Many people today believe that Jesus was a teacher. Some even go as far as to believe that He was a prophet. But Jesus was claiming to the world that He was much more than that. He claimed He was the Son of God. That’s a powerful difference.
In Matthew 19:16-22 there was a young person who was rich and was a ruler. He approached Jesus asking how to have eternal life. But notice how he referred to Jesus. “Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (NKJV) He was only willing to call Jesus a good teacher. Jesus’ response said it all: – So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. (NKJV)
Jesus was trying to get to the heart of this man. He could see the rich young ruler was willing to call him a good teacher but wasn’t willing to call Him God. That is a big difference. A teacher can only tell someone good things they have to do to earn eternal life. But as God, He had the power to save us. This is what Jesus claimed He was. God. And as God He died and rose again, earning eternal life for us.
What do you call Jesus? A teacher? Or God? Trust in Jesus and believe that He was exactly who He claimed to be, the Son of God who takes away our sin.
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? – Luke 9:25
Many times we put a lot of importance on what we do. We want to date the right person, drive the right car, or wear the right clothes. Sometimes our whole life is consumed with getting all the ‘right things’.
The problem with all this is, if your success and worth is defined by what you have or what you do, you will always be disappointed. If success is found in relationships, what happens if you never find a person who makes you feel complete? In the same way, if you think success is found in money, what if you never make enough money to make you happy? True happiness can’t be found in things or what you do. True happiness and success is found in knowing Jesus.
Today’s Truth: True happiness is found in knowing Jesus
So spend some time today getting to know Jesus. When you invest time getting to know Jesus, you’ll see that you’re happier and more fulfilled.
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
It’s really easy to not put that much weight on what the Bible says. You can easily think that the things in the Bible are nice concepts but it really doesn’t matter if you read it. If you’re a good person and try to do the right things, then you’re doing alright. If you buy into this, you’re selling yourself short. The Bible offers us a lot more than just words on a page.
The Bible is written by the inspiration of God. It wasn’t just some random thoughts written down and nice ideas. When it was written, it was inspired by God.
The Bible is also powerful because it corrects, instructs us and it helps us think and believe right. If we get the Bible into our hearts and lives it has the power to change us. The Bible isn’t just concepts or ideas, it’s powerful!
So don’t just let the Bible be ideas or concepts. Rather get into God’s word. Let it be a part of your everyday life. Read it daily, get the truths into your heart and see how powerful God’s word really is!
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If you’ve struggled with getting started reading the Bible, we’ve got a devotion with some tips on how to get started.
As a teenager, there is nothing more fun than taking a dodgeball and hurling it with all your might toward a player on the opposing team. Follow that up with the awesome feeling you get when that dodgeball produces that satisfying smack as it hits your target’s body. Playing dodgeball can be a lot of fun, but did you know that you can learn a lot about reading your Bible by playing dodgeball?
There’s A Goal
In Dodgeball, you have a goal. You have to hit as many of the other team’s players with a ball before they hit you and you’re out. We should approach reading the Bible that same way, with a focus and a goal. Reading the Bible shouldn’t be a boring aimless task, but it should have a purpose.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Phil 3:14 (NIV)
For example, you could read the Bible with the idea in mind that you want to know what God says about your future and the plans He has for your life. You could find verses in the Bible on that topic. Having a goal and a focus like this when reading the Bible helps it from becoming dull and boring.
The Game Changes You
Another thing that can be learned from dodgeball games is that the game changes you. When you start the game, you smell good and your clothes are nice and clean. Usually, by the end of the game, the players are sweaty, and they definitely don’t smell good.
In the same way, that is how we should be after reading the Bible. There is great power available to you in the Bible. It has the power to change your life. The words in the Bible can encourage you when you’re having a bad day. The Bible can also challenge you to be more than you ever imagined you could be. Reading the Bible will change you because the Bible has the power to change your life!
Heb. 4:12 “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective];” (AMP)
The Bible has power in it to change your life! Get into the habit of reading the Bible with a purpose and getting to know God through His word. If you do, it will change your life!
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Pray: God, I thank you for your word. I thank you that it is alive and full of power. I thank you that I can get to know you through your word. I purpose to make reading the Bible a priority in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Let’s be honest. Have you ever been reading your Bible before bed and before you knew it, you were completely asleep within minutes? I know I have a few times. You’ve probably heard at youth group or at church how important it is to read your Bible. But how do you keep Bible reading interesting? Especially when playing Fortnite sounds way more fun!
Here are a few tips that should help you as you develop a habit of Bible reading and study into your life.
Tip #1 – Set Realistic Expectations
When you begin to develop a habit of reading your Bible, it’s not going to be easy. You’re going to want to do something that seems more fun. It’s going to take some work to focus your attention on God and what He wants to speak to you.
Don’t try to set goals that are unrealistic when you’re getting started. Reading your Bible for two hours a day probably isn’t going to happen. Instead, think about something that is realistic. Perhaps you can look at a Bible verse and think about it each night before you go to bed.
