Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

Clueless

There's an old Chinese proverb that goes something like this:

    He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes;
    He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.

Now I agree that there is no such thing as a stupid question (except for "Hey Officer, was it O.K. for you to break the speed limit in order to catch me?). So why then are so many Christians raised in an environment where it's not 'permissible' to ask questions? Perhaps there are many leaders out there who are afraid they might not know the answers. Or worse, do you think that many churches feel like they are responsible for defending God and the Bible? I hope not.

I think I'm going with the Chinese proverb on this one. There are many believers out there who could learn much by asking questions, but they will probably just remain 'in the dark' forever because they felt uncomfortable or even afraid to raise difficult issues about God, the Bible, life, etc.

Do you know who asked a lot of questions? King David. Remember? He was the man after God's own heart- and yet he was unafraid to pour out his fear and doubt to his heavenly Father. Apparently he never learned that it's improper and impolite to bring inquiries to anyone- from God all the way down to the Sunday School teacher. So he went ahead and asked away- which later became a large part of the Book of Psalms.

Did you also know that the most famous verse in the Bible came about as the result of someone asking a question? Check it out:

    Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:1-16)

Here was a man who went straight to the source to get his difficulties resolved, and the result is one of the clearest verses explaining the gospel in all of Scripture.

Now I may be assuming a lot here, but my guess is that you have questions. The great thing is that now we live in the age of information, and the answers are out there if you are willing to look hard enough. Here's the order I would suggest if your puzzler has been puzzling lately:

   1. Go to God. Remember, you're not going to surprise Him by asking questions (as if He didn't already know!). So quit playing games and ask Him what He already knows you are curious about. I wouldn't expect an audible answer, but this may start the process of answers coming your way.
   2. Ask your pastor. Ministers are supposedly well trained to handle the issues that church people bring. Your pastor or youth leader cares about your questions- and if they don't, we have a definite problem.
   3. Be content with mystery. There are many issues in the Christian life which simply cannot be resolved on this side of heaven. Here's what Paul said:

      We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! (I Corinthians 13:12- The Message)

Some people rest their confidence in Christ on knowing all the answers, but this is a mistake. The Christian life was meant to be lived by faith. But if you have genuine concerns that aren't meant in an accusing way, bring them out- because I believe God uses this process to increase our faith even more.

So what are you waiting for? Get out a pad of paper and start jotting down questions- because I don't know about you, but I don't want to remain a fool forever!

[Soldier4Christ]

Been Chopping Too Hard?



    One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest.

    The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had.

    "I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did."

    "But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."

    (Source unknown)

If you're like me, sometimes it seems that dealing with the world is like chopping wood. It's hard work, it takes time and concentration, and in the end you never get as far as you thought you would. Then on top of that, there never seems to be time to rest. Our to-do-list, deadlines, relationships, and multiple activities keep us on a mad dash that would make a rabbit tired. We rush out of bed and play slave to the schedule until we drop back into a restless slumber.

In other words, our axes are getting dull. Without any time for sharpening, we accomplish less and less with the same effort, until soon we just get used to the idea that we can't cut it like we used too.

But then there are other believers who seem to have found some kind of 'secret'. They seem content with their lives, they handle things well, and they rarely seemed stressed out.

Guess what? I'll let you in on their secret.

Ready?

The secret is that there is no secret. In fact it's spelled out in God's word. For example:

    Quiet down before GOD, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top. (Psalm 37:7)

    "Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." (Psalm 46:10)

    "As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer." (Luke 5:16)

These folks have simply decided to obey God, and not miss the forest for the trees...so to speak. They take time out to sharpen the axe, which is why they are skilled at chopping through life the way God intended.

Perhaps you have been swinging your axe a little too long, and you need a rest. Not just any rest, but one with a purpose. In order to accomplish this, you will need to do five things:

   1. Get alone. I mean really alone. No cell phone, no pager, as remote as possible.
   2. Bring a Bible. Focus on a few select passages of Scripture like the Psalms or the Gospels.
   3. Pray. Not the standard 'bless this food/help me I've got a test' type prayer, but the 'pouring out your heart' before God type. Act like you're talking to your best friend in the whole world, because you are.
   4. Listen. When was the last time you just sat in silence and listened for God? My thought is, if Jesus needed to do it- you think we might need it too?
   5. Worship. Praising God is a sure-fire way to get the blade razor-sharp, because it brings us to the place where we remember that God is God and we are not.

