Jailed

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 28:11-16; 30-31

TO CHEW ON: "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 28:31

Three months after the shipwreck Paul, his guards and companions set sail again. Soon they arrived in Rome. When they got there, the soldiers took Paul to a house.

"Arrival at Rome" by Johann C. Weigel, 1695

For two years he had to stay in that house with someone guarding him all the time.

"Paul preaches at Rome under guard" - Artist unknown

Even though he was a prisoner, Paul didn’t whine, sulk or feel sorry for himself. What did he do? (Find the words for the blanks in the word bank below - Acts 28:31)

He __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of __ __ __ and __ __ __ __ __ __ about __ __ __ __ __

God   Jesus

preached   kingdom

taught

You are probably not in a physical prison. But some things can make you feel as trapped as if you were. Things like being sick, being bullied, and failing at school can have you hoping and praying to be set free.

What is your prison? Pray that God will be with you, that you will feel Him beside you and that you will be set free!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please be with me even when I’m in a place where I’d rather not be. Amen.

"And they pulled me up out of the well"
Illustrationsby Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

MORE: Bible Jailbirds
Paul was not the first person from the Bible to spend time in jail. Unscramble the names of these Bible characters and match them with their crime.

A. Caught and jailed after his hair was cut. __ __ __ __ __ __

B. Put in prison to silence them from talking about Jesus. __ __ __ __ __ & __ __ __ __

C. Jailed because his master’s wife lied about him. __ __ __ __ __ __

D. Accused of being a deserter and put in a dungeon. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

E. Jailed because he condemned King Herod for living with his brother’s wife. __ __ __ __


NOJH the Baptist (Matthew 14:3-4)
HEOJSP (Genesis 39:17-20)
HMRIEJEA (Jeremiah 37:11-16)
NSMOAS (Judges 16:20-21)
REEPT & HOJN (Acts 4:1-3)


ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Death to Death!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 28:1-10

TO CHEW ON: "He is not here; he has risen just as he said ..." Matthew 28:6

Something mysterious happens when people die. The invisible but living part of a person – the moving, breathing, thinking, feeling, loving part – leaves the body. The body – the physical shell which did the breathing, talking, laughing and hugging – is still there. But it is empty - the real person is gone. We call them dead.

Physical death is final. Even the most clever doctor can’t capture the living part of a person and stuff it back into a dead body to make the person come alive again.

It was now three days after Jesus had died and been buried. Some of His women friends went to the tomb on the morning after the Sabbath.

When they got there, everything was different than they expected. The large stone that had stood in front of the cave tomb wasn’t there.

"The stone was rolled away" - Artist unknown

A shining angel greeted them. The angel said, “I know you’re looking for Jesus. He’s not here, He’s risen. Come and see where He was lying.”

"Women at the Grave of Jesus" by O. A. Stemler & Bess B. Cleaveland

When they stepped into the tomb it was true. The spot where Jesus had been lying was empty.

"Why seek ye the living among the dead?" Artist unknown

“Go and tell His disciples, Jesus has risen from the dead,” the angel told them.

"Go, tell His disciples, He is risen" Artist unknown

Jesus, God’s son, knew His death wouldn’t be final. For though people can’t make dead people come alive again, God can. Many times Jesus had told the disciples He would rise from the dead. But when the women told the disciples the wonderful news, they were shocked. Their surprise shows that either they didn’t hear Him, or they didn’t believe Him, or both.

Do we hear and believe the things God says to us:
- He loves and cares for us?
- He hears and answers prayer?
- Someday we too will have a new body?



PRAYER: Dear God, help me to hear and believe the things You say. Amen.

"Thomas feeling Jesus' wounds"
by O. A. Stemler & Bess B. Cleaveland

MORE: Jesus’ resurrection body was different from His body before death. Which statements about His new body are not true? Check the Scriptures below if you’re unsure.

