Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Matthew 6:33

Posted on October 23, 2023

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

How much of your life are you basing upon what you see in the media? How about what your friends think? Or what you hear out and about. While, sometimes those sources can be helpful, most of the time, they’re not where you as a Christian should be going to find your answers.

What would happen if you went out of your way to live your life intentionally Christ-centered?

Would things look different if you put a little more focus and energy into making your life be more Christ-centered? What if spending all your money on shoes, clothes, phones, and fun things for yourself, you decided to ask God if there was someone in your life that you could give to? Perhaps you could buy a treat for a friend, or give a little to the missionary your church supports. What would your life look like if you were living intentionally Christ-centered?

Would anything change, if living for Christ was your goal?

Here’s the truth: as a follower of Christ you should make living for Him your goal. So in your free time, your money, your habits, and your friends you should be seeking Christ. That isn’t always easy. At times it can even seem really challenging. But it’s also freeing. As you begin to seek Him deeply in all you do, you’ll find that your love for Him grows.

Today, challenge yourself to live in a way that puts Christ at the center in everything you do.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Mark 4:40

Posted on October 20, 2023

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion - Fear

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” – Mark 4:40 (NIV)

This devotion was originally posted in 2019, but had some great information on fear. We thought we’d re-use it with some updated content for you to enjoy.

Have you noticed how easy it is to have faith when things are going good? If everything in your life is easy it’s so easy to be thankful and happy. However, when things are difficult, you really see where you place your confidence.

The disciples were in the middle of a storm. And when things got scary and they weren’t comfortable they began to cry out in fear. Jesus asked them something amazing, He asked why were they still afraid.

Today’s Challenge: Remember Jesus is With You

Jesus thought that they should not be fearful. After all, He was right there with them in the boat. Didn’t they know that when He was with them, they didn’t need to be afraid? Lots of times, we’re guilty just like the disciples of being afraid.

We’ve got Jesus with us and in us all the time. Yet too often we forget all about Him. We go through the storms of life afraid simply because we didn’t realize that Jesus was right there with us.

So today, if you’re going through something tough, be encouraged. Jesus is with you. He’s helping you through the things that you face and you will come out on the other side. Don’t fear, simply trust in Him!

If you enjoyed this week’s challenges on fear, here’s a quick recap video.

5 Devotions to Defeat Fear

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 12:1

Posted on October 19, 2023

Teen Devotion on Discipline

To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. – Proverbs 12:1

If you want to be good at something, it takes discipline. If you play an instrument, you have to practice, if you play a sport you have to train and eat right to be better. To grow in any area in life you’ve got to discipline yourself.

If you want to become a person of character, you’ve got to love discipline. Discipline not easy and it’s certainly not fun. Discipline is hard work. But if you want to learn, to grow, and to be better, you’ve got to learn to love discipline.

That’s what this verse is encouraging us to do. To become better at anything we’ve got to embrace correction and love discipline. When we do we will learn and grow.

It’s the small choices you make that set you apart from others. So decide that you’re going to discipline yourself to make good choices. It’s those choices that determine where you end up in life.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 1:3

Posted on October 18, 2023

 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made – John 1:2-3 (NIV)

All worldviews that exist in the world today try to answer life’s big questions. One of them is where did we come from. Depending on who you ask, you’ll get different responses to that question. If you ask an atheist the response will differ from a Christian. Still, each of those worldviews seeks to answer those big questions.

The Biblical Worldview makes sense when compared to other worldviews. It explains why things work the way they do, it explains why there’s suffering, it explains many of life’s difficult questions well.

But one of the main things you have to be certain of is that God created the world. Science may differ in it’s explanation of origins from the Bible. So as a Christian you have to chose to trust God’s word above all else. You have to determine that the Bible will be the answer to all of life’s questions.

And the Bible is a solid foundation for the questions we face. It helps us answer and explain what we see in the world around us. So today, spend some time thinking about the fact that you were created. The world you see around you was created. That creation speaks to the love, power, and greatness of God.

Take time today to thank God for His creation. Know that through Him all things were made, and that we can use His word to explain the big questions of life.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 1:1

Posted on October 17, 2023

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1 (NIV)

One of the most foundational truths for your faith is the reason you’re here. Every worldview and religion has to answer this question. Why are we here? How did we get here?

Today’s verse is the Christian’s response to that question. According to the Bible, we’re here because of God. God was in the beginning and He created us to fellowship with Him.

So when friends and family ask you why you believe in Jesus, you can answer and say, it’s because of God. God was in the beginning. Because of Him, you have life. He is the reason we’re here and the reason why we stand up for our beliefs and the Bible. It’s all because of Him.

