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Kids Daily

Christ Reader

45 devotions for seeking ALL of Christ

Written by Chris & Asia Heinz,

a daddy and daughter team

Welcome to the Kids Daily Christ Reader!

The Kids Daily Christ Reader is a resource for Christ Kids, a ministry of

ChristNow.com. Christ Kids helps children know Jesus in the majesty of his

spectacular supremacy. If Jesus is the greatest hope for your child—and he is—

then a diminished vision of Jesus is the greatest crisis for your child.

Even in our churches our children can inadvertently end up treating Jesus as if he

is only a:

Mere human who was born, helped people, and died

Great teacher with good stories but who has little relevance for now

Savior envisioned as still hanging on the cross

Once-risen Lord with minimal power or authority today

Soon-coming king who is not a currently active king

What if instead we taught our children the exciting message about the greatness

of who Jesus is right now, such as:

His ascension to the right hand of the Father as ruler of the universe

His supremacy over all things and its implications for daily living

What he’s up to right now, active among his people and the nations

How he wants to actively involve us in the fullness of his reigning life

Frequently, truths like these can help our children complete the picture of ALL

Jesus is at this very moment—who he is now, not only who he was on Earth—

and change their outlook on him and their relationship with him as a result.

About the Kids Daily Christ Reader

The Kids Daily Christ Reader was written by Chris Heinz and his 12-year-old

daughter, Asia, and illustrated by Andy Mylin. Written at a fourth grade reading

level, older children will be able to read it on their own. Younger children will

benefit from an older reader helping them. More devotions will be added because

there’s still so much more to know of Christ.

About ChristNow.com

ChristNow.com offers free interactive ministries and multimedia resources to

grow your vision and experience of God’s Son, including: Christ Talks, Christ

Kids, Christ Casts, Christ Institutes, plus worship videos, daily devotions, story

videos, email journeys...and much more. ChristNow.com is always free—from the

Church, for the Church. Visit ChristNow.com today!

© 2016 Chris Heinz

1

The Super King

“On [Christ's] robe...was written the name: ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’” – Revelation 19:16 (GNT)

If you were a king or queen for the day, what would you do? Would you eat ice cream sundaes for every meal? Make everyone wear pajamas for the whole day? Would you cancel school? Kings and queens have the power to do anything they want. It sounds fun, doesn’t it? Throughout history,

there have been lots of kings and queens. They have commanded armies, taken over lands, and gained great riches. There have been good kings who helped their people and bad kings who hurt their people. Whether good or bad, they still had lots of power. In the Bible, Revelation 19:16 says that on Christ’s robe is written, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Of all the kings that ever lived, Jesus is the Super King. He always helps his people. Jesus will always have more power, more armies, more lands, and more riches than any other king. And because he’s the Super King, every king and queen will bow to him. Questions:

1. What did you learn about Jesus? 2. How does it affect your daily walk with Jesus?

Heavenly Father, I honor Jesus as the Super King. There is no greater king than he. Amen.

2

God’s Backpack

“All of God lives fully in Christ (even when Christ was on earth).” – Colossians 2:9 (ICB)

Have you ever put so many things into your backpack that it got too heavy to carry? What was in it? Maybe books, school supplies, your lunch, extra clothes, and an activity? Or maybe some other things that were important, too. In the Bible, Colossians 2:9 says that all of God the Father lives in Jesus

Christ. This means that all of God fits inside of Jesus. Whoa, think about it. All of God’s qualities like his kindness, power, love, and wisdom are in Jesus. Jesus is able to contain all of God within himself. This means that if you want to know what God is like, just look at Jesus. In a way, Jesus is like God’s backpack with so many good and important things inside. So maybe when you see your backpack, it can remind you to look at Jesus if you want to know God. But unlike your backpack, Jesus can never get too heavy to carry, even with all of God crammed inside. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that you live fully in Christ. Help me to think of Jesus whenever I see my backpack. Amen.

3

Left Out “[Jesus] came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him.” – John 1:11 (GNT)

Have you ever been rejected by someone? To be rejected is to be ignored, turned away, or left out. It’s like trying out for the basketball team and not making it. Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected. In the Bible, John 1:11 says that Jesus came to his own country, but even his own people rejected him.

That’s like if your friends were on the basketball team, and they were the ones who decided not to choose you. You would feel rejected by your friends. This is what happened to Jesus. He came to his own people, and they turned him away. They didn’t welcome him, they left him out. But you can treat Jesus well. You can tell Jesus he’s welcome anytime. You can open your heart and let Jesus come into your life. When you do, you’ll join in his life, too. Would you like to do this right now? And remember—the next time you’re rejected, you can talk to Jesus because he understands. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I want to welcome Jesus into my life and join in his life, too. Thank you for never rejecting me. Amen.

4

Who Jesus Welcomes “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the children come to me and do not stop them…’” – Luke 18:16 (GNT)

One day when Jesus lived on Earth, he was walking around, and a large crowd followed him. Moms and dads began bringing their babies and small children to Jesus so he could pray for them. At first Jesus’ disciples tried to stop the children from coming to Jesus. But Jesus didn’t like that.

