C R O S S W A Y B O O K S A P U B L I S H I N G M I N I S T R Y O F

G O O D N E W S P U B L I S H E R S W H E A T O N , I L L I N O I S

365 Bible Stories for Young Hearts

Copyright © 2006 by LionHudson.

Published by Crossway Books A publishing ministry of Good News Publishers 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.

Cover illustration: Alan Perry Cover design: Josh Dennis

First printing, 2006

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hudson, Lion,

365 Bible stories for young hearts / Lion Hudson. p. cm.

ISBN 13: 978-1-58134-807-1 (hc: alk. paper)ISBN 10: 1-58134-807-X1. Bible stories, English. I. Title: Three Hundred sixty-five Bible

stories for young hearts. II. Title. BS551.3.H83 2006 220.9'505—dc22 2006004281

18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06

15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

DAY PAGE

OLD TESTAMENT

The Story of Creation 1 The World Is God’s Creation 14 2 God Makes the First People 16 3 The Saddest Day on Earth 17 4 Disobedience Brings Punishment 18 5 The World’s First Murder 19 6 The Man Who Walked with God 20

The Story of Noah 7 A Good Man in a Sinful World 22 8 Noah Obeys Orders 22 9 A Long Boat Ride 25 10 Dry Land at Last 27

The Story of Different Languages 11 The Tower of Babel 29

The Story of Abraham 12 Abram Believes God 29 13 A Selfish Choice 30 14 A Wonderful Promise 31 15 Lot Is Captured 32 16 Sarai Gets Impatient 34 17 Abram Gets a New Name 35 18 Heavenly Visitors 35 19 The Angels Warn Lot 37 20 God Destroys Sodom 37

DAY PAGE

21 The Son of Promise 39 22 God Takes Care of Ishmael 40 23 Abraham Proves His Faith 40

The Story of Isaac 24 Isaac Needs a Wife 42 25 The Right Wife for Isaac 43 26 God Answers a Prayer 44

The Story of Jacob 27 Esau Throws Away Something Valuable 44 28 Jacob Fools His Father 45 29 Rebekah Helps Jacob Escape 46 30 A Stairway to Heaven 48 31 Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel 48 32 Jacob’s Secret Escape 51 33 Jacob Wants Peace with Esau 51 34 Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau 52 35 God Cares for Jacob 53 36 The Death of Isaac 54

The Story of Joseph 37 Joseph the Dreamer 55 38 Joseph Visits His Brothers 56 39 Joseph’s Brothers Get Rid of Him 57 40 Joseph Goes to Jail 59 41 Pharaoh’s Dreams 60 42 Jacob’s Sons Buy Grain 61 43 Joseph’s Brothers Don’t Recognize Him 62

DAY

44 Joseph Sends for His Favorite Brother 45 Joseph Sees Benjamin 46 The Cup in the Sack 47 A Surprising Announcement 48 Jacob Moves to Egypt 49 A Happy Family Reunion 50 A Blessing for Each Son

The Story of Moses 51 The Cruel Egyptians 52 The Baby in the Floating Basket 53 A Princess Finds a Surprise 54 Moses Escapes 55 The Bush That Kept Burning 56 Moses Can Do Miracles 57 Aaron Will Help His Brother 58 Pharaoh’s Hard Heart 59 The People Complain to Moses 60 Big Trouble for Egypt 61 Frightening Punishments 62 The Worst Punishment 63 The First Passover 64 Pharaoh Lets the People Go 65 A Path Through the Sea 66 Pharaoh’s Soldiers Drown 67 Food from Heaven 68 Water from a Rock 69 Joshua Leads the Army 70 God Calls Moses to the Mountain 71 Commandments About Loving God 72 Commandments About Loving Others 73 A Special House for God 74 Clothes for the Priests 75 Dedicating the Priests

PAGE

63 64 64 65 67 68 68

70 71 72 73 74 74 76 77 78 79 81 82 82 84 85 87 87 88 89 90 92 93 95 95 96

DAY PAGE

76 A Golden Calf-Idol 97 77 Moses Destroys the Idol 98 78 New Tablets and a New Agreement 99 79 Building God’s House 100 80 God’s Glory Fills the Tabernacle 102 81 The Wrong Kind of Fire 102 82 Rules About Food 103 83 Aaron’s Special Work 104 84 Important Rules to Obey 106 85 Special Holidays 106 86 A Big Celebration 107 87 The Levites Work in the Tabernacle 108 88 Too Much Meat! 109 89 Miriam and Aaron Criticize Moses 110 90 Checking Out the Land 111 91 Punishment for Disobedience 112 92 The Earth Swallows Korah 113 93 Buds, Blossoms, and Fruit 113 94 Moses Loses His Temper 114 95 Bitten by Poisonous Snakes 115 96 The Talking Donkey 116 97 Curses Turn to Blessings 117 98 The View Across the River 118 99 The People Are Divided 118 100 Safe from Revenge 120 101 Moses’ Long Speech 120