Of course, this is just my suggestion. The main point here is to take a time out, because if you don't, you could soon be choppin' up the wrong tree...or something like that.

[Soldier4Christ]

You're Dreaming of What?



    "Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." (Psalm 46:10)

I suppose there are people out there who were 'dreaming of a white Christmas', but I wasn't one of them...mainly because of one that I used to know.

I was a senior in high school, and we heard a friendly prediction that there was going to be 4-8 inches of snow- just enough to make a nice little pristine blanket of the white stuff in time for the holiday.

However, what was supposed to be the perfect snowfall became the perfect storm.

24 inches in 24 hours...the airport closed for 33 hours...no newspapers, no mail, no trash pickup. Denver was completely paralyzed. There must have been way too much dreaming of a white Christmas, because Frosty the Snowman filched our festivities and filibustered our festooneries.

I remember being really excited about waking up and opening gifts, but priority one for my brother and I was digging out the driveway and creating a snow cave in what once might have our sidewalk.

Of course I was bummed...but something happened that day that I recall very vividly. No, it wasn't frostbitten toes or a runny nose or even seeing a cat that froze. It was something I had never experienced before on Christmas:

Quietness.

Because of the massive amount of snowfall and the complete lack of public activity, December 25th was totally tranquil.

What a contrast to the holiday hullabaloo that had harried hurried humans just one day before! One unexpected event shut the entire city down and forced people to change their plans.

In the quietness of that day, I was reminded of another event 2000 years ago that shut Satan down and offered people a chance to change their eternal destiny.

How sad that it took a brutal blizzard to block out my busy brain activity and bring me back to the truth behind the tinsel. Yet from that Christmas day forward, I decided to carve some sacred space into every future Christmas week.

C'mon, you are out of school or off work- when could there possibly be a better time? It is in the silence that God speaks and reminds you of the day the universe changed.

May I encourage you this weekend after 'the big day' to find a secluded spot and have a holy moment with the Savior? You may find that is the only true way to truly 'adore Him, Christ the Lord'.

Here is a passage to get you started:

    For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this! (Isaiah. 9:6-7)

May you be dreaming of a 'quiet' Christmas!

[Soldier4Christ]

How to Feel Better

Ever been picked on? Ridiculed? Scorned? Most people have to some degree. Sometimes we probably deserve it- and that helps the sting a bit...but how about when you get slammed because of the simple sadistic sin nature of other people? That's the kind that leaves you bleeding from the inside out. How do you let go of past hurts and scars? Please keep reading for the answer... This week is known all over the world as "Passion Week", because during this time we remember the last days of the Lamb of God. For Jesus, it was an ever increasing experience in embarrassment, ridicule, rejection, mocking, torture, and finally murder. He withstood the worst that people could dish out, and He did it all for you. He voluntarily took on unspeakably horrible events to accomplish God's plan and win your place in heaven.

So how are you responding to Passion Week? There are many ways to approach it in attitude and action- but the point is to not let it go to waste. I would suggest setting aside a little time each day to study what was going on in Jesus' life, then take action by drawing a picture, writing a letter/poem, talking to a friend about it, etc. By doing so, I believe you will add honor to the sacrifice He made, and you will have a very different perspective on the sufferings of your own life. Just to make it easier for you- below is a summary of Christ's last week with accompanying Scripture. May God bless you and change you as you walk in the steps of the Savior.

    Sunday. The Triumphal Entry. Mt. 21; Mk. 11; Lk.19; Jn. 12. Jesus rides triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling an ancient prophecy (Zech. 9:9). The people welcome Him with "Hosanna" and the words of Psalm 118:25-26. Jesus, at this moment is officially presenting Himself to the nation as the Messiah. This date according to the Jewish calendar was Nisan 10, the day pilgrims presented their paschal lambs for examination.

    Monday. Cleansing of the Temple. Mt.21; Mk.11; Lk.19. On this day Jesus returns to Jerusalem (He spends each night in Bethany). On the way He curses the fig-tree, a highly symbolic act. He then enters the Temple and chases out the corrupt money-changers. This shows His Messianic authority ("My Father's House") and fulfills another prophecy that implies the Messiah will appear there suddenly and take possession of it. (See Mal. 3:1). They then return to Bethany. On the way home they see the withered fig-tree.

