Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Psalm 16:8

Posted on July 20, 2023

I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. – Psalm 16:8 (NLT)

When you’re faced with a difficult situation, it’s comforting to know that the Lord is always with you. You might be uncertain about your future. You might be wondering who to date or how to handle someone who is mean to you. Regardless of what you’re facing right now, it’s nice to know that the Lord is always with you.

That means that if you need help knowing how to deal with a situation, God is ready to help you. If you need peace about your future, God can give that to you. Whatever it is that you need, God is ready and willing to help you, if you’ll ask Him.

You can walk through life at peace and unshaken because you know that God is with you. He’s right beside you helping you through each challenge that you face. So today, choose to thank God for always being with you. Determine to not be discouraged if you’re facing something tough. Instead, be encouraged, you’re not facing it alone.

Today’s Truth: You’re Not Facing Life Alone

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 15:26

Posted on July 19, 2023

When we’re talking about the Holy Spirit, it’s good to be reminded what He speaks. First, He speaks about Jesus. He tells you who Jesus is and reveals Him to you.

Why is that helpful? When you wonder does Jesus really care? Does He indeed take care of my needs and really understand what I’m facing? The Holy Spirit can show you that Jesus does. He reminds you of scriptures that speak of who Jesus is. The Holy Spirit can show you all about Jesus because He knows Jesus and the Father.

“But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. – John 15:26 (NLT)

So if you haven’t, determine today to get to know the person of the Holy Spirit. Learn who He is. Read these chapters in John we’ve been discussing the last few days. Realize that Jesus can be known and understood. The Holy Spirit will help you to “get it” and understand the person of Jesus better.

Today’s Truth: The Holy Spirit Testifies of Jesus

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 14:26

Posted on July 18, 2023

Have you ever been in the middle of a trial in your life? Maybe you don’t fit in at your school, and you feel like no one understands what you’re going through. In times like those, where do you go for comfort?

Today’s Bible verse talks about the Holy Spirit being our advocate or comforter. Let’s see what it says.

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. – John 14:26 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit will comfort you in times where you don’t know where to turn for help. Here’s also what’s great about Him: He will remind you of what the Word says.

When you’re really discouraged, the Holy Spirit can bring a Bible verse to your mind that brings you the comfort you need in the difficulty you’re facing. The good news is that He is able to help you out in exactly the way you need it most. You’ve just got to trust that He will do it, and expect Him to work in your life.

Today’s Truth: The Holy Spirit will remind you of what the Word says.

Today ask the Holy Spirit for help. Ask Him to show you a verse or a scripture that applies to what you’re facing. Then continually remind yourself of that truth until you see victory in your life.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 14:16

Posted on July 17, 2023

Have you ever gone through something really tough? Maybe all your friends decided to not be nice to you anymore and spread rumors about you. Perhaps your family is going through a divorce, and things are really difficult. Where do you turn? How do you keep your head on straight when the things of life don’t go as you planned and life is really tough?

Let’s take a look at John 14:16.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. – John 14:16 (NLT)

The footnote in my Bible says that advocate could also be comforter. Isn’t that good news? Even when it might feel like all our earthly friends have left us, we have a comforter from God, the Holy Spirit. He’s there to help us in life.

There have been times when I haven’t understood why something happened. After spending time in prayer, the Holy Spirit often has shown me a way to understand what I was going through. That’s what He’s there to do. He helps comfort you in ways that only He can.

Today’s Truth: God gave us the Holy Spirit to be our comforter.

So today, if you’re going through something really difficult, don’t be discouraged. The Holy Spirit is your comforter. Go ask Him for help and comfort to get through this season.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 28:27

Posted on July 14, 2023
Teen Devotion on Generosity

Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed. – Proverbs 28:27 (NLT)

It’s easy to begin to overlook the people around you that need help. Maybe you’re so used to seeing the guy asking for money at the busy intersection of the shopping center, that you don’t even see him any more.

It’s easy to become so used to the needs and hurts of those around us every day that we forget that Jesus has called us to be light in the world and to help others.

So today, take some time and ask God how you can help. Find out if you can take some cookies to the older neighbor who is struggling to make ends meet. See if you could do something to help that guy asking for money at your shopping center.

Today’s Challenge: Don’t overlook the needs around you.

There are needs all around you. You’ve got to just begin to see them. Ask God for help and see if you can help give to those around you.

You’ll be amazed at the difference some simple generosity can make in your life and the lives of those around you.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Deut 15:8

Posted on July 13, 2023

Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need. – Deut 15:8 (NLT)

As a teenager, you probably don’t have a lot of money. You’re not working a job, and it can be easy to simply spend what you have on yourself since you don’t have a lot of it.

And while it’s true you probably don’t have as much money as an adult to be giving to others, as a teenager, there are still many ways to be generous.

Can you give your time to someone? Maybe you can spend a few hours helping your brother clean his room. Perhaps you can mow your neighbor’s lawn. All these things require little or no money but still are ways you can be generous right now.

Today’s Challenge: How Can I Be Generous Today?

So today, begin to look for ways you can be generous. Ask God to give you ideas. He might show you that you could give some of your clothes away or a simple way you can help.

Whatever it is, know this. Generosity is fun. As you practice a lifestyle of generosity, you’ll see how fun it is to give to help those around you.