The Story of the Israelites 102 Joshua Becomes the Leader 121 103 Rahab Helps the Spies 122 104 Crossing the River 123 105 The Lord Visits Joshua 125 106 A City’s Walls Fall Down 126 107 Why Did Ai Defeat Israel? 127

DAY

108 Punishment for a Thief 109 The Tricky Gibeonites 110 The Sun Stands Still 111 A Special Place for Levites 112 The People Choose God

The Story of the Judges 113 Israel Needs New Leaders 114 The First Judges 115 Deborah Leads an Army 116 God Chooses Gideon as Leader 117 Is the Wool Wet or Dry? 118 Gideon’s Army Wins 119 Jephthah’s Foolish Promise 120 A Miracle Baby 121 Samson Kills a Lion 122 Samson Punishes His Enemies 123 An Unfaithful Girlfriend 124 Samson’s Enemies Capture Him

The Story of Ruth 125 Naomi and Ruth 126 Ruth Works in the Fields 127 Ruth and Boaz Are Married

The Story of Job 128 Job’s Troubles 129 Job’s Friends 130 God Blesses Job Again

The Story of Jonah 131 Jonah Disobeys God 132 Jonah and the Fish

PAGE

128 129 130 131 131

132 134 135 136 138 140 141 142 143 144 145 146

148 149 150

151 152 152

153 154

DAY PAGE

The Story of Samuel 133 Hannah Prays for a Son 156 134 God Speaks to Samuel 157 135 Enemies Capture the Ark 158 136 God Brings the Ark Back 159 137 Israel Asks for a King 161

The Story of Saul 138 God Chooses Saul to Be King 161 139 Samuel Warns the People 162 140 Saul Disobeys the Lord 164 141 Jonathan Frightens an Army 165

The Story of David 142 David to Be the Next King 167 143 David Plays for King Saul 169 144 Goliath Frightens the Israelites 170 145 David Hears Goliath’s Challenge 171 146 David Kills Goliath 172 147 Saul Is Jealous 173 148 David’s Best Friend 175 149 David Tells a Lie 176 150 Where a Lie Can Lead 177 151 David Spares Saul’s Life 178 152 Nabal Insults David 180 153 David Marries Abigail 180 154 David Refuses to Kill the King 181 155 Saul Calls Samuel’s Spirit 182 156 David Defeats the Amalekites 183 157 Israel’s First King Dies 185 158 David Is Crowned King 185 159 God Punishes Uzzah 187 160 The Ark Returns to Jerusalem 188 161 David’s Kindness to Jonathan’s Family 190

DAY PAGE DAY PAGE

162 David and Bathsheba 191 190 Ahab Dies in Battle 225

166 Absalom Hangs by His Hair 195 The Story of Elisha

174 King Solomon Breaks God’s Law 205 202 The Axe That Floated and the

163 The Baby Dies 191 191 The King’s Men Chase Elijah 226164 Fighting Princes 193 192 A Heavenly Chariot Ride 227165 David Runs Away from His Son 194

167 King David Praises God 196 193 Elisha Does Miracles 229168 David Chooses Solomon to Be King 197 194 The Lord Provides Water 230

195 The Wonderful Jar of Oil 230The Story of Solomon 196 A Special Room for Elisha 232169 Solomon Becomes King 197 197 A Dead Boy Lives Again 233170 Solomon Makes a Wise Decision 199 198 The Poisonous Food 234171 Solomon Builds God’s Temple 200 199 A Servant Girl’s Advice 236172 God’s Glory Fills the Temple 202 200 Naaman Is Healed 237173 Solomon’s Great Kingdom 204 201 A Greedy Servant 238

Blind Army 239The Story of the Kings175 The Kingdom Is Divided 207 The Story of Kings, Queens, and Prophets176 Jeroboam Builds Idols 208 203 A Time of Great Hunger 240177 A Lion Kills a Prophet 210 204 Four Men Share with Others 241178 Jeroboam’s Son Dies 210 205 A Woman Gets Her Land Back 242179 More Wicked Kings 211 206 Hazael Commits Murder 244