In the Bible, Luke 18:16 says that Jesus called the children to him and warned the people not to stop the children from coming to him. That’s because Jesus wanted the children around him. He wanted them to know they were always welcome. Jesus loved the children so much. He didn’t think grownups were more important than children. He didn’t treat children any less just because they were young. In fact, Jesus invited the children to come close to him. This is how Jesus feels about you. He invites you to come close to him any time you want. He will never stop you from coming near. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus always welcomes me. Help me to remember it. Amen.

5

Three-in-One

“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in [Jesus’]

name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that [Jesus] told you.” – John 14:26 (GNT)

Have you ever seen a three-leaf clover? Three-leaf clovers have a stem and three leaves. Even though they have three leaves, they form one clover. You could say a three-leaf clover is “three-in-one.” Did you know that God is also “three-in-one?” In the Bible, John 14:26 mentions the Father and

Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How many is that? Right, it’s three. In God there are three persons—the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—and there are three leafs on the clover. That’s the “three” part of God being “three-in-one.” But God is also “one.” There are three leaves on a clover, but how many clovers are there? Right, just one. So at the same time, there are three leaves and one clover. It’s the same with God. There are three persons, but at the same time, there is one God. Next time you see a three-leaf clover, think about God, who is three-in-one. Questions:


Heavenly Father, you are three-in-one with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It’s hard to understand, but I believe it. Amen.

6

Before the World Began

“Before the world began, there was [Christ]. [Christ] was with God, and [Christ] was God.” – John 1:1 (ICB)

Have you ever gone spelunking? Spelunking is when you explore a cave. Since caves are under the ground, the daylight doesn’t shine in there. If you placed your hand in front of your face, you wouldn’t be able to see your hand. That’s how dark caves are. Make sure to bring a flashlight when you go spelunking!

In the Bible, John 1:1 says that before the world began, Christ was there. Imagine what it was like before the world began. There was no light—it was always as dark as the cave. Plus there was no ground, so there weren’t even caves around. There were no buildings, no oceans, no animals, no people. There was nothing. But there was God. Each of the persons of the Godhead were there—the Father, the Son (called Christ), and the Holy Spirit. So even before the world began, Christ was there because he always existed. There was never a time when Christ wasn’t around. Christ existed even before light did. Questions:


Heavenly Father, you were around before the world began. You are so amazing. Amen.

7

Filled with Christ

“Christ's message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom.” – Colossians 3:16 (GNT)

Did you ever squeeze an orange so hard that orange juice came out? It takes some work to squeeze that hard. But once you do, the part of the orange that was hidden on the inside can now be seen on the outside. What was on the inside comes out. The same thing happens with Jesus.

In the Bible, Colossians 3:16 says that the message of Christ must live in your hearts so you can teach others about him. Your heart is like the inside of the orange. At first maybe no one knows that the message of Christ is in your heart. But over time, as Christ grows in you, people will see Christ in you. What is in your heart will come out. Then you can do what the Bible says—to teach others about Jesus. It doesn’t matter how young you are. What the world needs is more people whose hearts are filled with Jesus so Christ can pour out of them in great measure. Questions:


Heavenly Father, fill my heart with the message of Christ. Amen.

8

Three Names of Jesus

“’…you will name him Jesus—because he will save his people from their sins.’” – Matthew 1:21 (GNT)

As you read the Bible, you come across different names of Jesus. Let’s talk about three of them. First, Jesus. Before Jesus was born, an angel appeared to Joseph, who was Jesus’ father, and told him to name the baby “Jesus.” Jesus means to save or rescue because he saves us from our sins.

Second, Christ. At school, you may say “Teacher,” when talking with your teacher. Well, “teacher” isn’t their first name, it’s their title. Like that, Christ is a title that means “anointed one.” “Anointed” means being set apart for something special. Jesus was so special that only he could do the things he did. Third, Son of God. Joseph was Jesus’ earthly father, but Jesus also had a father in heaven called God the Father. As the son of God the Father, Jesus is the Son of God. This name is a reminder that Jesus came from heaven. Hooray, Jesus is the rescuer, and the anointed one, and came from heaven! Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for the wonderful names of Jesus. Help me to know Jesus more. Amen.

9

Head of the Church

[Jesus] is the head of his body, the church…” – Colossians 1:18 (GNT)

Do you know what the church is? Some people think of “church” as the building where people gather to sing, pray, and learn about Jesus. But that’s not the church, that’s the church building. Others think of church as the time they sing, pray, and learn together. But that’s not the church either, that’s the church service.

In the Bible, Colossians 1:18 says that Jesus is the head of his body, the church. The church is really the group of people who have decided to follow Jesus. The church is like a human body—some are like the hands of Jesus who touch others with his love. Some are like the feet of Jesus who go to other places. And some are like the mouth of Jesus who speak his words. But no one is like the head because only Jesus is the head. He sets the direction and leads the other parts. And just as a human body can’t survive without the head, the church can’t survive without Jesus. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for the church. Help me to follow Jesus as the head of the church. Amen.

10

Looking in the Mirror

“[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God.” – Colossians 1:15 (NIV)

Have you ever made a funny face in the mirror? Your face looking back at you is called an image. In the Bible, Colossians 1:15 says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. God is invisible, so you can't see him. But since Jesus is the image of God, you can see what God is like by looking at Jesus.

