The One Year Devotions with Jesus: 365 Devotions to Help You Know and Love the Savior
752
The One Year Devotions with Jesus: 365 Devotions to Help You Know and Love the Savior
752Paperback
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781496401243 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Tyndale House Publishers |
| Publication date: | 10/01/2015 |
| Pages: | 752 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.40(d) |
| Age Range: | 10 - 14 Years |
Read an Excerpt
The One Year Devotions with Jesus
By JOSHUA COOLEY
Tyndale House Publishers
Copyright © 2015 Joshua CooleyAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4964-0124-3
CHAPTER 1
JANUARY 1
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. COLOSSIANS 1:15
Happy New Year!
To begin a new year and a devotional book about Jesus Christ, it's only natural to start at the beginning.
No, not at Jesus' birth. That's not even close. To find Jesus' beginning, you'd have to go back way further than that.
In fact, if you were in a time machine going backward through history, you'd have to zoom past the Bethlehem manger. You'd have to leave Daniel, David, Moses, and Abraham in your stardust. And when you finally reached the creation of the universe in Genesis 1, guess what? You'd have to fill up the fuel tank (time travel requires premium unleaded) and keep on truckin' backward into eternity past.
Ultimately, though, your mission would fail. That's because Jesus had no beginning. He has always existed. In other words, Jesus was alive before Mary gave birth to him in Bethlehem two thousand years ago.
Whoa. Talk about a brainteaser.
WHAT'S IT MEAN?
How can someone be alive before he or she is born as a baby?
For humans, it's impossible. Our lives begin in our mothers' wombs, we live seventy to eighty years on average, and then we die.
But not Jesus. Because he is fully God, Jesus is eternal and all-powerful. He has always existed, and his power is limitless. Today's verse says Jesus existed "before anything was created." (We'll discuss Jesus' human birth in the January 15 devotion.)
Jesus is not a created being. He never had a beginning. He has existed for all time with God the Father and God's Spirit, the other two persons of the Holy Trinity. If you were drawing a timeline for Jesus' existence, it would not have starting or ending points. The line would go forever in both directions!
This is difficult to understand. Our human brains can process only so much, and eternity is a tough concept. But Jesus is eternal because of who he is.
This is important to believe, because if Jesus was created, he would be limited in his power, like us. But he's not. He is fully God and all-powerful. And he's worthy of all our worship!
NOW WHAT?
Ask the oldest person in your family (probably a grandparent or great-grandparent) to share stories about what life was like when he or she was your age. Then remember that Jesus is infinitely older than your relative!
DID YOU KNOW?
The period before Jesus came to earth as a baby is called his "pre-incarnate state." Incarnate means to be flesh and blood like humans. So pre-incarnate means the time before Jesus became flesh and blood.
JANUARY 2
God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. HEBREWS 1:2-3
So if Jesus has existed forever (yesterday's devotion), what was he doing all that time before being born in Bethlehem? Since he's all-powerful and all-knowing, did he spend his days ...
• beating every video game ever invented?
• playing golf on Pluto?
• helping the angels with their math homework?
Doubtful.
Here's what we know: at some point in eternity past, Jesus was actively involved with God the Father in creating the universe. When Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," Jesus was right there too!
Colossians 1:16 affirms this when it says, "Everything was created through him [Jesus] and for him." And Hebrews 1:2 says, "Through the Son he [God] created the universe."
Since Creation, Jesus also has kept the universe running smoothly. Hebrews 1:3 says, "He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command." And "he holds all creation together" (Colossians 1:17).
It's by Jesus' infinite power that the earth revolves around the sun, planets remain safely in their orbits, and stars twinkle in the nighttime sky. Amazing!
We also know that before coming to earth, Jesus enjoyed wonderful fellowship with God the Father ( John 17:24) and shared God's glory (John 17:5). Otherwise, the Bible is mostly silent on Jesus' existence before he came to earth.
WHAT'S IT MEAN?
Why doesn't the Bible tell us more about pre-Bethlehem Jesus? That's a mystery. But we know enough. The Bible provides everything God wants us to know about his Son. As 2 Timothy 3:15 says, "The holy Scriptures ... have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus."
Through God's Word, we know that Jesus is our eternal Creator, our loving Savior, and our almighty King. He made us, and he holds the entire universe together by simply speaking. That's incredible, praiseworthy power!
NOW WHAT?
Spend time making something special: build an Erector set, do a craft, or bake some cookies with your mom. Whatever you make, you need supplies or ingredients to create it, right? Now consider how Jesus created the entire universe out of nothing at all. Wow!
DID YOU KNOW?