207 Jehu Will Be King 245The Story of Elijah 208 A Wicked Queen Dies 246180 Miracle Food 212 209 The Death of a Powerful Prophet 246181 Elijah Raises a Dead Boy to Life 213 210 God’s Prophets Warn Israel 248182 Drought and Famine 215 211 The Death of a Nation 249183 A Contest on Mount Carmel 215184 Fire from Heaven 216 The Story of Judah185 God Sends Rain at Last 218 212 Meanwhile, Back in Judah… 250186 An Angel Feeds Elijah 219 213 A Faithful King 251187 God Chooses a New Prophet 221 214 God Gives Judah a Victory 252188 A Victory for Israel 222 215 The King’s Illness and Death 253189 Ahab’s and Jezebel’s Sin 223 216 A Baby Prince Is Hidden 254

DAY PAGE

217 Joash, a Wise Young King 254 218 Joash Repairs the Temple 256 219 The Death of Joash 257 220 A New King for Judah 257 221 King Uzziah Gets Leprosy 258 222 Isaiah Says a Savior Will Come 260 223 King Ahaz Nails the Temple Shut 261 224 Hezekiah Opens God’s House 262 225 Passover Becomes a Happy Time Again 262 226 An Angel Fights for Judah 263 227 Hezekiah’s Life Is Lengthened 264 228 King Manasseh’s Heart Is Changed 266 229 Another Young King 266 230 Josiah Celebrates Passover 267 231 Judah Is Ruled by Babylon 268 232 Jeremiah Is Put into a Well 270 233 Ezekiel Teaches Using Object Lessons 270 234 No One Believes Ezekiel 272 235 God’s Special Messenger 272 236 God Sends Good News 273 237 The Beautiful City Is Burned 274 238 Judah—a Lonely, Deserted Country 276

The Story of Daniel 239 Daniel and His Friends 240 The King Has a Scary Dream 241 The Dream and Its Meaning 242 “We Will Not Bow to the Statue” 243 How Many Men in the Furnace? 244 Another Strange Dream 245 The Mysterious Hand 246 Daniel Keeps on Praying 247 Thrown to the Lions 248 Daniel Prays for His Country

277 278 280 282 282 285 286 287 288 290

DAY PAGE

The Story of Return from Exile 249 Back Home at Last 290

The Story of Queen Esther 250 The Most Beautiful Queen 291 251 A Dangerous Law 293 252 Mordecai Asks Esther to Help 294 253 A Sneaky Plot 296 254 The Brave Queen Saves Her People 297

The Story of the Prophets 255 Trouble for the Builders 299 256 Ezra Comes to Teach 300 257 The King Is Kind to Nehemiah 302 258 The Jews Work on the City Walls 303 259 The Temple Is Finished at Last! 305 260 Joyful Celebration 306 261 Many Years of Trouble 309

THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Story of John the Baptist 262 A Surprise for Zechariah 311 263 A Promise from an Angel 312 264 Elizabeth Has a Baby Boy 314

The Story of Jesus 265 God Sends His Son 315 266 Simeon and Anna 316 267 The Wise Men 319 268 Hiding from Herod 320 269 John Baptizes Jesus 322 270 Satan Tempts Jesus 323

DAY

271 Jesus’ First Miracle 272 How to Be Born Again 273 King Herod—John’s Powerful Enemy 274 The Woman at the Well 275 Jesus Heals a Sick Boy 276 From Fishermen to Followers 277 Jesus Heals the Sick 278 Down Through the Roof! 279 Jesus and the Sabbath 280 The Twelve Special Disciples 281 Jesus Preaches on a Mountain 282 Jesus Tells How We Should Live 283 Two Different Houses 284 Jesus Shows Great Power 285 Showing Love to Jesus 286 A Story About Money 287 A Story About Seeds 288 A Story About Faith 289 Two Wonderful Miracles 290 Jesus Gives Health and Strength 291 Blind Men Can See 292 The Disciples Tell the Good News 293 Jesus Feeds a Crowd 294 Jesus Walks Across the Lake 295 Another Picnic and a Miracle 296 Peter Knows Who Jesus Is 297 A Miracle on a Mountain 298 Jesus Teaches About Pride 299 A Really Good Neighbor 300 Learning to Pray 301 A Blind Beggar 302 Open Eyes, Open Heart 303 Jesus Is Our Shepherd 304 Jesus’ Good Friend Dies

PAGE

324 326 327 329 330 330 333 334 336 337 338 339 341 342 342 343 346 346 349 350 351 352 354 356 357 358 360 360 362 364 364 366 367 369

