Browsing Tag

reading the bible

Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – October 11

Posted on October 11, 2017

Daily Bible verse and Devotion

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

Many times people say the Bible isn’t relevant and doesn’t help us make decisions in today’s world. However, if you simply read it with an open heart, you’ll be surprised to find that it’s very relevant.

When you read God’s word you get the chance to learn things that help you with your everyday life. Whether you need advice on dealing with others or some wisdom for your finances God’s Word has what you need.

God’s Word (the Bible) is ready and available to give you light to the decisions you’re needing to make. God cares about the path you’re on. He has wisdom for you today. Read God’s Word today and let it speak truth to you and light your path.

How to Make Reading the Bible Less Overwhelming

Posted on November 30, 2015

Teen and Youth Devotion on Reading the BibleDo you ever feel confused when you read the Bible? You’re not alone. Reading the Bible can be confusing at times. Its a spiritual book and the truths contained in it take time to dig out.

The good news when it comes to reading the Bible is that you’re not doing it alone. The Bible says the Holy Spirit will give special help to you and will be your teacher. He will show you truths as you read the Bible.

A good thing you can do to help you is to start thanking God for the Holy Spirit and His help in your life. Begin to believe that He will be your teacher and show you things.

As you start doing this, it will help make reading the Bible less overwhelming and will help you to understand what you’re reading easier when you realize that you’re not doing it alone. You have a helper and a teacher to help you navigate through Bible reading.

He will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. – John 16:13

So as you read the Bible, remember that you’re not doing it alone. You’ve got the help of the Holy Spirit to help you understand and show you things.


Thrive Teen Devotional: Take a Turn for God in Just 5 Minutes a Day One great way to make reading the Bible less overwhelming is to use a devotional book. Here’s one that we like!

 

If you’re a youth leader and you’re looking for resources to share on reading the Bible, here’s a great one for you!

 

Why Should I Read The Bible?

Posted on November 23, 2015

Teen Devotion why should I read the Bible

Have you ever needed to take some medicine for when you were sick? Maybe you had a nasty cold and you ran to the doctor to get a prescription for some medicine to help you get better faster. Let’s say you went to the pharmacy, got the medicine and brought it home. You set the medicine on your counter and left it there. A few days later, you ended up calling the doctor. You couldn’t understand why you weren’t getting any better. Your doctor would probably ask you if you were taking your medicine as often or as much as he/she had prescribed. Since the medicine is still sitting on the countertop, you’d have to say ‘no’ that you weren’t taking it like the doctor had prescribed.

The only way for medicine to work for you is to get it in you. If it just sits on your counter all week, its not doing you any good. Its when its in you that its real power goes into effect.

The same is true when it comes to reading the Bible. The Bible does no good in your life unless you get it into you. You’ve got to spend time reading it, thinking about it and doing what it says for it to have power and make change in your life.

[Tweet “When you get the Bible into your heart, it has the power to change your life. – @studentdevos”]

Here’s a few things to think about:

  • You should spend enough time reading, thinking about and doing the Bible until it becomes a part of who you are.
  • The goal of reading the Bible is to grow. You shouldn’t be in the same place you were a year ago.
  • God can be more real to you now than He was last year.
  • To really get the most out of reading the Bible, it may take tuning some other distractions out of your life.

The Bible is more than just an ordinary book. It has the power to change you. As you read it, it will become more alive to you and you’ll want to know God more. Choose to make the Bible important in your everyday life.

Student Devos Recommends This Book

Living By The Book by Howard and William Hendricks.
This book has some awesome suggestions on ways to make reading the Bible more fun. It also makes reading the Bible seem way less overwhelming!

 

If you’re a youth leader and want a youth group lesson on reading your Bible, check out the resource below. It comes with all you need to have a great youth group night!

Helpful Tips for Relating To God

Posted on August 3, 2015

Teen Devotion on Relating to GodRelating 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!

What Selfies Teach Us About God’s Word

Posted on July 13, 2015

Youth and Teen Devotion on Selfies and God's wordHow many selfies do you think you take a day? A few weeks ago, a friend showed me her iPod and she said that she had taken over 100 selfies one night just because she was bored. That’s a lot of selfies! Selfies are a fun way to show all your friends the great hair day you’re having or the awesome place you’re visiting on social media.

When we take a selfie and post it, we let the world know what we’re up to. Whether we’ve just tried the new coffee shop on the corner, or decided to dye our hair red, the selfie shows who we are and what we are doing to the online world. Selfies are a lot like the Bible should be in our lives. The Bible should be showing us who we are and what we are to be doing.