    Tuesday. The Day of Controversy and Teaching in Parables. On this day Jesus personally confronts the authorities and defends His claims to be the Messiah. The occasion for their questions was His violent action the previous day. Mark's gospel gives the most detailed account-- Mk. 11:27-13:37. The day ends with Jesus pronouncing a curse on the city and announcing that the Kingdom will be taken away from the nation. See Matt. 23. On the return to Bethany the Disciples are loaded with questions. Jesus stops at the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple, and gives the Olivet Discourse. See Matt. 24,25; Lk.21:5ff. The Olivet Discourse is a detailed prophecy largely about the destruction of Jerusalem.

    Wednesday. The Silent Day. After an exhausting day of controversy, Jesus more than
    likely spends this day resting and visiting with His intimate friends.

    Thursday. Day of Preparation and Passover. On this day (and perhaps on the previous day) preparation is made for the Passover. Judas may have also utilized this time for his betrayal. Matt. 26:1-5; 14-16; 17-19. The Passover is celebrated on Thursday evening in an upper room. Tradition has it that it was owned by Mark's parents. At the end of the Jewish feast Jesus institutes the Last Supper. The Last Supper is followed by the Upper Room Discourse. Sometime in the evening after the Passover, Jesus and His disciples leave the Upper Room and go to Gethsemane, a place near the Mt. of Olives where it was a custom for Jesus to Pray. Matt. 26:36-46. While in the Garden Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by Roman soldiers and Temple guards. Jn.18:2-12. The Trials begin. Before dawn Jesus is tried twice before Annas and then Caiaphas. Everything about these trials is illegal.

    Friday. Trials, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial. Jesus' third trial is held early in the morning before the Sanhedrin. The first three trials were before the religious authorities where He is found guilty. Jesus is then taken before Pilate (the fourth trial) where He is found innocent. He is subsequently taken to Herod who also finds Him innocent (the fifth), and then back to Pilate who again finds Him innocent (the sixth) but relents under pressure. About 9:00 AM. Jesus is crucified on a hill called "The Skull" outside the city. At noon, the sky becomes dark, either due to supernatural darkness or because of an eclipse. At 3:00 PM Jesus utters the most important words to believers "It is finished". The phrase literally means "Paid in full". The spotless Son of God became sin for us! Isa. 53:5,6. Jesus gives up His life and fulfills the typology of the Passover Lamb at exactly the time the lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple. The veil is rent in the Temple (Mk. 15:38.) Before 6:00 PM Jesus is laid in Joseph's tomb (the Sabbath begins after 6:00 PM).

    Saturday. Jesus' body lies in the tomb. After 6:00 PM the Sabbath is over and His body is treated with spices. Mk. 16:1.
    Sunday. Resurrection Day! Before sunrise, Jesus rises from the dead to fulfill the typology of the Firstfruits. I Cor. 15:23. Matt. 28:1-13. Through His death believers are justified; through His resurrection our resurrection is certain.

[Soldier4Christ]

Got Milk?

Someone once asked a very insightful question:

    "I wonder how old you would be if you didn't know how old you were?"

How true is that? Don't we all know people who look young on the outside, but you would think they were extreme senior citizens by the way they act. Then there are others who seem old by number of years, but they are still as full of life as a child on a summer's day.

Did you know that every Christian has two ages? One is measured by trips around the sun, and the other is measured by the standard set by the Son. The difference is that growing old is mandatory, growing up is not. That's why we have folks who have been saved for years, but still act like spiritual babies. They were glad to get a free ticket to heaven, but getting off the bottle and out of diapers has been a real struggle.

One of the main things that makes the devil's job a whole lot easier is believers who refuse to grow up. To look at it another way - here is a personal ad that I think Satan would put out today:

    Wanted: Spiritual Toddlers

    POD (Prince of Darkness) seeks PIB (Permanently Immature Believers) to serve as underground servants for his kingdom. Must know very few verses by heart, pray only when in trouble, consider happiness a main goal, are bickering, jealous, and quarrelsome, infrequently attend church, rarely tithe, rarely study Scripture, and above all must not share the gospel with others.

Growing up in the faith is a big deal with God- listen to the way Paul put it:

    Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn't handle anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, for you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord. (I Corinthians 3:1-3)

Got milk? If you have only been a Christian for a short time, then good for you. It shows you want to grow. But if you trusted Christ some time ago, your diet needs to change! It isn't just about how much you read the Bible or pray- that's just the beginning. The point is that all that studying and talking to God is changing you into a person who looks and acts a lot like Christ. If your friends and family get a clear picture of Jesus when they see you, then you've probably been chowing down on some serious spiritual sirloins!

