Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 4:24

Posted on February 20, 2023

Just for fun, let’s pretend that someone gave you millions and millions of dollars. With that money comes a new way of living for you. Instead of just choosing the car you can afford, you can now pick the car that you want the most. Instead of wearing the clothes and shoes that your family can afford, you suddenly can buy anything and everything that you want.

That would be pretty great, wouldn’t it? I think most of us would really enjoy spending money without limits.

But here’s the thing about getting all that money. You could instead of spending it, keep it in the bank. Maybe you never withdraw any funds. The millions and millions of dollars wouldn’t change your life much then, would it?

In the same way, when we’re talking about living for God, we have a choice. We can choose to let our new nature change the way we live our lives or we can ignore it.

Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy – Ephesians 4:24 (NLT)

Each day, we get to decide if we’re going to let God’s new nature change how we live. We decide whether we’re going to live and let the new nature rule our lives or the old one.

Today, choose to let the new nature run your life. Decide to live in all the goodness God has provided for you in Jesus!

Ephesians 4:24

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 4:14

Posted on February 17, 2023

Have you given any thought as to why you believe what you do about Jesus? Is it only because your mom told you it was right? Or maybe you believe because of what your youth pastor preaches each week.

And it’s great if you believe something because it’s what your parents or another leader believes. However, there will come a time in your life if it hasn’t already where your faith will be questioned. Someone will show up and give a really good argument for something other than Jesus, and you might find that your faith is shaken.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. – Ephesians 4:14 (NLT)

Many of the things people say in the world make a lot of sense and sound like truth. However, those things that sound so good are not always truth. If you’re not going to lose your faith when someone says something convincing, then you’re going to need to know what you believe and why you believe it.

If you need some help in this area, check out this devotion.

Decide today to take some time to study and wrestle with what you believe. By doing this, you will be better equipped to stand firm when you face with a situation that contradicts your faith. Spend some time getting to know your Bible, and logically thinking through what you believe and why. Doing this will help your faith remain firm.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ephesians 4:1

Posted on February 16, 2023

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. – Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)

You are a child of God and as His child, you’ve been called to do something for Him. God has placed desires and dreams in your heart and wants to help you accomplish them. But, have you noticed how easy it is to get sidetracked when it comes to our calling? Most of the time, it’s not intentional. We just get busy or sucked into the Netflix world and the next thing we know, we’ve totally forgotten about the things God has called us to do.

If we live our lives just for ourselves and we wait for our dreams to magically fulfill themselves, we will always be disappointed. We’ve got to be more intentional when it comes to our dreams. If we live our lives just for ourselves and look to others for fulfillment we will be disappointed. True fulfillment comes when we put our focus on our God-given calling.

The only thing that can bring you the peace and fulfillment you need is Jesus. He’s called you, so live a life that’s worthy of that calling. Choose to not be distracted by other things and choose instead to lean into Jesus. Trust Him to help you find the path that’s right for you. You’ve been called to great things!

Today’s Truth: Trust Jesus to help you find the right path.

Eph 4:1 graphic

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Philippians 4:11

Posted on February 14, 2023

It’s easy to envy others. Perhaps you have a friend who is happily dating someone and you’re single.  It’s easy to envy them and want to be in a relationship too.

It’s hard to be happy when it feels like others have happiness and you don’t. However, the secret to living a happy life is simple, you’ve got to choose to give thanks and be content even when you don’t feel it.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. – Phil 4:11 (NIV)

Paul didn’t always feel it. There were times when he was going through some really tough stuff. Yet, even in the middle of all the hardships, he found ways to be content.

That’s what you’ve got to do too. You’ve got to choose to be content. Even if you’re single. Even if you haven’t met that right person yet. Choose to give thanks to God.

Today’s Truth – Give Thanks

Giving thanks can even be like a faith step. You might not have met the right person to date yet, but that’s ok. You can choose to thank God and be happy in the season you’re in.

e-book on dating for teens imageIf you’d like to pursue godly relationships and healthier dating habits, check out our e-book, Date Smarter. It has 5 devotions, prayers and lots of great advice to help you date smarter.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – 1 Corinthians 13:4

Posted on February 13, 2023

You’ve got a crush. And all you can think about is that person and how happy you’d be if you were in a relationship with them. You lie awake at night, thinking about how cute they are, and all the great things about them.

