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CHAPTER 1

JANUARY

An Awesome God

January 1

First Things First

My Bible Reading:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

How about those New Year's resolutions? At the beginning of the year some students might resolve to make better grades, work out more, eat healthier, play less video games, etc. The idea of a new year naturally leads to thinking of a fresh start, a new beginning.

The first verse of the Bible starts off with a new beginning when it says "In the beginning God ..." (Genesis 1:1). Everything in the universe had its beginning with God. That's the best way to start a new year — beginning with God first.

Jesus talked about putting God first and how everything else would be taken care of in your life. He said not to worry about material things like what you're going to eat or drink or wear. He said, "Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God [first] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need" (Matthew 6:32–33).

Truth is, that's an awesome New Year's promise: put God first in your life and God will take care of you. And you can count on it, because "the LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does" (Psalm 145:13).

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My Prayer:God, You are the new beginning to everything. Thank You for all that You created and all that You provide. Help me put You first and keep You first in my life this year, starting today. You are an awesome God! Amen.

January 2

Totally Awesome

My Bible Reading:

"Do not forget the things I have done throughout history. For I am God — I alone! I am God, and there is no one else like me." (Isaiah 46:9 NLT)

What does "totally awesome" mean? Words like truly impressive, absolutely astonishing, incredibly amazing, mind-blowing, breath-taking, magnificent, stunning — those are some words that define totally awesome.

Yet the meaning of the word awesome goes deeper than thinking of something being terrific. The idea of awesome can also represent a feeling of fear and wonder; it is that sense of awe and amazement of the truly extraordinary. And it is this total sense of awesomeness that best expresses the view of the Almighty God of the universe.

Truth is, the prophet Isaiah went on to explain that God never had a beginning nor will He have an ending. He is all-powerful, everywhere-present, all-knowing, and unchanging. That is really a totally awesome God!

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My Prayer:I am in awe of You, God. You are beyond awesome. And what is so mind-blowing and beyond my comprehension is that even though You are so great and beyond me — You have chosen to love the likes of me. Thank You! That is awesome! Amen.

January 3

Who Is Forever?

My Bible Reading:

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. (Psalm 90:2)

Did you have a goldfish when you were really young? Where is it now? What's your first memory of the car your parents owned? What happened to that car? Remember the burning candles on your last birthday cake? How long did the flames last?

If you had a goldfish, it has long passed away. The car your parents had when you were born is probably on the junk heap. And the burning candles on your birthday cake? They have long been snuffed out. Everything in this world and everything you experience has an end. But not so of God. He has no beginning and has no end. "You are always the same" — the Bible says of God — "you will live forever" (Psalm 102:27).

Truth is, the idea of a forever — someone who had no beginning and has no ending — stretches the mind. But that is part of who God is, an everlasting, eternal, and forever God. But as difficult as that is to grasp, here is the amazing thing. You are a forever person too if you have placed your trust in Jesus.

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My Prayer:I am so thankful that You are forever. While I can't comprehend the idea of a never-ending life, I am so glad You offer me life eternal with You. You are an awesome God. I love that You are forever, and I am thankful I know You as my eternal God. Amen.

January 4

A Real Superhero

My Bible Reading:

"O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" (Jeremiah 32:17)

Superheroes: Superman, Superwoman, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, Wolverine, Storm, Batman, Raven, the list goes on. Wouldn't it be great to personally know one of these characters? What would it be like to hang out with Superman, Wolverine, Storm, or Raven? Having a superhero as a friend could feel quite prestigious and would pretty much guarantee you a lot of "friends."

Superheroes are fictional, of course. But in their world they all have some weaknesses or limitations. Not so with the God of the Bible. "'I know that you [God] can do anything,'" Job said, "'and no one can stop you'" (Job 42:2). God doesn't tire out. There is no limit to His power. No one can defeat Him. He may give people freedom to do what they want for a time, but eventually, in the end, God wins out. Think of the advantage of knowing a superhero winner like that.

Truth is, God is a powerful God who is there to strengthen and guide you. He wants you to rely on Him every day as your friend and superhero.

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My Prayer:You are the Almighty God who can accomplish anything. Help me today to rely on You and tap into Your strength for what I need. Thank You that You are powerful and that You love me. Amen.

January 5

Your Image

My Bible Reading:

Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." (Genesis 1:26)

Before the sun ever shone, before the rain ever fell, before there was air to breathe ... there was relationship. Think about it. The eternal God of the universe has always existed as relationship. God the Father has always loved His Son; God the Son has always loved His Father; and God the Holy Spirit has always loved both the Father and the Son. In this cycle of perfect relationship God created you. Why? He created you in His relational image so you could experience and enjoy all the benefits relationships offer.

Truth is, God didn't create you because He needed relationships — He already existed as relationship. He created you because by nature He has a relational heart and He wants you to enjoy the goodness of life in relationship with Him and others. That's a great image to live out!

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My Prayer:Thank You for creating me in Your relational image. I want to experience relationship like You. In this New Year teach me to have a compassionate and loving heart like You. Help me express that to someone today. Amen.

January 6

Hide & Seek

My Bible Reading:

"If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you," says the LORD. (Jeremiah 29:13–14)

Who hasn't played hide-and-seek at one time or another? "1, 2, 3, 4 ... 10. Ready or not, here I come!" The idea, of course, was to find your friends and tag them before they touched home base and became safe. You may have outgrown the hide-and-seek game, but God still wants you to "play" a version of that game with Him.

In many respects God is hidden from you because He is not a material being. The Bible says, "'God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth'" (John 4:24). Even though He is invisible to you, He wants you to seek Him so you will experience His spiritual presence every day in your life.

