Do you want to be someone that others remember? Is your desire to impact your school and your world for Jesus? If we’re honest, most of us feel like we want our lives to make a difference. We want to be remembered for doing something that helped other people.
To do those things, you’ve got to begin to develop certain habits. One great habit to develop in your life is to think of ways to give to others.
Today’s Challenge: How Can I give to others?
When you give to others, you become a person that others want to be around. Instead of always hogging the conversation, and taking from others, look for opportunities to help them.
For example, you might be able to buy a friend something to drink from the vending machine. Perhaps you can encourage a friend that is having a bad day. Challenge yourself to look for ways to give into the lives of others.
When you become a giver, not only will others enjoy being around you more, but you’ll feel more fulfilled. You’ll also be happier because you’ve gotten outside of yourself and looked for ways to help others.
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. – 2 Cor 5:16 (HSCB)
Have you ever wanted to get to know a celebrity? Maybe you wish that you could be friends with them or get to hang out with them. But since you don’t really know them, you know them from a far. You know about them from what you read about them online or what you see in a magazine. But in reality, you don’t really know them.
That’s a lot like how your relationship with Jesus was before you became a Christian. You knew who He was, maybe even that He was a good person, but you didn’t really know Him.
Once you accept Jesus into your heart, you now get to know Him in a new way. You don’t know Him in a human way, but you get to know Him in a closer, deeper way. Start the new year off being grateful that you get to know God in a deep way! Make getting to know God one of your new year’s resolutions this year.
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. – Proverbs 16:32 (NLT)
We often put a lot of emphasis on what we do. If we get good grades or make the winning shot at basketball then we’re a success. And while getting good grades and doing well at sports is really great, they are not all there is to life. Success in life is more than just what you do. It’s also things like having self-control and being patient. Do you have the self-control to say no to peer pressure? Are you patient when things get tough in your life?
Often, the difficult times in our lives help us develop character. When things are going good, it’s easy to thank God and be happy. When things are hard and you don’t know if you can go on, that’s when your character is shown. What do you do when you’ve got more homework than time to complete it? What do you do when you’re pressured by your friends to do ungodly things? Who you are and what you do in those situations show off the habits you’ve developed in your life up to this point.
So instead of getting upset by difficulty, try to look at it in a positive light. Difficult situations can be a time for you to grow and practice patience and self-control. Decide to let difficulty make you better. Choose to work on the habits and attitudes of your heart and grow closer to God during these times.
We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. – Psalm 78:4 (NIV)
I remember a certain day at school when one of my teachers spent most of the afternoon lecturing the class for something they had done wrong. Thankfully, I hadn’t participated in the wrongdoing, and so I got to sit back and watch many of them getting in trouble, all the while knowing the lecture and subsequent punishment did not apply to me.
It can be easy to read the Bible with a similar mindset. When reading, you might see a passage like today’s and think, I’m not a parent, so I don’t need to even read or think about what this verse is telling me, and we skip over it without giving it any thought.
And it’s true that you’re probably not a parent yet. But one day you might be. And verses like these can help you when you are. Also, you’re probably influencing younger people around you. Maybe you have a little brother or sister. Or perhaps there are some younger kids that you babysit or see at church. This verse could apply to your relationship with them too.
Whether you realize it or not, you have a responsibility to take the gospel to the next generation. And telling the next generation about what God has done can start for you now. Take your little brother or sister for example, there are probably things you could be doing to encourage your little brother or sister in their faith. Maybe they have doubts about God that you could help them through. Perhaps you could just be a good example to them by making good choices and living for righteousness.
If you’re open to it, God can prompt you and show you a way that you can begin showing His goodness to the next generation. So don’t wait. God can use you today to help the next generation learn more about the goodness of God. Start by asking God how, and be open to being used by Him to help others know Him more.
Things are moving. We are busy. We reach for our phones all the time when there’s a lull in the conversation. If we’re bored, we fill that space with videos and music.
I also enjoy watching a funny video, but when it comes down to it, we often keep ourselves so busy, there’s never any quiet.
When do we take the time to be still? When do we just sit in our rooms and think?
More importantly, when do we take the time to listen to what Jesus would speak to us?
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27 (NIV)
Today’s Bible verse says that as Jesus’ followers we should listen to His voice.
Take a moment to think. Are you doing that? Do you allow Jesus to speak? Or is every moment filled with videos, music, friends, and TV?
Challenge yourself today to take some time to be still. Listen to what Jesus would speak to you. As you do, you’ll find that He wants to show you things, help you with your math homework, and maybe even speak to you about who to date.
Jesus loves you, cares about you and wants to be involved with you. Will you get still to let Him speak?
