Love No Matter What

Bible Reading: Romans 5:6-11


When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.   Romans 5:6

Chris and Phil were lifelong chums, friends since meeting at the playground wading pool when they were two years old. They had never even had a fight—until eighth grade, that is, when Andrew Patterson walked into their lives. Andrew’s family had moved to their town from out of state at the beginning of the school year. One Saturday when Chris told Phil he would meet him at the roller-skating rink the way he always did, he was shocked. Andrew had already asked Phil to meet him there. And Phil had said yes!

So will Chris still be friends with Phil, or will he yell, “You dirty rat!” and never talk to him again? The answer depends on whether or not Chris has learned how to love like Jesus loved—unconditionally—no strings attached.

Jesus knows what it means to be let down and rejected by friends. When Jesus was arrested, “all the disciples deserted him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). Even Peter, who insisted he would never turn his back on the Lord, triple-denied him while Jesus stood trial.

Jesus could have resented his friends for walking away when he needed them most. But he forgave them. When he rose from the dead, he appeared to these same disciples and trusted them to do his work throughout the world. He even spent extra time with Peter, strengthening him for the enormous task ahead of him (see John 21:15-19).

Jesus’ love also extended to the men who killed him. As he hung, nailed to the cross after a brutal beating by Roman soldiers, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive these people, because they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

And Jesus’ unconditional love even extends to us. Paul wrote that we were “helpless” (Romans 5:6), that we were “still sinners” (verse 8), and that we were “enemies” (verse 10) of the Lord because of our sin. Even at our worst, Jesus Christ loved us and gave his life for us so that we could be “made right in God’s sight” (verse 9). Because of his unconditional love, we can say with Paul, “Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God” (verse 11).

Aren’t you glad you have a friend like Jesus? Let his unconditional love be your model in all your relationships with friends and family!

TALK: Under what conditions is it hard to love someone? How would Jesus respond in those situations?

PRAY: Lord, we’re so grateful to you for loving us unconditionally. Help us to show that kind of love to everyone around us.

ACT: Show some of Jesus’ no-strings-attached love today to someone who has wronged you.

 

 

Steer Clear!

Bible Reading: Proverbs 4:14-15


Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.   Proverbs 4:14-15, NIV

A WEALTHY MAN was once searching for a chauffeur to drive his limousine. Many people applied for the job, but the millionaire picked only a few to take a driving test.

The millionaire sat comfortably in the back of the limousine and told the first applicant to begin driving. As they drove along a narrow mountain road, the millionaire called to the driver, “See how close you can steer us to the edge of the cliff without falling off.” The driver, eager to show his skill, steered the expensive car within a few feet of the dangerous bluff. When they returned to the mansion, the millionaire said, “Thank you. We’ll let you know.”

The second driver then slipped behind the steering wheel. Again, the millionaire said, “See how close you can steer us to the edge of the cliff without falling off.” The driver, who was determined to outdo the first applicant, steered the long limousine within inches of the cliff! When they returned to the mansion, the millionaire told the second driver, “Thank you. We’ll let you know.”

Another driver then took the second driver’s place and was given the same instructions. But the third driver answered, “No way! I wouldn’t go near the edge of that cliff no matter how much money you paid me!” The millionaire smiled and answered, “You’re hired!”

The millionaire’s request was not intended to test the driver’s skill; it was intended to test each man’s wisdom. When he found a man who would steer clear of danger even if it meant losing a potential job, he knew he had found a safe driver.

God is looking for young men and women who will steer clear of danger, too, because he knows that making right choices begins with avoiding temptation. He doesn’t want his children to see how close they can get to sin without giving in. He wants you and me to look at temptation and say, “No way! I’m not getting near that!”

Many wrong choices can be avoided if we just steer clear of temptation. The Bible says: “Run from all these evil things, and follow what is right and good” (1 Timothy 6:11). If you’re tempted to steal cookies, stay out of the kitchen! If your friends are trying to get you to try cigarettes, get some new friends! In other words, if you avoid the temptation before you’re tempted, you’re less likely to be tempted. And that will make it easier for you to make the right choice.

REFLECT: Do you usually steer close to temptation or do you tend to steer clear of temptation? Think of your three strongest temptations. How can you steer clear of them?

PRAY: “Lord, give me the desire to run from all that is evil and to follow all that is right and good.”

 

 

Loving People … Honestly

Bible Reading: Ephesians 4:14-16


We will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.   Ephesians 4:15

Talk about it: Suppose you spotted a friend asleep in the middle of the street and a car was approaching. What would you do?

No question, right? You would run to the middle of the road and shake your friend awake—even if you had to slap him or splash a soda in his face. You would point to the oncoming car. You would grab him by the hand and run for safety.

That one was easy. But sometimes we see our friends making poor choices—choices that in the long run can be just as destructive as waking up in the middle of a road to meet an oncoming car face-first. Maybe you have friends in the habit of lying, stealing, or disobeying their parents. Or perhaps you know someone interested in smoking or even doing drugs. You know what you shouldsay and what you want to say. But it’s a little harder to spit out the words, isn’t it?

Once again, since Jesus was the perfect example of love, let’s look at how he loved people in tough situations.

The Bible tells us about a time when religious leaders dragged to Jesus a woman who had been caught sinning. Jesus didn’t trash the woman for her sin, but neither did he ignore her wrongdoing. He kindly told her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Another time, Jesus met a Samaritan woman—a foreigner most Jewish people wouldn’t have talked to. He knew she was living a sinful lifestyle. Once again, Jesus didn’t put her down, but neither did he let her sin slide by. He lovingly helped her see that he was the only one who could truly meet her needs (see John 4:4-26).

Jesus even confronted Peter, one of his best friends in the world, when Peter stood in the way of God’s purposes (see Matthew 16:21-23). And again, Jesus didn’t attack Peter, but he didn’t ignore his mistake.

Jesus spoke the truth to these people because he loved them. He knew they weren’t living in a way that was pleasing to God, and he wanted them to experience God’s best in life. He showed how truth and love can go hand in hand.

True love is honest because it seeks God’s best in the lives of people we love. It’s hard to see our friends making poor choices—choices that keep them from God’s best and eventually bring them great harm. But Jesus has given us the perfect picture of how to help them. Follow his example. Be honest with your friends. It’s the most loving thing to do.

