My Favourite Story Bible - English by Christian Media Publishing

This book is full of lively and fun illustrations that introduce children to God’s Word and His love for them.

Each Bible story has • A prayer to help children connect with God. • A Christian value that reinforces the story. • And a question to help children verbalise what they have read, heard and understood.

Children will get many hours of fun-filled learning and pleasure from this colourful story Bible. ISBN: 978-1-92843-600-3

www.christianmediapublishing.com

Written by Ewald van Rensburg Illustrations by Lilani Brits

This book belongs to: ________________ ________________

Written by Ewald van Rensburg Illustrations by Lilani Brits

AN IMPRINT OF

CHRISTIAN MEDIA PUBLISHING

Contents 1. My God is so great! 2. Adam and Eve 3. Noah trusts God 4. Abraham and Sarah 5. Moses in the basket 6. The Ten plagues 7. The Walls of Jericho 8. God makes a donkey talk 9. Hannah and Samuel 10. God calls Samuel 11. David is chosen as king 12. David and Goliath 13. David and Jonathan 14. Wise King Solomon 15. King Josiah 16. God takes care of Elijah 17. God is more powerful than Baal 18. Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem 19. The Brave Queen Esther 20. Daniel in the lions’ den 21. Jonah 22. Jesus is born 23. The Wise men 24. Jesus visits the temple 25. Jesus is baptised

6 10 14 18 22 26 30 34 38 42 46 50 54 58 62 66 70 74 78 82 86 90 94 98 102

26. Jesus and the devil 27. Jesus calls his disciples 28. Jesus takes care of us 29. Jesus calms the storm 30. Jesus calls the children 31. Five loaves and two fish 32. Jairus’ daughter 33. The Good Samaritan 34. The Shepherd and his sheep 35. Lazarus 36. Bartimaeus 37. Jesus walks on water! 38. The Lost son 39. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet 40. Zacchaeus climbs a tree 41. Jesus rides on a donkey 42. The Ten girls 43. The Cross 44. Jesus rises from the dead 45. Jesus walks with two friends 46. Jesus appears to his disciples 47. Jesus goes to heaven 48. Peter heals a crippled man 49. Paul 50. Heaven

106 110 114 118 122 126 130 134 138 142 146 150 154 158 162 166 170 174 178 182 186 190 194 198 202

1. My God is so great! (Genesis 1-2)

In the beginning everything was dark. So God made the light. He made the sun to shine during the day, and the moon and stars to shine at night. He also made the sea, the land, and the blue sky above. On land he made all of the plants and trees. There were colourful flowers, soft grass, and fruit and vegetables everywhere.

For the sea, God made fish of every size and colour. And for the sky he made the birds that sing so sweetly. Then God made all of the animals, from the biggest elephant to the smallest insect.

When God had made our beautiful world, he did something very special ... He made the first people. God named the man Adam and the woman Eve. He loved them very much!

Let’s pray: God, you are so great. Thank you for making such a beautiful world. Amen.

God made all the wonderful things in the world.

Did you know that God also made you? How does that make you feel about yourself and others? 9

2. Adam and Eve (Genesis 3)

God put Adam and Eve in a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden. It was a wonderful place to live. God said to them, “You can eat everything you find here. But there is a special tree in the middle of the garden. You may not eat the fruit growing on that tree. If you do, I will punish you.” One day the devil disguised himself as a snake. He talked to Eve and told her terrible lies. He said, “You can eat the fruit on this special tree. God will not punish you.”

Then Adam and Eve ate some fruit from the tree. God was very sad when he saw that they did not listen to him. As punishment, they had to leave the Garden of Eden. Bad things still happen when we do not listen to God. Luckily for us, Jesus made everything right again when he gave his life for us.

Let’s pray: God, please help me to always listen to you. Amen.

We must always listen to God.

Can you remember when you did not listen to your mom or dad? What happened?

3. Noah trusts God (Genesis 8-9)

It had been raining for a long, long time. The whole world was like one big sea. Luckily, Noah, his family and the animals they had collected were safe inside the ark.

God had promised to save them. When God promises to do something, you can trust him to keep his promise. One day God sent a strong wind to dry up the water.

At last Noah, his family and all the animals could safely leave the ark. That day God made the first rainbow. It was his promise to Noah that he would never again make it rain so much.

Let’s pray: God, thank you for keeping your promises. Amen.

Every rainbow reminds us that we can always trust God.

Can you remember when someone kept their promise to you? How did it make you feel?

4. Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 12, 13, 15, 17, 18 & 21)

God told Abraham that he had to leave his home for another country. Abraham took his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot with him. God had promised Abraham that he would care for him and give him a very big family. But Abraham and Sarah had no children. They wanted children very much, but they were growing old. They wondered if God had forgotten his promise to them.

