Customizable Fall Book of Hope

(Customizable) (Title) Presented by: (Insert Church name Here)

English Fall Edition ISBN 978-1-59480-934-7 Copyright Š 2013 by OneHope www.onehope.net/customized

Look up in the sky and you’ll notice a show, Of the stars gliding by and the moon’s soft glow.

Who scattered them there? From Whose hands did they fall?

And why would He even bother at all?

The Maker of Lights spun this world into place, To begin His Story of love, hope and grace.

All creatures He formed by His pleasure and will; Calling each by their name, now MAN’s task to fulfill.

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The Man from Dust As told in Genesis 1-3

In the very beginning, God made everything. He made the sun, the moon and stars and every animal and plant. God then created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. He shaped Adam out of dust and told him to rule over the earth and to fill it, giving life to all people. God then brought each animal to Adam, and he named them whatever he wished.

God spent time with Adam and Eve in a perfect place He made for them, called the Garden of Eden. God made only one rule: don’t eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. But Adam and Eve did not believe God. They believed a lie from the enemy and ate from the tree anyways.

Immediately, Adam and Eve knew they had broken God’s rule; they had sinned.

Because of their sin, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden. God placed mighty angels outside the garden and a flaming sword to guard the tree. They could no longer walk and talk with God in the special way that best friends do.

But God promised that one day He would send another MAN. This Man would not be made from dust but would come from heaven. He would fix the broken friendship between God and man and set things right once again. man (n.): someone made in God’s image; a person

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The bond had been broken; would it ever be the same?

The garden now closed, what land could they claim?

Lifetimes passed by, generations grew old, And none could escape the grasp of sin’s hold.

God promised a future, a new life of grace, But His people were stubborn and still disobeyed.

So often forgetting God’s promise to them, Each day they sank deeper and deeper in sin.

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Now far from their home, they lived in a land, As slaves trapped under a Pharaoh’s demands.

It seemed as if all hope had been shattered; Would God leave His people broken and scattered?

He saw their pain and heard their moans, And sent a RESCUER to lead them home.

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The Rescuer Who Commanded the Sea As told in Exodus 14

God’s people, called the Israelites, had been slaves in the land of Egypt for many years. God sent a man named Moses to finally lead them home, to a land He promised to give them.

After Moses were asked Egypt’s ruler, Pharaoh, many times, the Israelites had finally been given permission to leave Egypt. They were camped by the Red Sea, when suddenly, a large cloud of dust formed in the distance. It kept getting bigger. Pharaoh had changed his mind and sent the Egyptian army after them, to take them back to Egypt as slaves!

With deep waters ahead and an angry army behind, the Israelites saw no way out. Then, God told Moses to stretch out his staff over the waters. God sent a great wind to open the sea and a dry path appeared. All of God’s people crossed the sea with a wall of water on both sides. The Egyptians tried to follow, but God closed the waters over them. Every Egyptian soldier was drowned, and God’s people were saved!

One day, God would send His people another RESCUER. Just like Moses, He would make a path where there was no way, defeat the enemy and take God’s people home, for good. rescuer (n.): someone who saves others from harm or danger; a savior

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Finally home, God’s people should have felt safe, But instead, they saw danger and felt very afraid.

There were others nearby who wanted their land, But God, once again, had a masterful plan!

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He didn’t use the strongest; He used the most brave, To fight for His people so all would be saved.

An impossible task, the enemy stood tall; God’s WARRIOR would fight, one battle for all.

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The Warrior and the Giant As told in 1 Samuel 17

God’s people, the Israelites, and their enemy, the Philistines, were camped on two hills facing each other getting ready to fight. Every day, a Philistine giant named Goliath would taunt the Israelites, “Send me a warrior to come down and fight!” But not one of the Israelites was brave enough.

One day, a boy named David visited the army camp. When David heard Goliath making fun of them he said, “Who does that worthless Philistine think he is? I’ll go down to fight him!”

No one could believe David was willing to fight the giant! Even the king tried to stop him. “There’s no way you can fight Goliath and win!” But David insisted on fighting.

David picked up five smooth stones. He ran toward Goliath, pulled back his sling and struck him on the forehead, killing him immediately! When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. And David, the unexpected warrior, became the king of the Israelites.

But despite their victory, the enemy would continue to taunt God’s people, year after year. And one day, another King would once again answer the enemy’s call and come down to fight.

This WARRIOR would fight the battle against sin and beat the enemy, once and for all. warrior (n.): someone brave or skilled who fights an enemy

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God had sent David to conquer their fears, And more warriors He’d send them throughout the years.