The sun is one of Earth's closest celestial neighbors, yet NASA estimates that it is ninety-three million miles away. This should start to give you an idea of how big Jesus' universe is and how powerful he is!
JANUARY 3
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. JOHN 1:1
1 + 1 = 2
The earth is round.
What goes up must come down.
These are all simple facts that we take for granted. But at one point or another in history, they were either unknown, unexplained, or not accepted as truth. These facts help us understand life, and they remain true whether we believe them or not.
There is, however, another statement that far surpasses these others. It remains true regardless of our belief, and it will drastically change our lives — but only if we accept it. It's the simplest yet most profound statement ever: Jesus is God.
WHAT'S IT MEAN?
So what's the big deal with that? Why is it so important that Jesus is God?
First, if Jesus wasn't God,
• he was a liar and a fraud, since he claimed to be God.
• Scripture itself would be greatly diminished as error prone and misleading since it consistently presents Jesus as God.
• Jesus couldn't have taken away our sins, because only a sinless Savior could do that, and only God is sinless.
But Jesus is God! He claimed it many times, including in John 10:30 when he said, "The Father and I are one." He proved it with his miracles and resurrection. And Scripture affirms it in many other passages such as today's verse, Titus 2:13, and 2 Peter 1:1. Another key passage, Colossians 2:9, says, "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body."
This is where many people get confused. They wonder how a human can also be God. But don't let that throw you off. As we learned in the previous two devotions, Jesus has always existed and was with God the Father in eternity past. He can do all things. When Jesus came to earth, he took on human form while remaining God — fully God and fully man.
As God himself, Jesus was perfectly and uniquely qualified to become the sacrifice for the sins of humanity, including yours!
NOW WHAT?
Read some of the passages mentioned above about Jesus' deity (divine nature), and pray for God to give you understanding and faith in this most important area.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are dozens of instances in the New Testament (which was originally written in Greek) where the Greek words theos (God) and kyrios (Lord) are used to describe Jesus — more proof that Jesus is fully God and fully man.
JANUARY 4
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 CORINTHIANS 13:14
Good things come in threes.
The Three Stooges set the standard for American comedy in the early twentieth century. In literature, you've got the three musketeers, three blind mice, and three little pigs — all classics. Isaac Newton gave us the three laws of motion, while Christopher Columbus and his crew sailed to the New World in the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. If you're in the mood for some groovy music, look no further than Earth, Wind & Fire (ask your parents). And of course, let's not forget our favorite fearless trio from Hogwarts: Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
You get the point. It's cool to be three.
Of course, the greatest trio of all time is the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Even though Scripture never actually uses the word Trinity, it clearly teaches God's triune — or "three-in-one" — nature.
There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). But God has three distinct persons — the Father, Son, and Spirit (see today's verse) — who are equal in divinity, yet separate in their roles.
WHAT'S IT MEAN?
If your head is swimming right now, don't worry. It's normal. This is the deep end of the theological pool.
No human can fully understand how one God is three equal persons with different functions. But the Bible clearly teaches the Trinity, so we need to believe it. Besides, if God is as awesome and mysterious as Scripture says, it only makes sense that we cannot totally comprehend his greatness or nature.
So what is Jesus' role in the Trinity? While God the Father reigns over all creation, and the Holy Spirit regenerates sinful hearts and sanctifies believers (both have other functions too), Jesus' main role was to come to earth and offer himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins in order to make peace between us and God. As we've learned the last few days, Jesus was involved in creating the universe, and he still sustains it by his power, but the Son's chief role is reconciling lost sinners to a holy God.
Praise God for the Trinity! And praise God for the Trinity's second person, Jesus!
NOW WHAT?
The next time you do anything involving threes — such as watching a 3-D movie; eating a BLT sandwich; or playing rock, paper, scissors — remember the glorious truth of the Holy Trinity!
DID YOU KNOW?
While the Old Testament never specifically mentions the Trinity, it hints at it as early as Genesis 1:26, when God says on the sixth day of creation, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us." God didn't say, "Let me make ..." He said, "Let us make ..."!
JANUARY 5
Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed. MATTHEW 14:33
One of the most popular titles for Jesus in Scripture is "Son of God." Jesus claimed it, the disciples believed it, the apostle Paul proclaimed it, a pagan Roman centurion at the Crucifixion admitted it, demons acknowledged it, and God the Father affirmed it.
There's no denying that Jesus is the Son of God. But this presents us with another doozy of a brainteaser: If Jesus is God, how can he also be the Son of God? Which is it? Is he God or God's Son?
Well, actually he's both.
WHAT'S IT MEAN?
