I Can Learn the Bible: The Joshua Code for Kids: 52 Devotions and Scriptures for Kids
224
I Can Learn the Bible: The Joshua Code for Kids: 52 Devotions and Scriptures for Kids
224Hardcover
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Overview
In this 52-week devotional for children, author Holly Hawkins Shivers adapts the gift book The Joshua Code (written by her father, O.S. Hawkins) into a devotional that will help kids learn and live the scriptures. Using kid-friendly language, I Can Learn the Bible teaches scriptures in a way children can understand. Each week, kids will commit a new scripture to memory by reading a fun, engaging devotional that’s doable for a child. Matthew 7:7 will remind kids to always ask God for help. Philippians 1:6 will teach them that God is always working in their lives. And 50 more scriptures will continue to write the truth on their hearts so that they will remember it forever.
Parents using the gift book will love using the kids’ book as a discussion tool for the entire family. A great gift for baptisms, confirmations, and any special occasion, I Can Learn the Bible includes clever tips for memorizing scripture. Each new day and each new verse will reinforce to young readers that “God’s Word is FOR ME and TO ME, it is IN ME and working THROUGH ME, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!”
Trim Size: 5.5 x 7.5
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780529108999 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Nelson, Tommy |
| Publication date: | 11/11/2014 |
| Pages: | 224 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.60(w) x 7.60(h) x 1.00(d) |
| Age Range: | 4 - 8 Years |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
I Can Learn the Bible: the Joshua code for kids
52 devotions and scriptures for kids
By Holly Hawkins Shivers
Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2014 Holly Hawkins ShiversAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-529-10899-9
CHAPTER 1
Week 1
Your View of the World
Have you ever tried on a pair of glasses that did not belong to you? Things look very different, don't they? Like looking through different glasses, every person looks at the world in a certain way. We call this a worldview. The way we see our world affects how we live and the choices we make. So what you believe is very important. Some people think the world happened for no reason—it just appeared out of nowhere in one big poof! Others are not sure how it came to be, and don't really know why they are here. The very first verse in the Bible gives us the correct glasses that fit perfectly, and through which everything looks crystal clear. Let's answer three important questions about this verse.
When?
"In the beginning ..." This takes us back to the very beginning—before anything was, the beginning of time! Close your eyes and be as quiet as you can for ten seconds. That's what it was like in the beginning. It was dark and empty.
Who?
Look at the next word in this verse: "In the beginning, God ..." It was dark and empty, and God was there. He was in the beginning before time even began! Have you ever wondered where He came from, or how He got there? Even though it's hard to understand, the Bible tells us He was just always there. In the beginning was God.
What?
In the beginning, what did God do? He created the sky and the earth. Wow! So out of darkness and emptiness, He made the whole world! What a wise, creative, amazing God we have.
Dear Jesus, thank You for creating the world we live in. You are so great and You are so amazing. My favorite part of Your creation is.... Amen.
Now that you understand this verse, you have a worldview! You know how we got here, and when you see a beautiful sunset, you know who painted it. As you begin memorizing your first verse this week, you are putting God's Word in your heart and mind. His Word—the Bible—is there for you, and it will never go away.
Say these words out loud:
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 2Week 2
What Is the Gospel?
This week's verse is the most famous verse in the Bible. It is sometimes called the gospel, or the good news. God gave His only Son, Jesus, so that those of us who believe in Him could live forever with Him one day in heaven. Now that is good news!
Why Did God Do This?
The first part of the verse tells us exactly why God gave His Son. "For God loved the world so much ..." He did it because He loves us! Do you know how deep the ocean is? Do you know how wide it is from the east to the west? (It would be like starting to walk one way and never stopping!) That is how much God loves you. And do you know the best part about His love? It never ends. No matter what you do or where you go, God will never stop loving you. God loves the world so much.
What Did God Do?
The second phrase in this verse tells us what God did. "He gave His only Son." That means that God has one Son, and He let Him die on a cross—for you and for me, to save us from our sins. You would have to love someone a whole lot to give up your own son, right? And Jesus, God's Son, chose to follow and obey His Father and died on a cross.