TALK: Why is it sometimes hard to tell your friends the truth when they are making harmful choices?

PRAY: God, give us strength and wisdom to speak the truth in love.

ACT: Do you have a friend who is getting into harmful behavior? Talk with a mature Christian about ways you can lovingly speak truth to your friend.

 

 

What’s So Funny?

Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:4


Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.   Ephesians 5:4

So have you learned any good jokes in the locker room—or at a slumber party? Do you have any you’d like to share right now—during family devotions? Maybe not.

You probably know firsthand how quickly guy-talk and girl-talk and even guy-girl talk can slide into the category of rudely crude. You’ve maybe heard some jokes that were hysterically funny—but that sizzled your ears.

Talk about it: Is it okay for the same mouth that says “I love Jesus” to also say “Did you hear the one about. . .”? Why—or why not?

Maybe you wonder what the fuss is about. Then answer this: If dirty jokes are no big deal, why don’t you run home to tell them to your mom? If you won’t share your most comic material with Mom, it’s good to understand why. Fact is, crude humor makes us think our bodies are dirty… that it’s okay to make fun of the opposite sex … and that bodies that grow up at different speeds and shapes are somehow defective.

The apostle Paul nailed down three kinds of things better left unsaid:

Obscene stories. That’s an easy one. It’s “filthy language,” like rolling in the mud by making sin into a joke.

Foolish talk. Dirty jokes are usually about things you have no clue about—often to give the idea that you do. Paul literally called it “the talk of morons.”

Coarse jokes. Those are the ones about your fabulous body parts—or your body functions—or the body parts and body functions of someone else.

As believers in a pure and holy God, “these are not for you.” Here’s another way to say that: Those words are “out of place” (NIV) and don’t meet God’s requirements.

So what’s better? Thankfulness!

What does that have to do with anything? It doesn’t mean you insert into conversations a “Praise Jesus!” where previously you would have told a foul-smelling joke. It does mean you have better things to talk about.

And that’s because you have better things inside of you. Jesus said that “The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart” (Matthew 12:34, NCV).

Are “obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes” all that you have inside you? Of course not! God is remaking you from the inside out. So let your speech show off what he’s doing in you!

TALK: How can you do a U-turn on a conversation that’s gone dirty? What are some better things to talk about?

PRAY: God, you’ve given us clean hearts. Help us to have clean mouths.

ACT: If you have some bad habits in your speech, ask a Christian friend to help you monitor your mouth and clean it up.

Two Towers of Strength

Bible Reading: Jude 1:20-24


But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foun­dation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.   Jude 1:20

THE GOLDEN GATE Bridge stretches across San Francisco Bay in California. This bridge, perhaps the most famous bridge in the whole world, was completed in 1937. It’s one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, stretching for 8,891 feet (or one and three-quarter miles—that’s almost thirty football fields long!).

Now, the Golden Gate Bridge spans a channel where very strong winds blow. That area has been hit by many earthquakes, some of them strong enough to topple buildings and collapse expressways. Yet the Golden Gate Bridge has withstood those earthquakes and is as strong today as when it was built.

You want to know how the Golden Gate can stand while many other structures all around it have cracked or crumbled?

Part of the secret is in the foundation. You see, the builders of the Golden Gate Bridge knew that the area was subject to earthquakes. (A really bad earthquake destroyed much of San Francisco in 1906, only thirty-one years before the bridge was built.) So they sank the two great towers of the bridge deep into two massive concrete blocks, which had been reinforced with strong steel beams. One of these great blocks, larger than a city block, weighs over 90 million pounds! With that kind of foundation, the Golden Gate Bridge can withstand even severe attacks.

The same is true of you. You may not have to go through any earthquakes, but you may have friends trying to get you to smoke or try drugs. You may sometimes be tempted to lie to your parents or teachers. You will face a lot of temptations to do wrong and may find it hard sometimes to make right choices.

That’s why you need to do what the builders of the Golden Gate Bridge did. You need to build a strong foundation for making right choices in your heart and mind. You need to sink two great “towers” of strength into your heart that will help you to make right choices even when your friends try to talk you into wrong choices. What are those two strong towers? Prayer and Bible reading.

You’ve probably heard it before, but if you pray faithfully and read your Bible carefully every day, you’ll be drilling those two towers deeper and deeper into your heart and mind. So that the next time a really big temptation comes, you’ll be ready—to stand strong.

REFLECT: Do you have trouble making right choices? Do you think spending time with God every day (through prayer and Bible reading) could help you to make right choices? Why or why not? Are you building your faith through prayer and Bible reading? Do you need help to become faithful in prayer and Bible reading?

PRAY: “God, please help me to be faithful every day in prayer and Bible reading so that I can be strong enough to make right choices.”

Bob’s Secret

Bible Reading: Psalm 44:1-8


Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.   Psalm 44:5

THE MOVIE What about Bob? starred Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss in an odd comedy about a psychologist and one of his patients, a man afraid of almost everything. Bob, the patient, follows the psychologist to his vacation home. The psychologist is angry at Bob, but the doctor’s family thinks Bob is fun. In fact, they even take Bob sailing—his first time—and tie him to the mast so he won’t chicken out!

When Bob arrives back at the dock, he sees his psychiatrist and begins yelling excitedly, “I sailed! I sailed! I’m a sailor! I actually went sailing!” Later, a calmer Bob explains to the doctor’s son (who has a few fears of his own), “I just let the boat do all the work.. . . That’s my secret.”

Bob’s “secret” is actually a lot wiser than it may sound.

You see, a lot of people—people who love God and want to obey him—think it’s their job to do good things and avoid doing bad things. They imagine that making right choices requires a “grit-your-teeth” struggle against temptation and sin, a struggle in which only the strong survive.

They need to learn Bob’s “secret.” Trying to make right choices and live a godly life in your own strength is like trying to sail a boat by blowing into the sails. You don’t have the strength to do right all by yourself any more than you have enough wind in your lungs to power a sailboat. The only way you can make right choices, time after time, is not by tryingbut by trusting. After all, it’s ‘”Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6, NIV) that you can live a godly life.