As mentioned before, it's a doozy. But it's a question worth answering.
When Scripture refers to Jesus as the Son of God, it's a title that is always meant to highlight Jesus' deity, not imply that he is God's child. As discussed earlier in this book, Jesus is God. He is not a created being. He is equal to God the Father in divinity and has always existed.
Jesus is called the Son of God not because he is God's offspring but because he is perfectly like the Father in all his attributes: holiness, power, wisdom, eternal nature, etc. The title "Son of God" also means that Jesus became obedient to the Father, willingly taking the role of a servant in coming to earth. There are lots of verses in the Gospel of John that discuss this, such as John 5:19; 8:28; 10:18; 12:49; 14:24; and 15:10.
Like a human son obeys and submits to his father, Jesus gladly submitted to God's ultimate plan for humanity. When we as humans sinfully rebelled against God, instead of punishing us (as he had every right to do), God sent his Son — the second person of the Trinity — to accomplish his great rescue plan. Jesus willingly left heaven's glory to become a man and pay the price for our wickedness. It would cost Jesus his life. But it would provide new life for us.
The Son of God is truly worthy of all our praise!
NOW WHAT?
To learn more about Jesus' divine sonship, read Hebrews 1–2.
DID YOU KNOW?
Even some of Jesus' fiercest opponents, the Jewish religious leaders, acknowledged that his claim to be God's Son was really a declaration that he was God. That's why they wanted to kill him for blasphemy, or bringing disrespect (in their minds) to God (John 5:18; 10:33; and 19:7).
JANUARY 6
There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live. 1 CORINTHIANS 8:5-6
The ancient world was teeming with idols. Most cultures in the Old and New Testament eras were polytheistic. In other words, they believed in many gods. The ancient Mesopotamians did. So did the Egyptians, Canaanites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, and Romans. These pagan nations worshiped gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, Jupiter, Apollo, Ra, Osiris, Baal, Molech, Ashur, Anu, Marduk ... the list goes on and on.
But these so-called "gods" are no more real than Batman, Bugs Bunny, or Bigfoot. Scripture is very clear: there is only one true God.
Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land of Canaan, which was filled with idol-worshiping nations, God reminded his people many times that he alone was God. Deuteronomy 4:39 says, "Remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other."
WHAT'S IT MEAN?
As we dive deeper into our study of Jesus, it's crucial to understand this truth: there is only one true God, the God of the Bible, who exists in three equal yet distinct persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All other gods are man- made ideas. They are false. Fake. Fictional. Phony.
The triune God of the Bible has no competitors. He is sovereign Creator and Ruler of the universe. He sent his Son, Jesus, as the once-for-all sacrifice for sins. And by his Spirit, he draws lost sinners to salvation.
NOW WHAT?
Ask God to increase your faith in him and his unique position as the only true divine being that we are to worship.
DID YOU KNOW?
While most major religions in the world today aren't polytheistic, the belief in false gods still exists. Hinduism claims many deities. Islam, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism are examples of other false religions that preach a god who isn't the true God of the Bible.
January 7
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ROMANS 3:23, NIV
A cool evening breeze rustled the leaves of Paradise. The trees in the Garden of Eden swayed back and forth. Everything on this day seemed perfect.
But it wasn't.
Adam and Eve, the first man and woman God created, were nowhere in sight. Unlike previous days, when they used to walk with God through his perfect creation, Adam and Eve now hid from their Creator in fear and shame. Earlier that day, they had been tempted by Satan — a.k.a. the devil, a fallen angel who is the chief enemy of God and all humanity — to disobey God. Adam and Eve gave in to temptation, choosing to eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden.
Sin (breaking God's laws) had entered the world, and with it came sadness, pain, sickness, and death. We call this "the Fall." What's more, Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Garden forever.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The One Year Devotions with Jesus by JOSHUA COOLEY. Copyright © 2015 Joshua Cooley. Excerpted by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction, ix,The Pre-incarnate Christ, 1,
Jesus' Divinity, 5,
The Fall, 13,
Jesus in the Old Testament, 21,
The Birth of Christ, 29,
Jesus' Early Life, 39,
Jesus' Early Ministry, 49,
The Sermon on the Mount, 83,
Jesus' Miracles, Teachings, and Ministry, 137,
Passion Week, 283,
Jesus' Death, 349,
Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension, 377,
Salvation and the Gospel, 409,
The Church and Christianity, 455,
The Epistles and Christian Living, 517,
Future Events and Jesus' Second Coming, 659,
Jesus and Christmas, 699,
The New Heaven and New Earth, 719,
About the Author, 731,