So how do you know if they are a person you should date? 

Here’s our advice to you: wait. Before you jump into a relationship, wait a bit. Take an honest look at your crush. You might see all the great things about them, but what about those areas where they aren’t so awesome?

Are those things deal breakers for you?

It would be better to discover those things now, rather than to have your heart broken in the future. There’s nothing to gain by being hasty. Instead, challenge yourself to take a little time to reflect on whether your crush truly is someone you’d like to date.

Today’s Truth: Hastiness leads to heartbreak.

The Bible describes love as being patient. There’s nothing wrong with being patient and waiting before you get involved in a relationship.

Hastiness leads to heartbreak. A smart dater chooses to wait and honestly evaluates before getting into a relationship.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. – 1 Cor 13:4 (NIV)

So today, if you’ve got a crush, take some time to evaluate before you enter a relationship with them. Do they have some areas in their life that will be deal-breakers for you in the future? If so, avoid the heartache of a broken relationship and decide now not to date them.

e-book on dating for teens imageIf you’d like to pursue godly relationships and healthier dating habits, check out our e-book, Date Smarter. It has 5 devotions, prayers and lots of great advice to help you date smarter.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Matthew 5:14

Posted on February 10, 2023

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. – Matthew 5:14 (NIV)

As Christians, we are called to be light. We are to shine Jesus and show Jesus to the world around us. So what does that have to do with our talk the last few days about marriage, family and relationships?

Well, as Christians, we should be living our lives different from the way the world lives. We should be following Jesus in our relationships. That means that our sexuality, our relationships, our marriages should be defined by what God says, not by the culture around us.

As Christians, we should be living for God. We should be embracing who God made us to to be, not what someone else tells you you are. That means that if you don’t know what the Bible has to say about relationships, dating, family, marriage or any subject, you should begin to learn.

Begin to research what the Bible says about these topics. Find out what God says so that you can defend what you believe and be light to the world around you. God has put you here on the earth in this time in history. So stand up, boldly defend what you believe and know that you have been called to be light in the world around you!

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Genesis 2:18-25

Posted on February 9, 2023

Yesterday, we talked about how if we don’t know the purpose of something, then we don’t know really why it was created. In our world today, there are all kinds of different ideas about sex, marriage, and sexuality. But, if we want to know why something like marriage and family exists, we should go to the person who created it.

The Bible gives us the first example of a marriage and a family in Genesis 2. This is a longer passage, but it’s good to read the whole thing so that we know what God said.

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam[a] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. – Genesis 2:18-25

This verse describes to us the first marriage and the first family. It also shows us how God intended this relationship to be.

However, in our world today, many people think that no one should tell them how to live their lives. They believe that no one person can tell me who or what I am. The trouble with this attitude is that it leaves God out. God actually is that one being who can tell you what to do and how to live your life.

He has the right to do this because He created you and He loves you. He is the one who gives your life purpose and meaning. So go to His Word to get the definition of marriage and family.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Posted on February 8, 2023

There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: – Ecclesiastes 3:1 (HCSB)

Let’s pretend that you’ve never seen a phone before. You had no idea what it was or what it could do. What would you do? Perhaps you’d ask someone. Maybe you’d find some people and ask them what it was. Those people could tell you what they thought it was used for.

Let’s say that one of the people said it made a good flashlight, and showed you how the light on the phone worked. Another said the phone was used to hold papers in place from blowing away. A third person told you how they used the phone as a camera.

So you’d come away with the idea that a phone is a good paperweight, flashlight, and camera. But if you really wanted to know what a phone did, you’d need to go to the person who created the phone and they could tell you all the ins and outs of how it worked and what it could do.

In the same way, when it comes to marriage, sex, sexuality, we need to go to the creator of those things to define them. If all your information about these issues comes from other people, you might not be getting the whole picture. So who created marriage? Who made sex and our sexuality? Well, God did.

Today’s Truth: Build your thinking on God’s Word

So to know the purpose of these things, we need to look to the Bible. In the Bible, God has recorded His purpose in these things. So over the next few days, we’ll look at some scriptures to show what God created and designed from the Bible. Because as Christians we should be building all of our thinking on God’s Word.