1. Jesus’ new body glowed in the dark.

2. The resurrected Jesus could eat food.

3. The resurrected Jesus could appear and disappear miraculously.

4. After his resurrection, Jesus could only fly, not walk.

5. Jesus’ resurrection body was see-through or transparent.

6. Jesus’ resurrection body was solid - you could touch and feel it.

Scriptures to check:

• Matthew 28:9
• Luke 24:15
  
• Luke 24: 31-42
• John 20:26-27

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Dark Day

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 27:45-54

TO CHEW ON: “Surely he was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:54

After Pilate’s soldiers were through with Jesus, they put His own clothes on Him again. Then they made Him carry the cross on which He would be nailed. It was about 9 o’clock in the morning when the soldiers and criminals got to Golgotha hill. They lay Jesus on the cross, nailed Him to it, then raised the cross to stand upright.

"The Erection of the Cross" by Gustave Dore, 1865

What happened over the next hours is not pleasant to read. The soldiers who watched cast lots (like drawing straws) to see who would get Jesus’ clothes.

"And sitting down they kept watch over Him there." by James Tissot

People taunted and teased Him. Jesus asked John to look after His mother. He told a thief beside Him that He could be forgiven. At noon everything got as dark as night.

"The Darkness at the Crucifixion" by Gustave Dore, 1865

This lasted for three hours. Around 3 o’clock Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

He asked for something to drink. They held up a sponge dipped in vinegar.

"I am thirsty" by James Tissot

"It is finished!" Jesus cried out. Then He died.

"The Earthquake" by James Tissot

Chaos. In the darkness, people heard the temple curtain rip from top to bottom. There was an earthquake. People came out of tombs.

Why did the darkness, the curtain ripping and the earthquake happen? Were they all coincidence? Or did the person who wrote this make it up? Or was Jesus really the Son of God - and God was telling us through nature what an important thing had just happened? I think it is the last one; what do you think?

That day everything changed - for every person past, present and future. That day Jesus paid the penalty that God demands for sin, with His life. If you and I accept that He did this for us, God accepts us as forgiven. We can be friends with Him.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, Son of God, thank You for dying on the cross and taking the punishment I deserve. Amen.

 
MORE: It Was Predicted
Jesus’ death fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies - another proof He was no ordinary man. Match each prediction with the place it is found in the Bible:

_____ 1. They would cast lots for Jesus’ clothes
_____ 2. None of Jesus’ bones would be broken.
_____ 3. Jesus would be pierced.
_____ 4. Jesus would be given vinegar to drink.
_____ 5. Jesus would be a laughingstock and people would stare at Him.

A. Psalm 69:21
B. Psalm 22:18
C. Psalm 34:20
D. Psalm 22:17
E. Psalm 22:16

ANSWERS

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 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

When God Says "No"

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 26:36-46

TO CHEW ON: “'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'” - Jesus, Matthew 26:39

After Jesus and His disciples had eaten the Passover meal they went for a walk. They walked to a garden called Gethsemane. But it was not a relaxing, enjoyable time for Jesus. He knew what was ahead of Him.
1. Choose the words that describe how He felt: (Matthew 26:37,38)

Happy   Sorrowful    Giddy  

Troubled    Relaxed    Sleepy   

Overwhelmed    Angry

It’s easy to think of Jesus as someone who was so God-like that He wasn’t affected by sadness, dread or wanting His own way. But here, in this garden, we see Jesus praying, and begging His heavenly Father for something.
2. What does He ask for? (Matthew 26:39) _________________________________.

Jesus praying in the Garden - Artist unknown

Jesus knew that physical torture and pain were ahead of Him. Worse than that, He knew that in a few hours, He would be separated from God the Father and all that was good. But as He prayed, He became absolutely sure of God’s answer to His request. It was ‘no.’ There was no ‘Plan B.’ So instead of insisting on his own way, Jesus says:
3. (Matthew 26:39) “Yet not as ___ will, but as ___ will.”
4. (Matthew 26:42) “...may ______ will be done.”

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to learn to say ‘yes’ to God - like Jesus did. Amen.

MORE: Places to Pray
On this night Jesus went to pray in a garden.

• Where do you usually go to pray?

• List three other places you could go to talk to God.

1.
2.
3.

