The Best Story to Know
Once there was nothing in this world.
No fish.
No stars in the sky.
No seas and pretty flowers.
All was empty and dark.
But there was God, the same God we pray to today.
God had a wonderful plan. He thought of a lovely world, and while
He thought, He made it. He made it all out of nothing. When God made
anything. He just said "Let it be made," and there it was!
He made light. He made the rivers and seas, the grass-covered
earth, the animals, birds, and trees.
Last of all, He made a man, and then He made a wife for the man.
Their names were Adam and Eve.
God loved them very dearly. Every evening He visited them in the
lovely garden they lived in.
The whole garden was theirs to enjoy, except for one tree, which
was God's forbidden tree.
Adam and Eve were happy until one day Satan, the enemy of God,
tempted them. They decided to taste the fruit of God's forbidden
tree. They sinned. For the first time they were ashamed and sad.
No longer could they talk to God. Now they would have pain and
trouble. and they would have to die. How sorry they were!
Then God promised to help them. He said to them, "When the right
time comes, I will send My Son Jesus into the world. He will come down
from our home in Heaven. Jesus will take away your sins. To do this,
He will suffer and die for you." How glad they were that God would
send a Saviour!
Adam and Eve had children and grand-children. By and by there were
many people living in the world. God wanted everyone to be happy. He
told them what to do. Here is a list of rules God gave them:
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bare false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant nor his maidservant, nor
his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
These were written in the Bible so we can read them, too. if we
obey the, we will happy. Satan does not want us to obey them.
Sometimes he tells us to steal something when no one is looking. But
God knows it. God sees everything. Sometimes Satan tempts us to tell
a lie and makes us think no one will find it out. He hears every-
thing. When we do these things, we feel bad inside. God loves us and
wants to help us to be good. That's why He sent Jesus into the world.
God remembered His promise. After many years, Jesus was born as a
little baby. He grew up and became a man. He did many wonderful
things. He healed the sick. He made the blind see. He blessed the
children.
Jesus never did anything wrong. He told the people about God and
how to obey Him. After a while the enemies of Jesus nailed Him to a
cross. He died. He suffered and died for the sins of all the people,
even those who nailed Him to the cross.
Jesus was buried. But then a wonderful thing happened. He did not
stay in the grave. He arose from the dead! Soon God took Him back to
Heaven in a cloud. While His friends were watching Him leave, an angel
told them Jesus would come back again.
Jesus died for our sins, too. He wants us to be sorry and confess
our sins. He is ready to forgive us.
We can pray to God anytime. He hears every word and knows every
thought. He makes us feel happy inside when our sins are forgiven.
Then we want to do what is right. Then we want to be kind.
If we choose to disobey God and follow Satan, the devil, he will
drag us down to hell when we die. Hell is a place of fire that burns
forever. But if we love and obey Jesus, He will take us up to Heaven
when He returns. Heaven is the beautiful home of God and His Son
Jesus. It is a home of love and light. There we will always be happy.
GOSPEL TRACT AND BIBLE SOCIETY
of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite
Moundridge, Kansas 67107 U.S.A.