Your job is to pray and to stay as close to God as you can. God’s job (through his Holy Spirit) is to help you obey his commands (see Ezekiel 36:26-27). You can make right choices time after time if you let the Holy Spirit be the wind in your sails.

REFLECT: According to Psalm 44:1-3, who did all the work of conquering the Promised Land for the Israelites? According to Psalm 44:4-8, who “gives us victory”? If your “job” in making right choices is to pray, stay as close to God as you can, and trust him to help you to obey his commands, is there anything you should be doing now that you haven’t been doing? Is there anything you have been trying to do that you shouldn’t be trying to do? How can you trust God more and more every day? Can you trust God without being willing to do right? Why or why not?

PRAY: Reread Psalm 44:1-8, only this time pray the verses. Feel free to put them into your own words or to write your own personalized version of those verses in a notebook or prayer journal.

God’s Version of Superglue

Bible Reading:   Genesis 2:18-25


A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Genesis 2:24

There’s an incredible secret you need to know about married love. And you’re old enough to know all about it. Ready? Here it is: If you want to have a long-lasting, love-filled marriage someday, you need one special ingredient: superglue.

You might be thinking, Whoa! God wants me and my spouse to glue our eye­brows together so we’ll always see eye-to-eye?

Not exactly. God has a deeper kind of glue. Genesis 2:24 commands a man to be glued to his wife. That’s what “joined” means. When husband and wife are glued to­gether with God’s superglue, they become one in a marriage that will last.

Falling in love—the emotional side of love—is a lot like the glue stick you have in your desk at school. It isn’t strong enough to hold a marriage together. Even in the best relationships, feelings come and go. They don’t make an unbreakable bond or a lifelong marriage.

But there’s another kind of glue. It’s like an industrial-strength adhesive. It’s the only stuff that holds a marriage together. It’s the superglue of commitment.

Oh, you’re thinking, you mean having a marriage ceremony. No! Saying “I do” in front of a minister and signing a marriage license are part of it, but commitment is way deeper than that. Commitment means choosing daily to give yourself to your partner—and then the two of you giving yourselves to God as one. That kind of glue welds people together with such power that they can endure all the pressing, pulling, stretching, and twisting that life inflicts on them.

Someday your prince or princess will probably come along. You’ll see fireworks explode in the sky. You’ll hear guitars rock when he or she speaks. And you’ll swear that you’re in heaven whenever you’re with that special person. That’s the falling-in-love thing, and it’s a beautiful experience. But putting a marriage together with that feeling alone is like trying to hold two bricks together with paste. You’ll be ready to get serious about marriage only when you pop this important question: “Am I ready to glue myself to this person for keeps?”

When you and your loved one share the bond of commitment to God and to each other, the fireworks and guitars won’t disappear. They just won’t be as important as the superglue.

TALK: What kind of glue are you counting on to keep your marriage together someday?

PRAY: God, teach us each day for the rest of our lives what true, loving commitment looks like.

ACT: Write a note to say thanks to the people who show you what the superglue of married commitment looks like.

Jukebox Way

Bible Reading: James 1:19-25


Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.   James 1:22, NIV

YOU’RE ON VACATION with your parents. You wanted to go on a two-week tour of the best amusement parks in the world, but your mom and dad overruled you. You’re going to the International Jukebox Museum instead.

You’ve been in the car with your parents and your little sister for four days, and if she sings “If You’re Happy and You Know It” one more time, you’ll knock yourself unconscious against the window. Your dad has stopped the car only once in those four days, announcing as you poured yourself out of the car, “We leave in three minutes.” Lately, however, you’ve noticed that the scenery seems to be repeating itself.

“Are we lost?” you ask.

“No,” Dad says in a voice of exasperation. “We’re almost there.”

“Daddy, I have to go to the bathroom,” your little sister says.

“Why don’t you just ask for directions?” your mom suggests.

“I don’t need directions. I know where I’m going.”

“That must explain,” your mom says, pointing out the window, “why we’ve passed that little park four times now.”

“All right, all right,” your dad finally says. He jerks the car into a gas station and asks the attendant for directions to the International Jukebox Museum.

“Right at the light,” the man answers, popping his chewing gum in his cheek. “Two miles, hang a left at the bottling company. The next left is Jukebox Way.” Your dad thanks the man, pulls out of the service station, and turns left at the next light.

“Dear,” your mom says, “the man said to turn right at the light.”

“I know.”

“But you turned left. “You’re going the wrong way,” Mom says.

“No,” your dad answers, “I’ll still get there. I’ll just go my own way.”

You slump back in your seat. Your sister starts singing again. You eye the window, wondering how hard you’d have to hit your head to knock yourself unconscious.

That’s pretty unrealistic, isn’t it? No one would get directions from someone who knows the way and then choose to ignore them.

But we do that all the time. God has given us directions—lots of them! He has told us, point blank, how to live a holy and joyful life. Yet we often choose to go our own way rather than follow directions from someone who knows the way. It’s not enough to know right from wrong; you must also choose right or your knowledge is useless.

REFLECT: When was the last time you knew the right thing but did the wrong thing anyway? What made you choose wrong? How can you choose differently the next time?

PRAY: “Lord, help me not merely to listen to your Word but to do what it says.”

Divorce Is a Dirty Word

Bible Reading:   Mark 10:1-10


Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.   Mark 10:8-9

Mike and Jessica were both high school students when they met in the supermarket where they worked as clerks. They started to date and fell madly in love. They married before graduation and before their first anniversary Jessica gave birth to an adorable baby. But during their second year, Mike and Jessica fell out of love almost as quickly as they had fallen in. They ended their Cinderella romance with a divorce.

Most of us know some couples—acquaintances, neighbors, friends, maybe even parents—who have become victims of the divorce epidemic that rages in our culture. Sadly—and for a variety of reasons—divorce happens among Christians too. Divorce is a topic many Christians argue about today.

Divorce was a hot issue in Bible times too. The Old Testament referred to a man divorcing his wife if he “discovers something about her that is shameful” (emphasis added, Deuteronomy 24:1).

By the time Jesus arrived on the scene, there were two wildly different views of divorce among the Jews.

The Pharisees—the hard-nosed sticklers for detail—said “shameful” only meant “unfaithfulness.” A husband could divorce his wife only if she ran off with another man. The second view said “shameful” meant anything that displeased a husband. A man could divorce his wife for any mistake—like torching his toast at breakfast or losing a sock in the clothes dryer!

