Johnson Kevin Walter - The Awesome Book of Bible Answers for Kids

THE

AWESOME

BOOK

OF

BIBLE

ANSWERS

FOR KIDS!

THE

AWESOME

BOOK

OF

BIBLE

ANSWERS

FOR KIDS!

JOSH McDOWELL

KEVIN JOHNSON

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the 1996 edition of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked NCV are taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, Nashville, TN 37214. Used by permission.

Verses marked GWT are taken from GODS WORD. GODS WORD is a copyrighted work of Gods Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by Gods Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

All emphasis (italics) in Scripture quotations has been added by the authors.

Cover by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

Interior illustrations Kreig Barrie

THE AWESOME BOOK OF BIBLE ANSWERS FOR KIDS

Copyright 2003 by Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

McDowell, Josh.

[Children demand a verdict]

The awesome book of Bible answers for kids / Josh McDowell and Kevin Johnson.

p. cm.

Originally published: Children demand a verdict. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2003.

Includes indexes.

ISBN 978-0-7369-2872-4 (pbk.)

1. Apologetics. 2. ChristianityMiscellanea. I. Johnson, Kevin (Kevin Walter) II. Title.

BT1103.M325 2011

239dc22

2010021675

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 / VP-SK / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The word of the LORD holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth.

PSALM 33:4-5

Y ou probably wonder about Jesus and God sometimes. Maybe you want to know why the Bible is such a big dealor have other questions.

These kinds of questions are greatbecause what you know and believe about God, Jesus, and the Bible makes a big difference to who you are deep down inside. So keep reading, and keep asking those great questions!

Mom and Dad and other grown-upsyoull want to take a look at page 129, where the Learning and Conversation Guide starts. Youll find good ideas to illustrate the answers in this book, and tips on how to talk about the faith and live it out.

Q:

A:

God made us to be his friends. When God made the sun and the moon, the land and the sea, and the plants and animals that fill our world, he was pleased. But when he made people, he said that we were an extra-special creation. Why? Because he made us so that were able to know him! We can talk to him and read about him. From the beginning of the Bible to the end, theres a clear message: God loves us, and he wants us to love him back. He wants us to trust him, enjoy him, and obey him. His plan is for us to live every minute as his friends. And someday he wants us to live with him in heaven forever!

God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was excellent in every way.

GENESIS 1:31

Q:

A:

We cant see God, because God is a spirit. He doesnt have a physical body like we do. God knew that it would be hard for us to understand exactly what he is like. So he came up with a wonderful way for us to know him. God, the Father, sent his Son, Jesus, to be born as a baby in Bethlehem. Jesus grew up and lived as a mana very special, kind, perfect man. We can be sure that when we learn what Jesus is like, we will know what God is like. Jesus is just like God, his Father in heaven. In fact, Jesus is God! Jesus shows us exactly what God is like!

No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Fathers heart; he has told us about him.

JOHN 1:18

Q:

A:

You might know that you filled a bathtub with water thats too hot to climb in. But its the way you feel that makes you jump out before you get burned any worse. In the same way, God planned for you to think about the way you feel when you have done something wrong. Doing wrong usually makes you feel far from God and from the people you hurt. Those sad feelings are a powerful message that you have done something that needs to be fixed. Its one way God helps you know you need to admit your sin to himand do whatever you can to fix what you did wrong.

What joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long.

PSALM 32:2-3

Q:

A:

Some cars come with alarm systems. They are supposed to keep people from trying to steal the car or smash it up. But its possible to unhook an alarm so it doesnt go off. Thats what its like if you pretend you dont feel bad when youve done something wrong. God created you to have an alarmto feel bad for doing wrong. He did that to warn you away from sin.

But sometimes you start to feel good when you do bad. You might punch your sister, for example, and smile about it. Or you might take a friends cookie and feel good that you got it for free. Feelings should warn you away from sin, but feelings can also fool you. So God gave you his commands in the Bible. When you learn what the Bible says, you can always be sure about right and wrong.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simpleBy them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

PSALM 19:7,11

Q:

A:

God wants to be friends with each of us, but he is so special that he wont come near anything thats bad. So our sins make us Gods enemy. The wrong things we do break Gods laws, and they hurt the people God cares about. Since God only does what is right and loving and perfect, he cant be friends with people who dont want to be like him. And God, who does no wrong, cant allow sinful people to come near him. But God does want us to be friends with him. So he planned a way that he could fix the problem we have with sin. Thats why he sent Jesus to Earth to die for our sins.