Pray: Jesus, I ask for your help. Show me ways that I can be generous to those around me. Open my eyes to see opportunities to bless those around me today. In Your Name, I pray, Amen.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 5:19

Posted on July 12, 2023

speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, – Ephesians 5:19 (NIV)

It’s summer break and you’re probably busy trying to get all your binge-watching of your favorite TV show done before you head back to school. You should enjoy your break. Taking time off and getting rested up is a good thing. However, during your summer break, consider taking some time to develop your relationship with Jesus.

One good way to do that is singing to the Lord. Maybe you can sing one of your favorite worship songs while you’re getting ready for the day. If you drive in a car, listen to worship music and think about how good God is in your life.

As you walk to get a drink at the store, plug your headphones in and worship the Lord. Take time to look at the trees, sky, and beauty around you. Thank God for His goodness in your life and spend time worshipping Him. It’s in times of worship that God will show you things and speak to you. You’ll also find yourself feeling happier and ready to face things, knowing God is on your side!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Matthew 3:8

Posted on July 11, 2023

Yesterday we talked a little bit about repentance. We saw that as followers of Jesus, we should be repenting, which means a change of action and a change of thought. As we grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit and the Bible, we will find things in the word of God that should challenge our lifestyle. As Christians, we should want our lives to match up to what the Bible says.

This isn’t to say that we’re doing good works to gain salvation. Not at all. There is not a thing we could do to ever earn our salvation. But as a result of our salvation, we should be wanting to change to be more like Jesus. It’s Jesus that helps us and empowers us to change.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance – Matthew 3:8 (NIV)

Our repentance should produce fruit in our lives. So as God begins to show you things, you should begin to change.

Here’s an example. I realized one day that I was not honoring my mom the way the Bible described. (Ephesians 6:1). Instead, I was talking bad about her behind her back. I was snarky, disobedient, and very unkind. Then the Holy Spirit began to reveal to me that I wasn’t honoring my mom. I realized that I didn’t have to like my mom or agree with her decisions to honor her. Instead, I simply had to choose to honor her and treat her with respect because she was my mom.

So I repented. I changed my behavior and attitude toward my mom. I wasn’t perfect, but I began to stop talking bad about her. Slowly, through the course of time, I allowed what the Bible said to dominate my actions. That’s what repentance looks like. It’s seeing something the Bible or the Holy Spirit reveals to you and changing your course. It’s humbling yourself and allowing God to be the boss of your life.

So today, challenge yourself to practice repentance in any area the Holy Spirit is leading you. It might be honoring a parent, stopping lying, or something else. But be sensitive to the leading and begin to make steps to change. You’ll experience more joy and freedom as you let God change you daily.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Hebrews 6:1

Posted on July 10, 2023

I remember a time when my parents asked me to not watch a certain movie. I didn’t listen to them, and instead snuck into the theater with a friend to see it, telling my parents I was seeing a different movie. Afterward, I felt bad. I knew I had lied to my parents and watched a movie that wasn’t good for me to see.

You’ve probably messed up like that too. Maybe you’ve lied, or done the wrong thing. As Christians, we should be moving toward maturity in our walk with God through repentance. But here’s the question: what does that look like?

Most of the time, it looks like wanting to do whatever the Holy Spirit or the Bible shows us. Back to the example of sneaking into the movie. Let’s say that before I snuck into the movie, I didn’t know how wrong my actions were. After sneaking into the movie, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that I shouldn’t be doing that and I should be telling the truth to my parents.

If I repented, that would mean that I changed my thinking and my actions to line up with what God says about an issue. So for me, repentance would look like me stopping lying to my parents and sneaking into movies they told me not to watch. I should change my actions as a result of my repentance.

It’s okay not to know something is wrong. But once you do, you should desire to change and move into maturity as a believer. That’s what a true follower of Jesus looks like. As He shows you things in your life to change, you should love Him and want to change to be more like Him.

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, – Hebrews 6:1 (NIV)

So today, challenge yourself to do what this verse says. Decide to repent and change your actions and thoughts as your knowledge of God’s word grows. God loves you and wants you to grow into maturity in Him!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Luke 9:62

Posted on July 7, 2023

Doing Big Things For GodJesus responded, “Why do you keep looking backward to your past and have second thoughts about following me? When you turn back you are useless to God’s kingdom realm.” – Luke 9:62 (TPT)

A few years ago, I was seeking God’s plan for my life and I felt like God was calling me back to my hometown. I grew up in a small town but had gone to Bible school after high school in a large city with lots of fun things to do. The idea of going back to the small town was not exciting for me. I would have to leave lots of great friends, fun things to do, and a great church to go back to a small town with nothing going on.

I was not excited about the move at all. However, I decided to obey God. When I got to my hometown, things weren’t easy. I kept wishing I was back in the big town with all my friends. I really struggled with looking back and wishing for the past. Looking back caused me lots of unhappiness.

It can be easy to look back and wish for things to be how they were in the past. However, constantly looking back will stop your progress. Jesus tells us in this verse to not look back and to not question following Him. When you follow Jesus, ultimately, it will result in good things in your life.

It might not always be easy and your emotions might not always like it, but choose to follow after Jesus. Do what you feel like He is telling you to do. As you do, you’ll begin to see Him work in your life. Don’t be afraid to do what God is calling you to do!