Who Did He Do This For?
The next part of this verse says, "Whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but have eternal life." That means that if you believe in God, and if you believe that Jesus died for you, God has promised you life forever in heaven! He did this for you.
God loves you so much that He gave His only Son, and if you believe in Him, you will never be lost and you will have eternal life! And that is the gospel.
Dear God, thank You for loving me. Thank You for giving Your only Son for me and for Your promise of heaven. I believe in You! Amen.
Let's say it together:
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 3Week 3
Sin and Grace
We have learned that God loves us and sent His Son to die for us. We have also learned that if we believe in Him, He will forgive our sins and give us the promise of heaven. This week's verse is about how we can receive God's gift of grace—even though we don't deserve it.
A Thing Called Sin
The Bible tells us that we all have sin in our lives (Romans 3:23). Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything? Have you ever said something that was unkind? Maybe you have not done something, even though you knew you should have. These are all sins. When we do these things, we often feel sad inside. And because we sin and God is perfect, we can't ever be good enough to get to heaven on our own. Our sin actually separates us from God. Because of that sin, we deserve to be punished.
Your Punishment
Here comes some good news: Have you ever heard of the word grace? Grace is getting something that you don't deserve. It would be like going to the principal's office after getting in big trouble. But instead of being punished, the principal gives you a big hug and says, "I'm going to be punished in your place." The principal saved you from your punishment and gave you grace. Even though we sin, God saves us from our punishment (being separated from God). Then, He gives us a gift of grace—forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven with God.
It's Free!
God's gift is just that—a free gift. You don't have to be perfect, but you do have to have faith and accept this amazing gift He offers you. Have you ever told God that you believe in Him and want to take His free gift of grace? If you want to, you can tell Jesus right now:
Dear Jesus, I know I sin against You. Please forgive me for my sins and be in control of my life from now on. I believe in You. Thank You for coming into my life, forgiving my sins, and giving me a home in heaven! Please help me follow You the rest of my life. Amen.
Wow! See how God's Word is working in you? If you have received God's gift today, you have begun a wonderful journey with your very best Friend. Now you can talk with other Christians about being baptized and following Jesus' example in all you do.
Let's say it loud!
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 4Week 4
You Have a Shepherd
You have probably heard the story of David and Goliath. Do you know what David's job was as a young boy? He was a shepherd in the fields of Bethlehem. What do you think a shepherd is supposed to do? If you said, "Stay near his sheep, make sure they don't wander off, and protect them from wolves and other predators," then you were right! A shepherd takes good care of his sheep and protects them day and night.
How Is the Lord Our Shepherd?
In Psalm 23, David calls God his shepherd. What do you think he means by that? He means that the Lord is always with us, He will keep us from getting lost, and He will protect us.
Do you think a shepherd walks behind or in front of his sheep? He walks in front! He leads them and shows them where they need to go. Just like a shepherd, Jesus leads the way for us.
Let's look at each of the words in the verse and think about what they tell us:
The Lord—There is only one Lord.
Is—This means He is my shepherd—right now!
My—He's mine! He cares about me and watches over me.
Shepherd—He keeps me close to Him and protects me.
What Does the Shepherd Give Us?
David says something else very important: "I have everything I need." God wants us to ask Him for things we need and to trust Him as our Shepherd to take care of us. Sometimes we want things other people have, and we don't feel happy until we get what we want. But Jesus wants us to be content. That means being happy and thankful for what we do have, not only thinking about what we don't have.
Do you trust Jesus to be your Shepherd, to watch over you and give you everything you need? If so, tell Him!
Dear Lord, thank You for being my Shepherd and leading me. Sometimes I want.... but I trust You, and I know You give me everything I need. I promise to follow You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Don't forget ...
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 5Week 5
The Good and the Bad, Together
Have you ever eaten a fluffy, warm biscuit, fresh from the oven? Yum! A lot of ingredients were put into that biscuit to make it taste so good. But if you were to take a bite of the flour, just by itself, it would taste awful. Or if you licked only the baking soda off of the spoon, you might gag! Once you add all of the ingredients together, though, you get a wonderful result—a warm, delicious biscuit.