That's what it means that Jesus is the image of God. If you want to see God, then look at Jesus, and if you want to know God, then get to know Jesus. That's how much God wants you to know him—he sent Jesus to Earth to show you what God is like. So you never have to wonder what God looks like. What an amazing Jesus—and what an amazing God. Looking at Jesus is looking at God. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I want to know you more. Thank you that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Help me to keep looking at Jesus. Amen.

11

Pray Like Jesus “…Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God [the Father].” – Luke 6:12-13 (NIV)

Do you know what prayer is? Prayer is talking with God. You can’t see God when you talk with him, but God can hear you. In fact, your Heavenly Father loves when you pray. He loves when you talk with him. Do you know who else loved to pray? Jesus. When Jesus lived on Earth, he made sure to

pray. Even though he was busy helping and teaching people, Jesus took time to talk with his Heavenly Father. In the Bible, Luke 6:12-13 says that Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray. He wanted to be alone with God. And once he started praying, it was so good that he spent the night praying. Sometimes other things feel more fun than praying, like watching television shows or playing video games or reading funny books. But since prayer was important to Jesus, let’s make prayer important to us. Your Heavenly Father wants to hear from you because he loves it when you pray. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for wanting to hear from me. Help me to pray like Jesus did. Amen.

12

Peanut Butter & Jelly “For [God the Father] has rescued us from…darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves...” – Colossians 1:13 (NIV)

Let’s make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Have you heard the phrase, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?” Well that is certainly true. God does love you, and he has a wonderful plan for your life. Think of this as the peanut butter. But what about the jelly? In the Bible, Colossians

1:13 says three things. First, God loves his Son, Jesus. So God loves you, and God also loves Jesus. Second, Jesus has a kingdom. So God has a plan for your life, and God also has a plan for Jesus’ kingdom. And third, God has brought Jesus’ followers into Jesus’ kingdom. So if you follow Jesus, he brings you into his kingdom. This is the jelly. We can’t make our sandwich without both ingredients. So first the peanut better: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Then the jelly: God loves his Son and has a wonderful plan for his kingdom. Both are needed to make our sandwich and both are needed to be a Jesus follower. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for your plans. Help me to serve Jesus’ kingdom. Amen.

13

The Ultimate Closer

“…Come, Lord Jesus!” – Revelation 22:20 (GNT)

In baseball, there’s a special player called the “closer.” Do you know what the closer does? He stays out of the game until the end, then he goes into the game to strike out the other team. The closer’s job is to ensure the victory for his team. Every baseball team needs a good closer. In life, you and I need a

closer, too. There are so many situations that seem bigger than we are—hard tests at school, things that scare us, people who are mean. If we don’t have help, these situations can beat us. But in the Bible, Revelation 22:20 says, “Come, Lord Jesus!” This is the last prayer of the Bible, the closing prayer. Do you know why it’s the closing prayer? Because Jesus is the ultimate closer, which means he’s the greatest! He comes in and ensures the victory for his team. This doesn’t mean you’ll win every game or that everything will always go your way. But it does mean that if you’re on Jesus’ team, you’ll win at life. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I want to be on Jesus’ team. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

14

Take Up Your Match

“…in our union with Christ Jesus [God] has created us for a life of

good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10 (GNT)

There once was a boy who got lost in the woods. He wandered around trying to find his way. But the day got late and turned to night, and he started getting cold. Then he spotted a surprising sight—a campfire was all ready for him. All he had to do was light the match that was there. In the Bible, Ephesians

2:10 says that God has prepared good deeds for you. He planned them before you were born. And when you were born, he made you with these good deeds in mind. But here’s the thing—you can’t do them on your own. They’re too big and dangerous for you to do alone. You’re meant to do them with Jesus. Together you and Jesus can do far more than you ever dreamed. Like the boy’s campfire, your good deeds have already been prepared for you. So take up your match, take up Jesus. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for preparing good deeds for me. Help me to take up Jesus. Amen.

15

Jesus the Healer

“Then a man sick with a harmful skin disease came to Jesus. The

man bowed down before him and said, ‘Lord, you have the power to

heal me if you want.’ Jesus touched the man and said, ‘I want to heal

you. Be healed!’ And immediately the man was healed from his skin disease.” – Matthew 8:2-3 (ICB)

In the Bible, a very sick man came to Jesus. He was tired of being sick. Have you ever been tired of being sick? Maybe you had to lie in bed all day while your friends played outside. Being sick isn’t fun. This man didn’t want to be sick anymore; he wanted to be healed. So he came to Jesus because he knew Jesus

had the power to heal him. He knew Jesus was stronger than any disease. All Jesus had to do was decide to heal him. He already had the power to heal him. And you know what? Jesus did! Jesus touched the man, and the man was healed. It was easy for Jesus because Jesus is the Healer. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus is the Healer. Remind me to ask Jesus for healing when I see a need. Amen.

16

God’s Precious Gift “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (GNT)

Have you ever given away something you loved? Maybe it was a favorite toy or something you made. It probably wasn’t easy to do. You may have felt sad about it. You may have thought about keeping it. But you gave it away because you wanted the person to receive your precious gift.

Did you know that God the Father did the same thing for you? In the Bible, John 3:16 says that God loved the world so much that he gave away his only Son. In other words, God loved you so much that he gave you his only Son, Jesus. Jesus is the Father’s gift to you. That’s how much God loves you. He wanted you to have the best life possible, and he knew the only way was to give you his Son. So he did. God the Father did not hold anything back from you. He loves you enough to give you Jesus. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me Jesus. He is such a precious gift. Amen.