When the Pharisees pushed Jesus to say what he thought about divorce, they were hunting for a reason to get rid of him. But Jesus dodged the trap. He didn’t take sides. Instead, he let them know that in God’s view of marriage, divorce is a dirty word. Jesus repeated God’s first words on marriage: “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one” (Genesis 2:24). In God’s original design for marriage, husband and wife were glued together into one unbreakable unit. Period. Divorce wasn’t even in God’s vocabulary.

Divorce at best is a last resort, the final option after all other attempts to resolve conflicts, solve incompatibility, and heal offenses have been tried and retried but have failed.

No one ever gets married planning to get divorced. But your best option is to fix in your mind right now that you someday want a marriage that will last a lifetime.

TALK: What kinds of attitudes and actions can you practice that will make you a good marriage partner someday?

PRAY: God, teach me how to get along well with others and be a faithful friend. Help me learn the skills I will need someday if I get married.

ACT: Ask a parent or older sibling to assist you in making a list of skills to work on that will help you become a faithful friend and marriage partner someday.

“Mister, Are You God?”

Bible Reading: Psalm 145:8-13


The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.   Psalm 145:13, NIV

CHRISTIAN YOUTH SPEAKER and author Doug Fields has shared a story of an event that happened after World War II.

At the end of that devastating war, much of Europe lay in ruins. Buildings had been bombed and burned out, streets lay under dust and rubble, and many orphaned children wandered the streets, picking among the ruins for clothes and food.

Early one morning an American soldier was driving his jeep through the war-torn streets of London. As he turned a corner, he spied a little boy, dressed in rags. The boy stood with his nose pressed against the steamed window of a pastry shop. Inside, the cook was working a large lump of dough for a fresh batch of doughnuts.

The soldier pulled his jeep to the curb and stopped. He got out, strode into the little shop, and bought a dozen doughnuts. Then he left the store and offered the bag of fresh doughnuts to the boy. “Here,” he said. “I bought these for you.”

The boy looked at the soldier with wide eyes and took the bag. But as the soldier started to return to his jeep, he felt a hearty tug on his coat. He turned back and faced the boy.

“Mister,” the boy asked, his eyes still wide, “are you God?”

What made that boy ask such a question? What could have made him think that an American soldier driving a jeep could be God? That’s easy. Something in that soldier’s actions reminded the little boy of God. That “something” was love.

That soldier did something very good, something right, when he bought those doughnuts for that boy. It was a loving act, a caring act. And it was right for one reason: It was something God might have done. That boy mistook that soldier for God because love comes from God. That’s why love is right (and hatred is wrong)—because God is loving. The Bible says, “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made” (Psalm 145:13, NIV). When you are loving, you are doing right, because love is like God.

REFLECT: Have you treated someone else lovingly today? Have you treated someone else hatefully today? Which is right and which is wrong? Why? Do you need to change the way you’ve been treating anyone?

ACT: The next time you eat a doughnut, remember the soldier and the hungry boy, and remind yourself that love is right because God is love.

PRAY: “God, I know that love is right because you are loving. Help me to love others, just like you do.”

Soaring Above the Storm

Bible Reading:   Isaiah 40:25-31


Those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.   Isaiah 40:31

Terry just got a D on his report card. Carlos was cut from the team. Shannon was back-stabbed by a friend. Situations like these can be heartbreaking. And for some the pain goes even deeper—like Melinda, whose mom and dad are going through a divorce. Or Suzanne, whose best friend was killed last month in a car accident. Or Corey, who was just diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Have you ever noticed that no one escapes hard times? Some of those times are life-and-death situations. Others are just frustrations or setbacks. But without exception, they all cause agonizing pain. They make us feel like our world is caving in. And at times like these there is nothing we need more than an eye-popping look at who God is. Think about this wonderful description in Isaiah 40:

 God is all-powerful. He created all of the universe—from the intricate design of the tiniest cell to the massive grandeur of the vast heavens. Nothing is too big or too difficult for him. Nothing is too tiny for his attention.

 God is entirely loving. Since God created all the stars and calls each burning ball of gas by name, how do you think God feels about you, his child created in his image? Jesus answered that question: “Look at the birds,” he said. “They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are” (Matthew 6:26). God loves you more than you can even imagine.

• God gives strength to the weak. You might feel bogged down and beat up by difficult circumstances in your life. But you can put your trust in the Lord and not give up. He sees your needs and will give you strength to keep going—even to run, take flight, and soar high above the pressures of life.

Ponder what it means that God is bothall-powerful and all-loving. If he were mighty but didn’t love, we would spend our life fearing his anger and judgment. If he were loving but weak, he couldn’t help us through our trials. The God we serve is both strong and kind, and that’s why we can trust in him!

TALK: What stormy situation have you faced in your life lately? Has God promised to give you strength to go through it?

PRAY: We praise you, God, because you love us enough to help us through our difficulties. And you are powerful enough to do it.

ACT: Build your trust in God today by memorizing Isaiah 40:31. And share that encouraging word with a friend.

 

 

Guessing Game

Bible Reading: Isaiah 46:3-10


To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?   Isaiah 46:5

IN THE MOOD for a quick guessing game? Let’s try it.

You already know that a pattern is a form or a model that’s imitated in making something else. For example, you may use a pattern to make a dress. You may use a cookie cutter to make cookies in a certain “pattern.” Right? Well, let’s play a guessing game about different kinds of patterns. Circle the answers you think are correct.

1. The pattern for the shape of an airplane is

a. the shape of an ocean vessel.

b. the human body.

c. the body of a bird.

2. The pattern for a duck hunter’s decoy is

a. Donald Duck.

b. Daffy Duck.

c. a real duck.

3. The pattern for everything that is “good” and “right” is

a. individual opinion.

b. human tradition.

c. the nature and character of God.

You probably don’t have to be told that the shape of an airplane is patterned mostly after the body of a bird, and that the pattern for a duck hunter’s decoy is the shape and coloring of a real duck. Similarly, the pattern for everything that is “good” and “right” is the nature and character of God.

