The suggested reading plan is keyed to Immerse: The Reading Bible™, Messiah by Tyndale House Publishers.
The TogetherTime family discussion prompts are adapted with permission from the FAITH5 framework developed by Richard Melheim. Learn more at www.faith5.org.
Requests for permission to quote from this book should be directed to: Permissions Department, Our Daily Bread Publishing, PO Box 3566, Grand Rapids, MI 49501; or contact us by email at permissionsdept@odbm.org
Life is busy. Between school, work, and everyday routines, it can be hard to find time to connect with God and with one another as a family. But when we do, the rewards are life-giving. That’s the purpose of Our Daily Family Journal—to help your family weave simple, intentional spiritual rhythms into everyday life.
This devotional isn’t about adding one more thing to your schedule; it’s about inviting God into the time you already share. Whether around the table, before bed, or even in the car, TogetherTime will help your family experience and live out God’s amazing love shown through Jesus Christ.
TogetherTime
Our Daily Family Journal uses a simple five-step rhythm designed to help your family connect with God and with one another in meaningful, lasting ways. Each step is rooted in Scripture and can be practiced in a way that fits naturally into your life.
Step 1: CONNECT by sharing the highs and lows of your day (Romans 12:5, 10, 15).
Begin by sharing both the joys and challenges of your day. This practice builds empathy, deepens support, and opens space for honest connection. As you reflect together, you learn to celebrate
victories, bear one another’s burdens, and grow in gratitude. You may start with casual conversation, or you might first pause for prayer or a breathing exercise—whatever helps your family be fully present with God and with each other. You might have every member share both their greatest joy and biggest challenge, or you could have everyone share either a high or a low, especially if you have a large family! In this journal, space is provided to document the moments, thoughts, and insights your family shares—whatever feels meaningful or important to remember.
Step 2: RECEIVE wisdom from the Bible and family-friendly devotions (James 1:21).
After connecting, turn to God’s Word. The devotional readings in Our Daily Family Journal align with daily readings of Immerse: The Reading Bible, Messiah. See “Your Bible Reading Plan” below for more information on adapting the readings to fit your family’s rhythm.
Step 3: REFLECT on how the Scripture applies to your life (Psalm 1).
Take time to consider how God’s Word intersects with your everyday experiences. Invite each family member to share how what you read connects to life at school and work, with friends and at home, at the store or the soccer field—anywhere life takes you. Reflection allows everyone to take personal responsibility in applying biblical truth and aligning their life with God’s Word.
Step 4: RESPOND together in prayer (Philippians 4:6).
Close your reflection with prayer. Give each family member space to talk with God—to praise Him, express gratitude, share requests,
or surrender to the Holy Spirit’s direction. Prayer draws your family closer to Christ and to one another.
Step 5: ENCOURAGE one another with kind words rooted in Scripture (2 Corinthians 13:11).
End your time by speaking encouragement into each other’s lives. Words grounded in Scripture strengthen faith, remind each person they are loved, and build resilience for whatever challenges lie ahead. Biblical encouragement is one of the greatest gifts we give each other as members of God’s family.
When these steps are practiced consistently with others, this rhythm deepens your understanding of God’s Word, nurtures spiritual growth, and cultivates the fruit of discipleship.
Weekly Recap
TogetherTime conversations create space for the Holy Spirit to bring transformation into your life. At the end of each week, you’ll be invited to look back and remember what you’ve read, learned, and shared together, reflecting on how God’s Word has shaped your thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
Help your family notice growth over time, celebrate what God has done, and strengthen your connection with one another and with Him.
You might also see who has memorized the week’s theme verse! To help with Scripture memory, begin each daily devotional reading by saying the weekly theme and theme verse together; it’s a simple rhythm that helps God’s Word take root in your hearts.
As you use Our Daily Family Journal, you are setting an example of faith and devotion while giving your children a gift that lasts far beyond these moments: a deeper relationship with God and one another.
Your Bible Reading Plan
Our Daily Family Journal: An 8-Week Devotional Journey with Messiah is designed to be used alongside the 8-week reading plan for Immerse: The Reading Bible, Messiah. (For more information about Immerse: The Reading Bible, see Appendix A.) Each day, you’ll read a passage that highlights the big story of Jesus’s love, wisdom, and restoration.
• For ages 5 and up, the big story of the New Testament is made accessible through the short, kid-friendly devotions included in this journal. Simply read the devotions aloud together, or listen to them in the Anchored Together reading plan using the free Our Daily Bread Ministries app.
• For ages 9 and up, alongside the devotions in Our Daily Family Journal , consider reading related passages in the New Testament. These readings are organized for you in the Messiah for Children document, which is available on the Family Kit website—just scan the QR code included in your kit welcome letter. Messiah for Children presents the big story of the New Testament in easy-to-follow excerpts, making it accessible for young readers. ( Please note: This is not currently available in audio format.)
• For ages 12 and up, in addition to the devotions in Our Daily Family Journal, read or listen to the passages from the
reading plan under “Receive” each day, which will guide you through the entire New Testament in just eight weeks. You’ll quickly notice that the readings are not presented in their traditional canonical order, starting with Matthew. Immerse: The Reading Bible is organized differently, to emphasize the narrative, chronological, and/or literary connections between biblical books, so that’s the reading plan provided. You’ll also find the traditional chapter-and-verse references, in case you want to read out of another copy of Scripture. The full 8-week Messiah / New Testament reading plan is also offered inside the back cover of the book, if you’d like to check off each reading as you complete it.
These are suggested age ranges. You know your own children. Don’t be afraid to stretch their attention spans, but be flexible and realistic. If you need to start small and gradually increase your TogetherTime each day, that’s fine. The goal is to nurture a love for God’s Word and strengthen relationships so discipleship can happen, not to engage in a battle of the wills! (See “Launching TogetherTime,” below.)
Scan the QR code to download the Our Daily Bread Ministries app to set reading reminder notifications and to access a digital copy of your family journal with code W7EP4DZA.
After completing your daily reading, continue with the Together Time prompts to discuss, respond to, and encourage one another with God’s Word.
Launching TogetherTime
Extend the Invitation
Get your family excited about starting Our Daily Family Journal a few days before you launch with a simple, fun, and quick invita-
We’re going to try something new as a family. It’s called TogetherTime. Each day we’ll get to share the best and hardest parts of our day, read a short story from the Bible, and talk about what it means for us. We’ll pray together and end by saying kind words to encourage each other. It’s a really cool way for us to spend time with God—and with each other. Think of it as a family adventure with Jesus leading the way!
Say “Yes” Together
The TogetherTime Covenant that everyone signs can help make the family devotional time feel exciting and intentional, like the family is going on a mission together. You can adopt or adapt the covenant in Appendix B or create one of your own. You might present it before
you begin the first day. Or you might wait until the end of the first day, once everyone has seen how it works and can provide input into what this commitment will look like for you as a family.
Launch!
The very first time you meet as a family, set the tone and spark excitement with a fun and warm invitation. Recap the steps quickly. Be positive about the good that will come from this adventure.
“All right family, tonight we’re starting something really special together. This isn’t just another thing to add to our schedule—it’s a chance for us to slow down, laugh, share, and grow closer to God and each other.
Here’s how it works: Each time we gather for TogetherTime, we’ll share the highs and lows of our day, read a part of God’s big story revealed in Jesus Christ, talk about what it means for us, pray, and then end by encouraging one another with kind words.
It won’t take long, but I think it’s going to make a big difference. We’ll have fun, we’ll learn together, and most importantly, we’ll discover how Jesus is walking with us every single day—just like He did with His friends in the Bible.
So, let’s get started. Who wants to be first to share their high and low from today?”
If no one speaks up right away, don’t be discouraged! Don’t be afraid of a little silence while everyone thinks. Take the lead, but don’t do all the talking. Your willingness to be honest and vulnerable will help everyone else do the same. So now, really, let’s get started!
Week 1 Anchored in Jesus’s Story
For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
Luke 1:49
Discover the Story
God has given us a special gift—the Bible. The Bible tells us of God’s big story of love. In it, we learn who Jesus is, who we are in Him, and how to live with His wisdom. This week we begin with the birth of Jesus—God coming to earth as a human. Jesus’s story shows God’s love and His plan to make things right. His story is still going today, and we get to be part of it! When we pray, we can talk to Jesus, ask for His help, and join His plan. Everyone in God’s story is called to share what Jesus has done. And here’s the promise: Jesus always hears us when we pray, and never lets us walk alone.
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. —Luke 2:6
When Jesus was about to be born, Caesar Augustus was the first emperor of Rome. He wanted to count the people in the whole Roman Empire. He ordered everyone to go to their family’s hometown to be counted in a census. Since Joseph was from David’s family, he had to travel to Bethlehem with Mary, who was about to have a baby. It may have taken five or six days for them to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and it was not an easy trip! The winding mountain trails were dusty and bumpy, and some were not very safe. When they finally reached Bethlehem, the small town was crowded with many travelers who had come for the census. While they were there, the time came for Jesus to be born. Mary wrapped Him in strips of cloth and placed Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
We don’t know for sure where Joseph and Mary stayed. It might have been a stable, or maybe an open space on the bottom floor of a house where families kept their animals. What we do know is that Jesus left His beautiful home in heaven so He could come to earth to save us. He is King of kings, but His first bed was a manger—a stone box that was used for feeding animals.
A long time before this, God chose a man named Micah to be one of His prophets (someone who would share God’s messages with people). Micah said that one day Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. And guess what? That’s what happened, just like God had said it would almost seven hundred years earlier! This amazing story of Jesus’s birth shows us that God always does exactly what He says He will do.
It’s about 70 miles (112 kilometers) from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The road is often referred to as the Nativity Trail.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for sending Jesus into the world.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], you are part of God’s great story.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 2, pages 13–27 (Luke 4:14–9:50).