17

Favorite Treasure

“...all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” – Philippians 3:8 (ICB)

There once was a girl whose daddy made her a book. Each year her daddy added to it. He pasted photos of their times together and wrote letters from his heart. The girl treasured the book more than anything else—it was the only one of its kind. She stored it in a special box to keep it safe from harm.

Is there something you treasure above everything else? Maybe a gift from a loved one or something you made? What is it? In the Bible, Philippians 3:8 says there’s something even better than your favorite treasure. And not only your treasure, but better than all the treasures of the whole world. Do you know what it is? It’s knowing Jesus. There’s nothing that compares with the greatness of knowing him. Do you know why? Because when you have your treasure, you only have your treasure, but when you have Jesus, you have everything. Questions:


Heavenly Father, nothing compares to knowing Jesus. I want him to be my favorite treasure. Amen.

18

Boring, No-Good Lunches

“…be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full

understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” – Philemon 6 (NIV)

There once was a girl who didn’t like the lunches her mother packed her for school. She would complain every day about her “boring, no-good” lunches.

Eventually her mother said if she didn’t like them, she should give them away. So the next day at lunch, the girl stood on her chair and made an announcement: “If

anyone wants some of my boring, no-good lunch, you can have it.”

Immediately children flocked to her, one took her apple, another her cheese sandwich, and soon, the lunch was completely gone. Then she thought, “Maybe my lunch wasn’t so boring and no-good after all.” And from that day forth, she always enjoyed her lunches.

In the Bible, Philemon 6 says to “be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” When you keep Christ to yourself, you understand a little. But when you talk about Christ, you understand his goodness more. Questions:


Heavenly Father, help me to talk about Christ with others. Amen.

19

More Extreme

“Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be

able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:39 (NIV)

Have you ever climbed a really high mountain? Some mountains are so high you need to bring extra air with you to breathe. Or have you ever swam really deep in the sea? If you swim deep enough, you also need extra air. These conditions are so extreme, the human body can’t survive on its own.

But in the Bible, Romans 8:39 says that neither height nor depth can separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus. This means not even the highest peak, the deepest trench or anything else can come between you and God’s love. God’s love is stronger. There’s nothing you can do, nowhere you can go, and nothing you can say that will separate you from God’s love. You can’t hide from it, erase it, or write over it. That’s because Jesus secures God’s love for you. Jesus is the Lord. He is extreme. Therefore, God’s love can’t be undone. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that nothing can separate me from your love. Jesus secures it. Amen.

20

Commander of Storms

“…Then [Jesus] got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm.” – Matthew 8:26 (GNT)

Have you ever been in a scary storm? Maybe the wind swirled fast and the daylight darkened and the rain pounded hard. Sometimes the electrical power goes out in strong storms and the lights don’t work. You have to use candles or flashlights to see, and you don’t know when the lights are going to turn on again.

In the Bible, Matthew 8:26 says that Jesus was in a storm. When he lived on Earth, he was with his friends on a boat. All of a sudden a big storm came. Jesus’ friends got really frightened. But Jesus wasn’t scared at all. He commanded the winds and waves to stop. He told the storm what to do. And you know what happened? The storm stopped. Do you know why Jesus wasn’t afraid? Because he’s the Commander of Storms. Even the winds and waves have to listen to him. Not even nature can resist the word of Jesus. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that Jesus is the Commander of Storms. Help me to remember that when I feel frightened. Amen.

21

World Traveler

“... [Jesus was] killed; and with the blood of [his] death [he] bought

men for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation.” – Revelation 5:9 (ICB)

Where’s the farthest from home you’ve ever traveled? Did you bring a change of clothes?

You’ll probably agree that the world is a very big place with lots and lots of people in it.

Can you imagine remembering every person’s name? That would probably be impossible.

Even with the huge amount of people in the world, God knows everyone’s name.

In the Bible, Revelation 5:9 says that Jesus was killed in order to bring us to God. You see, God really, really wanted you to be with him. But the only way was for Jesus to die. Jesus had to give all of his blood so God could have all of you. Jesus knew this is what God wanted, so he let himself be killed for you.

Does that touch your heart? Has anyone ever died for you? The world is a very big place with lots and lots of people in it. But by the blood of Jesus, anyone can come to God. They don’t have to travel far. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus died for me. Help me to live for you. Amen.

22

Risen!

“[Jesus] is not here; he has been raised.” – Matthew 28:6 (GNT)

After Jesus died, he was laid in a tomb, and a big rock was rolled in front. This rock stopped anyone from going into the tomb.

In addition, guards were ordered to stand out front to make sure nothing happened to Jesus’ body. But suddenly there was a violent earthquake.

An angel had come to Earth and rolled back

the stone in front of the tomb. The guards fainted because they were so afraid.

Some women who had been friends with Jesus were visiting his tomb when this happened. According to Matthew 28:6, the angel said to them, “[Jesus] is not here; he has been raised.” The women went inside the tomb. What they saw made them so happy—Jesus’ body wasn’t there. Jesus was raised back to life! Jesus was alive!