Fads, ideas, and opinions change, but God’s word stays the same. He created marriage, sex, and sexuality for a purpose and a time in our lives so let’s see what He says about it in His word.

Build your thinking on God's Word

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Matthew 5:28

Posted on February 7, 2023

Just a warning to parents and teachers that the content in today’s Bible Verse and Devotion does talk about pornography. Please preview the devotion to ensure that it’s appropriate for your student.

Today we’re going to talk about porn. Why? Because we all have access to devices that can access the internet at any time or place. That opens up a huge opportunity for porn to become a part of your life.

When I was a young teenager, I was curious about the opposite sex. I had lots of questions about sex, sexuality, and those types of things, and it was so handy to have the internet to look up any questions I had. The problem with the easy access to the internet is that I also was able to find many images and videos of people that I shouldn’t have been viewing. And before I knew it, I wanted more and more of those images.

Now, since then, God has dealt with my heart, and I have been set free, but with the availability of the internet, it’s very easy to secretly be looking at things that are not godly. Porn like what I experienced is addictive. It’s like a drug, and if you’re not careful, you can become ensnared to it.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. – Matthew 5:28 (NIV)

When we look at the images online, it’s easy to think, I’m not hurting anyone, so this is ok. This is fantasy and not reality. However, if we look at today’s verse, that’s not the truth. By simply looking at someone in a lustful way, we are committing adultery with them in our hearts.

God doesn’t want anything to come between us and Him. And it’s easy to let those images become all we can think about. He also wants you to have a successful marriage one day, and if you are enslaved to porn, that makes future relationships more difficult.

Porn isn’t harmless. It is something that will enslave you. So if you’re tempted in this area, begin to put good boundaries in place.

Here are a few boundaries that you should consider.

  1. Get a phone that doesn’t have internet. These types of phone are out there, get one if you struggle in this area.
  2. Use your computer or devices only in public areas. If you’re at home, use it in the kitchen or living room. Go to the library or a public place when you need to access the internet. Knowing that someone can look over your shoulder at any time can help you avoid temptation.
  3. Ask your parents to keep your devices overnight.

Sometimes the best prevention for porn is simply removing the opportunity to access it. Set up good boundaries in your life and ask for God’s help to set you free from porn if you’ve already become addicted.

Work hard now as a teenager to set up good rules and boundaries. This will help you in the future when you get married. You might think that you won’t struggle with it when you’re married, but that’s not the truth. You still will, so now is the time to work hard, and with God’s help you can be freed from the addiction of porn.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Matthew 6:33

Posted on February 6, 2023

We started last week talking a bit about dating relationships. Today we’re going to look into it a little more.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the person you’re dating, if you’re in a relationship, most likely won’t be the person you marry? Most relationships, especially when you are young come to an end. Yes, there are exceptions to that rule, but most do end. And if they end, then when you’re in the relationship, you should keep that in mind. Why? Because it will help you keep a proper perspective on your relationship.

Because if you know your relationship more than likely will end, then it keeps you from putting too much into it. Here are some examples.

If you know your relationship will end, it keeps you from putting too much time into it. Let’s say that you spend all your time with the person you date. So much so that you begin to ignore your other friendships. What happens when that relationship ends? Have your friends made all new friends and aren’t as willing to hang out with you any more?

Today’s Truth: Most Dating Relationships End, Don’t Invest too Much into them.

How about money? What if you spend lots of money on the person you date. Maybe you buy them nice gifts. What happens when the relationship ends? Do you think you’d wish you’d have spent less on them?

What about your imagination? Have you spent time thinking about your future with this person? Maybe you have your hopes up that they’re the person you’ll marry, and so you spend so much time imagining your future together. What if the relationship ends? What does that mean for you?

The same things can be said about how much you give physically, how much of your heart you give away, and how much energy you put into the relationship.

Be sure when you date that you don’t put too much into your relationship. Take caution to guard your heart and don’t give away too much in your relationships. Know that God is the one who you’re supposed to give your all to. Giving everything to another person puts them in the place of God in your life which isn’t healthy.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

Set good boundaries in your relationships. Don’t give away too much, and always guard your relationship with God. By seeking God first in your relationships, all the other things will be added back to you as well.