Hi friends, I'm Annie F. Downs. Let's read the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are the stories of Jesus Christ's life on earth, the friendships, the parables, the sacrifices, the meals, the miracles. So here is how it works. I'll read three chapters to you. You can listen or read along in your own Bible or online and then I'll pray and that's it. So today is day one and I'll be reading

John chapters one through three in the new living translation. And in your guided journal,

we are starting on page 19.

John 1. In the beginning, the word already existed. The word was with God and the word was God.

He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him and nothing was created except through him. The word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man,

John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his

testimony. John himself was not the light. He was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is

the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he

created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people and even

they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children

of God. They are reborn, not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a

birth that comes from God. So the word became human and made his home among us.

He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the

father's one and only son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds,

This is the one I was talking about when I said, someone is coming after me who

is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me. From his abundance, we have all received

one gracious blessing after another, for the law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love

and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the unique one, who is Himself God, is near to the Father's

heart. He has revealed God to us.

This was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and temple assistance from

Jerusalem to ask John, who are you? He came right out and said,

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