Imagine the joy they felt that their friend was alive again. You can have the same joy because you never have to say goodbye to Jesus. He will never die again, so he will never leave you. Jesus is risen! Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for raising Jesus back to life. Jesus is alive! Amen.

23

Where Jesus Is Right Now

“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to [his disciples], he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.” – Mark 16:19 (NIV)

After Jesus was raised

back to life, he stayed on

Earth for some time.

How long do you think this was?

Was it a long time, like

years, or a short time,

like days? Well the Bible says it was 40 days.

What do you think Jesus

did during the 40 days?

Did he have a huge party? We don’t know.

But we do know that one

of the main things Jesus did was teach his followers about his

kingdom. You see, Jesus really wanted his followers to grow his

kingdom so more people would know God loved them. So he spent

time getting them ready for their job, and after 40 days, it was time to go.

So here’s what happened—after Jesus had spoken to them, he was

taken up into heaven, which means Jesus lifted off the ground. And

once he was in heaven, Jesus sat down at the right side of God, which is where Jesus is right now.

Questions: 1. What did you learn about Jesus? 2. How does it affect your daily walk with Jesus?

Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing Jesus to your side. Amen.

24

Honest Prayers

[Jesus said], “When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words…” – Matthew 6:7 (GNT)

Have you ever heard someone talking so long, you didn’t think it would ever end? Sometimes talking with God can be like that. Sometimes prayer can get so long, it seems like it’ll go on forever. But just because a prayer is really long doesn’t mean it’s better than a short prayer. The key is not length, but honesty.

In the Bible, Jesus says in Matthew 6:7, “When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words.” Meaningless words are extra words that don’t have a purpose and aren’t from your heart. The opposite of “meaningless” words is meaningful words. These are words that come from your heart and are true. Jesus wants you to pray honest prayers using honest words. These are the kinds of prayers that Jesus prayed, and they’re the best kinds of prayers. Instead of trying to impress God or impress others through long prayers, try praying short and honest prayers from your heart, just like Jesus did. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I want to pray honest prayers. Help me to pray like Jesus. Amen.

25

Give Thanks in All Things

“Be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in…Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (GNT)

There once was a man who went to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. He was there for 19 years until a judge realized they had made a mistake. They finally let him out. When a newspaper reporter asked the man about spending 19 years in jail, the man said, “God is still good.”

What do you think of that? What would you have said? In the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to be thankful in all circumstances. Since the verse says “all circumstances,” that means in all things. No matter what happens—if you’re accused incorrectly or if something bad happens—the Bible says to be thankful. Why? Because in life, bad things will happen, but Jesus is still the King. When you give thanks in all things, you show Jesus that you trust him. Plus you show others that they can trust Jesus, too. Giving thanks helps you focus on Jesus and not on the problem. That’s what God wants from you. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus is the King. Help me to give thanks all things. Amen.

26

Friend of Jesus

“’…I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father.’” – John 15:15 (GNT)

Did you ever hear something so amazing you didn’t think it was true? Maybe you heard some really good news and because the news was so good, you didn’t believe it. When has that happened to you? What was the news about? When you know Jesus, this can happen all the time.

That’s how amazing Jesus is. Think of what we’ve learned so far. At other times, we’ve said that Jesus holds the whole universe together. And his name is higher than any other name. And Jesus keeps all of God’s promises. Wow, these are all amazing things. But here’s something else that sounds too amazing to be true. You can be a friend of Jesus. Let me say that again. You can be a friend of Jesus. Even though Jesus is doing important things like holding the universe together, he still wants to be your friend. Now that’s really amazing! The question is, “Will you let him?” Questions:


Heavenly Father, wow, Jesus wants to be my friend. Help me to treat him as my friend, Amen.

27

Holding the Universe Together

“[Jesus] [sustains] the universe with his powerful word.” – Hebrews 1:3 (GNT)

Do you know how big the universe is? The universe includes everything that was created—every planet and galaxy—and everything else in outer space. The universe is so big that you can’t get from one end to the other, not in the fastest space ship ever made. There isn’t a word to describe how huge the universe is.

In the Bible, Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus sustains the whole universe. To sustain means to “hold together.” The opposite of holding together is falling apart. As huge as the universe is, Jesus is right now holding the whole thing together. If he were to let go, the universe would become a big blob or maybe nothing at all. But how does Jesus hold everything together? The Bible says it’s by his powerful word. By just the word of his mouth, Jesus is sustaining all of us, so we don’t become a big blog or nothing at all. His word is so powerful! Questions:


Heavenly Father, it’s amazing that Jesus holds the universe together with his powerful word. Help me to learn and listen to his word. Amen.

28

The Most Famous Name

“…God raised [Jesus] to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.” – Philippians 2:9 (GNT)

Do you know what being famous is? It means that many people know about you. People can be famous for acting in movies, having good looks, being good at sports, or having lots of money. Can you think of some famous people? What are their names? In the Bible, Philippians 2:9 says that God the

Father gave Jesus the name that is greater than any other name. The name of Jesus is the most famous name. His name is greater than any famous person you can think of—alive or not living. Do you know why? Because God the Father raised Jesus to the highest place. With the highest place comes the greatest name. But many people don’t know who Jesus is, what he did or what he’s doing now. You can help to make Jesus famous by telling others about him. Questions:


Heavenly Father, you raised Jesus to the highest place. Thank you for giving him the greatest name. Help me to make Jesus famous to those who don’t know him. Amen.