Set some realistic expectations and build from there. Once you start enjoying reading one verse a day, try two or more. But start small and be realistic. There are days when you’ll forget, and days when it’s really hard. That’s part of the process. Don’t give up. Instead, keep at it and you’ll begin to develop a greater love for reading your Bible.
Tip #2 – Find The Right Bible Fit
To make Bible reading more fun, experiment. Try a Bible that lets you search by topic. Think about a topic that interests you and use that topic to begin your study.
A few months ago, a friend introduced me to a new version of the Bible that I hadn’t read before. Reading scriptures that I had previously studied came alive and excited me as I read them. A new version of the Bible can make your Bible reading time way less boring.
Experiment and find a good version and Bible for you. As you find things that interest you in the Bible, it will keep you from falling asleep as you read.
Tip #3 – Don’t Read The Bible
Yes, you read that right. Don’t read the Bible. If the Bible feels hard to understand, start off by reading a good book about the Bible, or about a topic that interests you. You don’t have to limit your Bible study time to only the Bible.
If you struggle with low self-esteem, find some books that were written by Christian authors about that topic. Often, they’ll expound upon verses and can help you see things from a different point of view. Your Bible study time doesn’t have to be limited to just the Bible. There are lots of other great devotions and resources that can help you enjoy your time in the Word more.
Tip #4 – Listen to the Bible
If you don’t like to read, or fall asleep when you do, find a Bible you can listen to. YouTube, Podcasts, audio versions of the Bible are all out there. Experiment and find one that works well for you. Then put it on as you shower in the morning or fall asleep at night.
You’ll be amazed at what you can learn by simply listening to the Bible being read out loud. Use those free moments in your day to listen to God’s word instead of defaulting to looking at your phone or tablet. God can really speak to you as you listen to Him through His word.
Tip #5 – Ask for God’s Help
Don’t be afraid to ask God for His help.You don’t have to figure out how to make the reading the Bible fun alone. Ask God for help. He’ll be glad to help you out.
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I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. – Ephesians 1:18 (NLT)
Paul prayed that the Ephesian’s hearts would be flooded with light. That’s a good prayer to pray over yourself too. Pray that when you read the Bible, it’s like a light bulb goes off in your heart. Pray that you see things in the word of God and they become real to you. Praying a prayer like that every day can be really helpful. You’ll begin to see things that you’ve never seen before when you read your Bible. It keeps Bible reading fun and exciting. If you get God involved, Bible reading can be a really rewarding experience.
Relating to God can feel kinda tough at times. How do you begin to get to know someone you can’t see? How do you talk to someone who isn’t visible? With that in mind, we’ve found some helpful tips that can make relating to God be just a little bit easier.
The first thing you can try is tomorrow, when you wake up, say, “Good morning, Lord!” And then picture Him saying “Good morning, (your name) I’m so glad you’re awake!” I encourage you to change the picture you have of yourself when God sees you. Imagine walking up to the throne of God to ask Him for something or just talk to Him.
In Hebrews 4:16 it says Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
The second thing you can do is remind yourself that you’ve got a right to talk to God. To come boldly means that we have a right to be there (because of Jesus making the way). It’s a throne of grace- not of judgment. Grace is help when you need it. And mercy is grace when you don’t deserve it because you did something wrong.
Come to that throne of help to a loving God often- not just on Sunday morning, but every morning. And come knowing that you belong- you are in the family and the price has been paid for your adoption.
Relating to God doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. It can be really great when you realize that you have ever right to talk to Him and know that He wants nothing more than to talk to you.
Prayer: “Father, I come boldly to you today. I need your help. I thank you for your grace to help me today to do what I need to do. (if you need to ask forgiveness, then do that and then get right back to the throne). I’m so glad I’m your child and I love you!
If you’re like most people, reading the Bible can feel like a bit of a challenge. Its a huge book, and sometimes, its hard to make yourself really get into it. Perhaps you really struggle with understanding the Bible or feeling like you read it but don’t get anything out if it.
If reading the Bible seems boring to you, it doesn’t have to be. One great way to get more out of reading the Bible is to start by listening to teaching by other pastors and ministers. They can offer easy to understand insights to the Bible, which will open the Bible up to you in new ways. They share great things that they’ve gotten out of scripture. If you pay attention as they speak you can read along in your Bible as they reference a scripture. Sometimes, you can pick up where they left off and keep reading in the Bible. Lots of these pastors and ministers offer teaching you can listen to online. By listening to the teaching, you are getting God’s word into your heard, which will help you grow spiritually.
We’ve got lots of great resources too on our website to help you grow in your relationship with God. We offer video devotions and teaching, audio devotions, written devotions, and discipleship tracks to help you get started in your walk with God. Depending on how you like learning the best, you can pick a way that you like and get started getting into the Bible.
You can search online for other good ministries to listen to. The main thing to watch for is that they teach from the Bible and put their focus on Jesus as savior and Lord of their life.
