So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. – 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

Sometimes it can be really hard to do your best. Maybe you have a teacher at school who never gives out grades that you feel are fair, so you want to stop even trying. Or perhaps you’ve got a boss at work who never seems to notice how hard of a worker you are and you’re frustrated.

It can be really easy in life to let what others think and say discourage us from doing our best at school or a job. However, we shouldn’t be letting other people have the final say in how hard we work.

We should be doing all things for God. So regardless of whether your boss or teachers notice, you should always be doing your best. God notices and he will reward you in time. So challenge yourself to do your best in everything you tackle each day. Take pride in working hard and you’ll be excited to see how far that attitude takes you.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (NLT)

I remember a time when it felt like I couldn’t go on. I felt like no one liked me or understood what I was going through. I struggled with thoughts of suicide and self-harm. I didn’t know what to do or where to turn. In the midst of my struggle, I found one thing that brought me peace, which was Jesus.

Jesus understood me when no one else did. Jesus listened when it felt like no one else would. In the midst of the trials and sorrows of life, Jesus was my peace.

The great thing about Jesus is that He wants to do that for you too. Jesus wants to be your peace for what you’re going through. Even when it seems like everything that could go wrong has, you can still be at peace. Trusting Jesus and placing your hope in Him is what can bring you the peace you long for. Looking for love, acceptance, or joy in any other place will always fall short.

So today, challenge yourself to find your peace in Jesus. Let Jesus bring you the peace you need. Spend time with Him, reading the Bible, and finding out who He is. As you read the word and talk to God about your situation you’ll be surprised at the peace that comes into your life.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (NLT)

Life can bring many reasons to feel stressed out. Perhaps your parents are fighting. Or you’re changing schools for the upcoming school year and you wonder how you’ll do and whether you’ll make any friends.

It’s easy in times like these to begin to feel stress. When things are uncertain and it can cause a lot of fear and anxiety in our lives.

If we’re honest, when we look deep, fear is often at the root of our stress. We fear for the future. Not knowing what to expect in the future brings us all anxiety.

However, the Bible has our solution to fear. It’s simply trusting in Jesus. If we will let Him, Jesus will supply everything we need. We just have to trust in Him.

Putting your trust in Jesus when everything seems crazy right now can be really hard. But the truth is that Jesus has provided us with everything we need. All through the Bible, God has always come through for His people. You are not the exception. God will provide you everything you need.

So today, choose to rest in Jesus. Let Him bring you the peace you need!

My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. – Proverbs 8:7 (NIV)

I always hated getting in trouble as a kid. I never wanted to do the wrong thing, but when I did, I’d often stretch the truth a bit to get out of trouble. Perhaps I’d say I didn’t know or understand the rules when I did, hoping to avoid punishment.

God’s word really brought light to me when I began reading this verse. It challenged me to always speak what is true.

If I was stretching the truth a bit to get out of trouble, I was really lying. I determined to do a better job of speaking truth.

Speaking truth isn’t easy, especially when it’s easier to lie and avoid punishment. However, in the long run, choosing to speak the truth will set you up for success.

When you’re known as a person who is truthful and honest, people will be able to depend and count on you. That’s what you want. You want to be a person that others can count on and a person who is showing others what Jesus really looks like.

Today, challenge yourself to speak truth at all costs. Even if it means getting into trouble.

My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. – Proverbs 6:20

Parents can be embarrassing, weird, and sometimes hard to get. I remember always struggling with embarrassment from the things my parents did. I wished at times I wasn’t related to them and that they’d just leave me alone and let me do my own thing.

However, the Bible verse today says that we are to keep our father’s commands and not to forsake our mother’s teaching. It can be easy to want to forsake what our parents taught us in the face of peer pressure, and it can be easy to want to ignore what our parents tell us to do and the limits that they set.

However, God put our parents in our lives for a purpose. He wants us to listen to the wisdom that they offer and to hear what they have to say. Often, your parents can give you the input you need to make a good decision and save you from heartache.

Our part is to be humble enough to receive what they have to say. They aren’t perfect and they’re going to do things that are going to drive you crazy and that you don’t agree with, but they are put in your life for a purpose. So be willing to learn what you can from them and get their input. In the long run, you’ll be glad that you made the decision to honor your parents.

Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. – Hebrews 11:2 (NLT)

Have you ever secretly wished to be famous? Maybe you wished you had all the riches that follow fame and could buy anything you ever wanted. Or maybe you just like the idea of everyone knowing who you are and listening to what you have to say. Regardless of the reason, fame can be appealing. And while you might not reach superstardom in your lifetime, there is something similar that you can achieve.

The Bible talks in Hebrews 11 about all the great things that the people in the Old Testament did by faith. These guys trusted God and believed that what God said would come to pass. They weren’t swayed by feelings and emotions, but rather held on tight to the things that God had promised them.

Today’s Truth: Trust God and hold on tight to the things He has promised you!

So while it might be unlikely that you will become famous, you can be noticed in heaven by your faith. When you trust God and the things that he’s spoken to you, you can have earn a good reputation just like the people in the Old Testament did when they trusted God.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: – 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

Are there parts of the Bible that are hard to believe? Maybe you wonder about some of the crazy stories in the Old Testament. It can make you think, maybe God didn’t really do the things described there.

Perhaps you read verses that talk about your value to God, but you have a hard time believing that God really loves you as the Bible describes.

When you read the Bible, you’ve got to believe that it is true. Every word of it. Even if your mind can’t understand the fact that God loves you, you’ve got to determine in your heart that if it’s in the Bible, it’s true.

That’s important because unbelief in any area of God’s word will impact your relationship with God. You’ve got to read the word, act like it’s true regardless of what you see and what you experience.

So today, read your Bible. As you do, realize that everything that is in there is true. It applies to your life and it’s powerful. Don’t pull back from the truths found in there. They have power to change your life.

But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:15 (NLT)

Every day you make lots of choices. You choose what to wear, what to eat, and lots of other things. In all the choices we make each day, sometimes not a lot of thought is put into who we are serving.

Today’s Bible verse tells us to choose today who we will serve. If you’re not actively choosing God, then who or what are you choosing?

Today’s Truth: Choose to serve God, it’s the best decision you can make.

Ultimately, you are responsible for where you are in life and your relationship with God. You have to make the choice to choose God and to go after Him wholeheartedly. So make the decision today to run after God. Choose to serve Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. That’s the most important decision you can make.