29

God’s Great Promise Keeper

“For it is [Jesus] who is the “Yes” to all of God’s promises.” – 2 Corinthians 1:20 (GNT)

Have you ever broken a promise? A promise is something you say you’ll do, like “I promise to clean my room.” When you don’t do what you say you will do, that’s called breaking your promise. In the Bible, 2 Corinthians 1:20 says that Jesus is the “Yes” to all of God’s promises.

God has made thousands of promises in the Bible. That’s about as many as all the stars you can see in the sky. You know what? God has never broken any of his promises! How has he done that? Because Jesus completes every single one of them. This is what it means that Jesus is the “Yes” to all of God’s promises. Jesus completes God’s promises. He is the answer to all of them. So you never have to be afraid that God will break his promises because Jesus is God’s Great Promise Keeper! Questions:


Heavenly Father, I’m happy you keep all of your promises. Thank you that Jesus is your Great Promise Keeper. Help me to keep trusting in Jesus. Amen.

30

The Most Important

“God made Christ more important than all rulers, authorities,

powers, and kings. Christ is more important than anything in this world or in the next world.” – Ephesians 1:21 (ICB)

Who do you think is a really important person? The President of the United States? The principal at school? Your mom or dad? These people are all very important, but there’s someone even more important. In the Bible, Ephesians 1:21 says that Christ is more important than all rulers and powers.

You can list important people all day long and you still won’t find a more important person. That’s because God put Christ at the center of all creation and gave him all rule and authority. One day all rulers will bow down to Christ. But Jesus isn’t just the most important person in this world. The Bible says he’s the most important in the next world, too. We don’t know what the next world will be like, but we do know that Jesus will be the center of it. Let’s treat Jesus as the most important person. Questions:


Heavenly Father, help me to treat Jesus as the most important person he is. Amen.

31

Hitting the Bullseye

“…the blood of the death of Jesus, God’s Son, is making us clean from every sin.” – 1 John 1:7 (ICB)

Have you ever shot a bow and arrow at a target? Sometimes the center of the target is called the “bullseye.” Hitting the bullseye isn’t easy because it’s the smallest circle on the target. But what is easy is missing the bullseye. This is called “missing the mark.” Missing the mark happens with bows and

arrows, and it happens with God, too. Think of the bullseye as the way God wants you to live, like loving people, telling the truth, and spending time with Jesus. Do you always love people or tell the truth? When you don’t live the way God wants you to live, it’s called “sin.” Sin is missing the mark and it’s easy to do. But in the Bible, 1 John 1:7 says that Jesus’ death is making us clean from every sin. Being clean from every sin is like when God looks at your life, he doesn’t count your misses against you. Instead he sees the bullseyes of Jesus. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I want to live like you want me to live, but when I don’t, thank you that Jesus makes me clean from every sin. Amen.

32

Strong in Jesus “Finally, be strong in the Lord [Jesus] and in his great power.” – Ephesians 6:10 (ICB)

Once there was a skinny boy. He wanted more than anything to have big muscles, so he lifted weights and did pull ups and ate the right foods. But no matter how hard he tried, the boy was still skinny. This made him sad because all the other boys were bigger and stronger than he. But one day the boy realized something very

special—there was a different kind of strong than what he was seeking. Although he had wanted big muscles very badly, he realized he didn’t need them after all. The very skinny boy could be a different kind of strong. In the Bible, Ephesians 6:10 says to be strong in Jesus and in his great power. Being strong in Jesus is being a different kind of strong. It means knowing who Jesus is, believing who Jesus says you are, and following Jesus to wherever he is going. Be this kind of strong. Questions:


Heavenly Father, help me to be strong in Jesus. Amen.

33

Lamb Who Always Wins “They will make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings.” – Revelation 17:14 (GNT)

Have you ever petted a lamb? Lambs are soft and gentle. Sometimes Jesus is called the Lamb. And sometimes Jesus is soft and gentle. But that doesn’t mean he’s weak. In the Bible, Revelation 17:14 says that although enemies will make war against Jesus, he will defeat them. Even though Jesus is

called the Lamb, he’s also called the Lord of lords and King of kings. Jesus will always win. No matter how strong, fierce or numerous his enemies, Jesus’ victory is secure. Forces may arise, opponents may attack, weapons may be used, but Jesus will never fail. He’s the Lord of lords and King of kings. There’s no weakness in his reign, no end to his rule, no way to defeat him. Enemies may make war against him, may mock him, may try to tear him down, but Jesus is the lamb who always wins. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus will always win. Help me to remember that when I feel lost. Amen.

34

Christ Talk “I decided that while I was with you I would forget about everything except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.” – 1 Corinthians 2:2 (ICB)

What do you talk about with your friends? It is silly or important or embarrassing? Well once there was this guy named Paul and he wrote a letter to his friends. The letter was so important that it made it into the Bible for the rest of us to read. In the letter, Paul wrote, “I decided that while I was with you I would

forget about everything except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.” Imagine that. Paul decided he wouldn’t talk about anything except for Jesus. Does that seem difficult to do? What if you talked with your friends only about Jesus? Maybe not all the time, but maybe the next time you got together. Could you do it? Could you make the whole time about him? Some people don’t try to talk about Jesus because they think they’ll run out of things to say. Or they’re afraid of what their friends might think. But that didn’t stop Paul. Don’t let it stop you. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I want to talk about Jesus more. Help my words to be filled with Christ. Amen.

