Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 1:7

Posted on April 17, 2025

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction – Proverbs 1:7

More than likely you spend a lot of your time learning right now. From math lessons, to History tests, your brain is probably absorbing more knowledge even than you’d like. Today’s verse shows us a couple things about learning.

First, we see that all learning should start with knowing God. If you educate your mind, but haven’t ever included God in that education, it’s lacking. God made the world, He created the principles that uphold math and the sciences. Excluding God from these areas makes an education incomplete. Also, when we know God and have a personal relationship with Him, He can show us things about His creation.

When we wonder why a bug acts the way it does, we could go to God in prayer and ask. People like George Washington Carver have done this and seen amazing success in what God will show them about His world.

Secondly, we see in this verse that we are foolish if we despise learning. Now, there are going to be days when you don’t want to learn in school. And yes, there are going to be times when you just need a break. But overall, we were created to learn. We were created to be curious and explore the world that God created. So we were created to learn. It’s foolish to think that you know it all or that you ever stop learning. Instead, you should be eager to learn so that you can know more about the world that God created, and by learning, you get to know more about Him.

So if you struggle with learning, go to God. Ask for His wisdom. Pray to learn more about His world and begin to realize the joy of knowing Him through your education.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Hebrews 12:1

Posted on April 16, 2025

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us – Hebrews 12:1

Have you ever watched a little kid at a birthday party? Often, a very small kid will not really get the point of the presents. I’ve seen lots of little kids open presents and play more with the boxes and wrapping paper than the toys they got for their birthday.

By now, as a teenager, you’ve learned to throw the wrapping paper away and go straight for the birthday presents. Part of the process of growing up is learning that good things are deep inside the boxes and packages. With a little work, you’re able to separate the box from the present and throw away the things you don’t need.

When it comes to your life with Christ, you have to do the same thing. You have to learn what things are important and hold onto and treasure those things, and then lay aside (or throw away) the things that distract you from your life of faith in Christ.

I know there have been times when God has led me to stop watching a TV show because it was causing fear to build in my heart. There have been times when a friend was leading me to sin and I needed to limit the time I spent with that person. Sometimes, there are times when we need to lay aside things that are distracting us from the good things that God has for us.

So today, spend some time asking God if there are things in your life that you need to lay aside. They might not even be bad things, but rather things that distract you from reading your Bible or praying. As you put those things aside, you’ll realize the good things God has for you and walk in the joy of your relationship with God.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Romans 5:11

Posted on April 15, 2025

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God. – Romans 5:11 (NLT)

One of the great things about what Jesus did for us is that He gave us the ability to have a relationship with God. If God just wanted someone to worship Him, He already had that with the angels in heaven. Instead, He chooses to have a relationship with imperfect humans.

What an amazing thing to think about. God choose you out of all beings to be in a relationship with Him. That should show you your value to God. You’re not worthless or a nobody. God did everything in His power to deal with sin because He wanted to know you.

Today’s Truth: God did everything in His power to deal with sin because He wanted to know you.

So on those days when you feel like you’ve messed up too bad. When you feel like you’re not worth anything. Realize that to God, you’re priceless. He chooses you and desires to know you.

God paid the ultimate price to know you. He sent Jesus to destroy the power of sin in your life. There is now nothing that is stopping you from knowing God. So today be encouraged. God loves you. He sees value in a relationship with you. To Him, you’re worth everything!

 

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 1:5

Posted on April 14, 2025

let the wise listen and add to their learning,
    and let the discerning get guidance – Proverbs 1:5 (NIV)

I remember when I was in middle school. I didn’t really care about what I was learning. To me, it didn’t really make much difference. I just wanted to get out of school and do other things. I wasn’t really thinking about what I was learning, but more focused on friends and what was happening socially.

However, learning is an important part of your life, whether you realize it or not. In this first chapter of Proverbs learning is discussed a lot. Today’s verse talks about how the wise person adds to their learning. It’s wise to realize that you don’t know everything. It’s also wise to realize that you never stop learning. There’s no point in your life when you’ll suddenly know it all. There is a lot of learning that takes place over the course of your life.

Secondly, it talks about being discerning. It’s one thing to know a lot of facts. You can know dates of wars, all the interesting details about wars and history, but if you don’t really know to use those facts, then they don’t really benefit you. Being discerning is using good judgement in life.

Using good judgement is developed best from a relationship with God. When you know God and His word, you can have discernment and wisdom that go well beyond your natural age. Knowing God is the source of all wisdom. So as you begin to reach out and know Him, you’ll find that you can learn not only facts, but also grow in wisdom and discernment to be wise beyond your years.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 4:32

Posted on April 11, 2025

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

One of the hardest things to do in life is to forgive. When people don’t treat you the right way, when they make fun of you, bully you, or give you a hard time for what you believe it can be really hard to forgive and be kind like this verse challenges us to do.

The good news is that God is a just God. He wouldn’t ask us to do something we couldn’t do. It wouldn’t be fair for God to expect us to do something that was beyond our ability.

