Little Kids Weekly Devotional

READ Luke 5:1-10

SAY: Jesus is amazing! Jesus made fish appear for Simon, because He loved him. Jesus loved Simon even though he made mistakes. Jesus didn’t make fish appear for Simon because he did everything right, Jesus made the fish appear because Simon listened to what Jesus asked him to do. We can listen to Jesus because He gives us everything we need!

ASK: Listening is very important. We can listen to Jesus, just like Simon did. Who else can we listen to? Discuss this with your child (example: parents, teachers, babysitters, etc.)

PRAY: “Jesus, you are amazing! Thank you for everything you do for me. Help me to listen to you and to other people in my life, just like Simon. I love you! Amen.”

Elementary Daily Devotional

DAY 1

READ Galatians 6:7

SAY: When you buy a package of tomato seeds and plant them in the ground, what plant will grow? A tomato plant. Okay, that was a pretty easy question. Everyone knows that the seed determines what eventually sprouts and grows. 

The same idea applies to responsibility. What you put in, determines the outcome. And guess what? The work you put in, the time you spend, the care you take, all of that is seen by God. But not in a “Oh I’m going to catch you doing the wrong thing” kind of way. God sees and knows all because He is God. And He’s trusted you to take care of what He’s given you.

DO:  Do you have any seeds at home? If so, plant a seed or two in a cup with some potting soil with your child. Make sure to keep the soil moist and place it near a window so it can get the sunshine it needs to grow. As you take care of your little seed responsibly this week, remember to make the most of what you’ve been given.

PRAY: Ask God to give you the ability to take care of what God has given you.
 

DAY 2

READ Luke 16:10a

SAY: Responsibility, like making your bed, or putting your bike away, or setting the table, might seem like a small thing. But all those small responsibilities that you take seriously now lead to bigger and more important responsibilities later on. Taking care of your room might lead to owning your own home someday. Taking care of your bike might lead to driving a car when you’re old enough. Every responsibility that you take seriously right now, no matter how small, builds trust.

DO:   Think about one responsibility you have. Write or draw a picture about it. Take a look at the responsibility you drew. How are you doing with that? Are you slacking off or taking it seriously? If not, what can you do right now to act more responsibly?

PRAY: Ask God to help you do what’s asked of you right now to prove you can be trusted with bigger things later on.
 

DAY 3

READ Ephesians 5:15-16

SAY: All wisdom comes from one source. Not the internet. Not Siri or Alexa. Wisdom comes from God. Today’s verse reminds us to live as people who are wise. Wise people follow God. 

Part of our responsibility as followers of God is to actually follow what God tells us to do. Every time you make a wise choice, no matter how big or small, you make a responsible choice. You show you can be trusted. That’s making the most of every opportunity.

DO:  Take a look at the list of scenarios below. Look up each verse listed with your child and then write the “wise” response to that scenario. 

• Your mom asks you to finish your homework before you go outside. (Read Ephesians 6:1) 
• Your older brother is taking forever on  the video game. You’re about to grab  the controller out of his hands so you  can have a turn. (Read Proverbs 15:18) 
• You’ve figured out a way to cheat so that your team wins and you’re pretty sure you can pull it off with no one finding out. (Read 2 Thessalonians 3:13)

PRAY: Ask God to give you the wisdom you need as you follow Him and make responsible choices this week.

DAY 4

READ Proverbs 16:3

SAY: Have you ever thought about all the things you do in a day? If you were to make a list of all those decisions and actions, it would probably take a long time. No matter how big or small our decisions or actions may be, God asks us to commit everything to Him. 

DO:  Here’s a little responsibility challenge to do with your child. Grab a wide rubber band and write the word “EVERYTHING” on it with a ballpoint pen. If you don’t have any rubber bands, cut out a strip of paper,  wrap that around your child’s wrist and tape to secure. For 24 hours, wear that bracelet as a reminder to commit everything you do, every word, every action, every thought and decision, to God.

PRAY: Ask God to help you and He will! Take the responsibility to follow God and commit everything to Him.

Loft Daily Devotional

Guilt has a way of weighing us down, doesn’t it? When we’ve done something wrong, made a mistake, or are trying to keep something hidden, the guilt can feel heavier and heavier as we go. What can we do to get rid of that weight? Confess! When we confess our sins to God, we are forgiven of them. The weight of our guilt can be gone, just like that! While we may not escape the consequences of our mistakes, confessing them honestly to God can free us from the weight of the guilt we feel as a result. What is weighing you down right now? Confess it to God, praying that He would remove your guilt and replace it with His forgiveness.

One of the scariest things about confessing something we’re guilty of is the fear of what will happen next. Will we get in trouble? Will we be forgiven? Will it change the way the other person sees us? What’s amazing about God is that we don’t have to question what comes next. When we confess our sins to Him, we’re forgiven. It’s as simple as that! We don’t have to do anything to earn the freedom from guilt and the grace of forgiveness that He offers. All that is required of us is to come to Him. There, we’ll find forgiveness. Talk to a trusted friend or Small Group Leader about what that forgiveness means to you this week.

Have you ever done something to hurt a friend? Maybe you said something hurtful, or excluded them from the group text, or didn’t invite them to hang out. Whether you meant to or not, those things caused hurt. And sometimes the hurt is so bad, it ruins the relationship. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could just forgive? Well, that’s exactly what God does for us. When we make mistakes, He forgives. And He does that not just because He loves us, but because He wants us to have a close relationship with Him. He doesn’t want our guilt to stand in the way of that! How can you take a step toward asking for forgiveness and making your relationship right with someone you hurt this week?

DAY 4

READ Psalm 34:4-5 NLT

We’ve all seen a person who just seems to be happy all the time. They’re almost carefree, like no guilt, or shame, or worry has ever bothered them! And they often cause us to wonder, “Why can’t I feel like that?” Well, the good news is, you can! This verse reminds us that joy is available to all of us. If we ask God for it, He will provide it. And His joy? It’s bigger than just happiness. It has the power to free us from all of our fears, stresses, and guilts. In God, we can all be “radiant with joy.” Journal, draw, paint, or just think about what it would look like for you to be radiant with the joy only God can give.
 

DAY 5

READ Hebrews 8:12 NLT

One of the best things about God is that He doesn’t keep a record of our wrongs. When we make a mistake and seek out His forgiveness, He not only extends us His grace, but He doesn’t hold on to our mistakes. In other words, God forgives and forgets. So if He can let it go, why can’t we? So often we hang onto the guilt that comes from our mistakes. We let it keep us from moving forward. Today, pray that God would forgive you for the things you feel guilty of right now. Then, ask that He would help you move forward and keep going with the freedom to let it go.
 

God knows all. And believe it or not, that’s really good news! That means even when we feel guilty, God knows. When we feel afraid, God knows. When we feel worried, God knows. When we feel frustrated, God knows. And even better, He is greater than all that we feel. There is not a feeling in the world that He doesn’t know about or can’t handle. So we can go to Him confidently in anything we’re feeling, knowing He is greater and all-knowing in the face of it. Try it today! Go to God and talk about your feelings. Ask Him to remind you that He knows what you’re facing and is big enough to get through it.

As you grow and mature in your faith, you’ll be faced with questions, doubts, and even challenges to what you believe. A great way to help you remember God’s truth and discover more of His wisdom in the face of those questions is to have Scripture memorized. That keeps His Word close to you when you need it most! To work on memorizing this verse, listen to it read out loud on your phone or Bible app. Try saying it along with it as you listen to work on memorizing it for yourself.