A Net Full of Fish
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” —Luke 5:4
Jesus grew up with His parents. He later started His ministry—teaching people about God and helping them know how much God loves them. One day, as Jesus stood by the Sea of Galilee, people tried to get closer to Him. Jesus got in the boat of a man named Simon Peter and told him to push it out into the water. Then He sat in the boat and taught the people who were on shore. When Jesus finished teaching, He told Simon to go out into the deep water and let down the nets. Since they had just washed their nets, they were probably tired and not happy about going back out on the lake. Simon told Jesus, “We worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
TALK TO GOD
Thank Jesus that you can be part of God’s family in His kingdom.
The fishermen did what Jesus told them to do. They caught so many fish their nets began to break. They hollered out to their friends in another boat to come and help them. Both of the boats were so full of fish they began to sink! When Simon saw this, he bowed before Jesus in fear.
But Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
Two brothers, James and John, were with Simon that day too, and they became Jesus’s first followers. They knew for sure that Jesus was the Messiah the special Savior God had promised to send. As His disciples, they learned from Jesus and worked with Him to help more people become part of God’s family. Just like there were too many fish to count, the people who would come to follow Jesus would also be too many to count. Even today, more and more people are added to God’s kingdom by believing in Jesus.
God’s
kingdom has many people.
The Sea of Galilee is the largest freshwater lake in Israel and is popular with people who like to fish. Thousands of fish are caught every year including tilapia, sardine, and catfish.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], you are part of God’s great story.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 3, pages 28–37 (Luke 9:51–13:21).
DAY 3
Ask, Seek, and Knock
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” —Luke 11:9
When you get hungry, what happens when you ask your parents for something to eat? Do they give you a dog bone? Do they pick up a stick from the ground and put it in a hotdog bun with ketchup? No, your parents give you real food! Seeing those silly things on your plate might make you giggle, but your parents don’t give them to you when you’re hungry because they aren’t good for you to eat.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you learn more about Him and grow closer to Him every day.
Your parents give you what you need when you ask, and so does God. Throughout Jesus’s ministry, He told His followers, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
When we talk to God, that’s called prayer. Sometimes when we ask God for something, He might not give it to us right away. And other times, He might say no. But we know that He wants the very best for us, so when He says no, it’s because He loves us—just like when our parents say no to keep us safe or to do what’s best for us. The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:14 that whenever we ask for something that goes along with God’s best plan, He hears us and gives us what we ask for. We can always be sure God’s answer to our prayers is loving and part of His plan.
The best thing we can pray for is to know more about God and grow closer to Him. That’s what asking, seeking, and knocking are all about.
God answers my prayers. In France, people eat pigeon dinners at fancy restaurants. Pigeon is considered an elegant meal and can be an expensive item on the menu.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], you are part of God’s great story.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 4, pages 37–47 (Luke 13:22–19:27).
Tell What Jesus Has Done
Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too. —Luke 18:43
TALK TO GOD
Think of something Jesus has done for you, and say a prayer to thank Him.
We don’t know exactly how many people Jesus healed during His earthly ministry, but we know there were many! When Jesus made blind people able to see, the people who saw what happened were amazed, surprised, and confused. How can someone who was blind suddenly see! Sometimes the only explanation was, “Jesus must be from God. That’s why He can heal the blind!” When that’s the only explanation, we call that a miracle. Jesus’s miracles showed His power over sickness, disabilities, and even nature. And when people saw His miracles, they could not be quiet! News spread quickly. When people heard these stories, they praised God. Many came to believe that Jesus truly was God’s Son. Even though Jesus isn’t walking the earth today, He is still doing amazing things for us. And many of those are miracles—things only God can do! He blesses families with children and grandchildren. He gives us wisdom to make good choices. He provides sunshine and rain for crops to grow, so we have good food to eat. And He promises a forever home in heaven to everyone who believes in Him. Jesus does many wonderful things for us. We can praise Him by saying “thank you” and telling others about Him. When you invite people to your home for dinner, you can say a prayer to thank God for your food. If you get a new brother or sister, you can tell others that God blessed your family with another child. You can also play music and sing songs that praise Jesus for His goodness and love. And on top of telling others about the wonderful things He has done for you, you can tell Jesus how much you appreciate all that He’s done.
I will tell others what Jesus does for me.
Writing in a journal is a good way to remember what God does for you. Journaling helps your mind be more creative, and studies show that journaling at night helps you clear your mind and sleep better.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], you are part of God’s great story.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 5, pages 47–59 (Luke 19:28–24:53).
Jesus Walks with Two Men
They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” —Luke 24:32
One day two men were walking from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. They were talking about everything that had happened recently. Jesus walked up next to them and asked what they were talking about, but they didn’t recognize Him. One of the men, Cleopas, was surprised. “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days,” he said.
“What things?” Jesus asked. The men told Him everything that had happened—how Jesus was a powerful prophet from Nazareth. They said the religious leaders handed Jesus over to be condemned, and that He died on a cross, and how that very morning, some of Jesus’s followers saw that the tomb where Jesus had been buried was empty!
Jesus reminded the men that the Scriptures clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer, die, and come back to life. Then He went on to explain everything the prophets had said about Him—how the Scriptures that make up God’s big story in the Bible were true.
TALK TO GOD
Ask Jesus to help you clearly understand His words in the Bible.
Emmaus, Pennsylvania, a township in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States, gets its name from the village of Emmaus in the Bible. It has been listed as one of the top 100 “Best Places to Live” in the United States.
When they got to the village, the men asked Jesus to stay with them. Jesus sat with them at the table. He took the bread and gave thanks. Then He broke it and gave it to them. At that moment they realized who He was, and that Jesus Himself had taught them the meaning of the Scriptures. By coming back to life Jesus, the Messiah, showed everyone that God’s power is stronger than death. After Jesus left them, they returned to Jerusalem and were excited to tell the disciples they had seen Him.
It must have been amazing for these men to listen to Jesus explain the words that the prophets had said about Him. Jesus helped them understand everything clearly. And when they finally sat down with Him, they saw with their own eyes that Jesus was alive.
God helps me understand His Word.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], you are part of God’s great story.
WEEK 1 RECAP
Our Takeaway
Jesus’s story shows how much God loves us and that we’re a part of His big story.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 2 Anchored in Jesus’s Promises
And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors.
Acts 13:32
Trust the Promise
God’s story is full of promises, and Jesus is at the center of it all. One of the biggest promises God made was to send the Holy Spirit to everyone who believes in Jesus—and God kept that promise! The Holy Spirit provides God’s power and love, right inside of us. When we choose to follow Jesus, God gives us this special gift. The Holy Spirit helps us show Jesus’s love to others, helps us find good friends, and helps us say “I’m sorry” and turn back to God when we mess up.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 6, pages 61–70 (Acts 1:1–6:7).
The Holy Spirit Comes
Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. —Acts 2:4
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is our helper, teacher, and comforter.
Several weeks after Jesus went back to heaven, His followers were meeting together to pray and wait for the special helper—God’s Holy Spirit—that Jesus had promised to send, and a noise filled the house. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. Then small flames of fire appeared and stood above everyone there. The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in languages they did not know. The Holy Spirit gave them the power to do this amazing thing. Jewish people from every country were staying in Jerusalem at that time. Many of them came to the house where Jesus’s followers were because they wanted to see what was happening. They were surprised when they heard the disciples speaking in different languages. Everyone heard someone speaking their own language, and they didn’t know how that was possible. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!” they said. Everyone was amazed because they could understand the great things Jesus’s followers were saying about God.
Once Jesus’s followers had received the Holy Spirit, they had the power to spread the good news about Jesus throughout the whole world. The Holy Spirit would also fill them with wisdom and truth. The Holy Spirit would give them patience, peace, and comfort as they faced many challenges. Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit would come, and His promises are true.
The day the Holy Spirit came is known as Pentecost. It comes from the Greek word pentekoste which means “fiftieth.” Pentecost is celebrated fifty days after Easter.
Everyone who believes in Jesus as their Savior—the
One who can save us from our wrongdoing and help us to live close to God forever—receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us know what God wants us to do and gives us the wisdom and strength to do it. He comforts us when we are sad and guides us as we live. Jesus doesn’t want us to be alone, so He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us.
Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to
everyone who believes in Him.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you see God’s good promises come true in your life.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 7, pages 70–82 (Acts 6:8–12:24).
Philip Shares God’s Message
Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” —Acts 8:30
The Jews who didn’t believe in Jesus began to put Jesus’s followers in prison. This made many Christians leave Jerusalem and scatter throughout Judea and Samaria. The Jewish leaders probably thought this would slow down the spread of the gospel—the good news of how Jesus loves us, forgives us, and wants us to be part of God’s family—but it only made the message of Jesus spread farther!
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to show you who needs to hear about Jesus.
One of the earliest church leaders, Philip, went to a city in Samaria where he preached about Jesus and did many miracles. An angel told Philip to go to a desert road that went from Gaza to Jerusalem. On the road, Philip saw a man from Ethiopia who was an important official for the queen. The man was on his way home from Jerusalem. He was sitting in a chariot reading the words from a prophet named Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked the man. He didn’t, and he asked Philip to explain it.
Philip explained that the prophet was talking about Jesus, the special Savior God promised He would send, and how Jesus had to suffer and die to save us from the punishment we deserve for the wrong things we do. After Philip shared the gospel with the man, they rode by some water and the man asked Philip to baptize him, as a sign to show that he’d decided to follow Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the one who led Philip to tell the Ethiopian about Jesus. The Holy Spirit can lead us to people who need to hear the good news about Jesus too. And when the Holy Spirit leads you to someone, He will also help you know what to say.
I can spread the gospel.