One day, three men came to visit. They told Abraham that Sarah would soon have a baby boy. When Sarah heard this, she laughed. God wanted to know why she was laughing. Had she forgotten that God can do anything? A short while later a baby boy was born to Sarah and Abraham. They called him Isaac.

Can you remember when you had to wait very, very long for something you really wanted?

Let’s pray: God, I am so thankful that nothing is impossible for you. Amen.

Nothing is impossible for God.

5. Moses in the basket (Exodus 2)

The cruel pharaoh, the king of Egypt, wanted to kill all the Jewish baby boys. Moses’ mother and sister, Miriam, were very scared that the pharaoh would kill Moses too. So they put him in a basket and let it float off down the river. The pharaoh’s daughter found baby Moses crying in the reeds by the riverbank. She felt sorry for him. Miriam, who stayed close by, told her that she knew someone who could look after him. The pharaoh’s daughter was very happy.

Miriam quickly brought her mother to the pharaoh’s daughter. And so God allowed Moses to be raised by his own mother in the pharaoh’s palace!

Let’s pray: God, thank you for looking after me every day. Amen.

God will always protect his children.

How does your family keep you safe? 25

6. The Ten plagues (Exodus 6-13)

God sent Moses to Egypt to ask the pharaoh to let the Israelites leave. “Let the Israelites go,” Moses said. But the pharaoh said, “No!” Because the pharaoh did not listen to Moses, God brought plagues (bad things) over Egypt to convince him to let them go.

The river turned to blood, but the pharaoh did not listen. God sent thousands of frogs, but it did not work. Then God sent gnats and stinging flies. Even after there was darkness for three days, the pharaoh did not listen.

God sent ten plagues, all the while keeping the Israelites safe. After ten bad things had happened, the pharaoh said to Moses, “I’ve had enough. you can all go!” Can you imagine what would happen if your home was suddenly covered in frogs?

Let’s pray: God, thank you for keeping me safe. Amen.

You can depend on God because he always protects his children.

7. The Walls of Jericho (Joshua 6)

The city of Jericho had a massive wall around it to keep enemies out. God promised Joshua that the Israelites would take over Jericho. But to do this, Joshua had to follow God’s plan. The Israelites did exactly what God told them to do. Every day, for six days, they walked right around Jericho. On the seventh day they walked around the city seven times.

Then the priests blew their ram horns and everyone else shouted as loudly as they could! Suddenly the walls of Jericho fell with a great crash. The Israelites won! Just as God had promised.

Let’s pray: God, I know that with your help anything is possible. Amen.

When we obey God, nothing is impossible.

Have you ever tried to do something impossible?

8. God makes a donkey talk (Numbers 22)

King Balak offered to pay Balaam a lot of money to say bad things about God’s chosen people. But God decided to stop Balaam. Balaam was riding his donkey on his way to see King Balak. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared on the road. He was holding a sword.

Only the donkey could see the angel. Balaam could not see him at all. Three times, the donkey turned off the road to avoid the angel. Every time he did this, Balaam hit him. After the third time, God made the donkey talk.

Why are you hitting me?

Do I usually disobey you?

Because you are driving me mad!

No!

Has anyone ever said something nasty to you? How did it make you feel?

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and suddenly he also saw the angel. The angel said to him, “From now on you will say what God tells you to say.” And that is exactly what Balaam did.

Let’s pray: Dear God, help me not to say nasty things about other people. Amen.

Jesus does not like it when we say bad things about other people. 37

9. Hannah and Samuel (1 Samuel 1)

Hannah lived in a small village with her husband, Elkanah. The people of the village teased Hannah because she could not have children. This made her very unhappy.

One day Hannah went to the temple and prayed that God would give her a baby. She cried while she prayed. Eli, the priest, saw her crying and thought she was drunk. He scolded her. But when she told him her story, he realised that she was just very, very sad.

So Eli said to her, “God will give you a baby.” And it happened just as Eli said it would. The baby was born, and they named him Samuel. God was good to Hannah, because after Samuel she had five more children. And nobody ever teased her again.

Let’s pray: Thank you, God, that you always hear my prayers. Amen.

God listens when you pray.

Have you told God what your biggest wish is? 41

10. God calls Samuel (1 Samuel 3)

Samuel was living with Eli in the temple. Early one morning, Samuel heard a voice call, “Samuel!” Samuel answered, “I am coming!” Quickly he ran to Eli. “You called me, here I am,” he said to the sleepy Eli. Eli shook his head, “I didn’t call you.” When it happened a third time, Eli realised that it was God who was calling Samuel. So Eli said to Samuel, “The next time someone calls your name, say ‘Speak Lord, I am listening.’” This is exactly what Samuel did. Then God spoke to him and told him important things. 42

From that day on God often spoke to Samuel. And Samuel always listened to what God asked him to do.

Let’s pray: God, thank you that you speak to me when I read my Bible. Amen.

God speaks to us through the Bible.

Do you know that God wants to speak to you?

