Browsing Tag

giving

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Proverbs 11:24

Posted on August 27, 2024

One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.  – Proverbs 11:24 (HSCB)

Have you noticed how easy it is to be focused on yourself? You’re probably concerned about the teachers you have, whether you’ll get a date to the dance, or perhaps focused on saving money for something you want to buy. All of these concerns keep us focused inward. We get so wrapped up in ourselves we forget to think about others.

We were put here to be a blessing to others and show them who Jesus is. And if we spend all our money, energy and time thinking about ourselves, we’re not thinking in terms of eternity.

So instead of focusing all our money, time and energy on getting the newest thing, we should take some time to think of others. What is a way you could bless someone with something you have? Maybe you could give a friend a t-shirt of yours you know they liked. How about buying a candy bar for that person next to you in math class that seems to be having a bad day.

Challenge yourself to make your life more about giving to others than keeping it all to yourself. Choose to give freely and see what a difference you can make for God.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – John 8:12

Posted on December 20, 2023

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion for Teens on John 8Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:12 (NLT)

Have you noticed how bad it seems like our world is? The news tells us about kids being abducted. People are killing each other. Others are fighting for freedom and justice. In the middle of all this, it can be easy to feel like our world is dark.

However, Jesus came into our world to bring us light.

Today’s Truth: Jesus Came To Bring You Light

Teen Daily Devotion on Jesus being our lightEven when it feels like everything is hopeless, Jesus says He came to be light. When your situation seems dark, Jesus is there.

So regardless of how dark it may seem around you, know that you have light in Jesus. And you can be a light to others this Christmas season.

So spend some time today asking Jesus how you can be light to those around you. Maybe you can encourage a friend. Perhaps you can give a gift to your neighbor. Whatever it is, God can use you to be light to others in your world today.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Luke 6:38

Posted on April 21, 2023

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full–pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Luke 6:38

It can be really easy to get caught in the trap of getting. You might be saving for new shoes, a new phone, or for a new car. Getting things can seem really important at times, however, the Bible encourages us to not make getting the main priority in your life.

Instead, the Bible encourages us to be givers. And the awesome part about being a giver is that God rewards those who give. So when you give, you’re not throwing away your time or money. Everything you give to God is always given back to you in many ways. God wants to reward you for your giving.

So decide today to make giving a habit in your life. Choose to begin to give and see how God will provide and reward you for your faithfulness to give.

Today’s Truth: Making Giving a Part of Your Life

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Acts 20:35

Posted on September 2, 2022

Acts 20

And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” – Acts 20:35 (NLT)

How often do you take time to think about how you can help others? Do you ask God daily how you can be a blessing to those around you?

Or do you compare what you have to your friends and feel like you don’t have enough, don’t measure up, and are lacking in some way? It’s so easy to compare yourself to those around you and become focused inward. You might feel like you don’t have the best clothes or the best summer vacation story. And if you focus on those things, it will steal your joy.

Today’s Truth: You find true happiness when you begin to help others.

Instead, find happiness in helping others. Ask God to show you a need around you and how you can meet it. Look for ways to show God’s love to others and help others in need. As you begin to live a generous life, you’ll find that you a happier and more fulfilled.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – 1 Timothy 6:18

Posted on August 31, 2022

Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others – 1 Timothy 6:18 (NLT)

There was a time in my life when I always expected people to give me things. I wished that someone would give me some money so I could buy better clothes. I became angry with my parents because I felt they didn’t give me enough money to go out to eat or watch a movie. Many times, I was frustrated because I felt that no one was giving me what I thought I needed.

At one point, I remember reading my Bible and thinking about giving. I was challenged to stop living my life waiting for others to do good things for me and I began to purposefully give to others. For example, if I was going out to eat, I’d try to buy a friend’s meal. One time I felt led to give money to a friend at school, and I gave them some money.

Once I started the lifestyle of giving, it was amazing the change in my outlook. Instead of being frustrated, I began to experience real joy as I helped give to those around me. Using your money to do good can really help you get more joy out of life.

Today’s Truth: The more you give, the more joy you experience

Begin today to live a life of generosity. Ask God to show you how you can use what little you have to help someone around you. It might be something as simple as giving a friend a coupon you found on the ground instead of using it yourself. Whatever it is, be open to doing what God tells you and you’ll experience the joy that generosity brings.

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Luke 6:38

Posted on February 8, 2022

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full–pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Luke 6:38 (NLT)

Have you noticed that if you want something to happen in life you’ve got to do something about it? For example, if you want to get a good grade in math, you’ve got to turn in your homework and study. If you want to do well at sports, you’ve got to work out and practice with your team. If you want something to happen in life, you’ve got to do something about it.

Today’s Bible verse is very similar. If you want to get God involved in your finances, one important way to do that is to begin to give. As you give you find that you’ve got even more to give.

No matter how much money you have or make, it’s always good to make giving a priority in your life. Even if you only have a little bit, you still have something that you can give. It might be giving time volunteering at your church, or simply giving off the little bit of money you do have.

The great thing is that as you give, it helps you too. You feel better as you give to others. It’s also nice to see how God will come through for you as you trust Him with your finances.