So since you really don't know how old you are spiritually, how old do you think you are? How ridiculous an adult in diapers looks to us- how much more silly does a supposedly 'older' believer sucking on a Biblical bottle look to Jesus?
So if you are ready to stop ordering off the kids' menu, here are a couple suggestions:

   1. Go to church regularly and listen to the preaching. Take good notes and do further personal study during the week
   2. Join a small group that holds you accountable and asks you the tough questions
   3. Keep a journal that accurately charts your spiritual growth
   4. Get involved in serving others on a regular basis
   5. Have a set aside prayer time that is non-negotiable

Of course there are many other ways to grow, but if you even apply a few of these habits to your life- pretty soon you'll be wiping off the milk moustache and chewing on the delicious delicacies of maturity meat.

[Soldier4Christ]

Listen Up



    Did you hear the story about the Native American and his friend? They were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour when the streets were jam-packed with people. On the streets cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, and sirens were wailing. Basically the clamor of the city climate was ear-splitting. Suddenly, the Native American says, "I hear a cricket." His friend looks at him incredulously and says, "Excuse me? You must be nuts! How could anyone hear a cricket in the midst of all this crazy noise?"

    "Nevertheless," the Native American said, "I know I heard a cricket."

    "Whatever..." said his friend.

    So the Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and to his friend's great amazement, there was a small cricket.

    "That's impossible!" exclaimed his friend. "You must have super-human hearing!"

    "Not quite," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It just depends on what you're listening for."

    "Maybe- but there's no way I would have heard a little bug in the middle of New York City" said the friend.

    "That's because you don't care about crickets" said the Native American. "But I bet you would be amazed at what your ears can pick up when it's a priority. Here, let me show you."

    He then reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and unnoticeably dropped them on the pavement. Amazingly enough, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that jingled on the pavement was theirs.

    "Get the point?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."

Have you ever thought about how God's voice can be as quiet and hard to hear as a bug in a bush? And not even a burning bush for that matter!

Why is that? Is He trying to play games with us? Why doesn't He send loud and clear messages that can't be missed?

Well speaking of the burning bush, the Israelites in Moses' day got plenty of "in your face" messages- and all that accomplished was the hardening of their hearts.

Our Jesus is a mystery, and He moves in mysterious ways. In fact, I would describe his method of communication as a game of hide and speak. He waits until you are at an incredibly busy and/or stressful time in your life, then secludes Himself and whispers in some obscure circumstance.

God wants to know that you desire to hear His precious voice, that your ears are attuned to spiritual things.

The problem is that most of us have our hearing dial set on the "all world-all the time" station. You know, the one that makes us feel good, is entertaining, has juicy bits of gossip, and most of all never challenges us in our attitudes and/or actions.

If that's you, I would suggest adding another station to your preset: the God channel...although it may not be what you expect:

    "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before GOD. GOD will pass by." A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before GOD, but GOD wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but GOD wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but GOD wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper (I Kings 19:11-12)

Without the voice of the Almighty, your life will end up being a long and boring journey down noisy streets with no real meaning or purpose. You will fit into the category that Jesus mentioned when He was here on earth:

    Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them (Matthew 13:14-15)

In order for you to hear Him, though, He must become supremely important. You must start looking for God anytime, anywhere. Here's the way God describes people that do that:

    "But you have God-blessed eyes--eyes that see! And God-blessed ears--ears that hear!" (Matthew 13:16)

Remember, Christ doesn't live in a church- He dwells in your heart. So if you give your heart back to Jesus on a daily basis, I promise that you'll start running into Him everywhere you go!

[Soldier4Christ]

Here Comes The Judge

I recently read a story about an engineer who was giving evidence in court about an accident he had witnessed.

    Judge: "How far away do you think you were from the crash scene?"

    Engineer: "Twenty-seven feet, six-and-one-half inches."

    Judge: "That's amazing! But how can you be so sure of that distance?"

    Engineer: "Well, I knew some idiot would ask me. So I measured it!"

Wait a minute, who's the idiot here? Perhaps this would have been an amusing exchange between friends, but probably not such a great idea when talking to a person who has the power to throw you in jail without blinking.

