‘The Gospel Story Bible...Jesus in Old and New Testaments’ by Marty Machowski

 “…easy-to-use family devotional equips parents to share the living gospel story…”Old Story New makes it easy for parents to stay on the life-giving course of sharing the gospel story with their family. This second volume in Marty Machowski's family devotional series continues the gospel story begun in the Old Testament devotional, Long Story Short.Using the same effective ten-minute a day structure, it connects children to living gospel truth through 78 New Testament stories. Simple discussion questions and answers for each day's devotion help children understand and connect the story of salvation to their own lives. Old Story New, part of the Gospel Story for Kids program, is suitable for children from preschool through high school. “…easy-to-use family devotional empowers parents to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known…”Transform Your Family with Ten Minutes a Day in the Gospel Story Christian parents know the importance of passing the gospel story on to their children, yet we live in a busy world filled with distractions. Schedules collide, there is homework and yard work and dishes and laundry, the cars oil should be changed, there are phone calls to make...and before you know it, everyone is getting to bed late again.The Bible can seem like a long story for an active family to read, but when you break it down into short sections, as Marty Machowski does, family devotions are easy to do. Long Story Short will help busy parents share with their children how every story in the Old Testament points forward to God s story of salvation through Jesus Christ.You won’t find a more important focus for a family devotional than a daily highlighting of the gospel of grace. Clever stories and good moral lessons may entertain and even help children, but the gospel will transform children. The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to transform the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read.Ten minutes a day, five days a week is enough time to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God s plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school.  “…discovering Jesus in the Old and the New Testaments…”~~Can a Bedtime Story Actually Change Your Life? ~~It is easy to forget Jesus in the midst of frantic schedules, family squabbles, and conflicting priorities. But the truth is that he is the only one who can change the lives of parents and children as you share these Bible stories together. You and your family will meet Jesus and learn together a new, life-changing way of recognizing Christ as the hero of every story.Based on the ESV Bible, this unique illustrated Bible storybook uses 156 stories to present God’s plan of salvation in Christ from its opening narrative in Genesis to its finale in Revelation. The Gospel Story Bible is one of the many products available in the Gospel Story for Kids series. View the list »
~~Can a Bedtime Story Actually Change Your Life? ~~

Western Religions newsletter

Family Life Pastor, Marty Machowski believes Jesus is the hero of every story in the Old and New Testaments and also believes “bedtime stories” can change lives. Those two beliefs fueled his passion to produce156 condensed stories, 78 from the Old Testament and 78 from the New Testament for this remarkable stand-alone Gospel Story Bible. The book is also a part of his Gospel Stories for Kids series used in Sunday school programs. He draws on the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible translation in addition to A.E. Macha’s original and clever colorful illustrations to enhance and animate each story.

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The stories are presented in imaginative two-page spreads complete with a brief commentary that connects Jesus, the larger story, “…to God’s redemptive plan.” I especially liked the idea that the Old Testament points forward to Jesus, while the New Testament points to the cross and God’s plan of salvation. Narratives end with “Let’s Talk about It,” that includes three story questions to encourage family discussion.

The story book opens with “God Creates the World” from the book of Genesis and includes scripture references. The last story, “At the Throne Worshiping,” is from the book of Revelation, a book not typically included in a children’s book, yet I believe it should be.

Although Bible stories can “unfold over several chapters,” such as the ten plagues of Egypt found in five chapters of Exodus, Marty selected the “best” story parts within the story without editing out relevant facts. Still, he also encourages parents to read the story as found in the Bible.

This remarkable resource could be used in many different ways. Not only is it an ideal storybook for preschoolers, it would make an excellent devotional for homeschooled, grade school and middle school students. It also would be useful as an introduction to the Bible for new believers or even a quick review or overview for established believers.

Marty’s versatile, enjoyable storybook is Bible based, God centered and gospel driven. Not only is it a biblical treasure trove for anyone, it would make an excellent basic primer for parents to teach youngsters about Jesus, the “hero of the Bible.” On a scale of one to ten, The Gospel Story Bible is a twelve plus.