In other words, we should not compare our behavior to what our friends do to figure out whether we’re doing right or wrong. We shouldn’t compare our actions to what our government says is OK. God is the only true pattern for what’s right and what’s wrong. He is the one we should compare our beliefs and behavior to because his goodness and righteousness show us what is good and right.

It’s simple. If a thing’s like God, it’s right. If it’s not like God, it’s wrong. As long as God is your pattern for right and wrong, you can’t go wrong. Right? Right.

REFLECT: Have you ever tried to figure out right from wrong by using some pattern besides God? Have you ever tried to measure your behavior by your feelings? by what “everyone else” is doing? by what your friends or teachers say? by something else? How do those “patterns” measure up when compared to God?

PRAY: “Dear God, please help me to remember that you are the only true pattern for what’s good and right. Help me to always compare what I think and say and do to you and to become more and more like you every day, as your Spirit helps me.”

Being the Right Kind of Friend

Bible Reading:   James 1:17-18


Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above. . . . He never changes or casts shifting shadows.   James 1:17

Emily’s fifth-grade class was in the middle of a math test when Mrs. Chen got called out into the hall. Emily noticed the teacher had left the room, but she quickly focused her brain back on the word problem she was working on.

“Psst, Emmy,” she heard from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw her friend Charlotte leaning forward trying to get her attention. “I’m stuck. What’s the answer on number five?”

“Shhh,” Emily whispered. “I can’t help you. That would be cheating.”

“Don’t be a dork,” Charlotte said. “You know I didn’t get a chance to study last night.”

Emily turned back to her own desk, and then she heard the words she dreaded to hear: “Come on, Emmy. If you’re really my friend, you’ll help me with this test.”

Talk about it: Was Charlotte right? Does true friendship really mean you’ll do whatever your friends ask, even when you know it’s wrong? Why—or why not?

This can be a hard truth for some of your friends to hear: True friends don’t always do what their friends want them to do.

So how do you know the right way to treat your friends?

Well, you can keep looking to God’s standards for friendships. You don’t have to wonder if his standards are true because they are based upon God himself—his character and nature. God’s standards of right and wrong are true at all times in all places for all people. The standards don’t change because your friends think they should.

Sometimes that might mean you can’t do what your friends want. But there’s good news: When God says something is right, you can count on it to bring his good into your life—sometimes later, often sooner.

Next time you have a question about how to be a true friend, look to God’s Word. You will discover that honesty is always right in your friendships because God is a true God—who is always honest. Friendship based on being honest and truthful is always right even if you lose a “friend” or two in the process. And when you let God be the model for your friendships, you’ll be sure to make friendships that last.

TALK: Why would you want to handle your friendships according to God’s standards of right and wrong?

PRAY: Lord, help us not to give in when our friends want things that aren’t what you want. Help us encourage them to seek God’s best in their lives.

ACT: Have certain friends been causing you to give up your standards—getting you to do things you know are wrong? How are you going to break that bad habit today?

 

 

“The Smartest Kid in the World”

Bible Reading:   Proverbs 9:9-12


If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.   Proverbs 9:12

THREE PEOPLE—a minister and two kids—once went on a short sight-seeing flight in a small, four-passenger plane. One of the kids had just been honored in a national newsmagazine as “the smartest kid in the world.”

Suddenly, the pilot shouted to his passengers over the roar of the engine. “We’ve got a big problem!” he said. “Our gas tank has a leak in it, and we’re going to run out of gas in just a couple minutes. We’re going to have to jump!”

“That’s not so bad,” the minister said, forcing a nervous smile. “I’ve always wanted to learn to skydive!”

The pilot shook his head. “We only have three parachutes. One of us isn’t going to make it! I’ve got a family. I can’t leave them alone without a father.”

“Well, I’m the smartest kid in the world,” said the one kid. “I may be the only person who can discover a cure for cancer or AIDS or something like that! You two will have to fight this out between you.” And with that, the kid grabbed one of the parachutes and jumped.

The minister turned to the other kid and the pilot. “You take the other two parachutes,” he told them. “I’m not afraid to die.”

“Thanks,” the other kid said. “But we’ve got nothing to worry about. The ‘smartest kid in the world’ just jumped out of the plane with my backpack!”

The “smartest kid in the world” wasn’t so smart, was he? He made a foolish decision—not just because he took a backpack instead of a parachute, but also because he made a selfish decision. And he paid for his choice!

You may not be as foolish or as selfish as that kid, but you may discover (if you haven’t already) that wrong choices often have a high price. Lying may get you into more trouble. Cheating in school may get you suspended or expelled. Trying to hurt other people may hurt you more than them.

The Bible says, “If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer” (Proverbs 9:12). In other words, godly wisdom and right choices pay off—maybe not right away or maybe not for a long time. But if you make a habit of making right choices, you will benefit in many lasting ways. If you don’t… well, just don’t go jumping out of any airplanes.

REFLECT: Who do you think has more fun: those who are always getting into trouble or those who follow the rules? Have you ever been sorry you made a wrong choice? Have you ever enjoyed any rewards for making right choices? Which are you: a person who is becoming wise or a person who scorns wisdom?

PRAY: “Lord, I want to be wise in making right choices. Please teach me to be wise and help me to make wise choices today.”

 

 

The Futility of Hoop-Jumping

Bible Reading:   1 Corinthians 1:26-31


Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.   1 Corinthians 1:26

Have you ever seen pro athletes from rival teams being interviewed before a big game? They come on camera all pumped, talking up their team—and trashing the other guys. “We have the strongest defense in the nation,” they brag. “There’s no way they’re getting past us today.”

Bragging is part of the game. But it’s pointless. No matter what athletes say and no matter how sure they are of stomping the other team, the game is still won or lost on the field.

It’s easy to laugh at sports figures who try to impress others with their triumphs. But Christians often fall into the trap of relying on all the good things we’ve done to win God’s favor.

Take a vote: Which of these great deeds are good enough to impress God—and maybe get someone into heaven?

• I got straight A’s on all my Sunday school report cards.

• I played the accordion in church every week for fifty years.

• I was a missionary. Check out the hydroelectric plant I built for Bosnia.

• Oh yeah? Look at my Swahili translation of the Old Testament.

• Every Sunday I walked ten elderly ladies to church through a blizzard when the snow was up to my throat. And it was uphill both ways.