Perhaps the engineer forgot that he was in a court of law- or maybe he spaced out what kind of authority a judge carries. Either way, this person definitely suffers from being what I would call 'consequence challenged': a condition where a person has no clue whatsoever of the potential results of his/her words and actions.

The Bible says that one day we will "all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies." (II Corinthians 5:10).

In other words, every Christian has an appointment to stand before the Judge of the universe. It would be a very smart thing to not be 'consequence challenged' that day, because the impact of our day in court will last for eternity.

If the engineer had realized what kind of person he was standing before, I'm sure he would have prepared differently...how about you? The difference is that you know what God is like, so start preparing today!

But just in case you need a refresher course- meet the Judge:

    And standing in the middle of the lampstands was the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. (Revelation 1:13-17)

A little different than the wimpy white looking Jesus that Hollywood created-eh? Think you're going to run up to Jesus on Judgment day and jump in His lap? I seriously doubt it. As for me, I expect to do the same as the Apostle John: "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead".

Having an eye towards that that awesome event just may be one of the most motivating factors in the Christian life.

Want to be ready? Start by getting to know the Judge by talking to Him all day long and listening to His Word. Get out of bed each morning knowing that today could be your court date, and you certainly don't want to be caught 'consequence challenged'!

[Soldier4Christ]

Drinking Problem



    Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life." (John 4:13-14)

    Many years ago in South America, a crew of Peruvian Sailors headed up the Amazon River came upon a strange sight. A Spanish ship was anchored off the coast, and as the Peruvians drew closer they saw that the Spaniards were in terrible physical condition. They looked the picture of death itself, their lips parched and swollen. They were dying of thirst.

    "Can we help you?" shouted the Peruvians.

    The Spaniards cried out, "Water! Water! We need fresh water!"

    The Peruvian sailors, surprised at this request, told them to lower their buckets and help themselves.

    The Spaniards, fearing they'd been misunderstood cried back, "No, no we need FRESH water!"

    But they received the same reply from the Peruvians to lower their buckets and help themselves. They finally did lower their buckets into the ocean waters and when they brought the buckets on deck they discovered (to their amazement) fresh water.

    There at the mouth of the Amazon river, anchored for days, too far from land to see the coast, but not too far from the mouth of the river, they had fresh water in abundance.

    The sailors nearly died of thirst when the cure was easily within reach. When they placed their faith in someone who had 'been there', it saved their lives.

Sound familiar? You and I are on this incredible journey called life. Our past is forgiven and our future is secure, but sometimes we mess up the present pretty well.

Why is that? Well for one thing, just because we have trusted Christ doesn't mean that we don't have the same thirst for love, meaning, and significance. I think that some Christians are surprised when they get spiritually thirsty, so they go into denial and go through life in terrible spiritual condition.

Your salvation experience was not intended to be a fix-all happy pill that would solve all your personal issues...anybody who preaches that is probably trying to sell you something.

Believer- wake up! The Living Water is all around you, but your going to have to lower your bucket and get it yourself. Believe me, I've been on that boat- and it's not fun. But I can testify to you now that the Water is fine- don't be afraid of it: drink deeply.

Am I dampening your spirit down with too many metaphors? Let me translate some of this for you so that the message will flow better.

    * Ship: your circumstances
    * Journey: your life
    * Saltwater: The things you used to try and make you happy, but now you know they end up making life worse
    * Bucket: Your relationship with Christ
    * Freshwater: The Bible, prayer, pure worship, and fellowship with other Christians.

As long as you are on this earth, you are going to have deep needs. If you want to truly satisfy your soul-oriented sigh-ings, you must develop a drinking problem. That is, it's a problem if you aren't drinking from the bucket of frequent prayer, reading the Bible (at least) daily, spending time in pure worship and hanging out with solid believers.

[Soldier4Christ]

Back to the Bible


I know how it is...from the moment you open your eyes until you shut them at bedtime you have interruption after interruption. Let's face it- we all are busy. Yet that doesn't excuse the fact that we must make Bible study and prayer a regular part of our schedule. So here is an easy way for you to at least have a 'spiritual snack' each day for the rest of this week. Happy eating!


