Rooted in the Gospel

Rooted in the

gospel

Dear Friend, Have you ever been walking in a forest full of trees? In California, there are forests full of a special kind of tree, called Redwoods. Redwood trees are some of the tallest trees in the world, they can soar well over 300 feet tall (that means you could stretch an entire football field across the tree)!

And they can live for a long time, well over two thousand years! Can you believe that?! You can stand next to a gigantic tree that has been standing in the same place since before Jesus came into this earth over two thousand years ago! How is that possible?

Trees can stand tall, and can live long, because they have healthy roots. You can pluck every leaf off of a tree, until it’s totally “bald,” and the tree would still live. You can chop off the biggest branch from the tree, and the tree would still live.

As long as the roots are healthy. You can’t even see all of the roots–they are dug way beneath the ground–but as long as they are there and are healthy, the tree will live and will grow.

If you take away the roots, the tree will die.

When you become a Christian, God wants you to grow. For the rest of your life, God wants you to become more and more healthy, and more and more like Jesus. And guess what?! God has given you a very special way to grow, and to stay healthy: the Gospel. This book that you have in your hands is about the Gospel: who God is, what He’s done for you in Jesus, and what He wants you to do now. Healthy trees have deep, healthy roots, sunk deep down into the earth. And healthy Christians have the truths of the Gospel sunk deep down into their hearts. That’s what this book is about–giving you the truths of the Gospel, so that they can take root in your heart.

Take your time working through each one of these truths. And talk about them with somebody! They can change your life.

We love you, and we are praying for you.

Our

Great

God

GOD IS IN CHARGE QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? What is the biggest thing think What is the biggest thing thatthat youyou cancan think of? of?

What is the most powerful thing think What is the most powerful thing youyou cancan think of? of? think of anything bigger than God? CanCan youyou think of anything bigger than God?

TRUTH TRUTH created everything.

There is nothing GodGod created everything.

There is nothing that that you you can can thinkthink of inof in the entire world He didn’t create.

Invisible air, deep oceans, the entire world that that He didn’t create.

Invisible air, deep oceans, and and powerful sharks–everything, bigsmall, or small, made

by God. powerful sharks–everything, big or was was made

by God. He isHe is the greatest inventor ever invent…He even created inventors! the greatest “inventor” ever toto invent…He even created inventors!

Because He created everything, in charge of everything.

Because He created everything, He isHe in ischarge of everything.

The The sun is gigantic. know could fit over 1 million earths sun is gigantic.

Did Did you you know that that you you could fit over 1 million earths inside of the sun?!

And God controls the sun!

Or sometimes, when inside of the sun?! God controls the sun. Or sometimes, when it’s it’s outside, cloudy outside, you see the andto it rain. startsHundreds to rain. Huncloudy you can’t seecan’t the sun, andsun, it starts dreds and thousands of these tiny little rain drops all fall to the and thousands of these tiny little rain drops all fall to the ground. controls everyraindrop. tiny little They raindrop! fall an Godground. controlsGod every tiny little won’tThey fall won’t an inch inchthan further than HeHe allows. made all,isand He is inofcharge further He allows. madeHe it all, anditHe in charge it all. of it all.

God also created you, and that means that He’s in charge of you. created and that that He’s in are charge You God werealso created to you, live under Hismeans authority.

There lotsof ofyou.

You were created live under His authority.

There areand lots of other authorities in theto world: policemen, parents, teachers, authoritiesBut in the world: parents, of teachers, evenother the president.

God is thepolicemen, greatest authority all. The and even the president.

Butcan God the greatest all. The most important thing you doiswith your life authority is to live of under most important thing you can do with your life is to live under His authority: listen to His Word, obey what He tells you, and His authority: life your life for Hislisten glory.to His Word, obey what He tells you, and live your life for His glory.

VERSES Psalm 95:3-7 “For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.”

Psalm 147:5 “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.”

FINAL QUESTIONS What did God create?

What does it mean to live under God’s authority?

How can you obey God?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

GOD IS NOT A MAN QUESTIONS? How is God different from you?

How do you know what God is like?

TRUTH God is not a man. He’s not a human at all (or an alien)! He’s in a class of His own. He’s God. Sometimes people try to understand God by thinking of Him as being just like humans. Maybe you think about the feelings that you have–anger, or fear, for example–and then you assume that God feels the same way and for the same reasons you fill them! Maybe you think that He gets angry, just like you, when you get into trouble…or that He gets scared, just like you, when it’s dark at night!