11. David is chosen as king (1 Samuel 16)

Saul was a bad king because he didn’t want to obey God. So God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to choose one of Jesse’s sons to be the new king. Samuel went to Jesse’s house and asked to see his sons, but God didn’t choose any of them to be king. Samuel asked Jesse, “Are all of your sons here?”

“No. David, my youngest son, is taking care of the sheep,” answered Jesse. Samuel said, “Please go and fetch him.” When David walked into the house, God told Samuel to choose David to be the new king.

Let’s pray: God, thank you for choosing me, even though I am still young. Amen.

God thinks you are just as special as David.

Do you know that God has a special plan for you too?

12. David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

The Israelites and Philistines were fighting. There was one Philistine that all of the Israelites feared – Goliath the giant. When he fought someone, he always won. David came to the battlefield to bring food for his brothers. He saw Goliath and said to the Israelites, “Don’t be so scared of Goliath. God is a lot bigger and stronger than he is. I will fight him.”

Goliath roared with laughter when he heard that a boy wanted to fight him.

David stood closer and shot a stone with his slingshot at Goliath. The stone hit Goliath between the eyes, and the giant fell down dead!

Let’s pray: God, thank you for helping me when I need to do difficult things. Amen.

God helped little David to beat the huge Goliath!

Is there something you are afraid of doing?

13. David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20)

After he killed Goliath, David went to live with King Saul. All the Israelites liked David a lot because he had beaten Goliath, and because he wrote beautiful songs. Saul was very jealous of David.

During this time, a wonderful thing happened. David and Saul’s son, Jonathan, became best friends. They played together every day and loved each other very much. Jonathan heard that his father, Saul, wanted to kill David. So he helped David escape from Saul.

Let’s pray: God, thank you for all my friends. Amen.

Friends always help each other.

What is your best friend’s name?

14. Wise King Solomon (1 Kings 3)

One night King Solomon dreamed that God asked him, “What is the one thing you want the most from me?” “Help me to make wise choices,” Solomon answered. So God made Solomon the wisest person in the whole world.

One day two women came to see King Solomon. They brought a baby with them. Each of the women said the baby was hers. One woman’s baby had died in the night and she had stolen the other woman’s baby. But which woman was telling the truth? Who was the baby’s real mother?

Solomon made a clever plan, “Cut the baby in half, then each of you will have half a baby.” Straight away one woman said, “Yes, cut him in half.” But the other woman said, “No, rather give the baby to her. Please don’t kill him!” Solomon immediately knew the second woman was the real mother, because she really cared about the baby. So he gave the baby back to her. Everybody talked about his great wisdom.

Let’s pray: God, please help me to make good choices every day. Amen. 60

God helps us to do the right thing.

If you could ask God for anything, what would you ask for? 61

15. King Josiah (2 Kings 22-23)

Long ago people didn’t have a Bible like we do today. The Israelites forgot what the scriptures said, so they were doing a lot of bad things. This made God very sad. Josiah became the new king when he was only eight years old. He loved God very much. One day he asked some people to fix the temple. While they were cleaning, they found the Book of the Law. This was a book that Moses had written. It was like the Israelites’ Bible. Josiah read the Book of the Law to the Israelites. He promised God that the Israelites would always obey God’s Word.

Let’s pray: God, I love to hear stories from the Bible. Thank you for your word. Amen.

Remember to read your Bible every day.

What is your favourite Bible story? 65

16. God takes care of Elijah (1 Kings 17)

Elijah was a man who talked to the Israelites about God. But King Ahab and the rest of the Israelites refused to listen to God’s message. One day, God told Elijah to give King Ahab a message: it would not rain for a very long time, because the king would not listen to God. King Ahab was so angry that he decided to have Elijah killed. God told Elijah to hide away in a cave near a stream. There Elijah had enough water to drink, but he had no food. He grew very hungry. So God sent ravens with meat and bread in their beaks.

They brought food to Elijah every morning and every evening. Elijah knew that God would always look after him.

Let’s pray: Dear God, thank you for always taking care of me. Amen.

Always thank God for your food and drink.

Can you remember when you were very hungry? Who gave you something to eat?

17. God is more powerful than Baal (1 Kings 18)

God told Elijah to go back to King Ahab. Elijah said to him, “I am going to prove to you that God is much more powerful than your god Baal. Ask Baal to set this pile of wood on fire. I will ask God the same thing.” Nothing happened. Baal did not set the wood on fire. Elijah poured water onto his wood pile and prayed. Then God set fire to the wet wood.

Everyone saw that God was greater and more powerful than Baal. Still Elijah was not finished. “God is going to make it rain now,” he said. The sky was clear, except for a small cloud the size of a man’s hand. King Ahab and the rest of the people could not believe their eyes. They watched the sky turn dark with rain clouds and it began to rain ... and rain ... and rain. Then everyone knew there was no one as powerful as our God.

Let’s pray: God, I am so thankful that you are so strong and so good to us. Amen. 72

God is great, and there is nothing that he cannot do.