The Bible shows us who we really are. If we need a self-esteem boost, the Bible shows us our great worth to God. (1 Cor 6:20) If we are afraid, the Bible shows us that we are bold. (Proverbs 28:1) If we feel we can’t make it, the Bible shows us we can. (Phil 4:13) Just like a selfie, the Bible shows us who we are. We might not feel like we’re worth much, are bold, or that we can make it, but our feelings don’t matter. What matters is what is true, and the truth is found in God’s word. God’s word shows us who we are.

God’s word also shows us what we are doing. Reading the Bible can open your eyes to habits that you need to get rid of, or things in your life that need to change. We should be constantly striving to be more like God. So when we see a habit or attitude in our life that doesn’t line up with the Bible, we need to change that habit or attitude.

So the next time you snap a selfie or pick up your Bible let it be a reminder of how important the word of God is. God’s word is powerful and can change our thoughts and actions if we let it. Challenge yourself today to go deeper into God’s word and let His words transform you.

3 Reasons Why Your Relationship With God Matters

Posted on January 26, 2015

So life, its crazy sometimes. Its busy, its messy, its not always easy. As a teenager, there’s tons of things screaming for your attention. From your homework, to your friendships, to your job, its hard to keep it all straight and most importantly, its hard to find time for God. So with all the things that are screaming for your attention, why should you take some time out from those things to spend with God? Does it really matter that you spend time in the Bible or praying?

Here are three reasons you should cut through the busyness of life and get to know God.

  1. God went out of His way to know you.
    This is huge. God had no need to know you. Heaven is awesome and perfect. He didn’t need to know you, but He wanted to. He wanted to in such a bad way that He gave His son Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin, so we could know Him. If God gave all He had so He could know you, then we should put a priority on spending some time each week getting to know Him better.
    “Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (ERV)
    Learn More
  2.  God wants you to have an awesome life.
    God didn’t want a relationship with you to stop your fun. Many people believe that if you live for God it means you can’t have fun. That you have to turn in all your fun if you really follow after God and live a boring, rule filled life. That is simply not the case. Living for God will bring a new level of awesome to your life.
    “A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life—life that is full and good. ” – John 10:10 (ERV)
    Learn more
  3. God is always ready for you.
    God is not like many people in your life. He is never to busy to hear from you. He doesn’t think your problems and challenges are too small for Him to take time for. God won’t put you off, or not accept you. God loves it when you come to Him. He wants to know you and for you to spend time getting to know Him.
    “The Father gives me my people. Every one of them will come to me. I will always accept them. ” – John 6:37
    Learn more

We’re not denying that you’re busy as a teenager. You are. There is tons of pressure for you to do well at school, sports and you still take need to take time for your friends and family. However, its important in all the busyness that happens every week to carve out some time to focus on your relationship with God.

Your relationship with God is the most important relationship in your life. Without that relationship all other relationships are meaningless. Choose to put a priority on knowing God and making that relationship matter.

Get Started Knowing God

6 Things To Add To Your New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on December 29, 2014

Its almost a new year! Time has really flown by. Since this is the time of year that everyone seems to think about starting over, or setting goals, let’s look at a few really great goals you can add to your list of New Years Resolutions.