Thankfully, that’s not what God did. God gave us the love we need to love others. He tells us that His love has been placed in our hearts (Romans 5:5). So God has given us what we need to love others. We can be kind, tenderhearted, and forgive others because God has given us what we need to do it.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Matthew 12:30

Posted on April 10, 2025

When you take a stand and decide to live your life for Jesus, it can be easy to wonder if it’s really worth it. You might ask yourself if you should just give in and compromise. Standing up for what’s right is hard, and you can begin to think that it’s not worth it.

I know I’ve questioned it a lot. I’ve wondered if I’d have more friends and be happier if I’d just compromise my beliefs and live a little more like the world. It can be easy to feel that way, and it’s normal to question whether living for Jesus is worth it.

However, before you decide to compromise, think about today’s Bible verse, found in Matthew 12:30.

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. – Matthew 12:30 (NLT)

This verse shows us that to God, there isn’t really room for compromise. You’re either living for God or you’re working against Him. So even if you feel like compromising, think about this verse. Spend some time letting it’s message sink in.

Then ask yourself if some short-term compromise is worth it. If you compromised, would you regret it 5 or 10 years from now? It’s easy to feel like if you give in now, it would make things easier, but long-term will you regret your compromise?

Compromise usually isn’t worth it in the long run. If you stand for Christ, it might be hard today, but later in life, you won’t have regrets and wish you’d handled things differently. So choose today to stand up for truth. Stand up for what’s right and know that God will see you through.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – 2 Thessalonians 2:15

Posted on April 9, 2025

With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. – 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT)

Peer pressure is real. It’s hard to deal with some days. I remember one time standing up for a girl on my bus when everyone was making fun of her. No one else was stopping the bully. I decided to invite the girl to sit by me on the bus. Standing up for what’s right when everyone else is silent is never easy. You feel silly and alone.

If you’re facing peer pressure, I want to encourage you with today’s verse because. It talks about standing firm, and often that’s what you have to do when you’re facing peer pressure. You have to have the guts to stand firm and not be shaken by others.

The people that do big things for God, stand firm in their faith. They don’t allow popular opinion or fear of others keep them from doing what God has called them to do. And that’s what you can do too. You can choose to stand firm in the midst of a world that mocks God.

As you choose to make the Bible and your relationship with God more real than the pull of peer pressure, you won’t be as swayed by the opinions of others. You also become more aware of your relationship with God. The more aware you are of that relationship, the more it means to you. As you spend time in the presence of God, God will become more important and more real than the pull of your friends and those around you who aren’t choosing to serve God.

So today, challenge yourself to stand firm. Determine not to be swayed by peer pressure or anything else. Instead, let your relationship with God become more real to you and everything else will lose its importance.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Psalm 23:4

Posted on April 8, 2025

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me – Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

I used to work in a restaurant. My boss was unkind to me a lot of the time. He’d try to make me drop food on the ground or trip me. I wasn’t learning the job quickly and the computer system at work might have been written in a foreign language because it was so confusing to me. Many of my co-workers were trying to get me to quit because I was so bad at my job. I was stressed out and didn’t know if I could go on or whether things would ever get any better.

In the middle of times like these, it can be easy to slip into fear. I found myself worried that I would be fired. I was upset that I wasn’t keeping up and making many of my co-workers mad. As I focused on these things, fear grew in my heart.

Today’s Truth: Focus on God in the middle of uncertainty, He will bring you peace.

However, in today’s Bible verse, we see that even in the middle of really tough circumstances, God is with us. He’s there to comfort us and help us. So if you’re faced with a difficulty, choose to focus on God. Focus on His love for you. Don’t let fear take root in your heart. Instead, choose to walk in the comfort and peace that God provides.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Posted on April 4, 2025

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

When you become a Christian, you are made new. The old sin nature is gone. Instead of being guilty and sinful, your nature is changed and you are made righteous.

The good news is that you can never get more righteous. You’ve been made righteous. That is who you are. Your spirit is right with God. The sin that once kept you from being able to know God has been dealt with and now you have free access to know God.

Today’s Truth: You Have Been Made New In Christ

That means you can go before God without any inferiority. God wants to hear from you. He wants to help you and guide you. So go to Him. Realize that because you’ve been made new in Christ, you can experience all of God’s goodness and blessing in your life today!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Isaiah 53:3

Posted on April 3, 2025

It can be tough to stand up for Jesus. There are probably times when you feel that you’re the only one who is standing up for Jesus in your friend group or at your school. When you’re the only one standing up for God that can make you feel lonely.

I’m sure Jesus felt that way too. When He was on the earth, He had times when no one understood what He was doing. He had times when he literally was the only one doing God’s will. That couldn’t have been easy for Him.

He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. – Isaiah 53:3 (NLT)

Jesus understands what it’s like to be rejected for doing what’s right. Many of His followers left Him during His time of ministry on the earth. Yet even when people didn’t stand with Him for truth, Jesus still stood firm. He knew that He was here to do His father’s will and that was the most important thing.

Standing up to peer pressure isn’t easy, but it’s the right thing to do. So in those moments when you’re discouraged, you can take comfort in the fact that Jesus understands what you’re going through. He went through similar things too. He understands and cares for you.

So if you need encouragement, go to Jesus. Get into God’s word and find encouragement. Realize that you’re not alone, and Jesus understands what you’re going through!

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