Is there something you need God to help you with? 73

18. Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1-7)

Nehemiah was an Israelite. He was the cupbearer in the palace of the Persian king. This was an important job, because he had to taste everything served to the king, to make sure it wasn’t poisoned.

Some of the Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem told Nehemiah how bad the city looked. Even the city walls had been destroyed. God wanted Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to help his people rebuild the city. Nehemiah loved God very much and decided to go.

But he realised he had to ask the Persian king to allow him to return to Jerusalem. He was rather scared about what the king would say, so he prayed before speaking to the king. And God answered his prayer. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem. They rebuilt the city beautifully and promised to obey God forever.

Let’s pray: Dear God, help me to always obey you so I can also do wonderful things for you. Amen.

Nothing makes us happier than to serve God.

Is there a project you and your family can help with at church? 77

19. The Brave Queen Esther (Esther 1-10)

Esther was a very beautiful woman. She was so beautiful that the king of Persia made her his wife and queen. One day her uncle, Mordecai, came to visit her. He said to her, “All the Jewish people – including you and me – are in serious trouble. That wicked man Haman wants to kill all of us. He told the king lies about us and now the king has made a law saying that on a particular day all the Jews must be murdered.” Mordecai fell to his knees in front of Esther and said, “Please, Esther, help us. Only you can save us.”

Although Esther was afraid, she invited the king and the wicked Haman to dinner.

She told the king about Haman’s plans to kill her and her people. The king was very angry with Haman. He made a new law that saved the Jews. The Jews were so happy they all danced in the streets. Esther was a brave woman who saved her people with God’s help.

Let’s pray: Dear God, I help other people because I love you so much. Amen.

God uses ordinary people like you, me and Esther, to help others.

When last did you help someone? How did you help them?

20. Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6)

Daniel was a very important Jew who lived in Persia. Everyone knew how much he loved God. He prayed three times every day. Some people were jealous of him, so they told King Darius to make a new law saying people could only pray to the king, not to God. Anybody who disobeyed that law would be thrown to the lions. Daniel did not care about the new law. He carried on praying to God as usual: morning, noon and evening. The jealous people told the king that Daniel was breaking the law.

So Daniel was thrown into a den filled with lions. But God closed the lions’ mouths and Daniel was safe. Then the king knew that Daniel’s God was the only true God.

Let’s pray: God, my life is safe in your hands. Amen.

We must remember to pray to God every day.

Did you know that prayer is having a conversation with God? What would you like to say to God now? 85

21. Jonah (Jonah 2)

God told Jonah to go to the people of Nineveh and to tell them to stop sinning. Jonah did not want to obey God, so he tried to run away from God. He sailed away on a boat. But Jonah didn’t realise that you can’t run away from God because he sees everything.

Nineve

h Boat to Tarshish

Suddenly a storm blew up around Jonah’s boat. Everyone on the boat was afraid. So the sailors threw Jonah into the sea. God sent a large fish to swallow Jonah and save him. Inside the fish’s tummy Jonah told God that he was sorry he had run away.

God forgave Jonah and ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. Quickly Jonah went to Nineveh and did what God asked. He told the people to stop doing bad things. They said, “Lord, we are sorry,” and God forgave them. This made Jonah angry, because he did not like the people of Nineveh. But God said he loves everybody and that is why he forgave them.

Let’s pray: God, help me to always say sorry when I do something wrong. Amen.

Remember to apologise if you have done wrong.

When did you have to say sorry to someone? Was it easy? 89

22. Jesus is born (Luke 1-2)

Mary lived in the town of Nazareth. She was engaged to Joseph. One day she had a visitor. This wasn’t just anybody, it was one of God’s archangels, Gabriel, who paid her a visit. He told her that she was going to have a baby, and that this baby would be the Son of God. “How can this happen?” Mary asked. “I am not married yet.” Gabriel told her not to worry, because nothing is impossible with God. The baby would be a miracle sent from heaven.

Mary answered the angel, “Tell God I am willing to obey. He can do anything he wants with me.” The angel left, and her life was never the same again. Mary and Joseph were married later. But the greatest moment was when the special baby from heaven was born in Bethlehem and she held him in her arms. Joseph named the baby Jesus. Yes, this baby Jesus would change the whole world.

Let’s pray: God, thank you for giving us your son, Jesus. Amen.

The name Jesus means: “God Saves”.

Do you know that you are also a miracle of God? 93

23. The Wise men (Matthew 2:1-23)

Three wise men rode on camels from a faraway land. They were following a bright star. This star told them that a special King was born. The bright star led the wise men to Bethlehem, where it shone brightly above a house. There they found God’s Son, Jesus, with his mother, Mary, and father, Joseph.

The wise men gave Jesus lovely, expensive presents of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they went back home feeling very happy because they had seen Jesus, the King of the world, at last.