Years later, God’s people, they had a new king, And under his rule almost lost everything.

A search had been issued for the fairest of girls, To be brought to the king from all over the world.

She would be the new queen, but it soon was revealed, An evil plan underway had been issued and sealed:

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God’s people faced death by royal decree; Who would come now to set them all free?

Their lives in danger, they trembled in fear; They needed someone, before the king to appear.

Who would go to the throne and plead for mankind?

A PEACEMAKER would come, in God’s perfect time.

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The Peacemaker and the King’s Throne As told in Esther 1-10

A search had been issued for the king to find a new wife. He commanded all the most beautiful girls in the kingdom to be brought to his palace. Esther was a very beautiful girl. She pleased the king so much that she was chosen to be the new queen! But Esther had a big secret. She was an Israelite, one of God’s people.

Haman, one of the king’s officials, hated the Israelites and convinced the king to have them all killed! Letters were taken by messengers to every part of the kingdom. It stated that all Israelites would be put to death.

Esther decided to go to the king to speak with him about this terrible plan.

But the law said: anyone who goes to see the king without being invited will be put to death, unless the king says they may live. After three days of fasting and praying, Esther entered the king’s court, and the king allowed her to live! When he learned of the evil plan to kill Esther and her people, the king ordered Haman to be killed instead.

One day, God would send His people another royal PEACEMAKER. Like Esther went before the king to save her people, this Prince of Peace would go before God on behalf of the whole world. peacemaker (n.): someone who stands in the middle of a conflict and makes peace

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Moses, David, Esther—they all felt fear, But when they were scared, they knew God was near.

Even when impossible tests came along, God gave them strength to keep standing strong.

For their people, they fought and led from despair, But sometimes the fighting is done just through prayer.

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Because prayer can bring peace, move mountains, win wars, And even make lions be fearsome no more.

Arrested while praying and sentenced to die, One HERO was brave and had God on His side.

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A Hero Escapes Death As told in Daniel 6

Daniel had risen to a high position in the kingdom where he lived. This made some of the other governors in the land jealous. So they persuaded King Darius to make a new law to trap Daniel: anyone praying to any god or human other than the king will be thrown into a pit with lions!

The other officials spied on Daniel and saw that he still prayed to God. So they had Daniel arrested and thrown into the lions’ pit! Darius was very upset and said to Daniel, “I pray that God will rescue you.” A stone was rolled over the pit, and it was sealed.

All night long the king could not sleep. The next day, Darius got up and ran to the pit.

When he saw Daniel, he was relieved! Daniel said, “God sent an angel to keep the lions from eating me.” The king was so happy that he sent this message to all people of every nation in the world: “I command everyone to worship the God of Daniel.”

One day, God would send another HERO. Like Daniel, this Hero would be sentenced to die but come out alive, and the King would once again command that every nation worship Him. hero (n.): someone of great courage; a person with God-like powers

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From the very beginning, God’s Story pointed to the One, Who would finish the work that He had begun: Starting in the garden, crossing over the sea, Slaying a giant and working through royalty.

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One special night, God’s heavenly hosts would appear, To announce to the world that Good News was here!

God was ready to reveal the Story’s center: His Chosen One was about to enter.

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The Man from Heaven As told in Luke 2

In the fields near the town of Bethlehem, an angel suddenly appeared to shepherds who were watching their sheep. “Don’t be afraid,” the angel said. “I have amazing news!

Today a Savior was born for you!” Suddenly, many other angels came down from heaven.

“Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth,” they sang.

The shepherds wanted to see this Savior from heaven the angels were speaking of.

So they hurried to Bethlehem and found the Baby, Jesus, lying in a bed of hay. When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told His parents, Mary and Joseph, what the angel had said about Him. Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was amazed.

As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about Him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.

God had finally sent the MAN who would save His people from sin. This Man was God himself, in human form. His name was Jesus and He was here to restore the friendship between God and man broken so long before. man (Jn. 1:14): Jesus became a Man and lived among His people.

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The Rescuer Who Walked on the Sea As told in Matthew 14

When Jesus was grown, He invited twelve men to be His closest friends and followers.

He called them His disciples.

One night, while the disciples were out on a boat without Jesus, the wind became strong and the water became rough. They felt fear as the storm started to creep in. Suddenly, they saw a Man who was coming toward them. He was walking on the water! The disciples were terrified. They thought He was a ghost! But the Man said to them, “I am your friend, Jesus.

Don’t be afraid!”

“Is it really You?” the disciple Peter called back to Jesus. “If it is, tell me to join You on the water.” “Come on!” Jesus said. Peter climbed out of the boat. He took a few steps, but when he saw the huge waves, he was afraid. “Save me, Lord!” Peter shouted.