35

A Name Worth Dying For

“But if you suffer because you are a Christian, then do not be

ashamed. You should praise God because you wear that name.” – 1 Peter 4:16 (ICB)

Once there was a girl who didn’t like her name. She thought it was the lousiest, most embarrassing name. “Of all the names of everyone who ever lived, my name’s the worst,” she told her mother. “No one could invent a more horrible name.” The mother sighed, “HUUHHH,” because the girl’s name meant

very much to her. To the mother it was the most wonderful, most stupendous, most out-of-this-world, marvelous name. It was a name most everyone should want, everyone except for her daughter. It was a name worth dying for. In the Bible, 1 Peter 4:16 says that you may suffer because you’re a Christian, but if you do, don’t be ashamed. That is, don’t be sorry, don’t be embarrassed, and don’t be shy. The name of Christian is the most wonderful, most stupendous, most out-of-this-world, marvelous name. It’s a name worth dying for. Jesus did. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that because of Jesus, I can wear the name, Christian. Amen.

36

The Good News of Christ

“Really, there is no other Good News. But some people are confusing

you and want to change the Good News of Christ.” – Galatians 1:7 (ICB)

Have you ever tried to

put together a toy that

was hard to put

together? Sometimes

toys that are difficult to

put together come with instructions.

The instructions are

supposed to make the

job easy, but sometimes

you end up more

confused. Has this ever happened to you?

In the Bible, Galatians

1:7 says that some people may try to confuse you by changing the

Good News of Christ. But the Good News of Christ doesn’t need

changing! The Good News is as simple as this: God sent Jesus to die

for your sins and if you put Jesus in charge of your life, he’ll invite you into his unstoppable kingdom.

Watch out for people who want to change the Good News of Christ.

They may say you have to pay God back—but you don’t. They may say

you don’t need Jesus—but you do. They may even say there are many

ways to God—but there aren’t. The Good News of Christ is beautifully simple…and not confusing at all.

Questions: 1. What did you learn about Jesus? 2. How does it affect your daily walk with Jesus?

Heavenly Father, the Good News of Christ is beautifully simple. Help me to know when someone is changing it. Amen.

37

When Jesus Cried

“Jesus cried.” – John 11:35 (ICB)

If you’re asked to memorize a Bible verse and you can pick what it is, you may want to pick John 11:35. It’s the shortest verse of the Bible. In this verse, a really good friend of Jesus had died. Jesus was so sad that John 11:35 says, “Jesus cried.” But just because this is the shortest verse of the

Bible doesn’t mean it’s short on meaning. This verse can teach you a lot about Jesus. Have you ever thought about Jesus crying or being sad? Maybe you imagined Jesus always smiling, always happy. Maybe you thought you have to always be happy, too. But some things happen in life are sad and it’s okay to cry about them. You don’t always have to be happy. Jesus understands if you want to cry, because he cried too. In fact, you can cry with Jesus. No matter what you’re feeling, Jesus wants you to bring your feelings to him. Jesus is alive, so he still feels things, too. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus understands my feelings. Help me to remember that. Amen.

38

Washing Feet “Then [Jesus] poured water into a bowl and began to wash the followers’ feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” – John 13:5 (GNT)

This could be an embarrassing question—how do your feet smell? Do they smell nice like roses or not as nice? Maybe you should wash them! Now here’s a more embarrassing question—how does your friend or family member’s feet smell? Maybe you should wash them! In the Bible, John 13:5

says that Jesus washed his followers’ feet. This was a dirty job because in Jesus’ time, they wore sandals. Everything that was on the ground—dirt, trash, animal droppings—could get onto your feet. So when Jesus washed his followers’ feet, he probably got all this gross stuff on him. But Jesus knew that sometimes you get dirty when you serve others. Do you want to be like Jesus? Then look for people to serve. What are their needs? How can you help? Yes, you may get dirty. And yes, you may not feel like doing it. But remember—if the King of kings served others, then certainly you can, too. That way, you’ll smell like Jesus. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for teaching me that Jesus served others. Help me to serve like Jesus did. Amen.

39

Master Builder

“’…I [Jesus] will build my church…The power of death will not be able to defeat my church…” – Matthew 16:18 (GNT)

Do you like to build things? What was the last thing you built? It’s really fun to build, but not so fun when you have to take down what you’ve built. And if you think about it, most of the things you’ve built—maybe everything—have been taken down. That can be sad. But there’s one thing

that can never be taken down. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says he will build his church. He’s not talking about building a structure of brick or metal. Instead, Jesus is talking about building a group of people who follow him. Jesus is the master builder of the church. As the master builder of the church, Jesus has the master plans. And right now, Jesus is building his church. If you follow Jesus, that means you! And you know what? Nothing—not even death—can take down what Jesus is building. The church will stand forever no matter what comes against it. Questions:


Heavenly Father, Jesus is the master builder. I want to join him in building the church. Amen.