Tuesday

    Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Thoughts about todays's verse

For most who can read this Internet message, the sentiments of this verse seem foreign. But among those who closely study persecution, believers in Christ are enduring perhaps the greatest amount of persecution in the history of Christianity. For those of us who live in cozy places where belief is tolerated and Christians are just considered "unhip" or a bit out of touch, we need to be thankful that our lives make enough of a distinction from our culture to be noticed, even if it's a bit unfavorably. But at the same time, we need to pray for other believers throughout the world who are undergoing the wrath of hell for the faith.


Wednesday

    Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

Thoughts about todays's verse

Fear is such a paralyzing emotion. It robs us vitality, decision-making ability, and strength. Courage helps us step out of fear's paralysis and turn its nervous edge into power. But this kind of courage comes to us fully only when we know that all that Satan and his allies can really have of us is our bodies. He cannot take our mind, our attitude, our faith, and most of all, he cannot take our relationship with God, given to us through Jesus.


Thursday

    Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

Thoughts about todays's verse

The great truth about Jesus' empty tomb is not that he is risen, but that he is living! His victory over death wasn't short-lived, it was ultimate. He now lives to make intercession for us until he can return and bring us to his home. Our life is hidden with him so that no one and nothing can take it from us. When he appears, we will get to share in his never-ending glory. How can we not praise God for such grace?


Friday

    Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)

Thoughts about todays's verse

Don't you have your hands full with today? Don't you find yourself distracted from the urgent and important things of today by worrying about the problems of tomorrow and fantasizing about all the possibilities down the road? Isn't it a waste of time to be anxious about those things you have no influence over? So why...?

[Soldier4Christ]

Butterfly Misses

There was this experiment that some 'bug people' did with some butterflies that was pretty intriguing. They took a male butterfly and gave him two choices (kinda like a insect homecoming I guess...)

The choices were:

    * A living female butterfly
    * A fake painted cardboard butterfly

The results clearly showed that a male butterfly will ignore a living female butterfly of his own species in favor of a painted cardboard one, if the cardboard one is bigger than he is--bigger than any female butterfly ever could be. He digs the pieces of cardboard more than the real deal. Meanwhile, the genuine article waits in the wings like a stood-up date.

Before you pass judgment on the male for being more interested in the fake than the real, let's take a look at the state of the church today.

We Christians love the big movements, the painted wings of what's 'in', and the dazzling sales that come from the massive money mechanism called 'religious sales'. We've taken every element of secular society and slapped a fish on it so we can still feel connected to the hokey-pokey hologram called pop culture.

But that's just my opinion...

Meanwhile, the real Jesus waits in the wings for us to turn our eyes to Him for real life.

Can't we have it both ways?

Here are a few quotes about jumping on the big bandwagons and floating around the fake philosophies:

    "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

    - Jesus

    "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul."

    – Peter

    "Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you."

    -Paul

Even a casual study of Scripture will show you that the saints of God have never been the dominant and 'cool' element of any society. In fact, when you take up your cross and follow Christ, there is a very good chance that you will commit social status suicide.

So believer beware! Much of the modern so-called 'Christian' culture is nothing more than moneychangers in the temple. Better to focus on your minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour relationship with the living God more than on the latest 'magical' guaranteed formula. Better to read the Bible more than the most recent best seller.

The cardboard Christianity may look like more fun, but believe me- it's empty spiritual calories. Jesus is the truth, and the truth will set you free.

[Soldier4Christ]

Beyond the Pole

I don't know about you, but I don't believe everything I read (except what I write, of course). The mainstream manipulative media machine would have you believe that this generation of students is doing nothing but idolizing American idols and expending energy on X-box games.

I beg to differ...

In 1990, a small group of students in Texas decided to gather for a simple prayer meeting on behalf of this great nation. It was determined that the best place to meet would be around a flagpole...so it was appropriately entitled: see you at the pole. Over the last decade, we have seen this movement grow exponentially at an amazing rate. Last year, SYATP included over 3 million students gathering together to seek God's face and beg Him to heal this land. This week the number will be (or was) even higher.

What this demonstrates to me is that teenagers really do care, and they want to make a difference. The media takes a small percentage of the student culture and touts it as the norm, but I'm here to tell you that the greatest potential in America lies in this generation of young people.

So what?

Well, if you are a student- ask yourself how you can make a difference in changing the world around you. Get involved in starting a prayer movement at your school that meets more than once a year. Initiate an evangelism strategy in your youth group that will reach your unsaved friends. If your youth group doesn't care about evangelism, then find one that does...life is too short! There are hundreds of ways you can be used by God to leave an eternal legacy...the question is: are you willing to leave one!