  1. Know God.  This year, challenge yourself to make knowing God a priority. Really put some effort into knowing God. The best way to get to know God is by reading the Bible. Don’t make excuses like the Bible is outdated, boring or hard to read. There are tons of versions of the Bible that can make reading it easier. You can listen to several versions of the Bible online at bible.com. You can also find a great podcast or check out some of our devotions on reading the Bible. Don’t make excuses, spend time in the Bible by finding a way to read it that works for you.
    “All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. ” – Phil 3:10 a (ERV)
  2. Open up. Life is really busy. It can be easy to get caught up in your group of friends and what is going on in their lives that you forget to pay attention to those around you. Your school’s hallways are filled with people that need Christ. All around you, there are tons of opportunities to love others. All you have to do is be open to being used by God. Ask God to show you people around you that are hungry for God. Invite them into your life. Hear what they have to say, and see how God would have you minister to their needs. Its not hard, here’s a devo with some encouragement on how much God wants to use you.
  3. Invite someone to church or youth group. One of the easiest ways to lead someone to Christ is to ask them to church or youth group. You might feel a little silly doing it, but challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and ask someone in your life to church with you. Believe God that their heart will be touched, and that they will come to know Christ as a result.
    You never know what your invitation might mean to the person. A teenager I know asked one of her friends to a youth group event. Her friend came and asked Jesus into her heart that night. What this teenager didn’t know was that her friend had planned to commit suicide that night. That teen’s simple invitation to church literally saved her friend’s life. You don’t know what something as simple as asking someone to church might do for someone else. You might be the only chance your friends have of hearing the gospel. Find more devotions on sharing your faith.
  4. Read. With all the history books you have to read for school, the idea of more reading can seem really lame. No matter how lame it sounds, challenge yourself to read some personal growth books this year. You could pick up a book on leadership, or how to make lasting friendships. It doesn’t really matter what the topic is about. Simply find a self-help topic that interests you and challenge yourself to grow as a person in the next year.
  5. Grow. Its easy to get lazy in life. Most likely, you’ve gotten comfortable in your routine, in your friends and with your classes. When things are going good, its pretty easy to slip into lazy mode. However, challenge yourself to not just stay where you’re at right now. Challenge yourself to grow in the next year. Step out of your comfort zone and do something that you wouldn’t normally do.
    You might decide to sign up for a missions trip to Brazil with your youth group. Maybe you decide to help clear out your neighbor’s garage. Or perhaps its talking to that guy at lunch that always sits by himself at the back table. Whatever it is, challenge yourself to grow this year. Don’t let the year slip away without doing something extraordinary.
  6. Give. Don’t let this year be a year that you forget to give. Push past selfishness and give more this year. Choose to hold off buying that video game, and give a little extra to your friend’s missions trip.
    Decide that on Sunday nights instead of hanging out with your friends to go visit your grandma who can’t get out and about anymore. Whatever makes sense to you, whether is giving time, money, or something else, choose to give more this year. No matter how much or how little you have, you can always find room to give something to someone else this year.
    “Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” – Luke 6:38 (ERV)

These are just a few suggestions on things to add to your new years goals. What are some other goals that you’ve set for yourself in the upcoming year?

Track 3 (Lesson #1) – Why Read The Bible?

Posted on November 11, 2014

Discipleship Track 3 (Lesson #1) – Why Read The Bible?

It seems that many people are in love with Jesus. They want to follow Him with their whole heart. However, part of following Jesus is getting to know the Word. To really follow Jesus, you’ve got to get excited about and become besties with the Word.

Main Points

  • Scripture makes you wise
  • The Words in the Bible are inspired by God himself
  • Reading the Bible helps you be equipped for what God has called you to do
  • The Bible shows us right from wrong

Growth Scriptures

Read these awesome scriptures about God’s word that help you see the importance of becoming a bestie with the Word.

Youth Leader Resources

If you’re a youth leader and would like to use this discipleship track for your youth group, download our Youth Leader Resource pack for this lesson! It comes with promotional material, a lesson outline based on the video above, powerpoint slides and discussion questions. This pack is a sure fire way to get your youth group established in the Word!

 

Similar Teen Devotions

Track 3 (Lesson #2) – What Makes The Bible Different?

Posted on November 10, 2014

Track 3 (Lesson #2) – What Makes The Bible Different?

Its important to become besties with the Word. The Bible isn’t a history or self-help book, but it has the power to change your life. Challenge yourself to get into reading the Bible and fall in love not just with Jesus but also with the Word of God.

Main Points

  • The Bible was written by many different people but still has the same theme (God’s plan to redeem or buy man back)
  • The Words in the Bible are inspired by God
  • The Bible has the power to change your life!

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Growth Scriptures

Here are a few scriptures that show what makes the Bible different.

Youth Leader Resources

If you’re a youth leader and would like to use this discipleship track for your youth group, download our Youth Leader Resource pack for this lesson! It comes with promotional material, a lesson outline based on the video above, powerpoint slides and discussion questions. This pack is a sure fire way to get your youth group established in the Word!

 

Track 3 (Lesson #3) – What’s In It For Me?

Posted on November 9, 2014

Track 3 (Lesson #3) – What’s In It For Me?

In almost everything we do in life, we want to know what’s in it for me. We don’t just do things to do them, we want to know what the benefit is for ourselves. This discipleship lesson takes a look at what is in it for us in terms of reading the Bible.

Main Points

  • Reading the Bible makes us wise and successful.
  • Reading the Bible keeps us from sinning.
  • Reading the Bible shows us who God is.
  • Reading the Bible shows us who we are.

What are some benefits you see to reading the Bible? We’d love to hear what you think!

Growth Scriptures

Here are a few scriptures that show what makes the Bible different.

 

Student Devos Recommends:

Living By The Book by Howard and William Hendricks.
This book has some awesome suggestions on ways to make reading the Bible more fun. It also makes reading the Bible seem way less overwhelming!

 

Similar Teen Devotions