Because He’s so different from you, it can be really hard to understand what He is like. But thankfully, there’s a way you can actually know, for sure, exactly what He’s like. God has revealed Himself, and what He’s like, in the Bible.

The Bible makes it clear that God isn’t just like people. God is everywhere…people can only be in one place. God knows everything…people only know some things. God is in control of all things…people aren’t in control of very much at all. God is perfect… no person besides Jesus is even close to perfect! As you can see, He’s actually quite different from us.

VERSES Numbers 23:19 “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

1 John 3:5 “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.”

Psalms 111:7-8 “The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.”

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”

FINAL QUESTIONS Where should you go to find out what God is like?

Why is it so hard to know what God is like?

How is God different from people? Make a list!

How do you feel about God being different from you? Is that scary news? Is that good news? Why?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

GOD IS LOVE QUESTIONS? What is love?

Why does God love you?

How does God show His love for you?

TRUTH God created you for a loving relationship with Him. That doesn’t just mean that you are supposed to love Him. It also means that the most powerful and awesome being in the universe loves you! Wow, that’s incredible! And do you want to know something else that’s pretty awesome? God’s love is bigger and better than you can imagine.

God’s love for you can be seen in His creation. He has given you air to breathe, food to eat, materials to build with, and beautiful things to see. Look around and see just how much God loves you!

But do you want know the best and biggest way you can know that God really loves you? The answer to that question can be seen in the life and death of Jesus Christ. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to the world to teach you more about Himself and to show you how to live. And then God gave you the ultimate demonstration of His love when Jesus sacrificed His own life, dying on the cross so that you might have a loving relationship with God. There is no greater love than this in the entire world!

God’s love is not like your love. It’s perfect in every way. He has promised you that nothing can separate you from His love, and that it will last forever. He cares for you, and He wants what’s best for you. He is always watching you, and He has wonderful plans for you. That’s why God gave His Son Jesus, to die in your place. What a perfect love!

VERSES Psalm 136:26 “Give thanks to the God of heaven.

His love endures forever.”

1 John 4:7 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

FINAL QUESTIONS Is God’s love forever?

What was the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for you?

Can anything separate you from God’s love?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Knowing God QUESTIONS? What is the Bible?

Where did the Bible come from?

Can you trust the Bible? Is it always right?

TRUTH Life is full of tough questions. And sometimes, it can be confusing just figuring out where to go for answers! Thankfully, for life’s most important questions, you don’t ever have to wonder where to look for answers. God has given you the Bible. Want to know why you’re here? (Have you ever even thought about that?!) Want to know who God is, and what He’s like? Want to know how you can actually know God, and have a real relationship with Him? There’s only one place in the entire world where you can find answers to life’s most important questions, and it’s in a book called the Bible.

The Bible tells you who you are, and it tells you how you are supposed to live. And most importantly, the Bible tells you the story of the most important Person in the entire universe: God Himself. Sometimes what the Bible tells you to do is hard. But you can still trust it, and you should still obey it, because it comes from God. And He is good.

The Bible was written by many men over hundreds of years, but God gave the words to them all. That’s what it means for the Bible to be “God-breathed.” Sixty-six books, with a bunch of different human authors–but one Author standing behind them all. That’s why you can trust it, and that’s why you must read it. That’s why even Jesus trusted it. You can bank your life on the words in this book.

VERSES 2 Samuel 22:31 “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 119:9-11 “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

FINAL QUESTIONS Who wrote the Bible?

Can you trust the Bible? Why?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Gospel

Man the sinner QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? create people?

WhyWhy did did GodGod create people?

What is sin?

Have sinned?

What is sin?

Have youyou sinned?

Is really sin really all that bad?

Is sin all that bad?

TRUTH TRUTH

created people so that He could a loving relationship GodGod created people so that He could havehave a loving relationship with them.

The first humans were named Adam and Eve, with them. The first humans were named Adam and Eve, and and theythey a Garden called “Eden.” allowed Adam livedlived in a in Garden called “Eden.”

GodGod allowed Adam and and Eve Eve to to rule over all the land, and provided them with everything rule over all the land, and provided them with everything theythey could or want. to follow, could everever needneed or want.