Don’t let any excuses stop you from reading the Bible. Challenge yourself to not be lazy, but to get into the Bible in some way or another everyday.
Have you ever wished that you could see God? Touch Him? Go grab some coffee with Him and chat about the meaning of life? Sometimes, its easy when you feel you can’t see or touch God to wonder who is He? What’s He really like?
One of the best ways to get to know God is by reading or listening to the Bible. While that’s not the fun solution, its the best way you can get to know who He is an what He really likes. Getting into the Bible does take a little bit of work. Its not for the weak. It might mean setting some time aside when you’d rather be on Facebook or Twitter. It may mean refocusing your energy, or putting your phone away for ten minutes so you can focus without having to respond to a text.
By reading the Bible you can get to know who God is. And one of the best things about God is that He is love. Check out this verse:
[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]And the love of God was made clear to us when he sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. And this is love, not that we had love for God, but that he had love for us and sent his Son to be an offering for our sins – 1 John 4:9-10 Basic English[/quote]
Wow. What a God. The fact that he loved us enough to sent his son Jesus for us even before we loved him back is incredible. We wouldn’t do anything close to that for someone else. We wouldn’t trade our most valuable possession for someone who was our enemy. Yet that’s what God did. While we had no love for God, He stepped in and gave everything He had. He put it all on the line so that we might have the chance to have eternal life through Jesus. Talk about love!
So the next time you’re wondering about God, who He is and what He’s in to, remember that you can always go to the Bible to find answers. Its also important to remind ourselves that God is love. He loved us so much that He put everything He had on the line to pay the price for our sins. There is no one else who could love you the way God does. So challenge yourself to go deeper into the Bible and get to know more about God!
Learning to like yourself is really hard sometimes. You can watch your friends on Facebook and see their profile and start to think, man I wish my life was more like theirs. Its easy to start comparing what you have and who you are to them and begin to feel like you don’t measure up to them.
Liking yourself and having a good self-esteem can be really challenging. So how do you begin liking yourself when you feel like you don’t measure up to those around you? We’ve got some suggestions below to help boost your self-esteem.
Do a reality check – This can be really tough to do, but take a realistic look at your situation. You might feel like no one really cares about you, but is that really true? Its easy many times to let something someone said or did make you think that no one cares about you. More than likely, you have a ton of people who really do care about you. You have parents, siblings, grandparents, and most importantly God that care about you. So when you think you’re all alone and that no one cares, do a reality check and realize that in reality you have people that care about you.
Check your thoughts – Its easy to get into a negative pattern of thinking about yourself. You can start to believe lies that you’re worthless, or that your life doesn’t matter. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. When these thoughts come, recognize them for what they are…lies. Take the necessary steps to switch your thoughts from negative patterns of thinking to ones that are positive. The Bible says in Philippians 4:8 (NLT) “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Checking to make sure your thoughts are good ones is an important step to winning the battle for your self-esteem.
Choose to see yourself like God sees you – Decide to begin to see yourself like God sees you. He doesn’t see you as a failure, as a loser or as anything bad you might think you are. He sees you as important. You’re so important that if you were the only person in the world he would have sent his son to die for you. Your life matters to God. He knows everything about you, and cares about everything that is important to you. God thinks so much about you that the Bible says his thoughts about you can’t be numbered. Psalm 139:17 (NLT) – “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” I can count pretty high, so the idea that God thinks about you so much that those thoughts can’t be numbered just goes to show He cares about you a ton and a half. So, decide to see yourself like God sees you. Choose to base your worth on how God feels about you.
I believe that these tips can help you with learning to like yourself. The battle for your self-esteem is very real, but I believe that with God’s help, you can come out and win this fight!
“Something good is going to happen to me” was a phrase Oral Roberts made popular. What do you believe about today? Why not just determine to look for the good today? Expectation and hope are more than just wishful thinking. When you are expecting something good because God is in your life and wants to be part of blessing it you are simply including Him in your day. Hope is not “well I hope something happens good today”. No, hope is expectation that God who is able and willing.
[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: [/quote]
Realize that God is looking for someone to believe His goodness, His love, His favor- whatever you need today. He needs you to expect, to believe and to say so that He can do for you! He is not limited by willingness to help you. He is not limited by the ability to help you. He is only limited by your expectation that He will do for you.
Let’s be honest. Have you ever been reading your Bible before bed and before you knew it, you were completely asleep within minutes? I know I have a few times. You’ve probably heard at youth group or at church how important it is to read your Bible. But how do you keep Bible reading interesting? Especially when 
Relating to God can feel kinda tough at times. How do you begin to get to know someone you can’t see? How do you talk to someone who isn’t visible? With that in mind, we’ve found some helpful tips that can make relating to God be just a little bit easier.
If you’re like most people, reading the Bible can feel like a bit of a challenge. Its a huge book, and sometimes, its hard to make yourself really get into it. Perhaps you really struggle with understanding the Bible or feeling like you read it but don’t get anything out if it.
