E-Mail From God For Kids

 CLONINGER

John 20:29

EVERYDAY FAITH

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

You may not realize it, but faith is something you use every day. If you get into the car with your parents to go to the mall, you don't sit there the whole trip and say, "Maybe we'll get there; maybe we won't." No, you just assume that if you're heading to the mall, then you'll get to the mall. You trust in what you can see, like the driver, the road, and the car. But you also trust in things you can't see. You trust that other drivers won't smash into you, that a part of the engine won't fall out, that a tree won't fall right in your way. That's everyday faith, and everybody has it.

You can use this same kind of faith to believe in me. I'm not totally unseen. You see me in nature's beauty, in miraculous things that happen around you every day, and in the Bible. But you will have to learn to use your faith to trust me in ways you can't see me-like physically. The disciples saw Jesus in the flesh and believed. But you are even more blessed when you believe with your faith.

The One You can Believe In, God

9

CLONINGER

can a mother forget [her] baby... and have no compassion on the Child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

Isaiah 49:15

Dear Child,

>No matter what your parents are like, they won't ever be perfect. Sometimes they will forget about what's important to you. Sometimes they won't understand what you want them to understand. But you have a heavenly Parent who is perfect in every way.

I'm your perfect Parent. I love you with a love that never makes a mistake. I always see what you need and understand how you feel. When the people in your life aren't perfect, you can turn to me. I'll be here to understand you and help you. I'll help you respect your parents, even when they make mistakes. And I will love you with my perfect love.

Your Heavenly Parent, God

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CLONINGER

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little Child will never enter it.

Mark 10:15

Dear Child of Mine,

>Do you ever feel like everything in the world is telling you to grow up before you are ready? Well, I'm telling you just the opposite. Keep a childlike heart and a childlike attitude. People who get too cool and "grown up" will never feel at home in my kingdom.

What does it mean to have a childlike heart and attitude? You know how little children are always ready to trust their parents? I want you to trust me like that. You know how little kids are excited about life? I want you to have that same kind of excitement.

Trust me, believe me, and have fun in your life. Forget about being cool.

Father of the Childlike Heart, God

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CLONINGER

E-man plowing

YOUR ANCHOR

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.

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Hebrews 6:19 NASB

My Child,

>You can ride on a big boat and never miss the anchor until you want to stop and stay in one spot. When you're speeding around from place to place, you may not even notice that the anchor is missing. But when it comes time to be still for a while, you need an anchor to keep the boat from drifting. Or when a storm blows up and you want to anchor in deep water and ride it out, you can't do that without an anchor.

It's easy to rush around in life and never even know what it is to be quiet. But there is a longing in every person for stillness and peace. There is a need in every person for security in the storms of life. I want to be your anchor. I want to give you the peace to sit still and rest. I want to give you the security to ride out life's wild storms. I am here for you. Let me anchor your life to my love.

Your Anchor,

God

CLONINGER

MAKE THE CHOICE

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 NASB

My Child,

>I'm not going to make you believe in me. That's a choice you'll have to make for yourself. I don't want a bunch of brainwashed, robotic Christians who love me because they have to. I want my children to make their own decision to choose me and follow me.

I've given you all the tools you need to make that decision for yourself. I gave you the Bible to read and understand me. I gave you an incredible world to show you my beauty. I sent Jesus Christ to show you the way to me. I gave you the Holy Spirit to guide you on the path to me. But only you can take all of that stuff and make a decision to follow me.

So seek the truth; learn all you can; and then make up your own mind. I love you so much, and I want you to choose me. But I'm not going to force you.

Your father,

God

CLONINGER

E-mail from God for Kids

THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO!

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

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Philippians 4:13

My Child,

>Every person who has ever done anything great, from climbing a mountain to creating a sculpture, began with a dream. I want to put huge dreams and plans in your heart. I want to show you great things you can do with your life. I want to use you to make a difference in the world.

When I give you a dream, never think of it as something you'll have to do all by yourself. Whatever I ask you to do, I'll be doing it with you. I'll give you the strength and the brains and the energy you will need to get the job done. If you end up building huge skyscrapers, I'll be building them with you. If you decide to be a world traveler, I'll travel with you. If you travel through space as an astronaut, I'll be along for the ride. So dream big and believe in your future. You can count on my strength.

Your Helper,

God

CLONINGER

CLONINGER

A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

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Mark 8:29

My Child,

>Once, Jesus asked his friends what people were saying about him. Peter told Jesus that some people were saying he was John the Baptist come back to life, and other people were saying he was a prophet. Then Jesus asked Peter a very important question. “But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say that I am?"