Immediately, Jesus reached out to help Peter. Jesus got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped. The disciples worshiped Jesus and said, “You really are the Son of God!” This RESCUER who walked on water and saved Peter from the crashing waves had finally come to save His people from sin. rescuer (Gal. 1:4): Jesus came to rescue us from the enemy and from sin.

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The Warrior on the Cross As told in Matthew 27 & John 19

Some of the religious leaders did not accept that Jesus was God’s Son, and they made plans to have Him killed. One night, while Jesus was praying in a garden, He was arrested and brought before Pilate, the governor. Jesus kept every law and lived a perfect life, so Pilate said to the crowd, “This Man doesn’t deserve to be put to death.” But much to Pilate’s surprise, the crowd shouted to have Him killed on a cross. So Pilate turned Jesus over to be killed.

The soldiers beat Jesus and laughed at Him. He was taken to a hill and nailed to a cross. Knowing that He had now finished His work, Jesus said, “Everything is done.” Then, He bowed His head and died.

The earth shook violently. Frightened, the soldiers fell to the ground. “This Man really was the Son of God,” they said as they watched rocks break in half all around them.

God knew His people could not fight sin on their own. But Jesus, the WARRIOR God promised, had fought the battle that no one else could fight. Because He loved His people so much, Jesus died to pay for their sins. God’s great plan was now complete. warrior (Zeph. 3:17): God is with His people, a mighty Warrior who will save.

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The Peacemaker and Heaven’s Throne As told in John 20 & Acts 1

Very early on Sunday morning, some women who had been close followers of Jesus went to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been placed. When they got there, they were amazed to see that the stone had been rolled away— even though it was a huge stone.

The women went into the tomb, and suddenly, an angel appeared and said, “Jesus is not here. He is risen!”

Later that same day, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked, and Jesus appeared in the middle of the group. He showed them the holes in His hands and side from where He had been nailed to the cross. The disciples could hardly believe it. Jesus was dead but now He was alive!

For 40 days, Jesus appeared to people, showing them He was alive again. Then one day, when He was with a few of His disciples, Jesus was lifted up into heaven. A cloud took Him out of their sight and He sat down at the right side of God. Jesus was the only One who could restore the friendship between God and man. The PEACEMAKER God’s people so desperately needed had defeated death. He brought peace to a sad, hurting world and was now alive again in heaven with His Father. peacemaker (1 Tim. 2:5): There is only one God and Jesus is the one Peacemaker between God and man.

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A Hero Defeats Death As told in Revelation 19-21

Several years after He had gone to heaven, Jesus sent an angel to His disciple John. The angel told John a special message about the future, saying Jesus would come to earth again: “I looked and saw heaven was open, and a white horse was there. Its Rider was called Faithful and True. He was followed by armies from heaven that rode on horses and were dressed in white. Then I saw the enemy gathered together to fight against the One sitting on the horse and His army. The enemy fought against Him but was captured and defeated.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. And I heard a loud voice shout from the throne, ‘God’s home is now with His people. He will live with them and be their God. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying or pain.’ Then the One on the throne said, ‘Everything is finished! I am the beginning and the end. I am Jesus!’”

One day, God will come again as a HERO to take His people home. And when He does, the enemy will be gone and all of God’s people will walk, talk and live with Him forever. hero (Phil. 3:20): We belong to heaven, and we wait for our Hero, the Lord Jesus.

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Over thousands of years, God sent people to slowly reveal, That a Savior would come, for the world to be healed.

Because of the Fall, all were dead in their sin, But just like Adam, Jesus brought life to all men.

Like Moses, Jesus RESCUED people out of sin’s way; Like David, Jesus came as a WARRIOR to save the day.

Like Esther, Jesus was a PEACEMAKER for man; And like Daniel, Jesus came as a HERO, fulfilling God’s perfect plan.

God’s Story is full of people, and they all point to the One, Who died on a cross and again will come.

The friendship that was broken, Jesus eternally mended, And we’ll live with Him forever, just as He intended.

God graciously asks you, now, only one thing: To have faith in your heart that Jesus is King.

Because God wants you, too, as a piece in His Story, To love you forever and show you His glory!

Do you believe this is true? God calls you His friend!

His grace is enough; His love never ends.

And when Jesus rose, God’s Spirit was given, To remind you each day that, indeed, He is risen!

And if you believe, in your heart He resides, To be your Friend, your Teacher and Guide.

And God’s people, the Church, have been given His Word, 32 To tell this Love Story to all who’ve not heard.

We would love to tell you more!

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