An entire scroll of Isaiah would have been big and expensive. The man may have bought the big scroll for his synagogue, or he may have been reading a smaller section of the scroll.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you see God’s good promises come true in your life.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 8, pages 82–94 (Acts 12:25–19:20).
Lydia Meets Paul
As [Lydia] listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. —Acts 16:14
TALK TO GOD
Thank God that the gospel is for everyone.
The apostle Paul—one of the leaders when the first churches started— traveled around telling everyone the good news about Jesus. Paul traveled with two men named Silas and Timothy. As they sailed around, they went to a town called Philippi. One day, Paul and his friends went to a river outside the city gate to find a special place to pray. A group of women were meeting there, and Paul and his friends talked with them.
One of the women was Lydia. Her job was selling purple cloth, and she believed that God was real but didn’t know anything about Jesus. As she listened to Paul describe how God keeps His promises, first by sending Jesus as the Savior, and then by allowing people to be a part of His family, she accepted his words as true. Then she was baptized and so was everyone who lived in her house. Lydia said to Paul, “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home.” So the three men went and stayed with her.
Lydia is believed to be the first person to become a Christian in Europe. She was a businesswoman who sold cloth dyed in purple to people who could afford expensive clothes.
Paul and his friends were always ready to tell people about Jesus wherever they went. Even in this story, they were looking for a place to pray and found a chance to share Jesus instead! It’s important for us to tell everyone about Jesus. Lydia was from a completely different place than Paul, and they may not have had a lot in common, but the special helper—God’s promised Holy Spirit—helped Paul to teach her. As God promised, the Holy Spirit will also help us tell people about Jesus. The gospel is for everyone!
The Holy Spirit leads us to people
who want to know about Jesus.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you see God’s good promises come true in your life.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 9, pages 95–110 (Acts 19:21–28:31).
Faith in the Storm
So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. —Acts 27:25
Paul was often put in prison for preaching about Jesus. One time he was guarded by a Roman captain named Julius. Paul was sent with other prisoners to see the emperor in Rome for judgment. As they sailed to Italy, strong winds made sailing the ship difficult. Paul warned the sailors, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on— shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.”
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to give you faith to believe what He says.
The officer of the ship didn’t listen to Paul. As they continued their journey, wind blew across the island with the force of a hurricane. The ship was caught in the storm, and the crew had to throw everything overboard to keep from sinking. Things were so bad, everyone on the ship gave up hope of being saved. But Paul stood up and said, “Take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down.”
Why was Paul sure everyone would survive? Because he had a promise from God given to him directly from an angel of the Lord who visited him the night before. He told Paul, “Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.” Paul had faith—he believed everything would happen the way God told him, because God always keeps His promises. No matter what unexpected things happen, God is still in control. Paul believed that with all of his heart. We can believe everything God tells us too. The words of the Bible will always be true. We can have faith that things will happen the way God told us because He always fulfills His word.
God is always in control.
The strong wind that came when Paul was sailing was called a northeaster. In some translations it is also called Euroclydon. It’s a stormy wind that comes from the northeast in the Mediterranean, usually during autumn and winter.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you see God’s good promises come true in your life.
Dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you. —2 Thessalonians 2:15
You’ve probably never heard of Jón Páll Sigmarsson, but he is one of the strongest men to ever live. Each year the World’s Strongest Man competition takes place in a different city around the world. Men from all over compete against each other in events to see who is the strongest. Jón Páll Sigmarsson was the first man to win the competition four times. He was also the first man to squat 804 pounds (364 kilograms). Jón Páll knew what it was like to be strong.
The apostle Paul told the church in a city named Thessalonica to be strong. But instead of holding heavy weights, he told them to hold on to the true teaching about Jesus. Paul wasn’t talking about being physically strong; he was talking about being spiritually strong. The church members were being treated badly because of their faith. Their land was taken away, and they weren’t allowed to work. Some of their families stopped talking to them, and some of them were hurt because of their beliefs. Paul encouraged the church in Thessalonica by writing a letter that shared the promises of God that Jesus had taught. He told them to stay strong in their faith when they faced hard times.
Some of the events in the World’s Strongest Man competition include pushing a steam train and pulling vehicles like buses and planes.
TALK T0 GOD
Pray for Christians around the world who are being treated badly because of their faith. Ask God to help them stay strong.
Just like a bodybuilder uses weights to grow muscles, we can use the Word of God to grow spiritually strong. We can develop “spiritual muscles” to stay joyful and patient in hard times when we train our minds and hearts to know the promises in God’s Word. Paul said one day we will share in the glory of Jesus—living with Him—and that will be better than winning a strong man trophy!
I can stay strong in my faith.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you see God’s good promises come true in your life.
WEEK 2 RECAP
Our Takeaway
God promised the Holy Spirit, and He gives His Spirit to everyone who follows Jesus.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 3 Anchored in Jesus’s Wisdom
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
1 Corinthians 1:30
Choose Wisdom
This week we learn that Jesus is the source of true wisdom. God knows everything, and His Spirit helps us understand what is good, right, and true. Jesus’s wisdom gives us strength, comfort, and guidance. Even when we don’t make the best choices, His wisdom shows us the way back to Him.
It was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. —1 Corinthians 2:10
In the Bible book called Proverbs we learn a lot about wisdom—the ability to see the truth about things and then choose the right thing to do. In Proverbs we read that we can get wisdom by listening to good advice and accepting instruction from teachers, parents, and other adults we trust. But sometimes you might hear something that isn’t very wise, even if others think it is. With so many different opinions, it can be hard to know what is truly wise—especially when people don’t always agree on the right thing to do.
So, how can we get wisdom to know what is right and true? In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul wrote that the words he spoke were wise. How did he know that? He said in 1 Corinthians 2, “I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world . . . the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God.” Then Paul said, “God revealed these things by his Spirit.”
TALK TO GOD
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you God’s wisdom.
The Holy Spirit can help us to know what is right and true. He is the only one who can understand the deep things of God because He is God. The Bible tells us that the “world’s spirit”—filled with people’s opinions—is not the Spirit of God. When we are followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit helps us understand the things God wants us to know and shows us what is true and good and right. First, the Holy Spirit helps us understand the message of the gospel and believe the good news about Jesus in our hearts. Then the Holy Spirit continues to give us wisdom as we seek God and ask for His help. When we listen to God’s wisdom, we can be sure that it’s truly wise! The Greek word for wisdom used in the New Testament is sophia. It means full of intelligence. Sophia is a popular name for baby girls born around the world.
The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s wisdom guide your steps every day.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 12, pages 135–148 (1 Corinthians 7:25–16:24).
Water from a Rock
All of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. —1 Corinthians 10:4
In his letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote about a miracle God did a long time ago through a man named Moses. Moses was handpicked by God to lead His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt where they lived as slaves. Once the people were free, God continued to lead them through the wilderness on the way to a new home country. On the journey, Moses and the people camped at a place called Rephidim, where there was no water to drink!
TALK TO GOD Thank God for giving you what you need.
The Israelites complained. Angry at Moses, they demanded that he give them water. Not knowing what to do, Moses cried out to God. Instead of trying to figure it out on his own, he wisely asked God for help.
God gave Moses some special instructions. He said, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” Moses did exactly what God told him to do. Because he acted wisely—knowing that God would do what He said—enough water poured out of the rock for thousands of people and cattle to drink.
Paul shared this story in 1 Corinthians 10:1–4 to remind his readers to depend on God and trust Him for everything.
The rock in this story was more than a giant mass of stone and minerals. It represented Jesus, who offers living water—a source of hope—to all who believe in Him. God provided both physically and spiritually for the people of Israel in the wilderness. And God can provide what we need too. We are most wise when we trust His wisdom!
The three main rock groups are igneous rock, sedimentary rock, and metamorphic rock.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s wisdom guide your steps every day.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 13, pages 149–164 (2 Corinthians 1:1–13:14).
The God of Comfort
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. —2 Corinthians 1:4
Have you ever scraped your knee or elbow while you were playing outdoors? Maybe you bumped your toe on a chair. Those things can really hurt, but a bandage or cool cloth can make you feel better. Most hurts on our body can heal pretty quickly. But when you are hurting on the inside from problems or sadness, those kinds of hurts are harder to heal.
When someone makes us feel better on the inside by caring about us or helping us, it’s called comfort. It’s like when your mom or dad wraps you up in a big hug when you feel scared or sad.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for the loving comfort He offers us when we face hard times.
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, he reminds us that feeling safe, calm, and cared for when things are hard comes from God. Paul tells us that God comforts us in all the troubles we face. The amazing thing about God’s comfort is that it never runs out. No matter how many hard things happen, God keeps giving us peace and strength through Jesus. And there’s another reason God cares for us. On top of helping us feel better, God comforts us so we can comfort others. When someone else is having a hard time, God can give us the wisdom to help them feel safe and loved—sharing the comfort that God gave us.
Going through challenges, sadness, or difficult things has a purpose. Even though it’s hard, God uses the wisdom we learn from those moments to help us grow closer to Him and feel His love. Then we use that love to comfort others who are sad. And maybe God can show us a way to cheer them up.
Studies have shown that giving at least eight hugs a day helps us to be happier.
God is my comforter.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s wisdom guide your steps every day.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional. Read Messiah Day 14, pages 165–175 (Galatians).
One True Gospel
You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. —Galatians 1:6–7
The word gospel means “good news.” As you read through the Bible, you can see why it’s such good news that Jesus came to save us from our sins—all the wrong things we do. And that’s why Paul and the first Christians wanted to spread the gospel message around the world.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you know His truth by studying His Word.
Today’s Scripture is from a letter to a church in a place called Galatia. The Christians in Galatia tried to follow God, but they believed some confusing messages from false teachers. Paul heard about what was happening and sent a letter to remind them of the truth. The false teachers told the Galatians they had to do certain things before God could ever love and forgive them. Paul’s letter reminded everyone that believing in Jesus is enough. You don’t have to do extra things before God will listen to you, love you, or save you.