So today, take some time to reflect. Are you thankful for all that God has provided in your life? Are you thankful for a place to live? Are you thankful for family, friends, and the people in your life? If so, spend some time thanking God. You’re here because in the beginning He was. That’s an important truth and good to be reminded of today.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Psalm 116:15

Posted on October 13, 2023

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. – Psalm 116:15 (NIV)

The idea of death can seem really scary. I know death has been something that has always been a bit scary for me. I used to lie awake and fear death. Sometimes I’d wonder if today would be the day I’d die and be concerned about what that would be like.

As a Christian, I know that I also have to see what God’s word says about the issue. When it comes to death, what does God have to say?

In today’s verse, we see that God sees the death of his servants as precious. That helps me with my fear of death because what seems scary to me seems precious to God. He knows that we will be with Him in heaven. And to Him that’s precious.

I’m not wanting to go to heaven for a long time, but it’s good to know that when I do die here on this earth, that it is a precious event to God.

I don’t need to fear death. Death for me is a victory because I get to be with God in heaven and that will be truly wonderful!

Psalm 116:15 devotion for teens

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 4:25

Posted on October 11, 2023

 

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. – Ephesians 4:25 (NLT)

I used to lie, a lot. No, they weren’t huge lies, just small ones. I’d stretch the truth a bit about what happened when I was out with friends so my mom didn’t freak out when I got home. I’d exaggerate when telling a story to make myself look better to my friends. I knew telling big lies were wrong, but how about small ones that got me out of trouble and didn’t hurt anyone?

Maybe you’re like me and have gotten into a bad habit of telling lots of harmless small lies. Or maybe you flat out tell huge whopping lies. It honestly doesn’t matter. Lying isn’t good and it isn’t godly.

So if you’ve found yourself trapped in the habit of lying, take a moment to step back. Honestly look at yourself and your motivation for lying. Are you trying to make yourself look better? Cover an insecurity? Or something else?

For me, the root of my lying habit was insecurity and selfishness. I didn’t want to look bad or get in trouble, so I’d tell a lie. Once I confronted my motivation for lying, it made it easier for me to kick the habit. I realized that I needed to tell the truth even if it meant I got in trouble. I needed to tell the truth even if it meant that others didn’t look at me as favorably.

Today’s Truth: There is freedom in telling the truth

The freedom I experience when I stopped lying was amazing.  I realized that there was freedom in telling the truth. So today, choose to tell the truth regardless of what it costs you.

Icon for there's freedom in telling the truth

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 29:25

Posted on October 10, 2023

Have you noticed how easy it is to let other people influence you? Maybe you wanted to stand up for the kid on your bus that kept bullying others. But you were afraid of what others would think, so you kept silent.

Fearing people is easy to do. It’s natural. But it always is a trap. Fearing people will keep you from fully serving God. Take a look at what God’s word says.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. – Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

When we fear people, it traps us. It keeps us from doing the right things. It also means that we are letting people be the final authority in our lives instead of God. We should be seeking after God and making Him the most important voice in our lives.

Yes, we can listen to teachers, parents, friends, and others, but our ultimate goals should be living for God in all we do.

Goal is living for God in all we do

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – 2 Corinthians 2:14

Posted on October 9, 2023

But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It’s like a fragrance that fills the air. – 2 Corinthians 2:14 (GW)

Have you ever felt like you weren’t that good at something? Maybe you didn’t make the basketball team and you feel like you’re nothing.

Perhaps someone has said or done something to you that made you feel less than God’s best. We all face situations where we begin to doubt our worth. We begin to believe the lie that we’re insufficient and worthless.

Today’s Truth: I Am A Winner

The truth is, God doesn’t see you like that. When He looks at you, He sees your value. He doesn’t see the hurts, shortcomings, and failures. God looks at you and sees a winner.

So this week, if thoughts of inadequacy and failure try to creep in, tell them no.

Believe and see yourself as God sees you. He looks at you and sees that you’re a winner. He sees your potential and value to Him. Begin to see yourself as God does and you’ll find that you’re a lot happier as a result!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Exodus 12:41

Posted on October 6, 2023

In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the LORD’s forces left the land. – Exodus 12:41 (NIV)

Can you imagine living in slavery for a long time? That’s the way the Israelites had been. Year after year they had been slaves. I’m sure that they wondered if anything would ever change or get better.

And yet, in the midst of difficulty, the Israelites were delivered after waiting a long, long time.

The key to this is that you are to remember God in your victory. It’s easy to forget that God has moved in your life. You can get into the day to day routine and forget all the good things God has done for you. That’s what the children of Israel often did. They forgot how God had delivered them time and time again.

The challenge is to remember that no matter how long you’ve struggled, the end is victory. Then also, in the victory, don’t forget God. Remember how He’s moved in your life and helped you out. God is good, He’s moving and helping you to do great things, so stay encouraged, and remember God in your victory.

Pray: God, I thank you that in the end, if I stay with you there’s victory. I’ll stay encouraged and keep believing, knowing that you’ll bring me out and do good things in my life.