Let’s pray: Jesus, you are the greatest King in the world. Amen.

You must give your best to Jesus every day, just like the wise men did.

What special present would you have given Jesus? 97

24. Jesus visits the temple (Luke 2)

Jesus was growing up nicely. He always listened to his parents. One day Mary, Joseph and Jesus travelled to Jerusalem. They went to a feast with all the other Jews to praise God for his greatness. After the feast, Joseph and Mary were on their way home when they made a terrible discovery: Jesus was missing!

They looked everywhere for him, but Jesus was nowhere to be found. Mary and Joseph were very worried. They hurried back to Jerusalem to look for Jesus. They searched all over the big city ...

At last, they found Jesus. He was in the temple. They were so happy to find him. He was busy talking to the Jewish priests about God. These clever men were amazed to hear how much Jesus knew about God. Back home in Nazareth the people knew that God loved Jesus, and they also loved Jesus very much.

Let’s pray: Jesus, I also want to know God the way you do. Amen.

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God cares for you just as Jesus’ parents cared for him.

Have you ever lost something? How did it make you feel?

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25. Jesus is baptised (Matthew 3)

God sent John the Baptist to tell the people that Jesus was coming. John also told them they had to love God. One day John was standing in the river telling a crowd of people that God’s special One was coming soon.

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Suddenly John noticed Jesus standing in the crowd. He was so excited. He told everyone that Jesus was God’s special One! Jesus walked into the river so that John could baptise him.

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Then God spoke from heaven, and everyone heard him say: “This is my Son and I love him very much. You must listen to him and obey him!”

Let’s pray: Jesus, I will always listen to you and obey you. Amen.

God also says to you: “You are my child and I love you very much!”

How does it feel to know that Jesus loves you so very much? 104

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26. Jesus and the devil (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13)

One day, Jesus went into the desert to be alone. But the devil, who is always looking to cause trouble, came to talk to Jesus. He tried to make Jesus do a lot of bad things, but Jesus didn’t listen to the devil. “Go away,” he told the devil. “I will only listen to God and always obey him.” So the devil left Jesus alone, because he knew Jesus was much stronger and wiser than him.

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Let’s pray: Jesus, please help me to only listen to you. Amen.

Jesus will protect you from the devil.

Has someone ever asked you to do something you knew was wrong?

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27. Jesus calls his disciples (Matthew 4:18-22 and John 1:43-51)

One day, while Peter and his brother, Andrew, were fishing, Jesus came to talk to them. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I need you to help me teach people how to love God.” Philip lived in the same town as Peter and Andrew. Jesus also said to him, “Come with me.” Philip told his friend Nathanael about Jesus, and Jesus invited Nathanael to join him. Soon there were twelve people in Jesus’ team. From then on, they went everywhere with him. We call them his disciples.

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Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you that you have also chosen me to be your disciple. Amen. A disciple is someone who loves Jesus, listens to him, and wants to help other people.

What would you like to tell your friends about Jesus?

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28. Jesus takes care of us (Matthew 6:25-34)

One day Jesus was telling his disciples and a crowd of people how God always takes care of his children. While he was talking, he saw some birds flying in the sky and asked the people, “Do you see those birds flying up there?” Everyone looked up and nodded. “Our Father God looks after all the birds. Every day he gives them enough food to eat. Remember, God loves you, his children, even more than those birds. So you must never be worried about what you will eat or what you will wear.”

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Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you that you care for me, and that I do not need to worry. Amen.

God will always give you what you need.

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What is the difference between the things you want and the things you need?

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29. Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41)

One day, Jesus was sailing in a boat with his disciples. Jesus was very tired and he fell asleep. Suddenly there was a big storm. The sea became very rough. Huge waves were hitting the boat and the disciples were very scared. When the disciples finally woke Jesus up, he immediately saw how scared they were.

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Jesus got up and told the storm, “Stop!” At once it calmed down. Then he said to his disciples, “You must not be scared, because I am here to help you.”

Let’s pray: Jesus, I am so thankful that you will always help me when I’m feeling scared. Amen.

You can give all your fears and worries to Jesus.

What do you do when you are scared? 120

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30. Jesus calls the children (Mark 10:13-16)

One day, a group of mothers brought their children to see Jesus. They wanted Jesus to bless their children. Jesus’ disciples shouted at them to leave him alone. But Jesus told his disciples not to chase them away. Instead, he opened up his arms and said, “Let the children come to me.” All the children laughed and ran up to Jesus. He placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

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Then he told his disciples, “Children are very important to God.”

Let’s pray: Jesus, I am so thankful that I am important to you. Amen.

Jesus loves children very much.

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Do you know that Jesus has a special place in his heart just for you? How does that make you feel?

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31. Five loaves and two fish (John 6)

One day a big crowd of people came to listen to Jesus talk about God. As the day went by the people became hungry. They had forgotten to bring food with them.