There are still religions in the world today that change the gospel message. So, how can we tell which messages are true? By following what the Bible says! The Bible is the Word of God that shows us the way to God. It tells us believing in Jesus is the only way to be saved from—receive God’s forgiveness for—our sins. Anyone or any religion that says something different isn’t the true gospel. There is only one gospel message: Jesus is the Son of God, who came to earth, died on the cross, and came back to life again, so we can have everlasting life—where we live with God forever. That’s the best news of all!
There is only one true gospel.
Galatia was an area in the north-central part of modern-day Turkey. It was settled by the Celtic Gauls, which is where the name Galatia comes from.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s wisdom guide your steps every day.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 15, pages 177–190 (Romans 1:1–8:39).
DAY 15
Nobody’s Perfect
Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. —Romans 3:23
Have you ever gotten an A+ on a test because you answered all the questions right? In some sporting events where judges give points, a 10 is a perfect score. It’s a good feeling to do something perfectly! When we say something is perfect, we mean that it’s exactly right.
God is perfect and, in His wisdom, He created a perfect world. He did everything exactly right. But the world did not stay perfect for long. Adam and Eve, the first people God made, brought sin into the world when they disobeyed Him. But it wasn’t just Adam and Eve who did something wrong. The Bible says everyone sins—we all mess up sometimes and don’t do what God says is right. Even good people make wrong choices and have sin in their lives. Sometimes we sin with our words or our thoughts. Sometimes we sin in the things we do.
When we go against what God says is right, our sin keeps us away from Him. But God still loves us and will forgive us when we ask.
That’s why God sent Jesus to earth. As God’s Son, Jesus is the only person who could live a perfect life. Jesus never, ever sinned! So when He died on the cross, Jesus’s sacrifice—willingly taking the punishment for all the wrong things we do—could bring us close to God.
In 1976, Nadia Comăneci became the first female gymnast to earn a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastics event. Nadia, who was from Romania, was only fourteen years old!
TALK TO GOD Thank God for forgiving your sins.
When we believe that only Jesus can save us, God accepts Jesus’s death on the cross as payment for our sins, and sees us as a perfect child of God. It’s like we get an A+ on a test. God is our judge and gives us a perfect 10 because of Jesus.
can make me perfect before God.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s wisdom guide your steps every day.
WEEK 3 RECAP
Our Takeaway
Jesus’s wisdom helps us know what is good, right, and true.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 4 Anchored in Jesus’s Peace
Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
Ephesians 4:3
Live in Peace
Jesus’s story brings peace. Peace means knowing deep inside that God is with us and loves us, no matter what is happening around us. When we have Jesus’s peace, we can feel calm—even if things are busy or uncertain. His peace helps us treat others with kindness, even if they don’t always treat us the same way. We can share God’s peace by trusting Him to help us, especially when life isn’t perfect. We can also pray for others to feel God’s peace, so their hearts can rest and trust Him instead of worrying. When people notice that we are calm and kind because we trust God, they see how Jesus’s peace can make a real difference in our lives—and theirs too.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 16, pages 190–202 (Romans 9:1–16:27).
DAY 16
Beautiful Music
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. —Romans 12:6
An orchestra is made up of many different instruments. The violin, cello, and bass are some of the stringed instruments. The woodwinds include the flute, clarinet, and oboe. The brass family has trumpets, French horns, and tubas. The percussion family has a long list of instruments including drums, chimes, and xylophones. Each instrument makes its own special sound, but when they all play together, there is beautiful music.
People are sort of like those different instruments. God created us to have our own special talents and abilities. He wants us to work together, to help each other out, and to live peace fully with one another. Because we’re all different, we need each other. Together, we’re better than we can be all by ourselves. If you sing or play the piano, you can use your talent to help others praise God. If you are good at math, you can help a friend with her homework. If you have an eye for design, you can use your skills to create posters for school. If you are good at sports, you can help others practice so they can get better. Or maybe your talent is being kind to someone who just needs a friend. Whatever gift or ability you have, God gave it to you to use. And when we all use our talents together, it’s like a beautiful symphony.
A boy named Curtis Elton, from London, England, began playing the piano when he was three. By the time he was nine years old, he was the youngest person to earn a college-level music diploma.
I will use my talents
to help others serve
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you serve others well.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
If you consider me your partner, welcome [Onesimus] as you would welcome me. —Philemon 1:17
One of the teachings of Jesus was that people who work for peace—who help others stay calm and feel safe—will be called children of God. It’s good to be a peacemaker. Being a peacemaker means encouraging others to get along and helping them work through problems when they disagree. In the book of Philemon, the apostle Paul worked to be a peacemaker.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you be a peacemaker.
Can you guess who Paul wrote the letter of Philemon to? A man named Philemon! Paul wrote this note while he was in prison. Bible scholars—people who study God’s Word to understand what it means—believe that Paul helped Philemon become a follower of Jesus. While Paul was in Rome, he met Onesimus, who was one of Philemon’s servants. Onesimus had escaped from working as a servant for Philemon and had run away. Paul taught Onesimus about Jesus, and Onesimus became a Christian—a believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Paul knew that Onesimus would be in big trouble with Philemon for running away, and he wanted them to get along, since now they were both part of God’s family. So Paul wrote to ask Philemon to make peace with Onesimus by forgiving him and treating him kindly.
We don’t know for sure what happened when Onesimus went back to Philemon with Paul’s letter, but most Bible scholars think Philemon forgave Onesimus. Paul told Philemon that he should think of Onesimus like a brother because they both loved and served God.
Can you be a peacemaker like Paul? Can you help your friends get along when they disagree? Can you help your siblings when they fight over a toy? When you are a child of God, you have the power to be a peacemaker.
It’s good to be a peacemaker.
The book of Philemon is the thirdshortest book in the Bible. It is only one chapter and is just over three hundred words.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional. Read Messiah Day 18, pages 215–224 (Ephesians).
DAY 18
Remember Others in Your Prayers
I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly. —Ephesians 1:16
Paul wrote to a group of Christians in a city named Ephesus. The people who lived there were called Ephesians. Paul had heard good things about the Ephesians’ faith in Jesus and their love for God’s people. He was excited that they were doing their part in God’s great work. Paul always remembered them in his prayers.
So, what did Paul pray for the Ephesians? He asked God to give them peace. Paul also asked God to keep giving them wisdom and understanding from the Holy Spirit. He prayed for them to know God better. He prayed that they would understand God’s Word more clearly and have hope because of God’s many promises to them. He also said that he always thanked God for the Ephesians.
TALK TO GOD
Choose someone in your life to pray for today. Pray for God to give them peace and wisdom.
Who are you thankful for? Do you have a special friend, parent, grandparent, or teacher who encourages you and helps you? Maybe there’s someone in your life who has taught you about God and the Bible. That person is special too. When you think about how much those people mean to you, like Paul, you can thank God for them and ask God to give them peace and wisdom. You can pray for them to know God better and for God to help them understand Him more and know His great power in their lives. We can show God’s love to others when we remember them in our prayers. And when you pray for someone special in your life, you can encourage them by letting them know you are praying for them.
I can pray for the Ephesus was located on the coast of modern-day Turkey. It was one of the oldest Greek cities on the Aegean Sea. Today it is called Selçuk, and about 36,000 people live there.
special people in my life.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. —1 Timothy 4:12
One day Jesus was with His friends, the disciples. Parents were trying to bring their children to see Jesus, and the disciples tried to stop them. But Jesus said, “Let the children come!” He taught everyone that to be part of God’s kingdom—His family—you need faith like a child. Sometimes the world can make kids feel like they’re not as important as adults. But do you know what the Bible says? It says that kids are important, and they can also show older people how to follow God.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you be a good example to believers, young and old.
Timothy was a young man who joined Paul on a journey to preach and teach people about Jesus. The older Christian men noticed Timothy because he was strong in his faith. Paul loved him and called Timothy his true son in the faith. In the Bible, the books of 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy are letters that Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage and teach him. In his first letter, Paul told Timothy that even though he was young, he should not let others treat him as if he were not important. He also told him to be an example to others by the way he lived.
Paul’s words to Timothy also apply to kids today. You can use kind words and speak the truth. You can share God’s peace with your siblings and friends by staying calm when you disagree. You can show love to others by praying for them and helping them. You can grow as a friend of Jesus by reading your Bible, learning about God, and telling others about Jesus. And when you choose to obey God and stay away from sin, you can be a good example to others no matter how old you are.
I can be an example to older believers. The name Timothy means “honoring God.”
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. —Titus 3:1
Have you ever said, “I don’t know what to do”? Sometimes you might not know what to do because you’re in a hard situation, like when a friend is being unkind. Sometimes you might not know what to do because you have too many choices—like what to eat at a restaurant. Or sometimes you might not know what to do because you’re bored and can’t think of anything fun. It’s hard when you don’t know what to do.
Titus was a man who helped Paul spread the gospel in Crete, a large island off the coast of Greece. The book of Titus is a letter that Paul wrote to Titus to teach and encourage him. In this book, Paul gives Titus and all believers some good advice about what they can do no matter what they are facing. Paul says we should always be ready to do what is good.
What were the good things Paul wanted the Christians in Crete to do? He told Titus to remind believers to obey their country’s leaders. He also said they shouldn’t say bad things about other people.
Titus was a Gentile (a non-Jew) whom Paul led to faith in Christ. He traveled with Paul on several journeys and is mentioned in the books of Acts, Galatians, 2 Corinthians, and 2 Timothy. Titus also went to serve the church in Corinth and delivered the letter of 2 Corinthians to the church in Corinth.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you choose to do what is good.
Paul tells the followers of Jesus to be peaceful and not get into arguments. He said, “Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.”