GodGod gavegave themthem onlyonly one one rule rule to follow, telling noteat to the eat fruit the fruit the “tree of knowledge the knowledge telling themthem not to fromfrom the “tree of the of good and evil.”

Satan came to Eve in the form a snake of good and evil.” Satan came to Eve in the form of a of snake and and convinced her that the forbidden wasn’t all that convinced her that the forbidden fruit fruit wasn’t all that bad bad and and that,that, by eating it, she would become more like God. Eve made by eating it, she would become more like God. Eve made the the decision to disobey by eating the fruit. some decision to disobey GodGod by eating the fruit.

She She also also gavegave some of it to Adam.

This was the first sin against God. Sin is when of it to Adam. This was the first sin against God. Sin is when someone against God’s authority commands, someone goesgoes against God’s authority and and commands, and and theythey decide to do things their own way.

It’s all of the things someone decide to do things their own way. It’s all of the things someone should not It’s do.the It’shateful the hateful someone thinks doesdoes that that theythey should not do. waysways someone thinks teaches everyone Adam and and acts.acts.

The The BibleBible teaches you you that that everyone sincesince Adam and and Eve has sinned against God. God created you for a loving Eve has sinned against God. God created you for a loving rela-relationship But your sin separates tionship withwith Him.Him. But your sin separates you you fromfrom Him.Him.

VERSES Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Romans 3:23 “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” James 4:17 “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

FINAL QUESTIONS Why did God create you?

When did sin enter the world?

What has happened to man’s relationship with God because of sin?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

JESUS the savior QUESTIONS? Why did Jesus come to the world?

Was Jesus more than just a man?

Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

TRUTH All people are sinners. And sinners deserve to be punished, because sin is offensive to God. Sinners can’t do anything to save themselves. They need a Savior. The whole world waited for a Savior.

That was their only hope. And one day, an angel came to a young girl named Mary, and told her that she was going to give birth to a boy, named Jesus, and that this boy was going to be the Savior. This boy wasn’t like any other person ever to live in this world. He was a real man, but he was also God. He grew up, and lived a perfect life, he never sinned. He always obeyed God, and he taught others about God. And then, one day, he was killed on a cross. The one Savior for sinners was dead. His small band of followers was devastated. Had God’s plan failed? Was hope for salvation lost for good?

Three days after he was killed, some of Jesus’ friends were going to the grave where he was buried. What they saw shocked them–but not nearly as much as what they didn’t see. An angel of God was there at the tomb. But Jesus wasn’t. He was gone. The angel told them that Jesus had risen from the grave. The tomb was empty, because the Savior was alive! Death on a cross was exactly how God had planned it, and Jesus knew it all along. He had died in the place of sinners, taking the punishment for their sins, and then he had conquered death, by rising from the grave. Those friends found Jesus–just as alive as they were–and he talked with them and over five hundred others. They understood that Jesus truly was the Son of God, who had died in their place. Then Jesus ascended into heaven to be with His Father, where he is to this day. The Savior is alive!

VERSES Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

FINAL QUESTIONS Did Jesus ever sin while he was alive?

Why did Jesus die on a cross? What happened on the cross?

What happened after Jesus died and was buried?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

OUR RESPONSE QUESTIONS? How can you be saved from your sin?

What does it mean to repent of your sins?

What is faith? Where can you get it?

TRUTH There is only one way to be saved from your sins, and that is by trusting in Jesus, who lived a perfect life and then died in your place on the cross. This trust in Jesus is what the Bible calls faith.

Faith means believing that Jesus is the perfect Son of God who died on the cross for your sins. Faith means knowing that you can’t do anything to save yourself, so that you are totally depending on Jesus for salvation. Faith is trusting.

But the Bible also teaches that real faith also produces action.

This action is called repentance. Repentance has sometimes been misunderstood to mean that you simply need to tell God that you are sorry for our sins. While you should be sorry for your sins, repentance is much more than that. It means actually turning away from your sin, hating it so much that you turn to God. So faith means that you believe that Jesus is your only hope for salvation, and real faith leads you to actually turn away from sin, and to begin obeying Jesus. That’s how you can know that your faith is real: it doesn’t make you perfect, but you do start to change! You start to choose obedience over sin. You start to love God more than you love sin. If you have this kind of faith, then you can know that you have new life in Jesus, and you are saved from your sins!