‘The Gospel Story Bible” Discover Jesus in the Old and New Testaments’ by Marty Machowski, New Growth Press, 2011, 328 Pages, 978-1936768127, $29.99

***Check out the “list” for other books from this excellent author & publisher***

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  •  “…discovering Jesus in the Old and the New Testaments…”~~Can a Bedtime Story Actually Change Your Life? ~~It is easy to forget Jesus in the midst of frantic schedules, family squabbles, and conflicting priorities. But the truth is that he is the only one who can change the lives of parents and children as you share these Bible stories together. You and your family will meet Jesus and learn together a new, life-changing way of recognizing Christ as the hero of every story.Based on the ESV Bible, this unique illustrated Bible storybook uses 156 stories to present God’s plan of salvation in Christ from its opening narrative in Genesis to its finale in Revelation. The Gospel Story Bible is one of the many products available in the Gospel Story for Kids series. 
  •  “…easy-to-use family devotional empowers parents to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known…”Transform Your Family with Ten Minutes a Day in the Gospel Story Christian parents know the importance of passing the gospel story on to their children, yet we live in a busy world filled with distractions. Schedules collide, there is homework and yard work and dishes and laundry, the cars oil should be changed, there are phone calls to make...and before you know it, everyone is getting to bed late again.The Bible can seem like a long story for an active family to read, but when you break it down into short sections, as Marty Machowski does, family devotions are easy to do. Long Story Short will help busy parents share with their children how every story in the Old Testament points forward to God s story of salvation through Jesus Christ.You won’t find a more important focus for a family devotional than a daily highlighting of the gospel of grace. Clever stories and good moral lessons may entertain and even help children, but the gospel will transform children. The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to transform the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read.Ten minutes a day, five days a week is enough time to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God s plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school. 
  •  “…easy-to-use family devotional equips parents to share the living gospel story…”Old Story New makes it easy for parents to stay on the life-giving course of sharing the gospel story with their family. This second volume in Marty Machowski's family devotional series continues the gospel story begun in the Old Testament devotional, Long Story Short.Using the same effective ten-minute a day structure, it connects children to living gospel truth through 78 New Testament stories. Simple discussion questions and answers for each day's devotion help children understand and connect the story of salvation to their own lives. Old Story New, part of the Gospel Story for Kids program, is suitable for children from preschool through high school.
  •  Shame controls far too many of us. Worthless, inferior, rejected, weak, humiliated, failure...it all adds up to wishing we could get away from others and hide. We know what shame feels like. The way out, however, is harder to find.Time doesn't help; neither does confession, because shame is just as often from what others do to you as it is from what you have done. But the Bible is about shame from start to finish, and, if we are willing, God's beautiful words break through. Look at Jesus through the lens of shame and see how the marginalized and worthless are his favorites and become his people. God cares for the shamed. Through Jesus you are covered, adopted, cleansed, and healed.
  •  ~~Where Is God in the Struggle?~ Looking away from despair towards hope can feel risky. What if God doesn't come through for you? What if you don't feel instantly better? Instead of offering simple platitudes or unrealistic "cure-all" formulas, Edward T. Welch addresses the complex nature of depression with compassion and insight, applying the rich treasures of the gospel, and giving fresh hope to those who struggle. Original title, Depression: A Stubborn Darkness Light for the Path, this new edition is updated with added content.  
  •   ~~Start a Year of Thoughtful Change~~Change that goes deeper than the surface of our lives happens over the long haul as we daily remember and connect the truths of the gospel to our lives. Every day we need to be reminded in different ways that Jesus, God's own Son, came to this world to save us from sin, sorrow, and death. The promises of God, which are all yes in Jesus, change the way we view ourselves, our circumstances, and other people. This devotional gives a daily reminder of these life-changing truths. The 366 selections, anchored in Scripture and saturated with the gospel, will help the reader to:·         Learn how God in his Word addresses a host of life situations·         Focus on how the gospel intersects with life·         Look beyond circumstances to God's purposes·         See how God values relationship with his children·         Learn to value others by speaking truth in love, by not shying away from conflict, by forgiving...·         Grow in wisdom when confronted by life's changes·         Learn how God works change that is effective and visible Topics covered in the devotional include: love, hope, grace, redemption, faith, contentment, conflict, relationships, prayer, fear, patience, humility, and anger. 
  •   ~~The Power of Weakness No one likes to feel weak~Just thinking about our inadequate resources can fill us with fear and hopelessness. But Rose Marie Miller has a different perspective. For her, true weakness is a gift--born out of a deep sense of need, it drives us to Christ and unleashes all the redeeming energy of God's grace in our lives and others'. Rose Marie Miller, a living example of God's power in weakness, weaves together biblical insights and personal experience and shares a new, gospel-driven way of living where the way up is down, the weak become strong, and the dead receive life. God, for whom nothing is impossible, uses weak people to change the world and that includes you! 
View the list

, Washington Christian Book Review Examiner

Gail's articles and book reviews appear in a variety of national and local publications and on the Internet. She loves to read, and believes God teaches and instructs her in which way to go, according to Jeremiah 29:11. She and her husband live beside the Skagit River in Washington state.

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