You can do these same good things today. You can obey the people God put in charge of you. You can keep your lips from saying bad things about kids at school and stay calm even when you disagree with your siblings. You can help your parents with chores around the house. And you can put others before yourself, like letting your friend go first when you play a game. The next time you don’t know what to do, do something good!
I will be ready to do what is good.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
WEEK 4 RECAP
Our Takeaway
God fills us with peace so we can share His peace with others.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 5 Anchored in Jesus’s Power
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
2 Peter 1:3
Rely on Jesus’s Power
This week we are reminded that God is powerful! His power is greater than anything in the world. It was powerful enough to raise Jesus (and others) from the dead! God’s power can heal sickness. It can help us do what is right, even when it’s hard. When we face problems that feel impossible, we can bring them to Jesus and trust Him. His power can change our lives and the lives of others.
Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!”—Mark 1:27
One day, Jesus was in Capernaum and He went into the synagogue, which is like a church, and He began to teach. The people who listened to Him were amazed that Jesus spoke more powerfully than their usual teachers.
While Jesus was teaching, a man came into the synagogue who had an evil spirit in him. The evil spirit cried out, “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
Then Jesus commanded, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!” The man began to shake, and the spirit gave a loud cry and came out of him. The people were stunned. They saw with their own eyes and heard with their own ears everything that happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they said. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!”
TALK TO GOD
Thank Jesus that He cares about people and can help them.
This miracle showed that Jesus has power over Satan—the devil, who tries to get people to do evil and wrong things. No power in heaven or earth is greater than God’s power. And since Jesus is the Son of God, He has God’s power within Him. The news about Jesus spread quickly through the area. Many more people began following Jesus to listen to Him teach and watch His miracles. People who were sick came to Jesus to be healed, and many believed in Him.
A synagogue is like a church for Jewish people, where they go to learn about God. It is believed that synagogues were first used by the Israelites when they lived in Babylon.
You too can follow Jesus by reading these amazing stories in your Bible and learning more about His earthly ministry. You can ask Jesus to help you with any problems you have. And you can thank Him that He cares for you just like He cared for people long ago.
Jesus’s power is the greatest of all.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
DAY 22
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 22, pages 268–279 (Mark 6:6–10:52).
A Different Kind of Healing
A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. —Mark 7:32
Jesus walked from the city of Tyre, on the Mediterranean Sea, down to the Sea of Galilee. On the far side of the Sea of Galilee was a place called the Ten Cities.
While Jesus was there, some people brought Him a man who needed healing. The man was deaf, and because he couldn’t hear he could hardly talk. This man’s friends begged Jesus to place His hands on the man and heal him.
Jesus led the man away from the crowd. Then He did something strange. First, Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit on His finger and touched the man’s tongue. Jesus looked up to heaven, breathed deeply, and said, “Ephphatha!” That means “Be opened!” As soon as Jesus did that, the man could hear! His tongue started working right and he could speak clearly. The man’s friends saw what Jesus had done. He told them not to tell anyone else about the miracle, but the more Jesus told them, the more they kept talking about it. The people were amazed by Jesus’s power. “Everything he does is wonderful,” they said. “He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”
TALK TO GOD
If you know someone who is not feeling well, pray for God to show His power in their life.
Jesus healed this man differently than He healed other people. Sometimes He spoke and people were healed. Sometimes He touched people to heal them, and sometimes they touched Him for healing! Today, God may use doctors and medicine. Or He may choose to give us strength through our sickness instead of healing us. That’s when God says His grace—His kindness to us—is enough to help us through our pain. Whatever He chooses to do, God is showing us His power in our lives.
God will show me His power.
The tongue has many important jobs. Besides helping us talk, it also helps us taste and feel texture. The tongue helps the body begin digestion before food reaches the stomach.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
The day Jesus was crucified—when He was put on a cross to die—was no ordinary day. But that’s because Jesus was no ordinary man. It was nine o’clock in the morning when Jesus was put on the cross. He was treated like a criminal. The Roman soldiers standing nearby laughed at Him.
But while Jesus was on the cross, God showed His power. From noon until three o’clock, the sky went dark. Only God can make the sky dark in the middle of the day! And the moment Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple ripped in half from top to bottom, all by itself! The earth shook and rocks split apart. Tombs broke open and many of God’s people who had died were raised from the dead. Only God could make that happen!
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus.
The Roman soldiers near Jesus’s cross were terrified. One of the officers said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
There is no other way to explain the things that happened that day. God showed His power, and the people were filled with shock and amazement when they saw what God could do.
Jesus was crucified at a place called Golgotha. The name comes from the Aramaic language and means “skull.” In the Latin language, the name is Calvary.
Today, some people believe that Jesus was only a prophet or teacher. Some say Jesus was a good man. But Jesus is much more than a prophet or teacher. He is much more than just a good man. Jesus is the Son of God, full of all of God’s power!
Jesus is God’s Son.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. —1 Peter 5:7
Have you ever seen someone cast a fishing line into a lake or the ocean? Maybe you’ve even done it yourself! When someone casts a line, they don’t just throw it out a foot or two in front of them. They try to cast it out as far as they can.
TALK TO GOD
Think of something you are worried about and then give it to God.
The apostle Peter— one of Jesus’s very first followers—taught the people in the church many impor tant things. He told the older people to be like shepherds for the younger people. He told all believers to be humble instead of proud. And then he told them to cast all their worries, cares, and anxieties on God because God cared about them. When we are upset or worried about too many things, it’s hard to remember to trust God. It’s also hard to think about others when our minds are full of our worries and problems. Worrying can keep us from enjoying all of God’s good gifts and blessings. If you are anxious about something, you might not pay attention to the birds chirping or notice the pretty flowers showing off their colors. You might miss the chance to have fun with a sibling or a friend. Worrying can also keep you from getting a good night’s sleep.
God cares about you and doesn’t want you to worry. The next time you’re worried about something, use the power that God has given you to hand the problem back to God. Throw that worry as far away as you can by talking to God about it in prayer. Tell God you don’t want to think about it anymore. God wants you to cast all of your worries on Him, so He can give you all of His peace.
ive my worries to God. A longer fishing rod can cast the line farther than a shorter rod, and a thinner line will cast farther than a thicker line.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional. Read Messiah Day 25, pages 303–310 (2 Peter & Jude).
Glory on the Mountain
For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes. —2 Peter 1:16
Have you ever had something so awesome happen that you wanted to tell everyone? Peter did! In 2 Peter 1, he tells about the time Jesus took him and two other disciples up a high mountain to pray. (The full story is told in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9.) When they reached the top, Jesus’s clothes became very bright and His face shone like the sun. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah—special leaders faithful to God who had died a long time ago—were standing before them, talking with Jesus.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for stories in the Bible that show us His power in Jesus.
Peter was happy to be there and wanted to build a tent so they could stay. But while Peter was talking, a bright cloud came over them. God’s voice came from the cloud and said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
The disciples were afraid and fell to the ground when they heard God’s voice. Jesus put His hands on them, “Get up,” He said. “Don’t be afraid.” Then, when the disciples looked up, they only saw Jesus; Moses and Elijah were no longer there.
This must have been an amazing experience for the disciples! They had been following Jesus and had seen Him do amazing things. But until this moment, they had only seen Jesus as a man. On the mountain that day, they saw all of God’s glory—His magnificent power and beauty—shine through Jesus and they heard God’s voice.
Today’s Bible story is called the Transfiguration. “Transfiguration” means a complete change in the way something looks. Jesus’s body was transformed to show God’s glory.
Peter shared that because of that experience, he could have even greater confidence in the message that Jesus is God’s Son, filled with God’s power, who came to save the world from the consequences of sin and evil. Just like Peter, we have powerful stories to share with others about how much God loves us, helps us, and cares for us.
Jesus reflects the glory of God.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may the God of peace fill you with peace.
WEEK 5 RECAP
Our Takeaway
God’s power can do the impossible and change our lives.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 6 Anchored in Jesus’s Provision
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33
Rest in His Provision
Jesus’s story in Matthew 6 reminds us that God provides for our needs. Whatever we are worried about, God is with us to help. He provides food, money, and even strength for each day. It may not be everything we want—in fact, it almost definitely won’t be! But it will be what we need. His greatest gift of all was sending Jesus to pay for the debt of our sins on the cross so we could live with God forever.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 26, pages 311–324 (Matthew 1:1–7:29).
Don’t Worry
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. —Matthew 6:33
Have you ever seen a bird going shopping at the grocery store? Or have you ever seen a flower making a beautiful dress to wear? Of course not! That would be so silly! Birds find their food outside each day as they fly around. And flowers don’t need to create fancy clothes because their petals are so beautiful. God gives the birds what they need to eat each day, and God makes the flowers of the fields look more beautiful than the fanciest dress.
That’s exactly what Jesus taught His followers on the mountainside. He said that when we see birds, we can remember God feeds them every day. And when we look at flowers growing in a field, we can remember God dresses them in beautiful colors. Jesus told the people that God would take care of them too: “If God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.”
The type of food birds eat depends on their species and the time of year. During the spring and summer, songbirds eat insects and spiders. In the winter, birds that don’t migrate eat fruit and seeds.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to give you what you need today and thank Him for always taking care of you.
Jesus wants us to know God will always give us what we need, just like He told His followers long ago. Instead of worrying about what to eat or what to wear, Jesus wants us to spend our time thinking about God’s kingdom and what God wants us to do. God already knows what we need and how He will give it to us. Whether we have a lot or a little, He promises to always watch over us, so we can think about more important things like loving and serving Him.
God gives me what I need.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus provide everything you need.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 27, pages 324–336 (Matthew 8:1–13:52).