Those words sound as ridiculous as athletes before a game, don’t they? God doesn’t accept us because of great things we do. We don’t have to jump through any hoops to earn his love. Why? Because Jesus is the One who already won our acceptance with God. He was the one-and-only adequate sacrifice for our sins. That’s why the Scriptures say, “The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done” (1 Corinthians 1:31).

We could never have earned our way into God’s family, but he accepted us anyway. And someday when we’re together in heaven, we will all proclaim that we are there because of the grace of God. He provided Jesus Christ for our salvation. And God will get all the glory.

TALK: How does it make you feel to know that you don’t have to jump through hoops to earn God’s love?

PRAY: God, thanks for sending your Son so we can spend eternity with you.

ACT: Tell a friend the Good News that God is already impressed with us because of what Jesus did.

 

 

Thirteen Ways to Say, “I Love You”

Bible Reading: John 14:18-21


Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. John 14:21

THERE ARE MANY, many different ways to tell someone, “I love you.” You can

• say, “I love you!”• sing a song;• mouth the words “I love you”;• give him or her a hug;• send flowers;• send a card or valentine;• write his or her name in the snow;• bake him or her a dozen cookies;• read him or her a story;• scatter tiny construction-paper hearts in• throw a kiss;   his or her lunch box or bag• clean his or her room; • give that person a command

Bet that last one surprised you, didn’t it? After all, who tells someone else “I love you” by giving that person a command?

A lot of people do. Your parents probably do it all the time. They say, “Don’t skateboard in the street”; “Fasten your seat belt”; and “Don’t strap a giant firecracker to your back and try to shoot yourself to the moon.” They don’t give you such commands because they hate you. They don’t tell you those things because they’ve got nothing better to do. They don’t give you commands like that because they want to ruin your life. They give you those commands because they love you. For example, they tell you not to skateboard in the street because they don’t want you to get run over by a truck. Their “commands” are ways of saying, “I love you.”

God does the same thing. He has given us commands like “Don’t lie,” “Don’t cheat,” and “Flee sexual immorality” because he loves us. He wants to protect us and provide good things for us. For example, his commands to keep ourselves pure in thought, word, and deed protect us from all kinds of addictions and diseases and other bad things. His commands are ways of saying, “I love you.”

And do you know how we can say, “I love you” back? Jesus said, “Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me” (John 14:21a). If we obey his commands, we’re showing Jesus that we love him. So do as much as you can today to say, “I love you, Jesus.”

REFLECT: Can you think of any of God’s commands that aren’t loving? Why not? Are God’s commands the onlyway he expresses his love to us? What are some other ways? Is obeying his commands the only way you can express your love for God? What are some other ways? How can you tell Jesus you love him today?

ACT: Cut out tiny construction paper hearts today and scatter them in someone’s lunch box, briefcase, dresser drawer, or book bag to say, “I love you.”

PRAY: “Thank you, God, for showing your love in all your commands. Help me to show my love for you by obeying you in what I think and do and say today.”

 

 

Take It Away, Jesus

Bible Reading:   1 Corinthians 1:21-25


Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God.   1 Corinthians 1:24

There once was an old scientist who traveled from university to university delivering lectures on his field of expertise. After long weeks of travel, the scientist and Bob, his chauffeur, became friends.

The scientist tired of giving the same lecture over and over. So one day—knowing his chauffeur had heard his lecture so many times he had it memorized—the scientist asked Bob to give the lecture for him.

Bob gave it a whirl, and the lecture went off perfectly. No one knew that the “scientist” talking to the audience was the chauffeur and that the “chauffeur” sitting in the front row was actually the scientist. There was even a question-and-answer time, but Bob had heard the scientist answer the same questions so many times that he answered them all perfectly.

Then someone asked a new question—a question Bob couldn’t answer on his own. “That’s a great question,” he said confidently, “but it has a simple answer. It’s so simple, in fact, that even my chauffeur can answer it.” Nodding toward the front row, he added, “Take it away, Bob.”

Bob was wise not because of what he knew, but because of whom he knew. He knew the answers because he had hung around the scientist. And as long as the scientist was close by, Bob had nothing to worry about.

As a Christian, you might not look too wise to the non-Christians around you. When people toss you tough questions about God, you might not always have the answers. But isn’t it encouraging to know that you have a close friend who does know all the answers? Not only that, but he is the answer. His name is Jesus Christ, and Paul calls him “the wonderful wisdom of God.”

Just as Bob the chauffeur spent a lot of time with the scientist and learned from him, so you need to make time to learn from Jesus. That means reading the Bible and listening to your parents, pastor, or Sunday school teachers when they talk about the Lord.

Even if you don’t always know how to answer the tough questions, you can know that Jesus is always with you. Just look his way and say, “Take it away, Jesus.”

TALK: Has someone ever asked you a question about Jesus you couldn’t answer? How does it help you to know that The Answer is always with you?

PRAY: Lord, help us learn to know you better so that we can answer the questions our friends ask. Thanks that you always know the answers.

ACT: What one question about your faith stumps you the most? Spend some time digging for the answer!

Getting Oriented

Bible Reading: John 14:15-17


And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.   John 14:16-17

HOW MANY DIFFERENT sports can you name? Name as many as you can.

How many can you think of? You probably named baseball, right? And football, basketball, and soccer. Maybe even tennis, hockey, or track. But there’s one sport you’d probably never guess in a hundred years. It’s called “orienteering.”

Orienteering is a sport or pastime that’s becoming more and more popular. Participants go out into a wild area (a forest, field, desert, and so on) with almost nothing except a map and a compass. Then, using the map, compass, and their “orienteering” skills, they find their way to some distant destination. People enjoy the sport because it’s sort of like solving a puzzle or finding your way through a maze.

Well, all of us are constantly doing something similar. We may not be in a forest or field, but we often find ourselves in areas we’ve never seen before: “Would it be wrong to tell Mrs. Rotgut that I liked her cake when I really didn’t?” “Would it be all right to ‘borrow’ money out of my brother’s piggy bank if I put it back later?” “Is it OK to put shaving cream on my sister’s Jell-O and tell her it’s whipped cream?”

It can get pretty hard to find our way in such strange territories. Most of the time we feel like we’re just guessing. But we don’t have to feel that way—not if we have the proper equipment.

