When I was younger, my mom picked me up from school and told me something very exciting. We were going to get a new puppy! I was surprised and could not wait to get there. We spent the whole drive thinking of what to name it. When we saw all the little puppies running around, we chose the biggest and cutest one, and we named him Winston. Now, he is much bigger and older, but he is still my best friend.
Can you think of a time when somebody gave you very exciting news? Maybe you got a pet, too. Maybe you learned that a friend was coming to visit, or that you would have a new family member soon.
In the Bible, there is a story about shepherds who received the most exciting news of all—that Jesus would be born. It might be a familiar story to you because we often hear about it at Christmastime. But even in July, we can feel the excitement that the good news of Jesus brings. Keep reading this issue of Just for Kids to learn more about it.
Your friend, Abby
Help the shepherd find his sheep.
The Good News of Jesus
Shepherds lived out in the fields, and at nighttime, they watched over their sheep. One night, an angel of the Lord appeared to them. At first, they were afraid. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news. It will bring great joy for all the people. Today, a Saviour has been born, and He is the Lord. Here is how you will know I am telling you the truth. You will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, a large group of angels from heaven also appeared. They were praising God. They said, “May glory be given to God in the highest heaven! And may peace be given to those He is pleased with on earth!”
The angels left and went into heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.”
So, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby. The baby Jesus was lying in the manger. After the shepherds had seen Him, they told everyone about what the angels had said. Everyone who heard it was amazed.
Hi kids!
Have you ever been to a wedding? I have been to a few, and they are so fun. There is usually lots of music, dancing, food and yummy desserts, and it is nice to see people who love each other get married. God wants us to love one another, so weddings are very special and important.
In the Bible, Jesus once attended a wedding where something incredible happened— He performed a miracle! Jesus performed many miracles. He did things that humans cannot do, such as walking on water, helping blind people see again, and healing people who were sick or hurt. He did all this through the power of the Holy Spirit. God used Jesus to perform these miracles on earth, so that we would see the amazing things He can do.
Read this issue of Just for Kids to find out what happened at the wedding!
Your friend, Abby
Miraculous Word Search
ISSUE28
There was once a big wedding party at Cana in Galilee, and Jesus, His mother, Mary, and His disciples had been invited to attend the celebration.
In the middle of the wedding, Mary realized they had run out of wine for guests to drink. She asked Jesus to help because she knew He could do something wonderful. He saw six large jugs nearby and asked servants to fill them with water. When they were filled, Jesus performed a miracle by turning the plain water into wine.
Though Jesus performed many miracles in His lifetime, this was the first one. The people at the wedding were surprised and happy. This miracle showed them how special Jesus was, and the amazing things He could do.
Did You Know?
Love is important to God and is talked about a lot in the Bible. In the New International Version of the Bible, the word “love” is mentioned more than 500 times!
What does the Bible say about love?
I give you a new command.
Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know you are My disciples. —John 13:34-35
Math Matching
Match each equation on the left to the correct answer on the right.
The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:13
Hi kids!
How do you cheer up a friend when they feel sad? When my friends are sad, I try to be a good listener. Sometimes they just want to talk to me about their feelings. Other times, I can cheer them up by telling a joke and making them smile. When someone close to you is feeling down, you can offer to do something nice for them or pray for them. You can even ask, “How can I help you?” Being a good friend means that we should support the way that our friends feel. When they feel sad, we can listen to them and be helpful and kind. When they feel happy, we can be happy with them!
Your friend, Abby
Be joyful with those who are joyful. Be sad with those who are sad . —Romans 12:15
Fun With Friends
Scrambled Feelings