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Jesus told his disciples to give the people food. Andrew, one of his disciples, brought a small boy to Jesus. “This little boy has five loaves and two fish,” he said. “But it’s not nearly enough to feed this big crowd of people.”

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Jesus smiled at the little boy and took the food from him. First, Jesus thanked God for the food. Then he broke the food into smaller pieces and shared it among all the hungry people. There was enough for everyone! It was a miracle. There was even food left over. Jesus’ disciples collected twelve baskets of leftovers.

Let’s pray: Jesus, I know that you can do anything. Amen.

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A miracle is something impossible that God can do.

Can you think of a miracle that happened to you or someone you know?

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32. Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8)

One day when Jesus was teaching a crowd of people about God, Jairus pushed his way to the front and fell to his knees. He said to Jesus, “My daughter is very ill. I know you can make her better.” Jesus went with Jairus to his house. On the way there, people came running to meet them and told them that the little girl was already dead.

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Jesus comforted Jairus. “Don’t worry, just believe,” he said. When they reached Jairus’ house, Jesus told the people to stop crying. He told them the little girl was only sleeping, but they laughed at him. Jesus went into the house. He took the little girl’s hand and said, “Get up!”

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Straight away she was better. Jesus told the family to give her something to eat. Everyone who saw her knew that there was no one like Jesus.

Let’s pray: Jesus, you really are wonderful. I love you very much. Amen.

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God loves us and helps us when we are hurt and sad.

Is there something impossible you need God’s help with? 133

33. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10)

Jesus was a very good storyteller. One day, he told a crowd of people this story: A Jewish man was walking along a dangerous road by himself. Bad people were waiting to rob him. They hit him over the head, stole all his things and ran away.

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Then a Jewish priest came walking along the road. He saw that the man was badly hurt, but he didn’t stop to help him.

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Later someone else who worked in the temple came along and also walked past without helping the man. At last, a good Samaritan came along and stopped to help the Jewish man who was hurt. In those days, the Jews and the Samaritans were not friends. But the Samaritan lifted the Jewish man onto his donkey and took him to a place where he would be cared for.

How can you help other people? 136

Let’s pray: Jesus, help me to always help other people. Amen. Jesus wants us to help other people.

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34. The Shepherd and his sheep (Luke 15 and John 10)

One day Jesus told a crowd of people: I am like a good shepherd. A good shepherd knows the names of all his sheep. And the sheep know his voice. When he calls, the sheep come running to him. Another time Jesus told the people this lovely story: There was a shepherd who had a hundred sheep.

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One day, one of the sheep went missing. The shepherd left all the other sheep and hurried to look for the missing one. When he found the sheep, he was so happy that he threw a party.

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Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you that you always take care of me so well. Amen.

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Jesus knows you by name.

Have you found something special of yours that was lost? How did it feel when you found it?

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35. Lazarus (John 11)

Jesus’ friends, Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus, lived in a small village called Bethany, near Jerusalem.

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One day Lazarus became very sick. Martha and Mary sent someone to tell Jesus. But Jesus arrived at their house too late. Lazarus had died four days earlier. Jesus saw how sad Martha and Mary were. He cried with them because he also loved Lazarus. Jesus went with the sisters to Lazarus’ grave, and said, “Lazarus, come out!”

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Then Lazarus came walking out of his grave! Everyone was so happy to see him alive again.

Let’s pray: Jesus, I am so grateful that we are friends. Amen.

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What does it mean to be someone’s friend?

Jesus cares about his friends.

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36. Bartimaeus (Mark 10)

Bartimaeus was born blind – he could not see. Because he was blind, he could not work, and all he could do was sit by the roadside and beg. One day he heard Jesus coming towards him. He shouted, “Jesus, please help me!” The people told him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Jesus, please help me!” Jesus came up to him and said, “You believe, and because you believe, you can now see.”

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And then, Bartimaeus could see! He was very happy! From that day on he travelled everywhere with Jesus. Close your eyes tight and walk across the room. How does it feel to be completely blind?

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Let’s pray: Jesus, please help me to remember that you will help me too. Amen.

Jesus helps everyone who believes in him.

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37. Jesus walks on water! (Mark 6)

After a long day of preaching to a big crowd of people, Jesus wanted to go and pray alone. He asked his disciples to row off in their boat across the lake, and he stayed behind. While Jesus was praying, the wind started to blow very hard. On the lake, the disciples were struggling to keep the boat from sinking. Jesus saw that they were in trouble and walked out to them on the water. Suddenly the disciples saw Jesus walking across the rough sea towards them!

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They got a big fright because they thought he was a ghost! Jesus said to them, “Don’t be scared. It’s me, Jesus!” As he climbed into the boat, the wind stopped blowing.

Do you know that it is okay to be afraid sometimes? 152

Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you for always being with me. Especially when I am scared. Amen. Jesus will always help you because he loves you.

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38. The Lost son (Luke 15)

This is one of the wonderful stories Jesus told: Once there was a father who loved his two sons very much. One day the younger son decided that he wanted to take his money and leave home.