When Jesus was telling his disciples that he would soon be leaving them and returning to heaven, he promised them that the Father would “give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:16-17). He knew his followers would sometimes feel lost. He knew that sometimes they wouldn’t know what to do. So he told them the Holy Spirit, who would live in their hearts, would lead them into all truth.

One of the keys to orienteering is learning how to use a compass to find out which way to go. One of the keys to making right choices is listening to the Holy Spirit to find out which way to go. We listen to him through prayer and Bible reading and by following his commands. And as we listen to him, we’ll find out that the territory we’re in becomes less strange as we start to see the way more clearly.

REFLECT: Do you think Christians (who have the Holy Spirit living inside them) should find it easier to know right from wrong than non-Christians do? Why or why not? How is the Holy Spirit’s guidance like a map or a compass? How is it different? Do you let the Spirit lead you in making right choices? If not, why not? If so, how?

PRAY: “Dear God, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who lives inside every Christian. Please help me listen to his voice and follow where he leads me.”

Down But Not Out




Bible Reading:   Genesis 37:18-28; 50:20

God turned into good what you meant for evil.   Genesis 50:20

Joseph was in a bad spot. He had tight relationships with God and his father—a marvelous thing. Those special friendships, however, made his older brothers extremely jealous—a hazardous thing. His brothers were so jealous, in fact, that they thought about killing him. Instead, they came up with a cruel plan to sell Joseph into slavery and report to their father that he had been killed by wild animals. Not only was Joseph sold as a slave, but he wound up in an Egyptian prison for refusing to do wrong.

You might not have experienced exactly what Joseph did, but maybe you’ve been rejected by friends. Maybe you’ve been punished for something you didn’t do or ridiculed for doing what was right.

Talk about it: When people have teased you or made you feel left out, did you wonder what God was doing while you were in pain? What did you expect him to do to make things right?

We can only guess what Joseph felt as he wasted away in a prison cell. But he didn’t let his circumstances keep him from trusting in God and doing what was right. Why? Because he still believed that God was in control.

If you read Joseph’s whole story, found in Genesis 37-50, you’ll discover how God eventually sprang Joseph from prison and promoted him to a high position in the land. God had a special plan for Joseph that resulted in him saving a whole country from starvation. And in a unique twist, Joseph even got the chance to save the lives of his brothers.

Joseph’s story proves how God unfailingly sticks with his people and turns even evil circumstances to our good. There’s a phrase woven throughout Joseph’s story that tells the key to his success: “The Lord was with Joseph.” God is working out a master plan to bring himself honor—a plan that rolls together the positive happenings of life with the experiences that appear downright rotten.

None of us can escape being roughed up by others. But we can remember that when people poke us with evil, God will bring good out of the pain. Even when you feel ditched by others, God hasn’t ditched you. He’s right there with you. And he’s in control.

TALK: Talk about a time you suffered for doing the right thing. How did God show himself faithful to you? How was God honored through it?

PRAY: Lord, help us to trust that you’re in control, even when things seem to be out of control. We know you are always there for us.

ACT: As you choose to do the right things today, remind yourself that God is with you—no matter what!

 

 

Coming off Your High Horse




Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:24-27

Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.   Matthew 11:29

DURING THE AMERICAN War for Independence, a group of soldiers had been assigned to cut down some trees to make a bridge across a creek. The work was very hard, and the men were making slow progress. As they grunted and sweated, a man rode up on a horse and looked over the scene.

The man on the horse spoke to one of the soldiers, who was not working but was telling the others what they should do. “You don’t have enough men, do you?” the man on the horse asked.

“No,” said the man who had been giving orders.

“Why don’t you lend a hand yourself?” the man on the horse asked.

“Me?” the soldier answered in a shocked tone. “Why, sir, I am a corporal!”

“Ah,” said the man on the horse, as if the soldier’s rank explained everything. He got off his horse and helped the men. When the trees were all cut down and the bridge was built, he got back on his horse and saluted the corporal.

“The next time there’s work to be done and you don’t have enough men to do it, just call for your commander in chief, and I will come again,” he said. The man on the horse was General George Washington.

That story, which is one of many great stories found in William Bennett’s book The Moral Compass, shows the greatness of George Washington. Although he was a general and the commander in chief of all the American armies in the Revolutionary War (and later the first president), he humbled himself to do the work a corporal wouldn’t do!

If that story shows the greatness of George Washington, how much greater is our Lord, Jesus Christ! Although he was God and the one through whom everything in the world was created, he humbled himself and came to earth to live a sinless life and die a horrible death—for all of us!

The example of Jesus reminds us that humility is good and right, because the Almighty God humbled himself for us. If God himself was not “too proud to be humble,” we should let him teach us, as today’s Bible reading says, to be “humble and gentle” (Matthew 11:29).

REFLECT: How do you think that army corporal felt when he realized he had been too proud to work beside General George Washington? What do you think Jesus meant when he said, “Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle”? How can you let Jesus teach you to be humble and gentle today?

PRAY: “Jesus, thank you for humbling yourself and becoming a man so that you could die for my sins. Please teach me today to be humble and gentle toward everyone I meet.”

Babel Babble




Bible Reading:   Genesis 11:1-9

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.   Proverbs 16:18

IMAGINE WHAT IT would have been like to have been a kid living in the Plain of Shinar thousands of years ago. You wake up in your corner of the family tent and turn on your radio. (OK, so they didn’t have radio back then. Just play along, OK?)

“Goood mornin’, Plain of Shinar! This is Wolfman Mash, broadcasting live from the site of the Tower of Babel, the greatest real estate development the human race has ever seen!” Wolfman Mash continues. “We’ve got the latest hits by Dust II Men, The Artist Formerly Known as Arphaxad, and Tupac Shinar—but first, I’m sitting here with Nimrod, one of the builders of this amazing tower. Thanks for joining me and my listeners this morning, Nimrod.”

“We are so excited about this project, Wolfman,” another voice says. “When it’s done it should convince everyone that we don’t need any superstitious belief in a god or creator. We are ascending our own ladder to heaven! This tower will shine forever as a monument to the greatness of man—and to the greatness of a Nimrod such as me! And one more thing, Wolfman—razzle frazzle boboli babel!”

