Devotions for Teenagers and Youth

3 Ways to Be Awesome

Posted on May 3, 2013

We’re going to talk about three ways to be awesome in this devotion. Everyone wants to be the person that others want to be around. Here’s three ways to bump up your awesome!

Be Genuine. – Its easy to fall into the trap of trying to act like or be someone else. However, people aren’t drawn to those who aren’t real or putting on an act or show. Be genuine and true to yourself, and you’ll find that others will be more likely to be drawn to you.
Care – Take an interest in others around you. Ask someone how their day was. Try to listen to them and get excited about what they’re excited about. Don’t spend all of the time talking and trying to outdo someone. Instead, care about what others are interested in. You’ll find that people will want to be around you more when you do.
Be open – Be open to suggestions and criticism from others. Many times, friends and family can help you and you can learn from their wisdom. You don’t have to act like you have it all together. Also be open to God’s leading and guiding. God will help you and give you wisdom beyond your years if you’ll be open to listen to His voice. He wants to lead and guide you.

These are just a few ways to bump up the awesome factor in your life. Putting these things into practice will help you become more of a person that others want to be around.

Peanut Butter Cups and Parents

Posted on April 27, 2013

In my opinion, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are the best candy in the world. To me, opening a bag of them is literally one of the best things in life! I remember one day I had bought a brand new bag of Reeses and before I could eat them I had to run a quick errand. When I was done with the errand, I went to stick my hand in the bag to start eating them. At that moment, I was faced with the horrible realization that my bag of peanut butter cups had melted together into one nasty giant mess of peanut butter, chocolate and wrapper in my hot car. That was not a good day!

Sometimes dealing with your parents can seem a little like that melted mangled bag of peanut butter cups. It can seem like a sticky, oozy gooey disgusting mess of emotions and frustration inside you. As a teenager, it can be hard dealing with your parents at times. You might feel like they are out of touch with reality. Perhaps you feel that they don’t understand you or that the rules they ask you to follow are absurd and taking all your fun away.

If you feel this way, we’ve got a few tips to help you deal with your parents more successfully.

You will not always agree with your parent’s decisions – You have a different viewpoint than your parents do. That being said, you will not always agree with all decisions that they make. When you disagree, its important to not throw a fit, scream, pout or cry. Instead, show maturity by talking to them about your viewpoint like an adult. If they still don’t come around and see things from your perspective, decide to have a good attitude anyway. In life, you will not always get your way, so decide to be happy regardless.
You should respect your parents – This probably sounds like a curse word, but its true nonetheless. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:1 – “Obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.” (NLT)
You don’t have to be best friends with your parents, but you are required to honor and obey them. This means you shouldn’t be bad mouthing them, or disrespecting them. Instead, even when you don’t agree with them choose to respect them. This will set you up for success throughout your life.

Dealing with your parents can be hard at times. It can seem like they don’t get you or understand you. The main thing to remember is that no matter how hard it gets, God asks us to honor and respect our parents. That doesn’t mean when they do things we like, but also when they drive us crazy. Make the decision to respect your parents regardless of how you feel about them.

What Rollercoasters Can Teach Us About Self-Esteem

Posted on April 25, 2013

Riding a roller coaster can be exciting. There’s great big hills, drops and turns that keep your heart racing and you screaming at the top of your lungs. Roller coasters are a great mix of terror and fun.

Self-esteem can be like a roller coaster sometimes. One minute you’re having fun because someone popular thought something you did was funny. Later that day, you feel the terror of embarrassment because your mom came to pick you up from school wearing fuzzy bunny slippers.

Sometimes when it comes to how you feel about yourself, its like a roller coaster. You feel great one moment and down in the dumps about yourself the next.

With that in mind, we’re going to give you some tips to keep the roller coaster ride of self-esteem fun.

Base your self-esteem on what God says – its easy to look only at others for finding your self-esteem. If your friends like you, your self esteem is good. If your boyfriend or girlfriend likes you, then you have good self-esteem. But what happens if your friends decide they don’t like you? Or what if you break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend? What happens then? Determine to base how you feel about yourself on what God says about you. God won’t ever break up with you or ditch you for someone better to hang out with. He thinks you’re the best!
Focus on strengths – its easy to start comparing yourself to others. You can see someone who is better at something that you are and get down on yourself. If you decide to focus on your strengths rather than the areas you are weak, you’ll find you’ll like yourself better!
Realize that a healthy self esteem takes work – Developing a self-esteem based on how God feels about you rather than what your emotions say takes time and work. Its a process of changing your thinking to line up with what God says about you. Don’t become discouraged if you don’t get it perfectly at first. Spend time reading good books to help you in this area and realize that it will take time to develop a healthy self-esteem.

God thinks you’re the best. Learning to rely on what he says about you, rather than how you feel about yourself will help you grow in developing a healthy self-esteem.