DAY PAGE

305 New Life for Lazarus 371 306 Ten Are Healed; One Is Grateful 372 307 Healing on the Sabbath 373 308 Looking for the Lost 374 309 The Son Who Ran Away 375 310 The Runaway Returns 376 311 The Rich Man and the Poor Man 377 312 Jesus Loves Little Children 378 313 Jesus Heals Bartimaeus’ Eyes 380 314 The Man in the Tree 380 315 Crowds Welcome Jesus to Jerusalem 381 316 The Farmer’s Son 382 317 Clothes for a Wedding 384 318 Oil for the Lamps 385 319 Using Our Talents 386 320 The Sheep and the Goats 387 321 A Gift of Love 387 322 The Disciples Celebrate Passover 388 323 Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet 390 324 The Last Supper 391 325 Jesus Prays in the Garden 392 326 Soldiers Arrest Jesus 393 327 Peter Hears the Rooster Crow 394 328 Officials Question Jesus 396 329 Pilate Frees One Prisoner 397 330 A Crown of Thorns 399 331 The Crucifixion 400 332 Jesus Dies on the Cross 401 333 Jesus Is Buried 402 334 Alive Again! 403 335 The Disciples See Jesus Alive 405 336 The Disciples Go Fishing 407 337 Back to Heaven 408

DAY PAGE

The Story of the Apostles 338 The Holy Spirit Comes 409339 Obeying God, Not Men 411340 Lying to God 412341 The Cost of Obeying God 412342 A Good Man Dies for His Faith 414343 Philip Helps an Ethiopian 416344 Saul Sees the Light! 417345 Can the Believers Trust Saul? 418346 Peter Sees a Vision 419347 A Gentile Believer 420348 An Angel Sets Peter Free 420349 Traveling Disciples Start

New Churches 422350 The Church Solves a Problem 423

DAY PAGE

351 Paul and Silas in Jail 423352 A Helpful Earthquake 424353 Paul’s Preaching Starts Trouble 426354 More Christians and More Trouble 426355 Paul Talks to Felix 428356 Paul Appeals to Caesar 429357 A Storm and a Shipwreck 430358 A Snake Bites Paul 432359 Paul Lives in Rome 433360 Letters from the Apostles 434361 The Christian Soldier’s Armor 435362 Jesus Is Coming Again 436363 The Runaway Slave 437364 An Unsigned Letter 438365 John’s Vision of Heaven 439

SAM

AR

IA

JUDEA

Salt

Sea

(Dea

d Se

a)

Wild

erne

ss o

f Ju

dea

Adriatic Sea

Mediterranean Sea

RIVER DANUBE

SYR

IA

Aegean Sea

Red Sea

RIVER TIGRIS

RIVER EUPHRATES

ASSYRIA

MESOPOTAMIA

RiverTiber

Black Sea

T H E W O R L D O F MACEDONIA T H E B I B L E

• ROME

Mt ▲ Vesuvius

ITALY PHILIPPI THESSALONICA • • ARMENIA

BEREA • Ararat Mountains GREECE • TROAS

ASIA MINOR ▲ SICILY

Ionian Sea Taurus Mountains

▲▲ ATHENSCORINTH •Mt Etna •

HARAN SPARTA • • EPHESUS •LYSTRA• PATMOS •TARSUSMALTA •NINEVEH•

ANTIOCH • CRETE SALAMIS • CYPRUS • PAPHOS

P A L E S T I N E • BABYLON • UR •DAMASCUS

PALESTINE Sea ofCAPERNAUM • Galilee ALEXANDRIA JERUSALEM •

MAGDALA • •NAZARETH •

Rive

r Jor

dan

GIL

EA

D

•CAESAREA

SAMARIA •

EMMAUS • JERICHO •

JOPPA • ▲Mt Sinai

RIVER N

ILE• BETHANYJERUSALEM • BETHANY EGYPT• (beyond Jordan)

BETHLEHEM • •

HEBRON

BEERSHEBA •

T H E O L D

T E S T A M E N T

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D A Y 1

The World Is God’s CreationGenesis 1—2

Along time ago, God made the world. It was dark and empty, and nothing lived in it. Then came six days of Creation. Here is what happened. On the first day, God said, “Let there be light,” and light came. God called the light day. At the end of

the day, darkness returned, and God called it night. On the second day, God placed the sky above the earth and called it heaven. On the third day, God divided the water-covered earth into rivers, lakes, and

oceans. He made dry land appear between them. Then he made plants grow on the land. On the fourth day, God made the big, bright sun to shine during the day. He made the moon and sparkling stars to shine at night.

On the fifth day, God made fish and other sea creatures. Then he made waterbirds (like ducks and geese) and other birds (like robins and eagles) that live high in the trees. On the sixth day, God made animals.

