group to the king. They said, “Remember, our king, the law of the Medes and Persians. It says that no law or command given by the king can be changed.”

So, King Darius gave the order. They brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May the God you serve all the time save you!” A big stone was brought. It was put over the opening of the lions’ den. Then the king used his signet ring to put his special seal on the rock. And he used the rings of his royal officers to put their seals on the rock also. This showed that no one could move that rock and bring Daniel out. Then King Darius went back to his palace. He did not eat that night. He did not have any entertainment brought to entertain him. And he could not sleep.

The next morning King Darius got up at dawn. He hurried to the lions’ den. As he came near the den, he was worried. He called out to Daniel. He said, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Has your God that you always worship been able to save you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “My king, live forever! My God sent his angel to close the lions’ mouths. They have not hurt me, because my God knows I am innocent. I never did anything wrong to you, my king.”

King Darius was very happy. He told his servants to lift Daniel out of the lions’ den. So they lifted him out and did not find any injury on him. This was because Daniel had trusted in his God.