If you are an adult- ask yourself how you can make a difference in the teenagers around you. If your church has a youth group, pray for them or volunteer your time. If your church doesn't believe in youth ministry, then find one that does...life is too short! If you are an adult and you are not using your time and gifts to advance the Kingdom, you're wasting your time.

Remember that God most often appears not in huge and dramatic ways, but where we often least expect Him. Perhaps you've been afraid to serve God in the past because you don't think He's spoken to you.

Again, I beg to differ...

    "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. (I Kings 19:11-12)

Let this week's See You at the Pole be an incredible visual reminder that we all should daily be 'seeking God at the throne' and listening for the 'gentle whisper' on behalf of ourselves and our sphere of influence...especially for the young people of this nation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Got Health?



    Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever. (Matthew 25:34)

The summertime sure can drain our bodies of essential nutrients. The heat, activity, and visits with the Mr. Ice Cream man thrash any hope of being Mr./Ms. Healthy. I'm so glad that in this modern day we have vitamins to supplement what we lose through living life.

Sometimes our spiritual health gets run down as well. The heat of trials, the activity of thought, and visits with Mr. Temptation Man melts the strength of our soul as fast as a Popsicle in the sun. Maybe we all could use some spiritual vitamins this week to replace what we have lost. The best thing about these supplements is you can take them as much as you like without fear of overdose. I would recommend 'taking' at least one a day.

    Spiritual Vitamins A to Z

    Anxious? Take Vitamin A.
    All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

    Blue? Take Vitamin B.
    Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. (Ps 103:1)

    Crushed? Take Vitamin C.
    Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (1 Pet 5:7)

    Depressed? Take Vitamin D.
    Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. (James 4:

    Empty? Take Vitamin E.
    Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. (Ps 100:4)

    Fearful? Take Vitamin F.
    Fear not, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God. (Isaiah 41:10)

    Greedy? Take Vitamin G.
    Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15)

    Hesitant? Take Vitamin H.
    How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." (Isaiah 52:7)

    Insecure? Take Vitamin I.
    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

    Jittery? Take Vitamin J.
    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:

    Know nothing? Take Vitamin K.
    Know this that the Lord is God, it is He that made us and not we ourselves. (Ps 100:3)

    Lonely? Take Vitamin L.
    Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Mt 28:20,

    Nervous? Take Vitamin N.
    Never, no never will I leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

    Overwhelmed? Take Vitamin O.
    Overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

    Perplexed or puzzled? Take Vitamin P.
    Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

    Quitting? Take Vitamin Q.
    Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. In Quietness and confidence (trust) is your strength.
    (1 Corinthians 16:13) (Isa 30:15)

    Restless? Take Vitamin R.
    Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. (Ps 37:7)

    Scared? Take Vitamin S.
    Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe with me. (1 Samuel 22:23)

    Tired? Take Vitamin T.
    Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

    Uncertain? Take Vitamin U.
    Understand that I am (the Lord). Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. (Isaiah 43:10)

    Vengeful? Take Vitamin V.
    Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath,
    for it is written: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

    Weak? Take Vitamin W.
    My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

    eXhausted? Take Vitamin X.
    Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. (1 Tim 4:7)

    Yearning for hope? Take Vitamin Y.
    Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You art with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. (Ps 23:4)

    Zealous? Take Vitamin Z.
    It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. (Galatians 4:18)

[Soldier4Christ]

Make Your Mark



    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

If you want to make a mark on your campus, God's Word must leave it's mark on you. This book was written by God through the pens of forty men over the period of about 1,500 years. It has no mistakes. It is filled with powerful truths and practical insights to help you make your mark. But remember—before you can make a mark on your campus, the Bible must first leave it's mark on you.

Here's how you can make sure God's Word makes it's M.A.R.K. on you:

    Memorize:
    How many verses of Scripture do you have memorized? The more the better. Memorized Scripture helps you think like Jesus. It enables you to fight Satan with God's truth. It encourages you when you're down and sustains you when you're up.

    Apply:
    We need "Nike" Christians who "Just Do It!" As the Chinese proverb goes: "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand." As the Biblical proverb (James 1:22) goes: "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says."

    Read:
    Read the Bible. Read it consistently. It's not an irrelevant encyclopedia of absolute spiritual truth—it's a love letter from your Father in heaven! Read it like a love letter. Pour over it. Mull it over. Devour it until it devours you. My rule of thumb is called "read until impact." In other words, I read until something impacts me personally. Try it!