Now I want to ask you that question. Who do you say that Jesus is? Don't take the word of other kids. Don't just trust teachers to tell you. They might not know. Read about Jesus in the Bible. Pray to him and ask him to be your Savior. Then see how he can change your life. You'll find out who Jesus is by looking for him.

His father and Yours,

God

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE TRUTH

All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.... The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.

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Isaiah 40:6-8

Dear Child of Mine,

>Who are the most powerful people in the world? Are they movie stars? Athletes? Rock stars? Whoever they are, in time their power will fade away, and they will disappear from the earth. Try to find one rich or famous person from the eighteenth century who's still around today. You won't be able to. They are all gone.

But I am still here. And my words in the Bible are still here. They are still as powerful as they have been from the beginning. My words will last through all time. They will outlast fame and money and weak human beings. So read the words of the Bible. They will live forever. And they will show you how to live forever with Jesus too.

The Everlasting,

God

CLONINGER

DON'T BE AFRAID

But now, this is what the Lord says... "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."

Isaiah 43:1

Dear Child,

>I want to tell you about one of your worst enemies. This enemy is not a person or an animal or a creature from space. It is an emotion. The enemy I'm talking about is fear.

Fear can tie you up in knots and paralyze you. It can keep you from being your best. It can keep you from living a happy life. I want you to treat fear just like you would treat any other enemy. Guard against it. Don't give it any space in your life.

I am a God of love, and there is no fear in love. I have great plans for you, and there is no room for fear in my plans. The more you trust me, the less time you will spend on being afraid.

The One Who Gives You courage,

God

MY NAME LOWERS THE DRAWBRIDGE

The name of the Lord is a strong fower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

Dear Child,

>Back in the Middle Ages, people built huge castles with strong walls to protect themselves against their enemies. No matter what strong enemy was after them, they could always run to their castle and be safe. I want to be the strong castle in your life.

It doesn't matter if everything you do seems to fail. It doesn't matter if everyone seems to be against you. You can always run to me and be safe. Just call on the name of Jesus, and I'll lower the drawbridge for you. You can come in, and I will close the gates behind you, protect you, and help you figure out the best way to deal with what's going on in your life.

Run to me,

God

A

CLONINGER

THE ONE AND ONLY

for this is what the Lord says-- he who created the heavens, ... "I am the Lord, and there is no other."

Isaiah 45:18

Dear Child of Mine,

>You might hear some people say that there are many roads to heaven, and any road will get you there as long as you really believe. Listen. You can really believe something and be really wrong. You can believe that the ocean is full of orange juice instead of salt water, but that won't change what's in the ocean. You can believe that the moon is made of cream cheese instead of rocks and dust, but that won't change what the moon is made of. You can believe that one god is as good as another, but that won't make it true.

I am the one and only true God. So don't waste your belief on imitations. Put your faith in me.

The One and Only, God

SHOW-AND-TELL

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone Can have a whole and lasting life.

John 3:16

THE MESSAGE

My Child,

>Do you remember show-and-tell in school, where everyone brought something to show the class? Well, imagine you had a puppy at home, and for show-and-tell, you wrote a long, very good speech about your puppy. Do you think your classmates would care? Probably not. But if you took that puppy to school, you wouldn't have to say anything but "This is my puppy." Your friends would think it was the best speech ever because they could see the puppy, touch it, and really know it.

For years I tried to tell men and women about my love for them. I spoke through prophets who gave awesome speeches and performed miraculous signs. But most of the people still didn't believe. So instead of just talking about it, I sent my love to earth in Jesus Christ to show people what love really is. Once you see Jesus and really know him, then you will understand my love for you. The One Who Shows You Love,

God

SECRET TREASURE

call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Jeremiah

My Child,

>When you find me, it's like you stumbled on a treasure chest full of the most amazing riches. I'm not just talking about money. I'm talking about salvation and a new life. When you see these first and most important gifts, it can seem like you've seen it all. But my riches don't just end there.

As you continue to walk with me, it's as if you keep finding secret drawers and doors in my treasure chest. These secret compartments just keep opening to show you new and wonderful things: adventures, challenges, victories, friendships, spiritual gifts, and lasting joy.

My gifts in your life never end. I never run out of things I want to show you and explain to you. But you have to keep searching out my treasure. If you do, you will have a life filled with great and wonderful riches.