Truth is, Jesus said to seek and "keep on seeking, and you will find" (Matthew 7:7). He really wants to be found so you can feel Him close to you, like a best friend. Keep seeking Him because He's the best thing in life!

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My Prayer: Thank You that You want me to find You and know You as my best friend. Give me more of a desire to seek You out in Your Word and in prayer. And let me find all that I need in You today. Amen.

January 7

Count on It

My Bible Reading:

"Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

There aren't a lot of things you can count on in life. But there are some. Try this out on a friend. Ask someone to:

1. Choose a number — any number.

2. Double it.

3. Add twelve to that number.

4. Divide the new number by two, then subtract the original number.

5. Now add one.

Then tell the person the number he or she has is seven! It will surprise your friend because you will be right. The answer will always be seven. Test it out yourself. If you followed the instructions exactly, your answer will always come out to seven. Whether you start with five or fifty billion, the final number will be seven. That is a mathematical truth you can count on.

Truth is, at times people and situations in life can be disappointing and you may wish you could have someone to count on. And you do! Jesus will always be there for you — always, every time. It is in God's nature to always be true. He never changes. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

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My Prayer: Thank You that You were there for me yesterday, that I can count on You to be there for me today, and that You will be there for me for the rest of my life and beyond. Help me share this truth with a friend today. Amen.

January 8

Worries?

My Bible Reading:

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Do you ever worry? Do you sometimes worry you won't make a good enough score on a test? What about sports? There are always worries about not doing enough to win or helping the team win. There are relationship worries like, "Am I likable enough or will the people I care about remain my friends for very long?" There are home-life worries like, "Will my family always be a safe and peaceful place where I can relax and be accepted for just being myself?"

Now use your imagination. Imagine Jesus materializing and visiting you in a quiet place. He places a hand on your shoulder and in a soft voice says, "I really care what is happening to you right now. It hurts Me that you hurt. I want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what."

You begin to open up and share with Jesus the details of your struggle. He leans forward and says in a caring voice, "I'm really sorry you're going through all this." You look closer and see tears of compassion filling His eyes.

Then just as you are about to get up, Jesus reaches out and touches your arm. In a tender voice, He says, "I want you to know that I'm your safe place. You can always come to Me without fear of rejection or ridicule. I'll be your closest friend."

Truth is, Jesus isn't an imaginary friend. He is real and He cares about everything that is happening to you. He says, "'Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:20).

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My Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, that You care about me and all that is happening in my life. Help me accept that and bring my worries and cares to You each day. I know You are with me and You do care. Amen.

January 9

Ultimate Goodness

My Bible Reading:

"He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!" (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Think about your happiest moment in life. What was your best meal ever? Where was your best vacation? Remember the most beautiful sight you ever saw? As you think about those, you are recalling moments of joy, contentment, beauty, and goodness. Now, where did all those good things come from?

The Bible says, "Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father" (James 1:17). He is the originator of all that is good. It's not that God just does things that are perfectly good. He is perfectly good by His very nature. He is "'the one who is holy and true'" (Revelation 3:7). "'The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!'" (Psalm 92:15).

Truth is, the reason you can count on God to do good and honor what He says He will do is that, by His very nature, He is true and holy and right. God will not and cannot go against His goodness and do wrong. There is absolutely no evil in His character and "it is impossible for God to lie" (Hebrews 6:18). "He remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is" (2 Timothy 2:13).

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My Prayer: Thank You, God, for Your goodness. I want to reflect Your goodness in my own life. Help me show some goodness to others today. Maybe as a result, someone will see a little of Your goodness in me. Amen.

January 10

He Knows It All!

My Bible Reading:

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. ... Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! (Psalm 139:1–6)

God knows a lot! He knows everything about your past. He knows everything about who you are right now. And He knows every thought, motive, and deed you'll ever have and do in your future. That may seem a little scary at first, but since God is all-knowing it means He has all the answers to life as well.

Truth is, relying on such an all-knowing God would make sense, and that is precisely what He wants you to do. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take" (Proverbs 3:5–6).

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My Prayer: I am so thankful that You are all-knowing. I don't want to rely on my own knowledge to plan my today or tomorrows. Help me know Your will for my life. Show me the paths I should take. You are an awesome God who cares about me and my future. I want to follow Your ways. Amen.

January 11

Faith Plus

My Bible Reading:

It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Doesn't everything we believe about God, the Bible, and the Christian religion boil down to faith — sincerely believing? A lot of people will say that, but that's not what the Bible says or what God expects. The Bible says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1 NASB). So where do the assurance and conviction of your faith come from? They actually come from a "faith plus"— a faith plus evidence or knowledge of the things not seen.

Have you ever flown in a plane? You exercise faith when you do. You believe the pilot can fly the plane safely even though you don't generally see him. You probably have never seen the expert engineers and machinists who built the plane, but you believe the aircraft is safe. Your assurance of safety comes from your knowledge that the airline company has a good track record and the evidence of expert pilots. You put your faith in the plane and pilot plus the evidence that airplanes are a safe form of travel. It's faith plus evidence that gives assurance and conviction to your belief.

Truth is, Jesus doesn't want you to blindly believe in Him and His Word. He wants you to explore the evidence that God is real, that His Word is reliable, that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died and rose from the dead to purchase your salvation. Jesus wants you to have a faith plus — a belief that is backed up with evidence. That will give your faith assurance and conviction.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "#Truth"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Josh McDowell Ministry.
Excerpted by permission of Barbour Publishing, Inc.
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