Critter Cove Children's Ministry

09/06/2026

Sunday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Consequences of Jealousy!

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
Proverbs 14:30

Envy is a spiritual cancer, destroying a person from the inside out.

The consequences of jealousy are grave. King Solomon does not mince words as he warns us of this diagnosis with graphic imagery and directs us instead towards a life of health and peace.

Envy harms us. Even if it does nothing to anyone else, it will still destroy the one who envies. It influences our perception of others. It breeds a destructively critical spirit, leading us to view our neighbors with unwarranted suspicion and anger. It leaves us incapable of being happy for others, and it undermines any chance of contentment, for there is always someone else with more for us to feel resentful of. Envy makes the bones rot.

Jealousy can invade swiftly and subtly. Take the apostle Peter, for example. Prior to the crucifixion, he had made a mess of things by denying Christ three times. John records that after His resurrection, Jesus made breakfast for Peter and some other disciples on the beach, and Jesus spoke with Peter, restoring their relationship, reminding him of His call to Peter to follow Him, and tasking him to shepherd and feed His people. If you had asked Peter the day before what his heart most longed for, it would have been this. But when Jesus added that one day Peter would be called to give his life for his Lord, how did Peter respond? By looking at John and saying, “What about this man?”
Jesus, though, fully aware of the dangers of jealousy, replied, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22).

How easy it is, even in moments of great advance, for jealousy to infect us and cause us to forget all that Jesus has done for us and given us! How, then, do we find any kind of cure for this spiritual rottenness?

The last thing that we want to do is the first thing that we need to do: recognize envy for what it is—sin—and bring it into the light of God’s presence through confession. Then, we must prayerfully reject jealousy, moment by moment, asking the Spirit to enable us to reflect on all we have in Christ, until we are gripped not by jealousy but by joy. Those who count their blessings are more able to praise God for the blessings He bestows on others. And a tranquil heart gives life.

Do not let your envy eat away at you unchecked. In what way does it have a hold on you? Confess it, pray about it, and fight it with gospel truth.

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Have a Worship-filled Sunday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant. 1 Corinthians 13:4

Believer, Keep on!

09/04/2026

Friday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry materials or liquids must be accurate. Leviticus 19:36

Weights and scales and measures were all to be according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the world beside, it would find a shelter in believing hearts. There are, however, other balances that weigh moral and spiritual things, and these need to be examined often.

Are the balances in which we weigh our own and other men's characters quite accurate? Do we not turn our own ounces of goodness into pounds, and other people's pounds of excellence into ounces? The scales in which we measure our trials and troubles—are they properly set? Paul, who had more to suffer than we have, called his afflictions light, and yet we often consider ours to be heavy—surely something must be wrong with the weights!

We must see to this matter, before we get reported to the court above for unjust dealing. Those weights with which we measure our doctrinal belief—are they quite fair? The doctrines of grace should have the same weight with us as the precepts of the Word, no more and no less; but it is to be feared that with many, one scale or the other is unfairly weighted. It is a vital matter to give honest measure in truth.

Christian, be careful here. Those measures in which we estimate our obligations and responsibilities look rather small. When a rich man gives to the work of God the same amount as the poor contribute, are things properly weighted? When pastors are neglected, is that honest dealing? When the poor are despised, while ungodly rich men are held in admiration, is that a just balance? Reader, we could extend the list, but we prefer to leave it as your work to identify and destroy all unrighteous balances, weights, and measures.

Charles Spurgeon

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Finish Strong Friday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Believer, Keep on!

09/03/2026

Thursday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some Mysteries Defy Explanations
And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!(Ecclesiastes 8:14)

In the latter half of Ecclesiastes 8, Solomon declares the mystery of unfair consequences. The wicked don’t receive the judgment they deserve, and the righteous are treated unfairly. Who hasn’t wrestled with this mystery?

But there’s another mystery which Solomon also mentions, although it seems to be out of place.

“So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry” (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NASB1995). One could say, “Sounds hedonistic to me. Live it up! Go for all the gusto you can get!” But wait—don’t miss the rest of what he writes: “and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun” (8:15 NASB 1995).

In a world of unjust triumph and unfair consequences, I see someone who personifies the mystery of untimely pleasure. Well, why not? The alternative is becoming bitter, cynical, questioning, never at peace, neurotic in one’s pursuit of answers to why, why, why. Instead of attempting to solve all the mysteries of heaven and earth, which cannot be done, the writer suggests a simple plan: “Eat, drink, and happily trust God!” God gives us this alternative in order to endure life’s circumstances. Throughout the days of our lives God will give us the ability to accept and cope with reality even though we’re at a loss to explain it.