• Go to one of those places today and have a prayer conversation with God.

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Parade of Palms and Praise

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 21:1-11

TO CHEW ON: "A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road." Matthew 21:8

One day as Jesus and His disciples walked toward Jerusalem, He sent two of them on an errand. “Go to the village ahead of you,” He said. “You will find a donkey tied with her colt. Bring them to me.”

Soon the disciples were back with the animals. They put their cloaks (outer clothing) on the animals’ backs and Jesus got on the colt and rode toward the city.

Crowds gathered beside the road. Many had probably seen Jesus’ miracles and heard His teaching. When they saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the donkey, they remembered what prophet Zechariah had said. They recognized this was how Messiah (the Jews’ promised deliverer) would ride into Jerusalem.

Then they took off their cloaks and spread them on the road in the donkey’s path. They cut palm branches and spread them on the road too or waved them as they ran beside Jesus shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” They were honoring Jesus as royalty.

"The Triumphal Entry" - Artist unknown

Spreading coats in the path of a donkey, waving branches and shouting “Hosanna” may seem like a strange way to greet someone who is special. But this was how people of that time honored someone as a king. And they could all get in on the celebration because the things they used – branches, clothes and their own voices – were things they all had.

We too can honor Jesus as our King by using what we have. And what is that? Ourselves and our love, worship and obedience.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to crown You king by giving You my life. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Showing Honor
Though we don’t throw coats on the ground for our kings, queens and presidents to ride over, or wave palm branches as they parade down the street, we too honor important people. Some things we do to honor our kings, queens, presidents, heroes or sports champions are:

1. Roll out a red carpet for them to walk on when they come off a plane or into a reception hall.


2. Have them ride in parades.

3. Meet returning athletes or heroes with flowers.

4. Take care to greet them with perfect manners.

Can you think of more?



 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

God's Addition

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 6:26-34

TO CHEW ON: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

George Mueller

Jesus taught how we can trust God to take care of all our needs. The British man George Mueller (1805 to 1898) showed by his life what it is like to trust God for everything.

Mr. Mueller had only two shillings in his pocket when God brought a couple of orphans to his church. Even though he had little money, he knew that he couldn’t turn them away. In the months that followed, more and more children came. With them came the need for many things - coal to warm the house, beds and blankets, clothes and food.

Because George Mueller believed God would take care of all his needs, he didn’t borrow or ask people to give money to the orphanage. Instead, he just prayed about things.

Sometimes his bank account had nothing in it and the cupboards were bare. When there was no food, the children said grace over empty plates. Several times the food arrived just then - in time for the meal. The hundreds of children who lived in his orphanage over 60 years never missed a meal. Mr. Mueller proved that God can give us all the things we need.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to trust You to supply the things I need. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: First things First
God promises to supply our needs when we put Him first (“seek first His kingdom”) and live in a right way (“seek his righteousness”). Choose the things below that do that:

1. Mom has given me lunch money, but I use most of it to buy baseball cards from a friend.

2. I tithe (take one tenth and give it to church or Sunday School) my allowance, even though if I didn’t I’d have enough to buy the skateboard I’ve been saving for.

3. I pack up old clothes and games to give away to the second-hand store.

4. I take a job delivering papers on Sunday even though it means I have to miss church.

5. I help my elderly neighbor walk her dog even though she doesn’t pay me.


ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Closed-door Prayer

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 6:5-15

TO CHEW ON: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. " Matt. 6:6

Sometimes we do things with secret motives. Match the action on the left with a possible reason for doing it on the right.


One of the things Jesus talked to His disciples about while on the mountain was the reason we do things. Though the people who see us may not know our motives, God always knows. It makes Him especially sad when we use things like prayer to impress others. That’s why He told the disciples – and us – to pray in private and not use praying to show off.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to pray to you simply, humbly, honestly and privately. Amen.

"The Lord's Prayer" by James Tissot

SUPERSIZE IT: The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. This is called “The Lord’s Prayer.” Maybe you know it.