When Bad Things Happen
Like those yucky ingredients, some things in life "taste" bad to us or make us very sad. Maybe we get hurt, or we lose someone or something we love. This week's verse teaches us that even though these things may make us sad, God can use them, along with other things in our lives, to make something good. God may choose to teach you a lesson through your sadness, or He may use you one day to help someone else who is feeling sad, just like you did. Either way, God promises us that even when bad things happen, He can actually turn them into good things and use them for a reason in our lives.
A Wonderful Promise
Did you notice the first two words of this verse? It says, "We know." We, as children of God, can know that God will work everything in our lives for good. And does it say some things? No, it says everything! The last part of the verse shows us that this promise is only for those of us who love God and are part of His family.
Romans 8:28 can bring you a lot of comfort now and throughout the rest of your life. What are some bad things that have happened to you? Can you think of a way God has used some of those things for good?
Dear Lord, thank You for working out everything in my life for good. I love You and I believe that You only want the best for me. Please help me when I am feeling sad about.... Help me remember that You can make bad things into good things, even when I don't understand. In Jesus' name, amen.
This time, start with a whisper, then get louder and louder until your neighbors can hear you!
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 6Week 6
Thirsty for Doing Right
One day Jesus was teaching on a mountainside. He told all of the people listening that even if you do the right thing on the outside, it doesn't please God unless you also have the right attitude on the inside. This part of His lesson is called "The Beatitudes." Jesus teaches that we need to be who He wants us to be before we do what we think we are supposed to do. For example, if your teacher tells you to finish your math worksheet and you finish it while stomping your feet, saying unkind words, and having a bad attitude inside your heart, is Jesus pleased? No! It's not just the math worksheet He cares about—it's the attitude of your heart.
What Is Righteousness?
When our hearts have a good attitude, we will want to do the right thing; that's called righteousness. It's a big word that means doing the right thing because we want to honor God, follow His laws, and live a life that pleases Him. This week's verse says that wanting to do the right thing will make us happy and blessed.
Are You Thirsty?
What is your very favorite thing to drink? Talk about that with your family. Now, imagine playing outside on a very hot day and then running inside. You see a big, tall glass of your favorite drink sitting on the counter. Think about how thirsty you would be for that drink! That is how Jesus wants us to thirst after doing the right thing.
Now, this verse does not tell us that we have to be perfect all the time (because God's love for us never depends on how good we are, right?). It means that if we hunger and thirst for what's right—if we really, truly want to do right—He will help us.
Dear Lord, help me remember that You care not only about what I do for You but also about what is inside my heart. Please give me a hunger and a thirst to be righteous and to do the right thing. And thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Can you say this by heart?
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 7Week 7
Lost Sheep
Do you remember Psalm 23:1? Recite it! Just like that verse, our verse for this week compares us to sheep. You should know a few things about sheep:
1. Sheep are not that smart.
What animals do you see doing tricks at the circus? Elephants? Monkeys? Lions? Do you ever see sheep? Not usually, because most sheep are not smart enough to learn tricks. Well, like sheep, sometimes we don't act very smart either. We choose to go our own way instead of choosing to follow God's plan for us. Have you ever gotten into trouble and thought to yourself, Why did I do that? You did that because you made a not-so-smart choice and went your own way instead of God's way.
2. Sheep do not know where they are going.
Sheep often get lost because they have no idea where to go unless they follow the shepherd. Once they get lost, they end up wandering around. We are like this too. If we are not following God, we will be totally lost. Can you think of some ways you can be sure to follow God's direction for you?
3. Sheep have no way to protect themselves.
Many animals have ways to defend themselves from enemies; think about dogs, cats, porcupines, bees, and skunks. But what about sheep? They don't have any way to protect themselves—no sharp teeth or claws, no quills or stingers, not even a stinky smell! We can't protect ourselves from our enemy either. We need Jesus, our Shepherd, to protect us.