40

No Equal

“And on that cross Christ freed himself from the power of the

spiritual rulers and authorities; he made a public spectacle of them

by leading them as captives in his victory procession.” – Colossians 2:15 (GNT)

Have you ever heard of Satan? Sometimes he’s called the Devil. Satan is an enemy of Jesus. He tries to pull people away from God. Satan can’t stand it when people follow Jesus. It makes him so mad! He wants those followers for himself. Satan does have some power. For example, he can try to make you

afraid. Or he can tempt you to disobey God. But do you know who is much more powerful than Satan? That’s right, Jesus! In the Bible, Colossians 2:15 says that Christ freed himself from the power of Satan and other evil rulers. Jesus already won! But not only that, Jesus also made them walk in his victory parade. Jesus showed everyone that he is greater than Satan and other evil rulers. So next time Satan tries to scare you or get you to disobey God, you just remember—Jesus already won and he has no equal. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus already won. Help me to remember he has no equal. Amen.

41

Eating Fish

“They gave him a piece of cooked fish. While the followers watched, Jesus took the fish and ate it.” – Luke 24:41-43 (ICB)

Did you ever wonder what Jesus was like after he rose from the dead? Did he become an angel? Was he a ghost? Did he still have a human body? These are all good questions. After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to some of his followers. In the Bible, Luke 24:41-

43 says that his followers gave Jesus some fish to eat, so Jesus took the fish and ate it. So it doesn’t seem like he was a ghost. And not an angel either. Angels were created by God to be angels; you can’t just become an angel one day. So get this, when Jesus died, his followers didn’t think they’d see him again, but now they were eating fish with him! Plus during the visit, Jesus’ followers touched the holes on his hands and feet where the nails had been. This points to Jesus having a human body after he rose from the head. Jesus always used his body to please God and so can you. Questions:


Heavenly Father, help me to use my body to please you, just like Jesus did. Amen.

42

God’s Blessings for You “If we are God’s children, then we will receive the blessings God has for us. We will receive these things from God together with Christ.” – Colossians 1:13 (ICB)

Once there was a boy whose mother loved him very much. But she couldn’t take care of him anymore. This made her so sad. She gave her son to another mother who could take care of him better than she could. This was her greatest act of love because she gave up her greatest treasure—her son. Can you think of

someone else who gave up his greatest treasure? God the Father gave up his only Son so you could have a better life. In the Bible, Colossians 1:13 says that God’s children will receive the blessings God has for them. A blessing is a gift you’re happy to get. These great blessings are only for God’s children. They come only through Christ. If you’ve decided to follow Jesus, you’re one of God’s children, which means God’s blessings are available for you through Christ. They’re better than any gift you can imagine. That’s how much God loves you. He gave up his greatest treasure for you. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for giving up your greatest treasure for me. That’s the greatest act of love I can imagine. Amen.

43

God’s Blessings for Others

If we are God’s children, then we will receive the blessings God has

for us. We will receive these things from God together with Christ.” – Colossians 1:13 (ICB)

We’ve talked already about how God’s children receive blessings from God so they can have a better life. But did you know there’s another reason God gives his blessings to his children? So that through God’s blessings, they can serve Jesus. You see, God’s blessings are meant to make your

life better, but they’re also meant to make you a better servant. For example, one of God’s blessings is love. He plants a seed of love in your heart, then grows it as you get to know Jesus more. As your love grows, you begin to look for opportunities to give your love away. Before love was growing in your heart, you didn’t think of being nice to the mean kid at school or picking up the trash on the ground. But now that the seed is growing, you want to serve others. By serving others, you serve Jesus. This is just one example of God’s blessings. There are too many to count! Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you for all your blessings. Help me to use my blessings to serve Jesus. Amen.

44

The Telephone Game

“We have a great high priest who has gone into heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God.” – Hebrews 4:14 (ICB)

Have you ever played the “telephone” game? It’s pretty fun. One person whispers a statement to the next person and that person whispers what they heard to the next person, and again and again until the last person says the statement out loud. It’s funny to hear how messed up the statement gets from how

it started out. For example, what may have started out as, “The blue bird sang at noon,” ends up as, “Herbert’s red cocoon.” See how different the statements are? Well, Jesus is kind of like the telephone game. When you pray, Jesus makes sure your prayer gets to God. In the Bible, Hebrews 4:14 says that Jesus is our great high priest who has gone into heaven. A priest is someone who helps you to have a relationship with God. But in heaven, Jesus is the great high priest. He makes sure your prayers get to God. But unlike the telephone game, your prayers never get messed up. Questions:


Heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus is my great high priest. Amen.

45

A Very Bad Day

“If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ICB)

There once was a girl who had a very bad day. Her alarm clock didn’t go off, so she missed the bus to school. When she finally got to school, she realized she had forgotten her lunch plus she had two different types of shoes on—orange and the other purple. But it got worse. At the start of class, the teacher

gave the students a test, and the girl realized she had studied the wrong pages the night before. She didn’t know anything on the test. So she signed her name and put her head down as tears puddled in her eyes. Did you ever have a very bad day? What happened? The good part about very bad days is when they’re over. In the Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that if you belong to Christ, then you are made new. And not just you, but everything is made new! Knowing Jesus is like the day after a very bad day. You’re so thankful for a fresh start. Questions:


Heavenly Father, I will sometimes have a very bad day, but thank you for making everything new in Christ. Amen.

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