A NEW YEAR WITH JESUS
Story & Illustrations by LC Green, view more of her creations at www.greengreenjellybean.weebly.com
It was New Year’s Eve, and Ryan was in bed, staring up at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. He couldn’t sleep.
Rebecca, who had fallen asleep hours before, softly snored in the bed on the other side of the room.
Ryan had spent the last week thinking about something his grandmother had said on Christmas Eve. He sat up and pressed his ear against the wall. He could hear the television. His dad was still up.
Ryan’s mom was asleep on the couch, and his dad was sitting in his recliner, watching an old movie. He was just about to turn over to the station to watch the ball drop, when he heard the pitter, patter of feet on the hard wood floor.
Ryan appeared in the entryway; his hair was disheveled, and he was wearing a pair of mismatched socks.
“What are you doing up so late?” His dad asked.
Ryan rubbed his eyes and looked over at the television.
“Can’t sleep…daddy can I ask you something?”
His dad turned off the television. Ryan ran over and hopped up on his dad’s lap.
“Yes, what is it?” He asked.
Ryan looked up at his dad.
“What’s John 3:16?”
His dad smiled.
“One of the best promises God has made.” He said softly.
He reached over and grabbed the Bible off the end table.
He opened it up and read aloud.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Ryan looked up at his dad.
“That is about Jesus.”
His dad nodded. Ryan looked down at the Bible.
“My Sunday school teacher talks about asking Jesus to come into your heart.” He said.
His dad smiled.
“How do I ask Jesus to come into my heart?” Ryan asked.
His dad flipped through the Bible. He turned and read aloud.
Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
He looked down at Ryan.
“Do you know what a sin is?”
Ryan nodded his head.
“If I tell a lie, or say something bad about someone.”
His dad nodded.
He flipped to the next chapter, and read aloud.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
He looked at Ryan.
“Do you know that it is wrong to sin?”
Ryan nodded.
“Yes sir.”
He turned and read aloud.
1 John 1:19 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Ryan looked at his dad.
“Hey that’s not hard at all.”
His dad smiled. He turned back to Romans and read aloud.
Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved.”
Ryan’s eyes began to widen.
“It’s like the Easter program at church; Jesus died on the cross, and rose again three days later!”
His dad patted the top of his head.
“Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that he arose three days later?”
Ryan smiled.
“Yes I do.”
Ryan and his dad knelt down in the floor. His dad began to pray and asked Ryan to repeat the prayer after him.
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, I come to you asking you to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and save me. I believe you are God’s Son and you died for my sins and rose again three days later…thank you for saving me.”
After Ryan finished the prayer, his dad rubbed him on the back.
“I was a little older than you when I got saved, but my Sunday school teacher shared a verse with me, it’s another one of God’s promises like John 3:16.”
He turned read aloud.
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Ryan began to grin. He gave his dad a big hug.
“Now I have Jesus with me always!” He exclaimed.
His dad kissed him on the forehead.
The clock began to chime. It was midnight.
He looked down at Ryan.
“You will always remember this New Year’s…because it is the first New Year you spent with Jesus.”
The Moral of the story…Unleashed: John 3:16, Romans 5:8,
Romans 6:23, 1John 1:19, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13.
The Bible says we are to come to Christ like a little child, putting our full trust in Him and His
ability to save us.
If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and ask Him to forgive you for your sins and come into your heart, He will save you.
To learn more about becoming a Christian. If you have questions, talk to your Parents, Pastor, or Christian leader; or you may contact us through our website at www.unleashedministry.com
I can’t imagine a better way to begin the New Year, than asking Jesus Christ in your heart!
again remember Jesus loves you and keep your eyes and your heart open to His lessons
on this journey through life.
God Bless, LC
Rebecca, who had fallen asleep hours before, softly snored in the bed on the other side of the room.
Ryan had spent the last week thinking about something his grandmother had said on Christmas Eve. He sat up and pressed his ear against the wall. He could hear the television. His dad was still up.
Ryan’s mom was asleep on the couch, and his dad was sitting in his recliner, watching an old movie. He was just about to turn over to the station to watch the ball drop, when he heard the pitter, patter of feet on the hard wood floor.
Ryan appeared in the entryway; his hair was disheveled, and he was wearing a pair of mismatched socks.
“What are you doing up so late?” His dad asked.
Ryan rubbed his eyes and looked over at the television.
“Can’t sleep…daddy can I ask you something?”
His dad turned off the television. Ryan ran over and hopped up on his dad’s lap.
“Yes, what is it?” He asked.
Ryan looked up at his dad.
“What’s John 3:16?”
His dad smiled.
“One of the best promises God has made.” He said softly.
He reached over and grabbed the Bible off the end table.
He opened it up and read aloud.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Ryan looked up at his dad.
“That is about Jesus.”
His dad nodded. Ryan looked down at the Bible.
“My Sunday school teacher talks about asking Jesus to come into your heart.” He said.
His dad smiled.
“How do I ask Jesus to come into my heart?” Ryan asked.
His dad flipped through the Bible. He turned and read aloud.
Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
He looked down at Ryan.
“Do you know what a sin is?”
Ryan nodded his head.
“If I tell a lie, or say something bad about someone.”
His dad nodded.
He flipped to the next chapter, and read aloud.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
He looked at Ryan.
“Do you know that it is wrong to sin?”
Ryan nodded.
“Yes sir.”
He turned and read aloud.
1 John 1:19 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Ryan looked at his dad.
“Hey that’s not hard at all.”
His dad smiled. He turned back to Romans and read aloud.
Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved.”
Ryan’s eyes began to widen.
“It’s like the Easter program at church; Jesus died on the cross, and rose again three days later!”
His dad patted the top of his head.
“Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that he arose three days later?”
Ryan smiled.
“Yes I do.”
Ryan and his dad knelt down in the floor. His dad began to pray and asked Ryan to repeat the prayer after him.
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, I come to you asking you to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and save me. I believe you are God’s Son and you died for my sins and rose again three days later…thank you for saving me.”
After Ryan finished the prayer, his dad rubbed him on the back.
“I was a little older than you when I got saved, but my Sunday school teacher shared a verse with me, it’s another one of God’s promises like John 3:16.”
He turned read aloud.
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Ryan began to grin. He gave his dad a big hug.
“Now I have Jesus with me always!” He exclaimed.
His dad kissed him on the forehead.
The clock began to chime. It was midnight.
He looked down at Ryan.
“You will always remember this New Year’s…because it is the first New Year you spent with Jesus.”
The Moral of the story…Unleashed: John 3:16, Romans 5:8,
Romans 6:23, 1John 1:19, Romans 10:9, Romans 10:13.
The Bible says we are to come to Christ like a little child, putting our full trust in Him and His
ability to save us.
If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and ask Him to forgive you for your sins and come into your heart, He will save you.
To learn more about becoming a Christian. If you have questions, talk to your Parents, Pastor, or Christian leader; or you may contact us through our website at www.unleashedministry.com
I can’t imagine a better way to begin the New Year, than asking Jesus Christ in your heart!
again remember Jesus loves you and keep your eyes and your heart open to His lessons
on this journey through life.
God Bless, LC