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He travelled to a faraway country, where he wasted all of his money. When he had no money left, he found a job looking after pigs. He was so hungry that he wanted to eat some of the pigs’ food.

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Finally, he decided to go back to his father, say sorry, and ask if he could work for him. His father was hoping his lost son would return. When he saw his son coming down the road, he ran to him and hugged him tight. The father was so happy to see him again! He gave him new clothes and organised a big party to welcome him home.

Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you for forgiving my sins. Amen.

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God will forgive us, no matter what we do.

Can you think of something you want to ask God to forgive? 157

39. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet (John 13)

Jesus and his disciples were sitting around the dinner table. Jesus saw that their feet were dirty from walking along the dusty streets all day. Jesus got up, took off his robe and tied a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin. He began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them off with a towel. Peter did not want Jesus, his leader, to wash his feet. “You will never wash my feet,” he said.

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Jesus answered, “If I don’t wash your feet, you cannot be one of my disciples.” So Peter allowed Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus did this to show his disciples that we must all love and care for one another.

Let’s pray: Jesus, help me to always care for my friends. Amen.

Remember to do special things for your friends.

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How can you show your friends that you care about them? 161

40. Zacchaeus climbs a tree (Luke 19)

Zacchaeus was a very rich man who lived in Jericho. Nobody liked him because he cheated and took money from other people. One day Jesus came to Jericho. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus very badly, but he was too short to see through the crowd.

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Zacchaeus knew he had to make a plan. So he quickly climbed into a nearby tree. From there he could see Jesus clearly. And Jesus saw him.

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The people were all surprised when Jesus began to talk to Zacchaeus. And Zacchaeus was amazed when Jesus came to his house to eat a meal with him. He promised Jesus that he would never cheat people out of their money ever again. From that day on, bad Zacchaeus became good Zacchaeus, and he was kind and fair to everyone.

Let’s pray: Jesus, please help me to be kind to other people. Amen.

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People who love Jesus, share his love with other people.

How do you feel when something happens that you think is unfair?

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41. Jesus rides on a donkey (Matthew 21)

Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. When they came near to Jerusalem, Jesus said to his disciples, “Bring me a young donkey.” He told them where to find the donkey and what they had to say to its owner. Jesus’ disciples went to the place where the donkey was. They were about to take the donkey when the owner asked, “Why are you taking my donkey?” “Jesus needs him,” they replied. The man was happy with this answer and he gave the donkey to them.

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Jesus rode the donkey into the city of Jerusalem. Crowds of people lined the street. They waved palm branches in the air and shouted, “Praise the Lord. Here comes the King!”

Let’s pray: Jesus, I want to sing your praises every day. Amen.

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Jesus is the only true King.

What praise would you like to shout for Jesus our King?

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42. The Ten girls (Matthew 25)

Jesus told this story about being ready for him: Ten girls with oil lamps were waiting for a special visitor to arrive. They did not know when the visitor would be there. They kept their lamps burning the whole time because it was dark. But only five of the girls had been clever enough to bring extra oil with them. Before long, all ten girls began to yawn and fall asleep. Suddenly someone shouted, “Here he is, the important visitor is here!” The five clever girls quickly filled their lamps with extra oil and lit them. 170

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The other five girls had to run to the nearest shop to buy more oil. The important visitor was very happy to see the five clever girls and they had a lovely party. There were delicious things to eat and to drink. When the other five girls arrived, it was too late to join the party. They missed all the fun. We must be like the five clever girls and we must be ready for Jesus.

Let’s pray: Jesus, I want to bring you joy in everything I do. Amen.

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We must always give our best for Jesus.

If Jesus came to visit you today, what would you do for him?

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43. The Cross (Matthew 27)

Jesus had enemies who wanted to kill him. They captured Jesus and took him to Pontius Pilate, the most important man in the country. They told him to find Jesus guilty of a crime, but Pilate could not find anything that Jesus had done wrong. Pilate decided to ask the people what he should do. Jesus’ enemies had told many lies about him. Many people believed these lies. So when they saw Jesus, they all shouted, “Crucify him!” Pilate told the soldiers to crucify Jesus at a place called Golgotha. There they hung Jesus on a cross between two criminals.

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While he was dying on the Cross, Jesus asked God to forgive the people who were being so cruel to him. Jesus died on a Friday afternoon. Now, we remember the day that Jesus died for us on the Cross as Good Friday at Easter.

Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you that you died on the Cross for my sins. Amen.

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Jesus died on the Cross so that all our sins can be forgiven.

How does this story about Jesus make you feel?

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44. Jesus rises from the dead (Matthew 27, Luke 23-24, John 20)

Jesus was buried on the Friday in a cave that belonged to his friend, Joseph. Everyone was very sad. Early on the Sunday morning a group of women went to the grave. When they arrived, they found that the big stone in front of Jesus’ grave had already been rolled away ... and that the grave was empty! An angel appeared and told them that Jesus had risen from the dead, and that he was alive.