You shoot a confused look at the radio. It sounded like that guy just said, “Razzle frazzle boboli babel!” You jiggle the tuning knob just to make sure you’re not losing the station. But then you hear Wolfman’s familiar voice saying, “Goo, mungu peeekee botahaha goo!”

Suddenly you switch off the radio and shake your mom and dad to wake them up. “Hey, Mom, Dad, I’ve just decided what I wanna be when I grow up! A translator!”

OK, maybe that’s not exactly the way it happened. But the construction of the Tower of Babel came to a halt because of the pride and ambition of its builders (see Genesis 11:1-9). They intended to build a monument to their own name and ability, but their great Tower of Babel soon became a pile of rubble.

That’s the way it usually goes. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). The Bible—and the rest of history—is filled with stories of people whose pride led to their fall (Goliath, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, to name a few). That’s one of the reasons God wants us to be humble: He wants to protect us from the destruction and disappointment a prideful attitude often invites and fill us with the wisdom and blessing that humility often brings. And that’s a whole lot better than ending up in a pile of rubble.

REFLECT: Do you agree that pride often invites destruction or disappointment? If so, why? Do you think pride blinds people to some things or makes people less willing to listen to wise advice? Why or why not?

PRAY: “Wise and loving God, thank you for protecting me from the dangers of pride by teaching me humility. Please keep teaching me to be humble and gentle like your Son, Jesus.”

The Not-So-Great Wall

Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:11-14

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.   2 Chronicles 7:14

IT’S THE ONLY man-made thing on earth that can be seen from outer space. It’s the longest structure ever built entirely by hand, winding for nearly four thousand miles. It’s the Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China was started about four hundred years before Jesus was born, and it continued to be built off and on for about two thousand years. Although it has collapsed in places, it stretches from the east coast of China all the way into the north-central part of the country. The Chinese people built it to keep other people from attacking and invading their country. To this day, the Great Wall is a great source of pride among the Chinese. Tourists come to see it. Historians study it. And scientists use it to study earthquakes.

But some historians believe the Great Wall (the pride of China) kind of backfired. It may have protected China from some attacks, but it (and the attitudes it symbolized) also isolated the nation from many good things. For centuries, much of the progress and discoveries that benefited people in other parts of the world never reached China. A great nation became a backward nation, partly because the Great Wall kept progress from flowing into China.

That’s sort of a picture of what pride does. Some people act prideful because they think it protects them or makes them look better than others around them. But usually what happens is that prideful people obstruct the flow of God’s blessings to them. They make it harder for God (and others) to help them and bless them.

On the other hand, humility opens windows of blessing. Humility makes it easier for God to speak to you, help you, and bless you. Humility makes it easier for other people to like you and want to be around you. Pride builds a wall that keeps many good things out of your life; humility opens a window that brings many good things into your life.

REFLECT: In today’s Bible reading, what are the four things God told his people to do if they wanted him to forgive them and heal their land? Do you think God blesses humble people more than proud people? Why or why not? How can you make it easier for God to help you and bless you today?

PRAY: “God, you’ve already given me so many blessings and so many things to be thankful for, like___________. Please help me to keep the windows of help and blessing open by being humble instead of proud.”

 

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

Romans 2:4 (NKJV) Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?


This verse is so powerful!  It says that God’s goodness is what leads us to repentance.  It is not banging people over the head, or telling them what a terrible sinner they are, that leads them to God.  It is sharing God’s goodness with them, and letting them know that God loves them and is out for their good.


I know in my life I have seen God’s goodness again and again, and it has brought me to the place of opening my heart and getting rid of junk.  I have not seen God whacking me and telling me that I am a no-good sinner and that I am a waste in the Kingdom of God.  No!  He is always there to love me and help me get back on track.


I remember as a child I had a figure-eight racetrack, and to keep a car on track there was a little pin on the bottom of the car that fit into a groove on the racetrack.  Whenever the car would get off the track, I would have to pick it up and put it back on.  It is the same with us.  God’s goodness is always picking us up when we mess up, and putting us back on the groove and making sure that we can win our race.


God wants us to finish well, and He helps us each day as our Good Shepherd.  Always remember that God, your Heavenly Father, is for you, not against you.  He wants you to win.  He planned for you to be more than a conqueror.  


So today, lean on His goodness.  When He shows you things, repent and move on, knowing that He is in this race with you.  He wants you to win!


Confession: God’s goodness is what leads me to repentance.  My Father is for me and not against me.  He wants me to win in life.  Since He wants that, I know that, through Him, I will!


Today’s Bible Reading


Jeremiah 28 – 29


1 Timothy 1


Psalms 86


Proverbs 25:17


Bible in a Year: 365-Day Reading Plan : English | King James Version (KJV)


SO WHAT IF THE WORLD HATES US

1 John 3:13 (NKJV) Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.


Here we have a short verse, yet it says so much.  We are living in a time when this world is not going for godliness and righteousness, but for darkness and sin.  But the Scripture says that we are the light of the world, and to let our light shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.


Remember that where sin abounds, grace abounds much more!  If we are to be light and salt, then we need to be the brightest light we can be, and the saltiest salt that we can be.  I heard one person say it like this: “Be so salty for Jesus that people will thirst for Him.”  That is what we need to do with light also.  As people see the Lord shining brightly, they will come to Him.


The wise men saw a light in the night.  It was a star shining brighter than any other light, and they followed that star.  So it is with us.  If we love God and want to do the works of Jesus, people will take notice, and when things happen in their lives and they need prayer, guess where they are going to go?  To a bright light: you!


The world wants to live in darkness, and one day when that trumpet sounds, and we are with the Lord, it is going to get pretty dark down here.  Until that day, we are going to shine for Jesus, and the world might hate us for it, but Jesus will say, “Look!  There is one of my brethren standing up for me.  Let us put more light on him!”


Confession:  I am making a decision to let my light shine brighter and brighter each day.  The closer I get to Him, the brighter I will become.  I want people to have a bright path to our Lord, so I am going to do my part and shine brightly.


Today’s Bible Reading


Jeremiah 26 – 27


2 Thessalonians 3


Psalms 85


Proverbs 25:16


Bible in a Year: 365-Day Reading Plan : English | King James Version (KJV)


Hush Lil Birdie

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