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. Today is day 24 this month. I'll be reading

John chapters one through three. And this month I'm reading from the CSB.

John 1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was with God in the

beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him, not one thing was created that has been

created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness and yet the

darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness

to testify about the light so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to

testify about the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave

them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not of

natural descent, or of the will of natural descent, or of the will

of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The word became flesh and dwelt among us.

We observed his glory, the glory, as the one and only son from the father, full of grace and truth.

John testified concerning him and exclaimed, this was the one of whom I said, the one coming

after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me. Indeed, we have all received grace upon

grace from his fullness, for the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God, the one and only son, who is himself God and is at the father's side. He has revealed him. This was John's testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, who are you? He didn't deny it, but confessed, I am not the Messiah. What then, they asked him, are you Elijah? I am not, he said. Are you the prophet? No, he answered.

Who are you then? They asked. We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about

yourself? He said, I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord.

Just as Isaiah, the prophet said, now they had been sent from the

Pharisees. So they asked him, why then do you baptize if you aren't the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet?

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