We often think of prayer as only asking for things. But the Lord’s Prayer is made up of much more than that. Can you find examples of these kinds of prayer in The Lord’s Prayer?

Purple - Praise and worship (praising God for who he is and telling him how great he is)

Red - Confession (confessing the wrong things we’ve done)

Blue - Intercession (asking for things for others) and Petition (asking for things for ourselves)

You could print the Lord's Prayer, then mark each kind of prayer with a different color of highlighter pen or pencil crayon.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

ANSWERS




Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Salty You

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 5:13-16

TO CHEW ON: “You are the salt of the earth.” - Matthew 5:13

How much salt is in a loaf of bread?
- 1 cup?
- 1 tablespoon?
- 1 teaspoon?

If you guessed 1 teaspoon, you’re right. Not much salt is needed. But if you’ve ever had bread without salt, you’ll know how important even that little bit is, to make the bread taste right.

One day Jesus climbed a mountain near Capernaum. His disciples followed Him, sat around Him and He taught them. What Jesus said that day is called the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5, 6 and 7 and Luke 6:20-49).

"Jesus Teaching" - A. O. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland

One of the things Jesus taught was that people who believed in Him were like salt. Just like salt flavors and preserves food, Christians can make a difference wherever they are. When they are kind, pure and honest not only do they please God but they are an example to everyone watching.


How could you be a salty Christian:
- when someone is being teased?
- when everyone around you says swear words?
- when your friends ask you to help them cheat on a test?

The number of people who are Christians compared to the number of people who aren’t may seem small on your street, in your school, in your city. But just like a little salt makes a big difference in a loaf of bread, a few “salty” Christians make a big difference in the world.

PRAYER: Dear God help me to be a Christian who makes a difference in my world. Amen



 
SUPERSIZE IT: Pure Salt
~ In the time of Marco Polo, cakes of salt were pressed with images of the Grand Khan in Tibet and used as money.

~ Unrefined salt can be black (India) or red (Hawaii).

~ Salt keeps food from spoiling by drawing water out of bacteria and fungus cells so they can’t live.

~ The average person’s body contains about eight ounces of salt.

~ Popcorn salt is extra fine salt that sticks well to the bends and corners of snacks like popcorn and chips.

~ Sprinkling a little salt into canvas shoes can help dry them and make them smell better.



Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

The Big Twelve

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 10:1-10

TO CHEW ON: "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to cure every kind of disease and sickness .... '...Freely you have received, freely give.'” - Jesus, Matthew 10:1,8

Would you say a “disciple” is:
1. someone who is a big fan of a famous person?
2. someone who accepts, follows, and imitates a teacher?
3. someone who lives by a lot of rules?

Though we don’t use the word “disciple” a lot nowadays, you probably know that when Jesus talked about disciples, He meant 2. - the people who accepted His teaching, wanted to spend time with Him, and become like Him. When Jesus began teaching and doing miracles, a lot of people wanted to be His disciples. One day, after He had spent the night praying (Luke 6:12), Jesus chose twelve men to be His closest friends, the twelve disciples.

But Jesus expected these disciples to do more than just listen to His stories and watch His miracles. One day, after giving these men special authority, He gave them a job. They were to: (cross out the one thing He did NOT tell them) Matthew 10:9-10
1. Preach.
2. Heal the sick.
3. Raise the dead.
4. Drive out demons.
5. Take a lot of money and stuff with them.
6. Cleanse the lepers.

"Jesus Sending the Apostles" - Artist unknown

Jesus chose disciples to help Him tell people about God. He also gave them authority, so that God’s power could flow through them.

Do people still need to hear about God? Does Jesus still need disciples today? How can you be His disciple?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to be Your disciple. Amen.



SUPERSIZE IT: The Big 12! - Word Search
These are the twelve disciples that Jesus chose. (There are only 11 names because there were two disciples named “James.”)

Bartholomew Peter
Thomas  Judas Iscariot*     
Thaddaeus James
Matthew  Simon
John            Philip
Andrew          James

Find each name in the word search.

(To print the word search alone, click on it, then print it from the window that opens.)

"Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoveryEducation.com"

ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Led by a Star

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: “’Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’” Matthew 2:2

Every night the wise men studied the stars. They wrote down when they rose and set. They gazed at their colors and brightness. They drew them and looked for shapes formed by their positions in the sky. Most of all they tried to figure out what the stars meant.

One day a new bright star came out. Such a star could mean only one thing: a new king had been born.

"Wise Men Follow a Star" by A. O. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland

The star seemed to be moving, so the wise men followed it. For weeks and months they rode, probably on camels, and always at night so they could see the star’s light. It led them west toward Judea. The star must be telling of a new Jewish king.

"Journey of the Magi" - James Tissot

When they got to Jerusalem, they went to see King Herod. Surely he’d know if a new king had been born.

King Herod was troubled when he heard about a new-born king. After all he was the king. He asked the Jewish scholars where a Jewish king should be born. They studied their scrolls and found the answer in Micah 5:2. Bethlehem was the place.

“When you find the child, make sure you come back here and tell me. I want to worship him too,” Herod told the wise men.

They were excited when the star appeared again.

"Journey of the Magi" - Artist unknown

It led them to Bethlehem and stopped over a certain house. Inside they found Joseph, Mary and the young Jesus. The star had led them to the king they had been seeking! They fell down and worshiped Him, then gave Him the gifts they had brought – gold, frankincense and myrrh.

"Adoration of the Magi" - Artist unknown

God brings people to Jesus in many ways. The wise men found Him by following a star. Some people meet Him when missionaries come to their country to tell about Jesus. Others find Him by reading the Bible. Still others are introduced to Jesus by their family members or friends.

Have you met Jesus? If you have, you can be like the star and light the way for others to find Him too.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to lead others to You. Amen.

"The Story of a Journey" - Artist unknown


SUPERSIZE IT: Avoiding Herod’s Trap
Did the wise men go back to Herod? Did Herod find Jesus? Read Matthew 2:12-15, then put the scrambled story in the right order.

1. At night the family made a secret getaway.

2. That night the wise men were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod.

3. The family lived in Egypt until Herod died.

4. After the wise men left Joseph had a dream. “Get up,” an angel said to him. “Escape with your family to Egypt. Herod is planning to kill Jesus.”

5. The wise men went back to their country another way.


ANSWERS

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Surprise!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 1:1-25


TO CHEW ON: "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him ... When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear." Luke 1:11, 12

What do you want the very most in the world - a pet, a skateboard, a brother or sister, a friend?

Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted a baby - a son. But they were old and no son had been born to them. They had given up hope. But God had other ideas.

God was planning to answer their prayer.
1. What surprise did He send to Zechariah in the temple? (Luke 1:11) _________

"The Vision of Zechariah" by James Tissot 1886-1896

2. What did the angel tell Zechariah? (Luke 1:13) ____________

3. Zechariah found out some surprising things about the baby which would be born. Which statements are NOT true? (Luke 1:14-17)
a. They were to name him John
b. He was to drink only wine and fermented drink.
c. He would be sickly.
d. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.
f. He would preach but people wouldn’t listen.
g. He would prepare people for the Lord.

But Zechariah doubted the angel’s words. “How do I know this will happen?” he asked.

Because he doubted, the angel gave him a sign. Zechariah became dumb (unable to talk).

In time the baby was born, just as the angel said. Zechariah and Elizabeth were overjoyed. God’s promise had come true!

"The Birth of John the Baptist" Artist Unknown

PRAYER: God, thank You that You know what I want the most and will answer at just the right time. Amen.

"The Naming of John the Baptist" by Rembrandt

SUPERSIZE IT: Names
After the baby was born, Zechariah and Elizabeth’s family and friends wanted to call him Zechariah. But the angel had said he was to be named John. When Elizabeth insisted the baby must be called John, everyone looked to Zechariah. He took a tablet and to everyone’s surprise wrote ______________________________ (Luke 1:63). And then he could talk again! Read the first words he said in Luke 1:67-79.

In Bible times, the meanings of names were important. What does John mean?

What does your name mean?

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.