Zondervan - The Gift of Easter: 14 Days of Devotions

New International Version

The Gift of Easter

from The Jesus Bible, NIV

ZONDERKIDZ

The Gift of Easter: 14 Days of Devotions

Copyright 2015 by Zonderkidz

EPub edition JANUARY 2016 ISBN: 978-0-310-75245-5

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The Jesus Bible, NIV
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Table of Contents

Jesus Prays for You!

2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

6I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

13I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

20My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one 23I in them and you in meso that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.

John 17:226

What is the first thing you do when you are nervous or afraid? Do you run and hide, find your parents, or frantically pace around the room?

Before the thorns and the lashes, and before he carried his own cross, Jesus the Savior prayed. Do you know what he prayed for?

You.

Isnt that spectacular? Think about it. The Lord Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, was praying for you in what must have been the most nerve-racking, distressful, and fearful moments of his life on earth. But you were on his mind!

Do you want to hear something even more mind-blowing? When Jesus prayed for you, he said he would give you the glory that God gave to him. Amazing! Could this get any better?

Jesus, your Savior, prayed for you before he died for you, and he is still praying for you. Sitting on the throne of God, Jesus hears your prayers. Then, he prays to the heavenly Father, who loves you as much as he loves Jesus.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to pray for me. I know whether I pray silently or out loud that you hear my prayers. Amen.

Never Alone!

23 Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 You heard me say, I am going away and I am coming back to you. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now; let us leave.

John 14:2331

Do you remember the last time you felt alone? Maybe you were separated from your parents in a crowd or you were the only one your age at church.

When Jesus was about to be crucified, his disciples were scared. They had gotten used to having Jesus around. What would they do without him?

Jesus told them not to be afraid. He told them he was sending the Holy Spirit, who would remind them of everything hed taught them. He would leave them his peace to help them in difficult times. He would give them courage and comfort.