Today’s Challenge: Still Yourself and Listen to Jesus
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? – Romans 8:31 (NLT)
The fact that God sent His only Son for us is incredible. Even more incredible is the fact that God sent Jesus when we were His enemies. If God gave us His very best when we were at our worst, we can rest assured that He will give us His best now that we are His kids!
Today’s Truth: God gives you his very best because you’re his child.
No matter who or what might be coming against you today realize that it doesn’t have to slow you down or depress you. God is for you and knowing that is all the encouragement you need to face any difficulty that comes your way.
So today remind yourself that God is for you. Even when it’s hard. In those times you don’t think you can make it, know that God is there! He loves you and He wants the very best for you.
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, – Philippians 3:13
One of the keys to having a good attitude when things get tough is adjusting your focus. In life, where you choose to put your focus determines your attitude. If you focus on all the bad things going on around you, you’ll be upset and sad.
Paul is talking in this Bible verse about forgetting the past and looking forward to what is ahead. That is the key to being happy regardless of your circumstances. If you can look forward to the future, you’ll be much happier.
So instead of being upset about how this year at school is much harder than last year, or focusing on how your algebra teacher is always treating you unfairly, choose to adjust your focus. In the middle of difficult circumstances, you can find happiness by looking forward to what lies ahead. Maybe you get to switch classes next semester. Perhaps you get to go out for track in the spring. Whatever it is, find something in the future to look forward to. Having a goal and something to look forward to will help you find happiness in your current situation.
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. – James 1:3 (KJ 2000 Bible)
If we’re honest, we all hate being patient. Have you ever prayed and asked God for something and then you had to be patient and wait until you got the results you prayed for?
A lot of times, we are impatient because we haven’t seen the results we wanted to see in our lives yet. We often move too early or stop too soon because we weren’t patient. Being patient is tough and it requires a lot of trust in God. It doesn’t come to us naturally, it’s something we have to work on.
However, it’s often in difficulty that we get to develop patience. When things are tough, we often want to move God or help God out to get quicker results. However, it’s when we truly trust God and are patient that we see good results.
Today’s Truth: When we trust God and are patient, we will see good results.
So today, if there’s something that you’ve prayed for but haven’t seen yet, don’t be discouraged. Look at it as an opportunity to develop patience in your life. Realize that God hasn’t forgotten you or let you down, it just takes some time to see the results you prayed for. Don’t give up or quit too soon, but patiently trust God knowing that He will come through for you.
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. – Acts 17:11 (NIV)
I remember many times in classes at school feeling silenced for my beliefs. A teacher would share in biology class about the origins of the world, and most of what was shared went against the creation account in Genesis. I was unsure what to say or do. Sometimes a friend would share about their beliefs as a Muslim or another religion and I simply didn’t know what to say to them.
A few years have gone by, and I realize now that there is power in knowing what you believe. Not only scripture, but real defense of why Christianity makes sense in the world. The more I study, the more I realize that the Biblical worldview does hold up to scrutiny.
The last few years, I’ve spent searching scripture, learning the history and the reasons for Christianity. And the more I learn, the more I realize that the Bible is true. The Bible makes the most sense of the world we live in. Without it, we can’t understand our world properly.
So, if you’re like I was a few years ago, and knew that Jesus was real and the son of God, but didn’t really know why you believed what you did, I’d challenge you to do what the Bereans did in our verse today. Begin to search the scriptures. Find out how to defend your faith in the realms of science, math, or any other area where you are challenged. Then you can begin to confidently know that the Bible is true and begin to share that truth with those around you.
Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? – Romans 2:4 (HCSB)
I heard the story once of a teenager who had really disobeyed her dad. She had gone against his wishes, lied, disobeyed and deserved a great punishment. Her dad did something amazing. Instead of giving her the punishment she deserved, he spent some time with her and took her out for ice cream.
This isn’t the response we expect from our parents when we disobey. We usually expect grounding, time out or some sort of punishment. Instead of what she deserved, her dad showed her kindness. Her dad, being a Christian, wanted her to experience what God’s grace was like. It was a lesson the young lady really remembered. Instead of getting what she deserved, she got grace.
That reminds me a lot of today’s Bible verse. In the passage, we see that God’s kindness leads us to repentance. God treats us like that father with his daughter. We don’t deserve good things because of sin. And yet, God is kind to us. He loves us, and doesn’t give us what we deserve, but rather gives us kindness.
This kindness isn’t to give us an excuse to keep on sinning. The kindness helps draw us to God because when we’re aware of our sin and what we deserve, and realize what God did for us, we can’t help loving Him. We want to know Him more and understand what He did for us better.
So today, be encouraged, God loves you, He treats you with kindness and is on your side!