The Skinny on New Shoes and Genuine Faith

Posted on April 21, 2013

If you were asked to choose between wearing a brand new pair of Nike shoes or wearing some shoes from the bargain store, which would you choose? If you’re like most people you’d chose the brand new Nike shoes. That’s because for most people, the ‘off brand’ or ‘generic brand’ just doesn’t cut it. They want the real thing. They want something authentic or genuine.

In the same way, your faith should be something that is genuine and authentic in your life. Paul gives Timothy a pat on the back for his genuine faith in 2 Timothy 1:5.[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. (NLT)[/quote]

Here’s a few things genuine faith looks like:[list type=”bullet”]

Genuine faith is sold out to God
Genuine faith is fresh and active
Genuine faith doesn’t blend in – it lets God change the way you live.
Genuine faith isn’t boring or outdated
Genuine faith believes that the things God says in the Bible aren’t suggestions, they’re a way of life.
Genuine faith doesn’t compromise
Genuine faith causes action
Genuine faith isn’t based on feelings

[/list]

Genuine faith looks different than off-brand or generic Christianity. It acts differently than off-brand Christianity. So, how does your faith rate? Is is generic or authentic?

Listen: Dangerous by Group 1 Crew

You’re In The Army Now

Posted on April 11, 2013

People enlist in the armed service of the United States every day. When they do, they sign up and make a commitment to serve. They’re provided with new clothes. Their old identity as nerd, athlete, or dodgeball hero is all gone. They just become a soldier. Then they go into basic training where they endure physical challenges that get their bodies in shape and their minds in line with the rules of the service. In exchange for all this, the government feeds, clothes and houses them during this time and pays their way.

Did you know that as a Christian, you have been enlisted as a soldier representing the Kingdom of God? You no longer represent yourself. In God’s Kingdom, He will clothe you, feed you and provide for you. He also will train you through the Word of God through your pastor’s teaching and your personal devotional time. There are some hard things you have to endure in your soul (mind, will and emotions) and your flesh- like forgiving people and being kind when you don’t feel like it.

Paul wrote a letter to Timothy and encouraged him:

2Timothy 2:3-4 – “Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one who wars tangles with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier.”

The purpose of hardness we endure is to get us in shape. We don’t always feel like praying or reading our Bible, but we know we have to spiritually fit to combat the attacks of the enemy, the devil. In order to win the battles of life, we have to submit to being trained or disciplined by God’s Word so that we win! Just like a soldier in Basic Training, it’s not always joyful- but it reaps a great reward. We learn how to live as a team, rather than just for ourselves.

[Tweet “To win in the battles of life, we have to submit to being trained or disciplined by God’s Word – @studentdevos”]

Hardness does not include sickness or depression. God never trains us with these- these are attacks of the enemy, the devil. We’re never to endure sickness or depression. Soldiers aren’t trained with these things.

You may be trained through a job with a tough boss. You may be trained in school with a tough teacher. You may be trained through a irritating brother or sister to walk in love and forgive. Just remember, every time you submit to this training and respond correctly, you’re getting in better shape all the time to be a good soldier in God’s army.

Pray: God, I realize I am not my own and you bought me in order to put me in Your army (the church) and represent you to this world. I’m a peace-keeper, I’m resisting the enemy and his attacks with the weapons of Your Word in my mouth. Help me submit to the training because it’s making me a better soldier.

How To Get Promoted At Work

Posted on April 7, 2013

Being a teenager, and having your own job is a great thing! Its exciting making your own money and being able to buy things that you want. In light of that, we’ve come up with some sure-fire tips that will help increase your chances of being promoted at your job.

Copy what the successful people do – Find a person at your job that is successful and has been promoted. Watch to see the things they did to get promoted. Find out what your company rewards and do those things. You might be a hard worker, but if you’re doing the wrong types of things, you WONT get promoted. Find out what types of things your boss is looking for and do those things.
Keep a good attitude/be willing to learn – Learning a new job can be really hard sometimes. It can be easy to think you’re not going to get it, or want to give up. Its important at your job to keep a good attitude. Your co-workers will be happier to work with you and want to help you more if you have a good attitude. People enjoy being around a person that has a good attitude and wants to learn. If you’re having a bad day, try to not let it affect how you treat others. Stay positive and over time, your boss and co-workers will notice.
Choose to get along with others – It can be really hard to deal with those people who you just don’t like. When a person rubs you the wrong way, it can be really tough to want to get along with them. But, no matter how others treat you, you should CHOOSE to respond to them kindly. The Bible talks about it like this:
“The message you heard from the very beginning is this: we must love one another.” – 1John 3:11 (NLT)
Don’t get discouraged – If you’re doing all the “right” things but still haven’t been promoted, its easy to want to give up and get discouraged. Many times people give up and quit their job right before a promotion was coming. Its easy to want to give up and get discouraged waiting for a promotion to come, to feel like its taking FOREVER! The Bible puts it this way:
“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.” – Galatians 6:9 (Message)
Don’t give up. Promotion will come your way, if you don’t quit.

Getting promoted at a job takes time and it takes effort. If you give it your best, keep a good attitude, choose to get along with others and not be discouraged, you will be on track to getting a promotion. Your job can be a great way for you to see God move on your behalf. Ask God for His help at your job and for wisdom. You’ll be surprised at what he’ll show you!