    Kneel:
    Drop to your knees before reading your Bible (and when you get to hard to understand passages) and ask God for help. Within you is a portable tutor called the Holy Spirit who is ready, willing, and able to help you understand and apply God's Word.

M.A.R.K. your Bible, then MAKE YOUR MARK!

[Soldier4Christ]

Must See T.V.?



    Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

So we as believers keep wringing our hands together wondering why the church seems to be making little to zero impact on the culture. Then we act shocked and amazed when we hear about Christians acting just like the world around us.

But that's o.k., because when we grab a bowlful of chili and a fistful of Fritos and plop down in front of the T.V., all are worries temporarily go away. Yep, when we turn on the tube and cable-ize our cranium, life seems so much more tolerable.

Perhaps that is part of the problem. Every year, additional 'versions' of the Bible come out, and every year they are read less and less- and at the same time, the average person spends more and more time glued to the tube.

Let's face it folks, Christians in America are cable clever and Scripture stupid.

So here is a little article I came across that may motivate you check out the Bible more often:

Another way to think about the contents of the books of the Bible is by comparing them to modern day TV. If we think of the Bible as a Cable TV guide, we might compare some of the books to TV channels as follows:

    * The Women's Channel: Esther, Ruth, and Song of Solomon are books that would fit with "chick TV". The books contain women's stories, problems, and issues.
    * Science Fiction Channel: The book of Revelation contains amazing visions and future like you couldn't imagine.
    * Real Life TV: Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings. The books have action, adventure, and suspense.
    * Advise TV: The book of Proverbs gives everyday wisdom by which to make decisions.
    * The History Channel or CNN: Genesis, Exodus, Acts. These books provide who, what, where, when at that period in time. And they also offer some commentary and effects.
    * Christian TV: All of the Epistles. These letters would be the meat and potato line-up for dealing with real issues and living.

      (Author Unknown)

Whoever wrote that has a good perspective on what Scripture is really like. Anyone who thinks the Bible is boring hasn't read it very much.

I would challenge you this summer to compare how much time you spend reading the Bible, and how much you watch the T.V. I guarantee that we all have room for improvement, and you will probably be amazed at the change in your walk with Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Doubting Thomas



    Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27)

I remember a student who was in my youth group who was on fire for Christ (we'll call him Thomas). He never missed a meeting, and he actually listened and took notes during my lessons! He brought his friends to our outreach nights, and he soon became a major leader in the ministry. What I recall most were the lengthy theological discussions we would have at least once a month that covered everything from Calvinism to Cain's wife.

I also remember the day he started to drift. Oh yeah, a lot of students fall off the bandwagon when they get in the wrong crowd or they discover that God isn't some kind of sugar daddy...but those issues didn't apply to Thomas. For him it was much deeper, because he started to question his faith. He debated with himself and others in his church only to come up empty handed. Eventually he became so frustrated that he left the church and turned away from God to a wasted and useless life of sin.

Don't get me wrong; I believe nearly every Christian doubts his/her faith at one time or another. We question our place in life, our decision to follow Christ, and why certain things happen in the world. In fact, doubts can be very helpful if we deal with them the right way.

What is the right way?

Well, the real issue with Thomas was not doubt, but trust. God can handle our questions, but He does not take kindly to rebellion. When we think of God as being untrustworthy, then we tell Him that He doesn't know what He's doing. What's another word for that? Hmmm, I think the term blasphemy fits well...(see Job 41)

Anyway, if you are beginning to doubt some or even all you believe as a Christian, talk to your youth leader and look for answers in some of the great apologetics materials that are all over the place. You can e-mail us: (expert@dare2share.org), or check out sites like www.carm.org or www.christiananswers.net.

One other thing you might try is fighting with a SWORD. It's a cool little acronym that I came across on (where else?) the mighty internet.

Your SWORD contains these elements:

    * S - Spend time with God's people in fellowship- (you know, like church and youth group?
    * W - Worship God for who He is. (Remember, if you want to stay away from the wolves, stay close to the Shepherd)
    * O - Open up honestly to God in prayer. (Be honest about your doubts)
    * R - Read the Bible daily
    * D - Decide now to obey God. (To which I would add, decide now to trust God)

By taking your SWORD into battle and following what it stands for, you stand a better chance of standing strong when the mightiest armies of doubt come rushing your way.