VERSES 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteouness.”

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

FINAL QUESTIONS How is a person saved?

What is faith? How do you know if faith is real?

If you have become a Christian, have you seen any changes in your life? What are they?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

REMEMBERING THE GOSPEL ORDINANCES QUESTIONS? Have you ever known anyone to get baptized?

Why do people get baptized? Does baptism do anything to the person being baptized?

What is the Lord’s Supper? Why do Christians do that?

TRUTH Jesus lived a perfect life. And then he died, in the place of people who actually deserved the punishment of death. And then he lived again. That’s the gospel, and it’s the most important story ever told in the history of the world. Great stories should be told forever, even long after the people in them have left this world. So what about the greatest story in the history of the world–the gospel-story of Jesus dying to save people from their sins? What if that story was forgotten?

God has made sure that the story of Jesus would live on forever, and would never be forgotten. One of the ways He’s done that is by creating two special “symbols” for the church, which Christians call ordinances. The first symbol that God created for the church is called baptism. Every time God saves a new person, helping them to trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, God commands that person to be baptized before the church.

That just means that they are dunked under water, and then raised up out of it again. This symbol lets the church know that this person is now one of them, a follower of Jesus, and it also reminds the church of the story of the gospel. When the person is dunked under water, it reminds them that Jesus died in their place; and when the person is raised from the water, it reminds them that Jesus defeated death by rising from his grave. The second symbol that God created for the church is called the

Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a special “meal” which Christians share together to remember the story of Jesus. They eat bread, which represents Jesus’ body, and remember that he sacrificed his own body to die for their sins. And they drink juice, which represents blood, and remember that Jesus’ blood was shed for their sins. Christians all over the world share this meal together whenever they gather together, to make sure that they don’t forget their Savior. These two symbols (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) don’t save anybody–only Jesus can do that, by his death and resurrection! They just help Christians to make sure that they don’t ever forget the greatest story ever told.

VERSES Matthew 26:26-28 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

FINAL QUESTIONS What are the two ordinances?

What do they help Christians to do?

What does baptism symbolize?

What does the Lord’s Supper symbolize?

Does baptism or the Lord’s Supper save a person?

Following

God

T h e chu rch QUESTIONS? What is the church?

Why does the church matter?

TRUTH When God saves a person, He always wants that person to grow: to grow more obedient, and to become more like Jesus. So He gives that person the Holy Spirit to do just that! But He also has another gift–another very special gift–that He has created to help all of His people to grow.

That gift is other people who are also following Jesus, and they’re called the church. The church is not a building. It’s people. It’s a group of people–made up of family and friends who live in the same area–who all meet together every week to worship Jesus.

Jesus’ followers have been meeting together as churches for hundreds of years, just like he told them to. They meet together to study the Bible, to pray together, and to encourage each other. Living together as the church helps you do lots of good things: you learn to know Jesus better; you learn how to serve Jesus and others; you learn more about the Bible; and you meet a lot of great people who are trying to grow just like you are. The more you become involved in church, the easier it is for God to do all of these great things in you. That’s why God gave it to you.

There are a lot of important things to remember about church, but one of the most important things to remember is that Jesus is the leader of any true church. Churches might have lots of leaders: musicians, small group leaders, and of course the senior pastor. But as important as those leaders are, for any church to be what God wants, all of those leaders have to be led by Jesus. Jesus is the head of the church.

VERSES Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”

Hebrews 10:25 “… not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

1 Corinthians 12:12 “Just as the body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.”

FINAL QUESTIONS What is a church?

Why should you go to church?

Who is the head of the church?

How can you become more involved in your church?

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

PR ay er QUESTIONS? What is prayer?

When do you pray? How do you pray?

TRUTH When you have a close relationship with someone, you talk with them. You probably talk to your best friend all the time. And I’ll bet you talk to your mom and dad even more! When Jesus died on a cross for our sins, he made it possible for you to have a new relationship with the most important person in the universe: God Himself.

And guess what! Just like your friends expect you to talk to them, and just like your parents expect you to talk with them, God expects you to speak with Him! That’s what the Bible calls prayer.