Heavy Loads
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28
Have you ever tried to carry something very heavy? Maybe you moved a stack of books to the closet to help your teacher. Or maybe you had a big suitcase to lug around when you traveled. If you’ve tried to carry a heavy load, you know it can be exhausting. After a while, you just want to set it down and take a break. Our bodies aren’t meant to carry heavy things all day. Since he was a carpenter, Jesus probably carried heavy pieces of wood. And He used the idea of carrying heavy stuff to help us understand something very important. Sometimes we “carry” things on the inside, and they make us tired. We might feel sad or alone. When you have problems at school or in your family, it almost feels like you’re holding a heavy burden. Struggles can wear us down, just like a heavy backpack would.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for being near when things are hard.
But Jesus has provided a solution to help take care of us when we have a lot of heavy things to think about. He encourages us to bring everything to Him in prayer. We can talk to God when things feel too hard or when we have so much to do that we don’t feel like doing anything. And do you know what happens when we do that? He will give us rest! When we talk to Jesus about the hard things in our lives, it’s like setting down a heavy stack of books. Jesus gives rest to our souls. That means He’ll give us peace and a feeling of comfort inside. It’s almost like our body says “ahh” from the inside out.
Jesus can handle all of our problems and worries. Nothing is too heavy for Him to hold!
Jesus gives me rest from my worries.
A shekel was a measure of weight used during biblical times. One pound equals forty shekels.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus provide everything you need.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 28, pages 337–345 (Matthew 13:53–18:35).
Walking on Water
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.
“Save me, Lord!” he shouted. —Matthew 14:29–30
Peter and the other disciples were really tired after a long day. Crowds of people had followed them as they traveled with Jesus. Jesus spent the day teaching and even performed a miracle to feed five thousand people who were listening to Him teach on a mountainside. When the long day was over, Jesus sent the disciples ahead of Him on a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee.
TALK TO GOD Ask God to help you keep your eyes on Jesus.
As the disciples sailed into the night, the wind started to blow and waves crashed against the boat. Suddenly, the disciples saw someone walking on the water toward them! They thought they were seeing a ghost, and they were afraid. But Jesus called out, “Don’t be afraid,” He said. “Take courage. I am here!”
Peter said, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” Jesus told Peter to come, so Peter got out of the boat. He placed his feet on the water.
He took a step. Then he took another. Peter was walking on the water to Jesus! But then Peter noticed the strong wind and the big waves. He took his eyes off of Jesus—and he quickly began to sink. Peter cried out to Jesus for help, and Jesus reached out His hand to save Peter.
The Dead Sea lies on the border of Israel and Jordan. It is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. Because of how salty the Dead Sea is, people float very easily—but they can’t walk on it!
Sometimes, like Peter, we think about things around us instead of thinking about Jesus. When we take our thoughts off Him, we can get scared and forget that He is always there to help us. Keep your attention on Jesus, and He will provide the peace and help you need.
I can keep my thoughts fixed on Jesus.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus provide everything you need.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 29, pages 345–358 (Matthew 19:1–25:46).
Eight Bags of Money
After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, “Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.” —Matthew 25:19–20
Jesus told a story: A rich man was going on a trip. Before he left, he asked his servants to watch over his things. He gave three of his servants some money to use.
The first servant got five bags of money. The second servant got two bags of money. The third servant got one bag. While the rich man was gone, the servants handled the money in different ways. The first servant used his five bags to earn five more bags. The second servant used his two bags to earn two more bags. But the third servant took his one bag and buried it in the ground.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for the special abilities He has given you.
When the rich man returned, he asked his servants what they had done with his money. The first and second servants told him they had earned more money. They each had twice as much as he had given them.
So the master said to them, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” But when he learned that the third servant had buried his money, the rich man said, “You wicked and lazy servant!” Then he threw that servant out of his house. Jesus told this story to help His followers understand that God gives everyone special gifts—like the ability to draw or sing, to help others or play sports. These are called skills and talents. God doesn’t want us to hide our gifts like the servant who buried his money bag in the ground. He wants us to use them to help others, show His love, and say thank you to Him for giving them to us. It doesn’t matter how big or small your talents may seem. Each one is important to God.
God gives me gifts and talents to use for Him.
Some Bible versions call the bags of money talents. A talent was a lot of money. During the time Jesus was on earth, it was the amount a worker would earn in about twenty years!
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus provide everything you need.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 30, pages 358–366 (Matthew 26:1–28:20).
DAY 30
He Isn’t Here
He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. — Matthew 28:6
After Jesus died on the cross, one of His followers placed His body in a tomb that was like a cave. He put a large stone over the opening of the tomb.
Early on Sunday morning, two women went to the tomb where Jesus was buried. They wanted to put spices on Jesus’s body but wondered how they would move the heavy stone. Before they could even ask for help, God provided a solution! Suddenly, the earth shook, and an angel came down from heaven and rolled the stone away from the tomb. The angel’s face and clothing were as bright as lightning. The guards standing watch at the tomb were so frightened they fell to the ground.
TALK TO GOD
Ask God to help you believe the truth that is in the Bible.
The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.”
The women were frightened but filled with joy! They ran to tell the disciples what the angel had said.
During the time of Jesus, the stones that were used to seal a tomb were about 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) tall and weighed 1.5 to 2 tons (1,361 to 1,814 kilograms). It was very hard to roll the stone away because it sat in a groove in the ground.
When the guards realized what had happened, they went to Jerusalem and told the Jewish leaders. The leaders had a meeting and decided to pay the guards a lot of money to lie about what had happened. They told the guards to tell everyone that they had fallen asleep while they were guarding the tomb, and that while they were sleeping Jesus’s disciples had come and stolen His body. The guards agreed and took the money.
The people who didn’t believe that Jesus was God’s Son had to make up lies because they didn’t want to accept the truth that Jesus rose from the dead. It proved He was really God. Jesus’s followers believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and knew that He had come back to life.
Jesus came back to life,
just like He said He would.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus provide everything you need.
WEEK 6 RECAP
Our Takeaway
God provides for all our needs, and His greatest gift is Jesus.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 7 Anchored in Jesus’s Forgiveness
And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.
Hebrews 8:12
Receive Forgiveness
This week we are reminded of God’s forgiveness for us through Jesus Christ. Everyone makes mistakes, and the Bible calls this sin. None of us are perfect, and we all need forgiveness. That’s why Jesus died on the cross—He took the punishment for our sins. God did this because He loves us so much and wants us to be with Him forever, both now and in heaven.
When [the Son] had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. —Hebrews 1:3
What do you do after you’ve finished a hard job? Do you clap your hands and shout for joy? Do you celebrate with a yummy snack? Sometimes when we finish an exhausting job that takes a lot of energy, it feels good to sit down. It’s nice to relax when we know our hard work is finished!
After Jesus came to earth, taught people all about God, and then died on the cross, He came back to life. He spent some time with His disciples and told them what they needed to do after He left. Then Jesus went back to heaven.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God that when you’ve done something wrong, you can ask Him to forgive your sin.
When His job on earth was finished, He sat down in the place of honor next to God the Father. Jesus got to sit down because He had finished everything He came to earth to do. When Jesus defeated sin on the cross, He won the victory forever. His death covered the cost of everyone’s sins for all time. He got to sit down because the job was completed. There was nothing else He had to do to make us right with God.
When we tell God about our sins and ask for forgiveness, we get to share the victory Jesus won over sin and death. Jesus welcomes us into His family, and our sins are gone forever. We don’t have to do anything else for God to forgive us; we only have to believe in Jesus’s power over sin and ask God to forgive us when we have done something wrong. Those who believe Jesus is the Son of God, and ask Him to clean them from their past wrongdoing, can be sure that they’ll see Jesus in heaven and join everyone who loves Him to sing and celebrate together!
In ancient kingdoms, sitting at the right side of a king was an honor. When a king placed someone at his right side, that person was able to act with the king’s power.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you receive and share God’s forgiveness.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 32, pages 377–387 (Hebrews 8:1–13:25).
Once and Forever
Our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. —Hebrews 10:12
Many of the things we do every day have to be done over and over again. Think about brushing your teeth. Once a week isn’t enough. Your teeth keep getting dirty so you have to brush them every day. Or when you eat breakfast, you know you’ll be hungry again by lunchtime. One meal does not keep you full all day. It’s the same with sleeping. One night of sleep only gives you energy for the next day. Many things have to be done over and over for us to stay healthy and happy.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for Jesus, who takes away your sins so you can be forgiven forever.
That’s how it was for the Israelites too. God had told His people to offer sacrifices to pay for their sins. Because people sin every day, they had to bring a special gift to say they were sorry for their wrongdoing over and over again. Those sacrifices couldn’t take away the people’s sins. They were just a payment to show God that they wanted to make things right after doing something wrong. Year after year, the Israelites had to keep offering sacrifices to stay right with God.
But everything changed when Jesus died on the cross. He offered His body as a perfect gift to ask God to forgive the whole world for all sins! Jesus only had to offer Himself as a sacrifice one time because His death was enough to pay not only for your sins, but for everyone’s sins forever.
Jesus lived a perfect life, so He was a perfect sacrifice to God. When we believe in Jesus, we don’t have to keep asking God to save us and make us a part of His family. In Jesus, God accepts us as part of His kingdom family once and forever.
Jesus’s death was the perfect sacrifice.
People should brush their teeth two or three times a day for at least two minutes each time. Some toothbrushes keep track of brushing time by sending signals to a person’s cell phone!
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you receive and share God’s forgiveness.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional. Read Messiah Day 33, pages 389–396 (James).
The Gift of Grace
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. —Ephesians 2:8–9
Have you ever borrowed books from a library? Library books need to be returned by a certain date. If you don’t return the books on time, you’ll have to pay a fine when you bring them back.
But sometimes libraries have a “day of grace.” On the day of grace, people who have overdue books can return them without having to pay a fine. The debt is erased because the library has shown grace. Grace is a gift that you cannot earn. It’s something that is given to you.