Solomon offers us good balance with these words: “Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly” (8:12 NASB). There is no way to find any genuine relief apart from the truth of those words. Even though sin goes on a hundred times over, even though a life may be lengthened in spite of a sinful lifestyle, and even “though He slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15 NASB).

Though I am without answers, yet will I believe in Him.

Let’s be painfully realistic. Neither you nor I can grasp God’s plan. We don’t know when it will reach its goal. It’s like we are looking through a thick fog and can’t see the sun, so we don’t know how or when God’s going to deal with wrong, but we do know this—we know God will keep His word. So until then we eat, we drink, we find happiness and contentment in this simple lifestyle. Though there are unfair consequences happening all around us, we trust our God to see us through. He is working it out.

That explains how the Christian can have joy in the midst of wild and crazy, mysterious and strained circumstances.

Chuck Swindoll

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Have a Tremendous Thursday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your whole heart.”Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭

Believer, Keep on!

09/01/2026

September morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 2:1-5

Learning to listen to God is an essential part of following His will. He speaks to His children through …

• Scripture...The Bible is a rich revelation of who God is—His character, His promises, and His purposes (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is an invaluable source that can help Christians discover what He is like and develop trust in Him. As we take in His Word, we can listen for the ways He might be directing us to apply it.

• Prayer...God designed prayer to be a conversation, not a monologue. When we bring our heart to Him, we should linger—making space for Him to speak into our stillness (Psalm 46:10).

• Circumstances...Throughout Scripture, the Lord revealed His ways to men and women through their circumstances—and He hasn’t stopped. Situations change, but our God does not.

• Others...Pastors, friends, and mentors can all speak truth into our life. The Lord places believers in community so they can be encouraged, challenged, and helped.

In order to reach His children, God uses all four of these avenues, often working through two or more simultaneously. Our part is to stay attentive—always remembering that a message from the Lord will agree with His Word. What might He be saying to you today?

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Have a Terrific Tuesday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your whole heart.”Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭

Believer, Keep on!

08/31/2026

Must watch.
This is important to understand.

00:00:41 - Introducing Raymond Ibrahim: The Al Qaeda Reader & Two M...

08/27/2026

Thursday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Genesis 6:8

The Noah of popular imagination is a spiritual giant, a hero of the faith. In truth, though, he was just an ordinary man. He was like everybody else as he went about his daily tasks, earned a living, and raised his kids.

Before Noah’s story unfolds, we’re told that “the LORDsaw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORDregretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). No distinctions are made here. Without exception, the whole human race was involved in wickedness—including Noah.

The point is clear: All had sinned. All were alienated from God. All must face judgment.
“But Noah…” By God’s grace, the reality of sin and judgment is always tempered by a divine “but.” God’s grace, unexplained and unmerited, was extended to Noah. This was the only thing that eventually distinguished him from the rest of humanity. God chose Noah and his family to be the recipients of His grace, establishing a relationship with him that had not existed before. Because of this grace, Noah became “a righteous man” who “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).

Noah could make no claim on God. Without any virtue on his part, and against all the odds, God simply intervened in Noah’s life.

Many people are under the impression that grace isn’t found in the Old Testament—that in the early days, it was all fire and brimstone, law and judgment, and it’s not until Jesus arrives that grace comes. The reality, though, is that grace not only precedes creation but also unfolds in the midst of judgments throughout history and on every page of the Bible.

And throughout the Bible, grace works itself out. Noah built a boat in obedience to the word of God when the word of God was all he had to go on. When we experience grace in all its fullness, it diminishes us and exalts God. It makes us realize that life is all about Him and His kindness to us. It moves us to trust His word and obey His commands.

The only thing that distinguishes you from the culture around you is the same thing that marked Noah out from the people of his day: the unmerited, outreaching favor of God. So be on guard against spiritual pride as much as worldly compromise. None of us are smart enough to grasp the idea of salvation or good enough to merit the joy of salvation. You and I are not deserving—but nevertheless, God has intervened. Only when the grace of God grips our hearts will we, like Noah, walk in the way of our Creator rather than the way of our world and live in obedient humility and confident hope. Only grace has that effect.

Alistair Begg

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Have a Tremendous Thursday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:30

Believer, Keep on!

08/26/2026

Wednesday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. Ephesians 1:3-6

What does it mean to belong to Jesus?This question gets at the heart of our identity as believers—and understanding the answer brings profound joy and peace.

God made a way for us to be part of His family. Before the foundation of the world, He planned our redemption so that we who were far from Him could be brought near through Christ. This reality defines our identity as God’s children. It stands as a rock that stabilizes us when fears and anxieties threaten to overwhelm us.