Just like sheep, we sometimes do not make smart choices, we don't know where we are going, and we have no way to defend ourselves. But "the Lord has put on him the punishment for all of the evil we have done." This means that Jesus took our punishment and died for us, and now He is guiding and protecting us.
Dear Jesus, I know sometimes I do not make good choices, and I choose to go my way instead of Your way. Please forgive me. Thank You for taking my sin so that I can have You as my Shepherd forever. Amen.
Let God's Word work through you this week!
God's Word is for me and to me, it is in me and working through me, and just like His love, it goes on and on forever!
CHAPTER 8Week 8
Knock, Knock!
Because you are hiding God's Word in your heart every week and learning these verses, you know that God speaks to you through the Bible. But how do you speak to Him? That's right—you pray! Think about it for a second. You ... you can talk to the God of the universe. You can talk to the Maker of heaven and earth, the One who made you, the Great I Am. Wow! That is a very cool thought!
When We Ask
Our verse this week tells us how to pray and how to keep praying until we hear from God. It compares prayer to knocking on God's door—and He always answers. God wants you to talk to Him. He wants you to tell Him how you are feeling and to ask Him for help! When you ask God for things and He gives them to you, you will always remember that He heard your prayer and answered you.
When He Answers
Do you think this verse is saying that you will get anything you ask for? Well, not exactly. God wants us to pray with His plan for us in mind. That means He wants us to ask for the things He wants for us. When you were a little two-year-old, if you asked your parents for a knife from the kitchen, do you think they would give it to you? Of course not! That would not have been what was best for you. It could have actually harmed you. Just like that, sometimes we ask for things that are not God's best for us, and when that is the case, He won't give them to us. However, if we ask for something that is part of His plan for us, we will always receive it!
Sometimes we have to ask God for something for a very long time before He gives it to us. He does not always answer us right away, but He does always answer. Do you know someone who is sick? Do you know someone who needs to know Jesus? God wants you to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking on His door as long as it takes for Him to answer.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from I Can Learn the Bible: the Joshua code for kids by Holly Hawkins Shivers. Copyright © 2014 Holly Hawkins Shivers. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Foreword, 9,Letter to Parents, 11,
1. Your View of the World, 15,
2. What Is the Gospel?, 19,
3. Sin and Grace, 23,
4. You Have a Shepherd, 27,
5. The Good and the Bad, Together, 31,
6. Thirsty for Doing Right, 35,
7. Lost Sheep, 39,
8. Knock, Knock!, 43,
9. Fill Me Up!, 47,
10. The Fruit of the Spirit, 51,
11. Ring, Ring!, 55,
12. Temptations, 59,
13. From Start to Finish, 63,
14. Wrong Way, 67,
15. A Book for All Time, 71,
16. Choose Wisely, 75,
17. Tears in a Bottle, 79,
18. Do You Believe?, 83,
19. A Recipe from God, 87,
20. Christ in Me, 91,
21. Go Fish, 95,
22. How to Be Forgiven, 99,
23. Your Purpose, 103,
24. Dirty Feet and a Happy Heart, 107,
25. Dancing Gloves, 111,
26. Looking Good, 115,
27. Finding Your Way, 119,
28. Giving Grace, 123,
29. A One-Way Street, 127,
30. Don't Look Back, 131,
31. Never Too Young, 135,
32. Why Obey?, 139,
33. The Joshua Code, 143,
34. Not One Mile, but Two, 147,
35. Fingerprints, 151,
36. The Final Play, 155,
37. The Gift of Life, 159,
38. Big, Strong Hands, 163,
39. Better Together, 167,
40. The Greatest Love, 171,
41. Hide-and-Seek, 175,
42. Tired of Trying?, 179,
43. What Is Your Reputation?, 183,
44. From Heaven to Earth, 187,
45. No Idols, 191,
46. The Lord's Prayer, 195,
47. God's Song, 199,
48. A Key That Fits, 203,
49. Too Late!, 207,
50. Heaven: A Wonderful Place, 211,
51. Last Words, 215,
52. Wise Advice, 219,
Appendix, 222,