God saves people by grace—His generous kindness and love that we don’t have to earn. We can’t work for our salvation; only Jesus has the power to rescue us from sin. No matter how many good things we do or how much money we give to help others, we could never buy our way into heaven. Everyone sins. Everyone has a debt to pay. But nobody can pay the debt of their sins. That’s why Jesus died on the cross. He paid the debt of sin for us.
Forgiveness for our sins, or salvation, is a free gift available to us because of God’s grace. When we believe in Jesus and ask for our sins to be removed from us, our debt of sin is erased forever. You never have to worry about being good enough for God. Believing in Jesus as your Savior is all it takes!
The name Grace dates back to the 1500s and is still a very popular girl’s name. It comes from the Latin language and means “favor” or “blessing.”
TALK TO GOD
Ask for God’s great love to help, forgive, and save you.
Libraries might have a day of grace once in a while. But with Jesus, every day is a day filled with God’s wonderful kindness and love. You don’t have to wait until a special time to receive His grace. You can believe in Jesus and receive forgiveness today!
I am saved by God’s grace.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you receive and share God’s forgiveness.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 34, pages 397–411 (John 1:1–6:71).
Jesus and Nicodemus
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16
Nicodemus was an important Jewish ruler who wanted to talk to Jesus, so he met with Jesus at night. Maybe he didn’t want other Jewish rulers to see him talking to Jesus. They didn’t want anything to do with Jesus, but Nicodemus knew there was something special about Him. Nicodemus had seen Jesus heal people. He said to Jesus, “We all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for sending Jesus to die on the cross so that everyone who believes in Him can have eternal life, including you!
Jesus told Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus was confused. He didn’t understand how someone can be born a second time. But Jesus wasn’t talking about being born again as a baby. Jesus meant that by believing in Him, people can have a new life on earth and a home in heaven that lasts forever. It’s a person’s spirit that gets born again, not their body. Today’s Bible verse, John 3:16, is like putting the whole message of the Bible into one verse. God sent Jesus to earth because He loves us so much and wants us to live with Him forever. God is holy, and we are not. That’s why God sent His Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins, so we can be made holy. God didn’t send Jesus to earth to tell us how bad we are. God sent Jesus to save us.
Being born again is not about obeying rules. It’s believing that Jesus is the Son of God and asking Him to be our Savior. Then we can follow Jesus and love Him back.
God sent Jesus because He loves me.
For a football game in 2009, Tim Tebow wrote John 3:16 in black under his eye. That day, 90 million people googled the Bible verse to see what it says.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you receive and share God’s forgiveness.
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” —John 11:25
Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, and he was very sick. His sisters sent Jesus a message that Lazarus was not doing well. Jesus stayed where He was for two days and then traveled to Bethany to see them. When Jesus got there, someone told Him Lazarus had died and was buried four days earlier. Martha came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “Yes, he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” Then Jesus said something amazing: “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Do you believe this, Martha?” Martha said she did because she believed that Jesus was the Messiah— the special Savior God promised He would send.
TALK TO GOD
Tell Jesus how powerful He is to conquer death and thank Him for being the Resurrection and the Life.
Bethany comes from the word bethel, which means House of God. Today the city of Bethany is called Al Eizariya, which means Place of Lazarus.
When Jesus saw Martha’s, Mary’s, and Lazarus’s friends crying, He was sad and cried too. He asked to see where Lazarus was buried. When He got to the tomb, He told the people to roll away the stone that covered the entrance. Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed out loud, so everyone could hear Him. Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus walked out of the tomb, wrapped in graveclothes! Jesus has power over death. What He did for Lazarus was incredible! What’s even more wonderful is what He told Martha. Jesus promises that those who trust in Him and ask for His forgiveness for their sins will live with Him forever someday. He will raise our bodies from death just like He did for Lazarus, and we will never die again. Only Jesus can make that happen!
Jesu s has power over death.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may you receive and share God’s forgiveness.
WEEK 7 RECAP
Our Takeaway
God forgives our sins because Jesus loves us and died for us.
Let’s pray out loud together as a family to remember and receive God’s forgiveness in Christ Jesus. Let’s say:
Dear Father in heaven, forgive us of our sins. Wash us and cleanse us. Jesus, thank You that You love us so much that You died for us so we can spend eternity with God. We believe that You are risen from the dead and that You’re coming back again for those who trust You. Thank You for the peace of knowing that. Fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we have the power to live according to Your Word. Help us to be hungry to know more about You so that we grow in the wisdom that the Bible provides. Give us a passion to tell others of your love.
Individually say: Jesus, I believe in my heart that You are God and that You have forgiven me for everything I have done wrong in the past, because I am Your child and that’s what You’ve promised to those who believe in You! Amen.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Week 8 Anchored in Jesus’s Love
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
1 John 4:16
Share Jesus’s Love
Jesus’s story begins and ends with love. God loved us from the very start when He made us, and He still loves us today. Nothing changes His love for us. He welcomes us into His family through Jesus’s sacrifice, He takes care of us every day, and He has prepared a forever home for us that’s full of His beauty, joy, and glory. One day, Jesus will come back, because God’s love never ends.
After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.” —John 17:1
Jesus went to a garden to pray. He told His disciples Peter, James, and John that His heart was breaking with sadness. He knew He was about to die on the cross for the sins of the world. But even with everything Jesus was going through, do you know what He prayed for? He prayed for His disciples, and He prayed for you. That’s right—Jesus was thinking of you on that quiet night in the garden thousands of years ago.
First Jesus prayed for the twelve disciples who had followed Him. He said, “I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.” Then He asked God to keep them safe from the Evil One—Satan— and to make them ready to serve and teach God’s truth.
Then Jesus prayed for people who would believe in Him. If you know Jesus, that’s you! He said to God, “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one . . . so that the world will believe you sent me.” Jesus also said, “I have given them the glory you gave me . . . I have revealed you to them. . . . Your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”
TALK TO GOD
Tell Jesus how thankful you are that He prayed for you, and ask Him to help you honor His name.
How amazing that Jesus loves us so much that the night before He died on the cross, He thought to pray for us! And it’s wonderful to see Jesus’s prayers have been answered. We see God’s glory—His magnificent power and goodness—in the world He made, in His Spirit living inside of us, and in the way He hears our prayers and changes our hearts. The best way we can keep shining Jesus’s glory is by loving each other with God’s love.
The garden where Jesus prayed was called Gethsemane, which means “oil press” in Hebrew. It was probably a grove of olive trees with an oil press in it for making olive oil.
ayed for me.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s love surround you and may you share His love with others.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional. Read Messiah Day 37, pages 439–452 (1 John, 2 John & 3 John).
Love in the Family
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. —1 John 4:7
It’s pretty common for brothers and sisters to bother each other. Sometimes they fight over the last cookie or who has to feed the dog. But God’s plan for the family is to love and support one another.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for your family.
God puts families together in different ways. Some children are born into a family with a mom and dad. Some children become part of a family through adoption or foster care. When two families come together, it’s called a blended family. Some kids might have one parent, and some kids live with their grandparents or other relatives. Families can be big, small, or inbetween. No matter what your family is like, God wants you to show love and kindness to them, and there are many ways to do that! You can help your brother find his shoes or help your sister pick up her toys. You can read books or play games with your siblings while your parents have work to do. If you don’t have a brother or sister, you can help by cleaning your room or putting your clothes away.
We can show love to others with our words. Saying “please” and “thank you” are ways to respect each other. Saying “I love you” lets others know how you feel. You can also stay calm and use kind words when people do things that frustrate you. And if you’re ever upset about something, it’s okay to talk about it to help you feel better.
The Bible says that love comes from God. When we have God’s love in us, we can ask Him to help us show love to our family— even if it’s sharing the last cookie!
God wants me to love my family.
Philadelphia is a city in Pennsylvania. The name Philadelphia means “city of brotherly love.”
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s love surround you and may you share His love with others.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” —Revelation 1:8
Did you know that Jesus was with God when He was making the world? When the moon and stars and the land and sea were created, Jesus was right there. He came to earth as a baby later. But He has always been alive as God. While He was on earth, Jesus healed many people who were sick. He performed many miracles and taught people about God’s kingdom. Many people followed Jesus, but many were against Him. The Jewish leaders did not agree with the things He was saying. When Jesus said He was God, they were very upset. That’s when they made plans to kill Him. When Jesus died on the cross, most people thought that was the end of Him. But then Jesus rose from the dead and spent more time with His followers before He went back to heaven!
Jesus was alive at the beginning when God created the world, and He is alive today. Jesus is alive today just like He was when He walked on earth. Jesus will always be alive! Someday Jesus is coming back to earth, and everyone who loves Him will be with Him forever.
Alpha (Α) and omega (Ω) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Saying Jesus is the “Alpha and Omega” is like saying He’s everything from A to Z.
We don’t know when Jesus will return, but it will be the greatest day ever! Until that day comes, we can just keep loving Jesus and loving others. We can pray to God and read the Bible to hear what God says to us. When we do, God will remind us that Jesus is eternal—that He always has been alive and always will be alive!
Jesu s has always been alive.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God that Jesus is alive!
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s love surround you and may you share His love with others.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 39, pages 460–471 (Revelation 4:1–14:20).
Full of Power and Glory
You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. —Revelation 4:11
TALK TO GOD
Tell Jesus that He deserves all of our praise and worship.