Your Treasure,

God

ANOTHER KIND OF THIRST

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 4:13-14

My Child,

>After a long, hot day at the beach, nothing satisfies your physical thirst like a glass of cool water. But you have another kind of thirst. It's called spiritual thirst.

It's hard to describe the feeling of spiritual thirst. It feels a little bit like being lonely or homesick-like missing the people you love when they are far away from you.

Jesus is the living water that satisfies this spiritual thirst. If you let him, he will pour that water into your life. He'll be the answer to your questions and take away your sad, lonely feelings. He'll stay by you when you're sad and encourage you when you need help. He's not bottled water or faucet water. He's living water, and that means he'll never dry up. He will always be there to satisfy your spiritual thirst.

The Father of Jesus,

God

WHO ARE YOU?

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's Children.

Romans 8:16

Dear Child,

>If someone asked you who you are, what would you answer? Would you say, "I'm a sixth grader" or "I'm a pitcher on our baseball team" or "I'm the youngest of three sisters"? The way you describe yourself tells what you think of yourself.

Believe me, you are much more than a sixth grader or a pitcher or somebody's sister. My Holy Spirit is constantly whispering to your spirit, reminding you of who you are. You are my child, created uniquely and loved completely. You have a destiny-a personal map drawn for your life alone. You have a purpose-a reason for living, a hope for the future. You have a place-you are a child in the family of God.

Your creator and friend, God

MAKE FAITH BIGGER THAN FEAR

Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't Be Afraid."

Matthew 17:7

My Child,

>If you sit around all day thinking about things you're scared of, you're going to live a very fearful life. I don't want you to live like that. I want to make you strong enough to stand for me without fear, even in scary situations.

I'm not telling you to throw away your common sense and do something dumb just to prove how brave you are. But I am telling you this: I'm more powerful than anything you're scared of. I am in control, and I'm always with you.

Jesus spoke the words "Don't be afraid" many times to his friends. But he also touched them and stood by them in the scary times. That's what I want for you, too, my child. So trust me and don't be afraid.

Your Protector, God

WORDS ARE CHEAP

The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

Isaiah 29:13

Dear Child of Mine,

>Lots of people talk about me. They act as if they know me when they don't. What their mouths say and what their hearts believe are miles apart. Words are cheap. I'm more interested in what you believe in your heart than what you say with your mouth.

Have you ever sat in church, singing all the words of the songs without thinking about what they mean? Have you ever given the "right" answer in Sunday school even though you didn't really believe what you were saying? I don't want meaningless words sung about me. And I don't want heartless right answers. I just want you, my child. I want your love, your faith, and your whole heart.

Lord of the Heart,

God

I FINISH WHAT I START

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

Dear Child,

>Suppose your dad promised to build you a cool tree fort in your favorite tree. Suppose he bought all the wood and the tools he would need and spent two days working really hard on the tree fort. But on the third day, he put the tools away and quit. Wouldn't you be disappointed?

I am the kind of Person who finishes what he starts. I have started to build good things in your life. I have started to build the kind of faith that will keep you strong. I have begun to unfold gifts in you that I have plans to use. Whatever it takes to make you completely mine, that's what I will do. And nothing will stop me until the job is done.

Your faithful father, God

SELF-CONFIDENCE BEGINS WITH GOD-CONFIDENCE

Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

Hebrews 10:35

My Child,

>People are always telling you to develop self-confidence. Here's my advice on that subject. The best way to develop confidence in yourself is to put your confidence in me.

Because you know that I am the God who made you and will never let you down, you can really believe that you are loved. Because I have unlimited strength and total control, you can feel strong. Because I'm on your side, you can believe that you won't be left hanging.

The more you know me, the more confidence you will have in me and my strength. And the more confidence you have in me and my strength, the more confidence you will have in who you are. God-confidence always leads to godly self-confidence. This is the kind of solid confidence I want to give you.

The Source of your confidence, God

I HAVE A BETTER PLAN

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

My Child,

>"Aladdin and the Magic Lantern" is a story about a boy who found a magic lamp. All he had to do was rub the lamp, and a huge genie would pop out and give Aladdin whatever he asked for.

Don't get me mixed up with Aladdin's genie. I'm not here to grant every wish you make. You see, I know what will be good for you and what will be harmful. So sometimes I have to answer your prayers by saying "no"

Instead of asking me to bless your plans, why not ask me to show you my plans? Then we can work together. My plans may not be what you had in mind, but they will always bring the best things into your life.

The Lord of the Better Plan,

God