So what should you say? You can say anything to God. A good place to start might be to remember the “three P’s”: profess, petition, and praise. First, you can profess to Him. That just means to admit what you’ve done wrong to Him. God loves it when we humble ourselves before Him, and own up to our mistakes–even though we make them every day! Second, you can petition Him. Petition is just a fancy word for asking. Ask Him to care for you. Ask Him to help you to honor your parents and your teachers. Ask Him to help you to pray! God can do anything that He wants, so we should ask Him! And third, you can praise Him. Thank Him and worship Him for being so great and so good to you. Praise Him for the awesome things that you read about Him in the Bible. Profess, petition, and praise!

You can talk to God any time, and all of the time! Jesus liked to get up early in the morning to go somewhere alone to pray. And you can do the same thing any time of the day. Lots of people call that a “quiet time”–and it’s a great thing for you to do! But you can also pray with other people. You can pray silently in your head, or you can pray out loud. You can even write out your prayers! All of these things are great, but the point is that you learn to start speaking with God regularly–just like with a friend. Can you believe that the Creator of the Universe wants to actually listen to you?!

VERSES Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

FINAL QUESTIONS What is prayer?

How can you pray? What are the “three P’s?”

Write out your own prayer, and pray it to God.

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Reading God’s word QUESTIONS? Why is reading the Bible important?

How does it help a Christian?

When reading it, what do you look for?

TRUTH Imagine you are a detective, looking for clues to solve a crime. You walk into the room where the crime has happened, and you spot all kinds of evidence. You begin to gather and collect the evidence.

As you start to examine the clues, you realize they all point to the one person who has committed the crime. You’ve solved it!

When you read the Bible, you become like a detective: looking for clues as to what the Bible is all about. You will read about a lot of different characters in the Bible, and find many “clues.” But the characters and the clues all point to the main character of the bible, God. He is what the Bible is all about!

When reading the Bible, remember to practice these three things: 1. OBSERVE - Just see what is there! Don’t create anything that is not there. After reading a section of Scripture, stop and think. Ask yourself: What did the passage just say? Is this passage repeating ideas from other passages?

2. UNDERSTAND - What does what you just read mean? Use the passages before and after to help you. What message is this passage teaching? What is it teaching about God? What is it teaching about man? Try to summarize the passage in your own words.

3. APPLY - What does this mean for your life? What do you do now to obey this part of the Bible? How does this passage help you to trust God more?

VERSES 2 Timothy 3:14-17 “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those form whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”

FINAL QUESTIONS Who is the main character of the Bible?

What are the three things to remember when reading the bible?

Now you try! Open up your Bible, pick a brief passage, and try to follow these steps!

Write your own prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Your mission QUESTIONS? What is a mission?

Do you have a mission in life? What is it?

TRUTH Whenever anything really exciting happens to you, don’t you want to share it with everyone around? If you make a great grade on a test, don’t you want someone to know? If your team wins a close game, don’t you want to shout about it to anyone who will listen? Great news is meant to be shared!

When Jesus saves you–changing you and forgiving you for your sins–that’s the most exciting news ever! And Jesus tells you that part of your “job” as Christians, and even one of the most important parts, is to tell others about him. There are people that don’t understand what he can do to save them. There are people who haven’t even heard of him. It’s your job to tell them! It’s like God has given you a treasure, and there’s plenty to go around for everybody. So your job is just to share your treasure!

Jesus doesn’t just want to save you. He wants to save you, and other people in your city, and even people all across the world speaking totally different languages. He’s the King of all nations, and he’s the only hope for salvation! That means you share him with people in other cities and countries if you ever go on trips.

And it also means that you share him with your family, your classmates, and your neighbors when you’re at home. That’s your “mission.” Wherever you are: in school or at home, in Edmond or in Brussels, share the news of Jesus, and share what he’s done in your life. If there was ever news exciting enough to share, this is it!

VERSES VERSES Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” very end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father I heaven.”

Father I heaven.”

1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentlethe reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” ness and respect…”

FINAL QUESTIONS FINAL QUESTIONS

What is your mission?

What is your mission?

Where can you be on mission?

Where can you be on mission?

How can you be on mission for Jesus where you are How can you be on mission for Jesus where you are right now? Who are some friends that you can begin right now? Who are some friends that you can begin praying for God to give you a chance to share with? praying for God to give you a chance to share with?

WriteWrite youryour ownown prayer today in the space below... prayer today in the space below...

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Notes

hhbc.com/children