In spite of this, many believers become unsettled when they think about their sin nature. Knowing that the Lord opposes sin, they become fearful and ashamed. We need to remind ourselves of God’s Word, which assures us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Keep in mind that the Father has welcomed you as one of His own. And that means you are somebody very special to God. In fact, you are so dear to Him that He sent His only Son into a sinful world to die on the cross so you could be near to Him. This is pure, unadulterated grace—God’s love poured out for us.

Charles Stanley

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Have a Wonderful Winning Wednesday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Believer, Keep on!

08/25/2026

Tuesday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the eu**ch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Acts 8:36-37

These words may address any hesitations the devout reader may have about the ordinances. Perhaps you say, “I am afraid to be baptized; it is such a solemn thing to declare myself to be dead with Christ and buried with Him. I do not feel at liberty to come to Communion; I am afraid of eating and drinking judgment to myself, of failing to discern the Lord's body.”

Come now, trembling one, Jesus has given you liberty—do not be afraid.

If a stranger came to your house, he would stand at the door or wait in the hall; he would not dream of entering uninvited into your home—he is not at home. But your child enjoys complete freedom in the house; and so is it with the child of God. A stranger may not intrude where a child may venture. When the Holy Spirit has given you to feel the spirit of adoption, you may be baptized and take communion without apprehension. The same rule holds good for the Christian's inward privileges. Perhaps you think that you are not allowed to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; if you are permitted just to get inside Christ's door or sit at the end of His table, you will be content with that. But you will not have less privileges than the strongest saint.

God makes no difference in His love to His children. A child is a child to Him; He will not make him a hired servant. The son will feast upon the fatted calf and have the music and dancing as much as if he had never wandered away. When Jesus comes into the heart, He issues a general permit to be glad in the Lord. No shackles are worn in the court of King Jesus. Our admission into full privileges may be gradual, but it is certain. Perhaps our reader is saying, “I wish I could enjoy the promises and walk at liberty in my Lord's commands.” “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” Loosen the chains at your neck and live in freedom, for Jesus makes you free!

Charles Spurgeon

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Have a Terrific Tuesday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬

Believer, Keep on

08/24/2026

Monday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

"I want what you got."

Have you ever had thoughts like that?

Often, I have seen the analogy of a guy in a really nice car, looking up and sees a Lear jet and wishes he was that guy.

Meanwhile, a guy in an old be**er sees the guy in the nice car and longs after that. "Covet" is what the Bible calls it.

Then, a guy on a bicycle sees the guy in the old be**er and says,"If I just had a car like that. I could accomplish so much."

A guy walking up the road notices the bicycle and thinks, I sure wish I had a bicycle.

There, of course, is nothing wrong with striving to improve oneself. The problem comes when you fail to take the talents God has given you and multiply them for the benefit of the Kingdom.

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matthew 25:29

Jesus is not speaking of material things, of course, He is speaking of the usage of whatever God has given you, and wherever He has placed you, for sharing the knowledge of the Kingdom of God.

Do others hear, see, sense your gratitude towards God for the grace He has given you? Whether from walking or the Lear Jet, the CEO position or the custodian; is the light God has given you, shining before you in such a way as to glorify Him?

Whatever, you possess, from material things, to relationships, all are on loan from God.

Are you glorifying Him with it? Trust this, you will only have it for a little while.

Let it shine!

Tim Byrd

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Have a Marvelous Monday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Believer, Keep on

08/23/2026

Sunday morning from Critter Cove! :-)

I greet you in Christ Jesus. You are loved!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

When we grasp what God has done, confidence becomes the foundation for a life of purpose and peace.

We all start in the same place—separated from God by sin, unable to bridge the gap (Ephesians 2:12). No amount of good behavior or sincere effort can reconnect us to God. We’re spiritually dead, in desperate need of rescue.

And here’s the staggering good news: Jesus shed His blood for our sins (Romans 6:23). His death on the cross wasn’t a tragic ending—it was the victory over sin and death itself. When we trust in Jesus as Savior, God declares us forgiven.

But God doesn’t save us and then leave us to figure out the rest on our own. He sends His Holy Spirit to live within everyone who places faith in Jesus (Romans 8:11). The Spirit guides us into truth, transforms our desires, and empowers us to live in ways that honor God.

This is what salvation offers: forgiveness, new life, God’s presence within us, and the promise of eternity with Him. Jesus is the way to eternal life (1 John 5:11-12), and the Holy Spirit provides everything we need in order to walk with Him.

What blessed assurance!

Charles Stanley

* Please Share. You sharing this might make an eternal difference.

Have a Worship-filled Sunday! :-)

Are you saved? Arise oh sleeper! AWAKEN!!

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according tothe will of God. Romans 8:27

Believer, Keep on!