Revelation is the last book of God’s big story recorded in the Bible. It was written by John, who was a disciple and close friend of Jesus. At the time John wrote Revelation, many Christians were being punished. The Roman emperor sent John to the island of Patmos as a punishment for preaching about Jesus. But God turned that bad situation into something good. He gave John incredible visions, like dreams, about heaven. In the first three chapters of Revelation, John writes about the visions he had for seven different churches. Then in Revelation 4, John describes Jesus’s throne in heaven. He said that the person on the throne looked like precious stones, and an emerald rainbow was around the throne. Surrounding Jesus’s throne were twenty four other thrones with twenty four “elders” sitting on them. The elders were dressed in white and wore golden crowns on their heads. Flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder came from the throne. Four heavenly creatures circled the throne saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
Anyone who reads the book of Revelation will learn how beautiful heaven is. Someday when we get to heaven, we will see Jesus, filled with God’s power and glory. God’s beauty is all around Him because Jesus is God. It’s amazing to know that God loves us so much that He will welcome us into His beautiful home where we will be filled with joy as we worship Jesus, giving Him all our thanks and love.
Heaven is a beautiful place. Patmos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It’s 13.15 square miles (34.1 square kilometers) and has a population of around 3,300 people.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your highs and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s love surround you and may you share His love with others.
CONNECT by sharing your highs and lows.
Record the meaningful moments your family shares.
RECEIVE wisdom from God’s Word.
Read today’s devotional.
Read Messiah Day 40, pages 471–482 (Revelation 15:1–22:21).
Coming Soon
Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. —Revelation 22:12
After Jesus went back to heaven, His disciples traveled to many places to tell people about Him. John, one of Jesus’s disciples, was punished for talking about Jesus. Even though things looked bad for John, God made something good happen. Jesus showed John wonderful visions of heaven.
John saw a river of water flowing from the throne of God. It flows down the middle of the street in God’s city. By the river is the “tree of life.” It grows fruit every month! John had one last important message to share with Jesus’s followers from the amazing things he saw about heaven.
He shared that in heaven, God will be there, and everyone will worship Him. Jesus’s love will shine so bright there that “there will be no night there— no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine” on us. There won’t be any darkness in heaven because God’s light will always be with us, and we’ll live with Him forever.
TALK TO GOD
Thank God for His love that shines brightly forever.
In case we don’t believe John’s words, the book of Revelation and God’s big story recorded in the Bible ends with Jesus reminding us: “Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. . . . Yes, I am coming soon!”
John was the brother of James, who was also a disciple of Jesus. They were the sons of Zebedee and Salome. Jesus gave John and James the nickname “Sons of Thunder.”
We can believe John and Jesus. All who love and believe in Jesus as their Savior will be with Him forever. He will reward each one of us for the good things we did for Him. But Jesus Himself is forever the best reward!
Jesus i s coming back someday.
REFLECT on the Scripture.
How does today’s reading relate to your highs and lows? Did anything in the reading change how you think about God?
RESPOND with prayer.
Pray for your high and lows, for family and friends, and for the world. We are praying for . . .
ENCOURAGE each other with God’s love.
Use these words of blessing or another biblical truth: [Name], may Jesus’s love surround you and may you share His love with others.
WEEK 8 RECAP
Our Takeaway
God’s story begins and ends with His neverending love shown to us through Jesus Christ.
Looking back on the week, our highest HIGH was . . .
Our lowest LOW was . . .
Our favorite wisdom RECEIVED from God’s Word was . . .
Our favorite time REFLECTING on Scripture was . . .
One way God RESPONDED to our prayers was . . .
One way God might use us to ENCOURAGE our friends and family next week is . . .
Appendix A About Immerse: The Reading Bible®
Immerse: The Reading Bible is designed to help you experience God’s Word without the clutter of modern additions. The clean, single-column format removes chapter and verse numbers, section headings, and footnotes so you can get a sense of the bigger story of Scripture. Presented in six novel-sized volumes, each book is easy to hold and read anywhere. The first volume, Messiah, comprises the whole New Testament, but arranged in a different order than we’re used to. For example, the Gospels are spread out and grouped with the letters meant for a similar audience, and Paul’s letters appear in the order they were likely written. The unique presentation will refresh your reading of God’s story revealed in Jesus Christ.
Quick Questions & Answers
Q: What makes Immerse: The Reading Bible different from other Bibles?
A: Immerse: The Reading Bible is designed for reading, not just reference. It removes chapter and verse numbers, section headings, and footnotes so you can experience the Bible as one continuous story. The clean, single-column format makes it feel like reading a book instead of a textbook.
Q: Messiah only contains the books from the New Testament. Where are the remaining books of the Bible?
A: Immerse: The Reading Bible divides the Bible into six novelsized books: Messiah, Beginnings, Kingdoms, Chronicles, Poets, and Prophets. This makes each volume easy to carry, read, and enjoy anywhere—whether you’re at home, at church, or on the go.
Q: Which Bible translation is used for Immerse: The Reading Bible?
A: Immerse: The Reading Bible volumes are the New Living Translation (NLT), a trusted version that communicates the meaning of the original languages in clear, natural English. It’s accurate, easy to read, and great for personal reading, group discussion, or family devotions.
Q: Why are the books of the Bible in Messiah in a different order than in my Bible?
A: Immerse: The Reading Bible arranges Bible books in ways that highlight their history and themes. For example, the Gospels are grouped with letters that have a similar audience (e.g., Jews or non-Jews), and Paul’s letters are placed in the order they were likely written. This can help readers better understand the flow of God’s Word.
Q: Who created Immerse: The Reading Bible?
A: Immerse: The Reading Bible is the result of over a decade of work by the Institute for Bible Reading (IFBR), a nonprofit dedicated to helping people read, understand, and live out Scripture in everyday life.
Q: What is the goal of Immerse: The Reading Bible?
A: Simply put, its purpose is to help you read the Bible deeply, clearly, and without distractions. Immerse: Messiah invites you to step into God’s story revealed in Jesus Christ and discover its beauty and meaning in a fresh, engaging way.
Appendix B The TogetherTime Covenant
Our TogetherTime Covenant
We, the ____________________ family, are starting a new adventure together with God!
We promise to make time for Him and for each other with Our Daily Family Journal.
Together, we will:
Read Jesus’s story so we can know Him better.
Share the highs and lows of our day with honesty and kindness.
Encourage each other with loving words.
Pray together and trust God to guide us.
Follow Jesus as He walks with us every day.
We know it won’t always be perfect, and that’s okay. The most important thing is that we show up, love one another, and grow together in God’s story.
By signing below, we are saying: Yes, we want to do this together!
Family Signatures:
Date: ___________________
About the Contributors
General Editor
Regine Jean-Baptiste directs the Nurturing Young Disciples Initiative at Our Daily Bread Ministries. She holds a master of divinity degree from Duke University and an undergraduate degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Regine can often be found outdoors. She loves to write and has published various kids Bible study workbooks, which guides her passion point of prioritizing multigenerational teaching.
Devotional Authors
Crystal Bowman is a best-selling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books for children and families, which have sold more than three million copies internationally and been translated into more than a dozen languages. She is the creator and coauthor of Our Daily Bread for Kids, M Is for Manger, and I Love You to the Stars: When Grandma Forgets, Love Remembers. A conference speaker, freelance editor, and contributor to several blogs, she is also a regular contributor to Clubhouse Jr. Magazine, and writes lyrics for children’s piano music. She and her husband
enjoy spending time with their grown children and huggable grandkids. www.crystalbowman.com.
As a mother of two boys, Teri McKinley is passionate about helping kids understand God’s love for them. Teri is an award-winning, best-selling author of more than a dozen books for children. Her books have been published in eight languages and have reached a wide variety of audiences. She is the coauthor and cocreator of Our Daily Bread for Kids and the Our Daily Bread for Little Hearts series. Some of her most celebrated titles include Our Daily Bread for Kids, M Is for Manger, and My Arms Will Hold You Tight. Teri’s desire is that her readers would be encouraged and brought closer to Christ through her writing.
Illustrator
Anita Schmidt lives by the Baltic Sea surrounded by seven seas in northern Germany. Her passion for drawing started from the very beginning when she first held a pencil. Anita went on to study graphic design, and after having two children she rekindled her passion for illustrating and now can’t stop drawing!
We’d love to hear more about your experience using the entire Anchored Together kit . Scan the QR code to share a video testimonial or to leave a text comment .
THE BIBLE TELLS THE STORY OF GOD’S PLAN and draws you into it. But sometimes it can be hard to make meaningful connections with the Bible. Winner of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association 2022 Bible of the Year, Immerse: The Reading Bible® uniquely guides you through God’s Word:
• Without chapter and verse breaks, mirroring the original texts
• Through six volumes grouped by genre and chronology
• Using the readable and accurate New Living Translation
Experience the greatest story ever told in a fresh new way with the Immerse collection!
DOUBLE YOUR FUN with both 365-Day Our Daily Bread for Kids volumes 1 AND 2!
Short and engaging children’s devotions, easy-to-remember Bible verses, exciting facts, and fun illustrations make the Our Daily Bread for Kids devotional an excellent way to teach your children more about God.
Kids will spot Jesus throughout—from His role at creation, to Old Testament prophecies and pictures of the coming Savior, to the birth of God’s Son. With the help of diverse illustrations, kids will see the entire Bible as one big story of God’s redemptive plan for the world and learn that God’s plan includes them!
Buy them both wherever books are sold.
Live BOL DLY for
Empower teens to live a bold, courageous, faith-filled life with this engaging 90-day devotional.
Turn everyday moments into meaningful faith adventures with Our Daily Family Journal. In just 8 weeks, dive into 40 kid-friendly devotions with TogetherTime prompts that invite your family to laugh and learn together, share the highlights of each day, and grow closer to God—whether you’re gathered at the dinner table, winding down at bedtime, or making cherished memories with grandchildren.
Spark real conversations, discover Jesus’s story, and watch your children—and you—embrace faith in fresh, joyful ways. Perfect for busy families with children ages 5 and up.
Our Daily Bread Ministries is a global donor-supported organization dedicated to fueling a lifelong love for the Bible. Since 1938, our mission has remained the same: to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. Visit odbm.org to find out more.