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They were so happy. They rushed back to tell Jesus’ disciples the good news. One of the women, Mary Magdalene, went back to the empty grave. She cried because she did not know where Jesus was. Then she heard someone calling, “Mary!” Right away she knew it was Jesus. She ran to tell the others that she had seen Jesus with her own eyes.

Let’s pray: Jesus, I am so happy that you are alive! Amen.

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Jesus is alive!

How would you like to celebrate the fact that Jesus is alive?

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45. Jesus walks with two friends (Luke 24)

Two of Jesus’ friends were walking to their village, Emmaus. They were talking about Jesus’ death. A man came along and started walking with them. It was Jesus but the men didn’t recognise him because they were so sad that Jesus had died. Jesus talked to them about the scriptures.

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When they got home, they invited him to have supper with them. As he broke the bread and thanked God for it, they suddenly realised that it was Jesus!

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Then Jesus went away. The two friends rushed to tell the disciples and friends of Jesus, “Jesus is alive! We saw him with our own eyes!”

Let’s pray: Jesus, I’m so glad you are alive. Thank you for telling me about it in the Bible. Amen.

We must share the good news: Jesus is alive. 184

If you could ask Jesus any question, what would you ask?

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46. Jesus appears to his disciples (John 21)

Peter and the other disciples had been out fishing in their boat all night – but they didn’t catch any fish. When they rowed back in their empty boat, Jesus was waiting for them on the shore. They did not recognise him.

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He said to them, “Throw your nets out again!” This time they caught a lot of fish. Then John shouted, “It’s Jesus!”, and Peter dived into the sea and swam quickly to the shore.

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When the disciples reached the shore, Jesus had already made a breakfast of fish and bread for them. Then he sat down and ate with them.

Do you realise that God’s help for us is always a miracle? 188

Let’s pray: Jesus, it is wonderful that I can trust in you. Amen.

Jesus is always aware of our needs.

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47. Jesus goes to heaven (Acts 1)

One day Jesus told his disciples that he had to go back to be with his Father in heaven, because heaven is his true home. He also told them not to be sad, because one day they would all join him in heaven. Jesus and his disciples then climbed to the top of a mountain.

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A cloud came down and covered them. When the cloud lifted, it took Jesus away. Jesus’ disciples watched him go to heaven just as he said. Suddenly they saw two angels standing among them. The angels said to the disciples that Jesus will come back one day.

Let’s pray: Jesus, I know you will return and take me to heaven, because the Bible tells me so. Amen.

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Even though Jesus is in heaven, he is also with us.

Do you understand that although Jesus is in heaven, he is still always with you?

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48. Peter heals a crippled man (Acts 3)

One day, Peter and John saw a man that could not walk properly, begging near the temple. He asked them for some money. Peter said to him, “Look at us.” The man looked at them because he hoped they were going to give him something. “I have no money, but I will give you what I have. In the name of Jesus, stand up and walk!” said Peter.

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At once the man stood up and began walking. He jumped up and down because he was so happy! He praised and thanked God.

Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you that you use people to do your miracles on Earth. Amen.

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Do you know that God can use other people to help us?

Miracles still happen every day.

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49. Paul (Acts 9)

There was a man named Paul who was very cruel to the people who loved Jesus. Because of this they were very scared of him. One day, Paul was travelling to a big city called Damascus. Suddenly a bright light shone on him. He was so scared that he fell down on the ground. Then Jesus spoke to Paul and told him he had to stop his cruelty towards his followers. Paul listened to Jesus and promised never to be cruel again. From that day on he loved Jesus and told everyone about him.

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Let’s pray: Jesus, please help me to never do cruel things to others. Amen.

We must listen to Jesus when he tells us we are wrong.

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What do you think it means to be cruel to other people?

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50. Heaven (Revelation 21)

Jesus now lives in a wonderful place called heaven. Heaven is the best place ever. The trees have fruit all year round and the rivers flow with sweet water. There is only joy, happiness, love and safety.

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Jesus promises that we will be with him in heaven.

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Let’s pray: Jesus, thank you for such a wonderful place called heaven. Amen.

How would you describe heaven?

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© All rights reserved Christian Media Publishing P.O. Box 3228, Matieland Post Office, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa www.christianmediapublishing.com Author: Ewald van Rensburg Illustrations: Lilani Brits Reg No 2010/008573/07 No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means – electronically or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher.

First edition 2018 Revised reprint 2023 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 ISBN 978-1-928436-00-3

This book is full of lively and fun illustrations that introduce children to God’s Word and His love for them.

Children will get many hours of fun-filled learning and pleasure from this colourful story Bible. ISBN: 978-1-92843-600-3

www.christianmediapublishing.com

Written by Ewald van Rensburg Illustrations by Lilani Brits