Pray: God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I ask for your help at my job. I believe that with your help I can become a better employee. I know that you desire good things for me, so I ask for your help at my job. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Living Like a Superhero

Posted on April 5, 2013

Who was your superhero growing up? Superman who could fly? Spider man who could climb walls? These were often men who looked just like anybody else- but then were transformed into an entirely different person. With this different identity came the power or ability to do superhuman things others couldn’t do.

Do you know you have been made a superhero by Jesus? When you accept Jesus as your Savior, your old identity died and you were made brand new. With this identity change came power and ability to do superhuman things- like lay hands on the sick and see them recover and speak with new tongues and lead people to become new creatures through Jesus.

2Co 5:17 – “So that if any one is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

When you become a Christian, you don’t just join a club. You become a brand new creature- a superhero! God’s Spirit comes to live in you and give you power and authority to be a hero to the people around you.

Live today looking for opportunities to help people like a superhero. Extend your help, give a smile, pray a prayer, be friendly to the person who speaks badly about you. Keep your joy when your classmates gossip about you. You have the ability to live this life, because God Himself lives in you!

Say It: I am in Christ and am a new creature. The Holy Spirit lives in me. I look for opportunities to be a superhero to my world today in small ways and in big ways.

Listen: Who I Am In You by Addison Road

Prayer Tip #1 – Get to Know God

Posted on March 24, 2013

Getting starting praying can seem a little overwhelming. You’re talking to God, the creator of the universe. What should you say? How should you say it? What if He thinks what you’re praying is dumb? Talk about pressure! All of these things can be things that stop you from praying. So, how should we pray?

Jesus’ disciples asked Him the same thing. “One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.'” – Luke 11:1 (Message). The disciples came to Jesus and asked Jesus for tips on how to pray. Jesus responded with verse two, “So he said, ‘When you pray, say, Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right.” – Luke 11:2 (Message). Jesus’ first tip on prayer for the disciples was about getting to know God. He mentioned asking God to reveal who He was. The first tip to successful prayer is knowing who God is.

Knowing who God is will really help you when you pray. Think of it this way, until you know someone, you can’t really have a deep conversation with them. You can probably think of a good friend that you can talk about anything with. You can tell them anything and talk to them for hours. You can do this easily because you know who they are. The same is true in knowing God. Once you get to know Him its easy to talk to Him. Once you know who He is and what He has done for you, it becomes easier to pray.

So, I encourage you to spend some time getting to know God’s character. Boldness in prayer comes as a result of knowing who God is. As you get to know God, you’ll feel bolder when you go to pray. Learning to pray starts with knowing who God is.

Listen: Relentless by Hillsong United

Tips For Guys – Winning the Fight Against Lust

Posted on March 18, 2013

This is a devotion geared toward the sexual issues guys face daily. Every day guys are bombarded with images of females online, in magazines, and on TV. They are then faced with a decision of how they will respond to these images.

The first thing guys should know is that it’s ok to have a desire for sex. This just proves that you’re a typical male. God made you with a desire for sex. That’s normal. You shouldn’t feel bad for having those desires. It’s what you do with those desires that makes the difference. These desires if not handled in positive ways can lead to hurt for yourself and others later in life.

Without setting healthy boundaries for yourself sexually, you can get into destructive habits that are hard to break. So, decide today to make smart decisions in this area. Sexual temptation in this area can be strong. However, there are several proven tips that can help you in this area.

Stay Busy – One of the best ways to fight this battle is to keep yourself busy. Get involved in extracurricular activities at school. Go out for soccer, or get involved in the drama club. Volunteer at a local food bank. Do something that gets you out of the house and involved with others. Staying busy helps you flee temptation in this area.
Bounce Your Eyes – This tactic is taken straight from a book I’d highly recommend called: Every Young Man’s Battle by Stephen Arterburn. He says the best way to win this battle is to make a decision to guard your eyes against looking at a women with lust. Even though you are surrounded each day with sexual images, you’re able to win the battle by guarding what you watch. A proven way to decrease your sexual desires is by decreasing what images you allow yourself to see. When your eyes see something sexually, it gives your sexual desires fuel. So, when you starve this area by bouncing your eyes, it makes this temptation much easier to tackle.
You’ll always have sexual temptation – This isn’t always encouraging news, but as long as you’re breathing you’re going to face sexual temptation. However, God designed marriage as a healthy outlet for these desires. Yet, for most of you, this may be years away. Even if it is going to be a while before you get married, you should put into place good habits now. Even after you get married and are able to have sex without guilt, you will still face temptation in these areas. That is why it is important to put into practice good habits now.

Practicing these tactics will help you win in the battle against lust. It can be a challenge sometimes to stay pure in these areas. However, it is always worth it in the end. When you learn to train yourself with good habits now, when you get married, you won’t carry any regret or hurt into your relationship. It’s tough sometimes, but it’s a battle worth fighting!

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