 

 

Luke 6:38 bible verse

Today’s Challenge – Be Generous

Posted on October 29, 2019

Teen Devotion on Generosity
The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. – Proverbs 22:9 (NLT)

When I was in college, God really began to deal with me about generosity. I had an apartment, a decent job, and was going to school. I began looking for ways to be generous to others.

I’d go out to a restaurant and decide to buy a friend’s food. I’d be in class and hear about someone who had a need and decided to hand them some money to help with their bills.

It was amazing how freeing it felt to be generous.

Today’s Challenge: Be Generous

God wants us to be generous to others. He does this because he knows what generosity does to our hearts. It’s hard to be depressed when you’re always looking for ways to bless others around you. When you begin to take your eyes off yourself and look for needs around you, it brings you happiness in ways you can’t imagine.

God challenges us to be generous because not only does it help others, it helps us too. 

God doesn’t want us to live our whole lives completely focused on ourselves. Instead, he wants us to begin to look for ways to bless others. Maybe you don’t have a ton of money, but what could you do?

Could you give some time to someone who needs help? Perhaps you could write a card to a friend that is having a bad day or do something small like buying a friend a bottle of water. Ask God to begin to show you ways you can be generous.

As you practice generosity, you’ll be surprised how much joy you experience. So today, begin to take your eyes off yourself and look for ways to help others!

Teen Devotion on Being Generous

Teen Devotion - Growing in GodIf you liked today’s devotion, challenge your faith by downloading Every Teenager’s Guide to Growing In God. It will help you grow closer to God by helping you develop Godly habits in your life.

What Driver’s ED Can Teach You About Giving

Posted on May 29, 2017

Teen Devotion Youth Devotion What Driver's Ed Can Teach You About Giving Teen Devotion

I remember the day in driver’s ed where we finally got to drive the student driver cars. This wasn’t another day of sitting and watching videos or doing handouts about the proper stopping distance behind a stop sign. No. This was for real. We were getting to drive. It was all I could do to stay in my seat in the school’s cafeteria until my name was called to go drive. I watch classmate after classmate get up and leave with their driver’s ed instructor. Finally, my name was called and I was so excited because I was finally getting to drive.

I opened the door of my driver’s ed car. I sat down and tried to remember all the things the books had said we were supposed to do before leaving in the car. I fastened my seat belt and reached for the keys to start the car. But before I did, my driver’s ed teacher stopped me. He reminded me, “Check your mirrors! You always want to do that before you pull out.” There it was, the thing I had forgotten, to check my mirrors.

Checking your mirrors before pulling out in a car can help illustrate a point that will help us when it comes to giving. Its important to always remember to check your mirrors and make any adjustments necessary so you can see while you’re driving. In the same way, its important that we check our motives when we give money to God.

So why do we give? For some it might be to get recognition – maybe they want to impress someone. Others may feel obligated to give.  There are lots of reasons why people give but it’s always good to take a look at what God says about giving in the Bible.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully – 2 Cor 9:7 (NLT)

This verse tells us several things about giving. It first tells us that we shouldn’t give reluctantly. You shouldn’t be giving but wish you weren’t doing it. You shouldn’t be giving because you feel pressured to do so. Those methods of giving don’t bless God.

God says in His word that He loves it when you give cheerfully. So next time you pull out your wallet or purse when its time to give, check your motives when you give. Just like you’d check the mirrors in your car before pulling out, check up on your motives. Decide to give because you love God and know that he wants the best for you.

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Choose today to start thinking about giving. Make giving a part of who you are, even as a student. Be saving money to give to your church or a missions project. Develop the habit of giving while you’re young, it will help you out in life.

Pray: God I thank you that I can give to you. I choose to have the right attitude when I give because you said in your word you love a cheerful giver. I thank you right now for the ability to give and choose to have the right motives when giving to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you’re a youth group leader feel free to download our discussion questions based on this lesson.

 

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10 Tips for Teens About Money

Posted on March 18, 2015

10 Tips for Teens About Money

 

Whether you’ve got your first job, received birthday money from your grandma, or just made some sweet cash mowing lawns or selling candy, you’re always faced with a challenge: ‘what do I do with the money?’ Do you go on a spending spree? Blowing all your cash on candy, shoes or a new video game? You’ve got cash, but what’s the best way to handle it?