He made huge ones (like elephants) and tiny ones (like mice). Some were beautiful (like the tiger). Others were funny-looking (like the anteater). Some (like the cheetah) could run fast. Others (like the turtle) walked very slowly. And God made insects— some that flew, some that crawled, and some that jumped.

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D A Y 2

God Makes the First PeopleGenesis 1—2

While it was still the sixth day, God decided to make a man. God took dust from the ground and made it into a man’s body. He breathed into it, and the man became alive. God named him Adam. Adam was different from the

animals because he was like God himself. God gave Adam a home in a beautiful garden called Eden. It was full of wonderful

fruit trees. God said, “Adam, you may eat any fruit except the fruit from this one tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If you even taste this tree’s fruit, you will die.”

God put Adam in charge of the Garden. He told Adam to give each kind of animal, bird, and insect a name.

God knew it wasn’t good for Adam to be the only person in the world. He needed a friend and helper. So God made a woman from one of Adam’s ribs.

So the earth and skies, plants and animals, and human beings were finished in six creation days. God was very pleased with everything he had made.

On the seventh day God didn’t make anything. It was a quiet, holy day of rest.

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D A Y 3

The Saddest Day on Earth Genesis 3

Satan was in the Garden of Eden as well as God and Adam and his wife. Satan is an evil spirit who tries to get people to do wrong things. Satan

disguised himself as a snake, or serpent. He asked the woman, “Did God tell you not to eat any fruit in the Garden?”

“No!” she replied. “We can eat from every tree except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If we eat that fruit, we will die.”

“No, you won’t!” Satan told her. “It can’t hurt you. It will make you wise like God!”

Then the woman made a big mistake. She looked at the

tree. The fruit looked so good! She remembered that Satan had said it would make her wise, so she disobeyed God and ate some of the fruit. Then she gave some to Adam to eat.

Later they heard God calling them. They didn’t answer. Instead, they hid among the trees because they were afraid of him. God called again. “Where are you, Adam?”

“I’m hiding,” Adam finally said. “I’m afraid of you.” “Why? Did you eat the fruit I told you not to eat?” God asked. Adam blamed his wife. “The woman brought me some, and I ate it.” God asked the woman, “Did you really do that?” “I did, because the serpent tricked me,” she said. What weak excuses for disobeying God.

D A Y 4

Disobedience Brings PunishmentGenesis 3

Because Adam and his wife listened to the serpent instead of to God, God punished them. First, God told the serpent, “From now on, you will have to crawl on the dusty ground. You will be a

special enemy of the woman and her children. You will strike at their heels, but they will crush your head.”

Then God told the woman that because she had disobeyed, she would suffer pain when her

children were born. God said to Adam, “Because you ate the

fruit I told you not to eat, you will have to

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work hard to grow crops. Then you will die, and your body will return to the ground from which I made it.”

After that Adam named his wife Eve. Her name meant she would become the first mother of all the people who would ever live on the earth.

God made Adam and Eve leave the beautiful Garden of Eden for fear that they might also eat from the Tree of Life and live forever in their sinfulness. Then God sent angels with swords to guard the entrance to the Garden and to the Tree of Life.

D A Y 5

The World’s First MurderGenesis 4

Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain became a farmer, and Abel became a shepherd. When it was time to offer God a gift, Cain brought grain and fruit, and Abel sacrificed a lamb. God was pleased

with Abel’s offering, but he saw that Cain had disobedience in his heart, so he didn’t accept Cain’s gifts. Cain became very angry.

“Why are you so angry?” God asked him. “If you do what is right, I will be pleased with you, too. If you don’t, you will always be in trouble because of your sin.”

Cain became more angry with God, and he hated Abel because God had accepted Abel’s sacrifice and not his. One day the brothers went out to the field together. Cain attacked Abel and killed him.

God called to Cain: “Where is your brother?”

“How should I know?” Cain answered crossly. “Am I supposed to look after him all the time?”

God knows everything we do, and he knew that Cain had killed Abel. He said, “Your brother’s blood calls out to me from the ground. Now you must leave home and wander from place to place. You will live in fear, and your crops will never grow well.”

D A Y 6

The Man Who Walked with GodGenesis 5

Adam lived until he was 930 years old. He and Eve had many children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Soon many, many people lived in the world.

One of them was Enoch. The Bible tells us Enoch loved God and thought about him all the time. Enoch and God were friends, and Enoch pleased God by obeying him in every way.

When Enoch was 365 years old, God took him to live with him. We don’t know how it happened, but we know Enoch didn’t have to die the way other people do.

Enoch had a son named Methuselah, who lived to be 969 years old. As far as we know, Methuselah was the oldest man who has ever lived.

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