With that in mind, we’ve come up with 10 quick tips about money:

  1. Spend less than you make. Don’t borrow cash from your dad, brother, best friend or the guy that has the locker next to yours. If you don’t have the cash to pay for something right now, then wait to buy it. Choose to spend less than you make.
  2. Resist impulse spending. This can be tricky. You go shopping and find some awesome shoes. You didn’t know you needed shoes until you saw THOSE shoes. Then you knew, you had to HAVE them. Impulse spending can lead to some stupid purchases, but most importantly, impulse spending can cause you not to have enough money to pay for the things that really matter. Choose to take your time and think it through before spending lots of money.
  3. Put God first. This is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to spending your money. You might think that you’ll give to your church when you get older, or when you make more money. However, putting God first in your spending is the best way to set yourself up for financial success in the long run. Giving to God is the best financial decision you can make. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing, that there will not be room enough to receive it. – Mal 3:10 (MEV)
  4. Making giving a priority. Giving is a concept that doesn’t really make sense to our brains, but its rewards are incredible. It seems that the more you give, the more you have. So whether its buying your friend a soda when they’ve had a bad day, or giving to a missions project, giving should always be a priority in your life!
    Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full–pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” – Luke 3:38 (NLT)
  5. Run from debt. Don’t make debt a habit. It can be tempting to ask your friend for some money to cover the cost of your candy bar, but don’t make that a habit. Debt is a trap, so don’t start. Choose to avoid it at all costs.
    Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. – Proverbs 22:7 (NLT)
  6. Save for a rainy day. Doing this will set you apart from a lot of people. Begin when you’re young to save. Don’t spend everything you make. Choose to set some aside so that when you really need money, its there for you.
  7. Learn from others. One of the best things you can do when it comes to money is watch and learn from others. There are people in your life who have made good decisions with their finances. Get in touch with them. See what things have helped them succeed and do the same thing in your life. Learn from the decisions of others.
  8. Learn about money. Read up on some blogs about money. Talk to your grandpa about money, whatever you do, become a learner about money. Find out how it works and how you can be better with the money you have.
  9. Don’t obsess about money. It can be easy to make money a huge obsession in your life. You can make all your decisions based on it. It can become such a big part of your life that it hurts your relationship with God. Never let money become an obsession in your life. Money is simply a tool, not something to become consumed with.
  10. Realize you’ll make mistakes. You’re going to make mistakes with your money. You’re going buy something that was totally worthless. You’re going to invest in something and lose it all. However, each dumb purchase or mistake that you make, is a great way to learn. If you let them, the mistakes you make will help you become wiser and be better with your money.

 

These simple money tips will help you to become better at managing your money. However, learning to be good with money isn’t something you’re born with, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t always make good choices. Learn from your mistakes and keep God at the forefront, and you’ll come out okay when it comes to your finances.

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God’s 4 Overlooked Lifehacks

Posted on March 2, 2015

Youth Devotion, Teen Bible Study, Youth Group Lesson on God's LifehacksLifehacks are awesome! There is nothing better than finding a smarter or more efficient way to do something. One of the best lifehacks I’ve seen is one where you charge a phone without power using a watermelon. It sounds nuts, but its really impressive! I had no idea that a phone could be charged without power. That is just one of hundreds of examples of great lifehacks. Have you ever thought about the fact that God provides us with some lifehacks in the Bible?

God has come up with some great ways to make our lives easier. So let’s check out four of the lifehacks God offers us in his word.

  1. Jesus. This is the most amazing lifehack God provides us with. See our sin keeps us from God. If we’ve sinned in anyway we can’t experience heaven or a relationship with God. God did what we were unable to do. He gave us Jesus who paid the price for our sins. Jesus is the ultimate lifehack. If we will believe that Jesus is Gods son and confess him as our Lord the Bible says we can have eternal life. That is great news. Jesus is the ultimate lifehack!
    “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heartthat God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9
    Learn More
  2. Love. It can be really hard to love someone who hasn’t treated you the right way. If someone has been mean to you the last thing on you mind is showing them love and kindness. However, God has you covered in this area. He’s provided you the love you need to be kind to others. The Bible says in Romans 5:5 God has put his love in our hearts.
    “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:5 (NIV)
    That means God has given you the love you need to be nice to those who give you a hard time or bully you. God gave you the lifehack of love.
    Learn More
  3. Tithing. Tithing is giving 10% of your income to your church. It might seem strange to give such a large part of the money you make to your church. However, it’s amazing how much God is able to bless you as you give. God has a way of providing in supernatural ways for you if you put Him first in your giving.
    “The Lord All-Powerful says, “Try this test. Bring one-tenth of your things to me. Put them in the treasury. Bring food to my house. Test me! If you do these things, I will surely bless you. Good things will come to you like rain falling from the sky. You will have more than enough of everything.” – Mal 3:10
    Tithing is an awesome lifehack. God tells us to give our money to Him not because he wants to take things from us, but because He wants to get more to us. Tithing puts you into partnership with God. If you choose to tithe you’ll be blessed beyond what you can imagine!
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  4. Peace. Most people aren’t living with peace in their lives. They’re stressed out, wondering if they’ll be able to juggle all their priorities. They might be worried if the guy they like will ask them to prom, or if they’ll fail giving their Oral Comm speech. However, if you tap into God’s lifehack of peace, you don’t have to get stressed out like everyone around you. You can keep your cool, knowing that God is on your side. He’s not going to let you down.
    If you put your trust in God, He will come through for you. He won’t leave you without hope or without comfort. You can find peace in knowing that the God of the universe is looking out for you!
    “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. – John 14:27 (NLT)
    Learn More

God has provided some awesome lifehacks in the Bible. Don’t be afraid to tap into those hacks to get help. Doing things God’s way isn’t always what seems easy or makes sense, but if you follow after God He will reward your life richly!

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