Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  Love Does No Harm

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:10

In highschool, I had a friend who I trusted and I told her to pray for me in an area that I had a weakness in.  She told me she would pray for me.

I was crushed when I overheard her telling someone what I had confided to her.  She was telling it as if I were an evil person and because of this weakness she said  I wasn’t saved.  She seemed so proud to point out my fault to others and that was her excuse to reject me... I was bad.

I felt betrayed and embarrassed.  I cried out to God.  He and  my “true” friends and family comforted me and built me up and encouraged me.  I learned that we will never be perfect on this side of heaven and God is not going to reject us because  we have weaknesses.  His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.  And we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. We can not earn salvation.

I later found out that she was jealous of me because I was so kind and I “seemed” to have it all and she was just waiting for the opportunity to make me look bad, especially in front of  my boyfriend who she secretly liked.  I wasn’t the first person she had done this to.

Romans 13:8-10 says, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet and if there is another commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor: therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

I challenge you to stop focusing on other’s or your imperfections but instead focus on how you can be kind, loving and encouraging to others and yourself.  For this is what pleases God.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Choking or Growing?

God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seeds in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles(weeds) all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles(weeds) showed up, too. Matthew 13:24-25 (Msg)

When I was at a friend's house the other day, I noticed she had an overabundance of weeds in her garden. The plants that were supposed to be growing there were tall ornamental grasses and the green stuff that was taking over looked amazingly similar, like a copycat. To the untrained gardener, nothing would have appeared out of place. But to a Master gardener (one who KNOWS plants), there was a big problem. You see, the weeds will multiply and grow at an alarming rate, choking out the plants originally intended to grow there. Then you are left with nothing but a huge weed patch where only good intentions started.

I have found this to be true in our lives as well. I've got weeds in my heart. I never intended for them to take root and grow there but I haven't focused on pulling up the weeds I knew were there either. It has just been easier to ignore them and hope they would eventually die off or go away. Now it seems like it'll take a forklift to dig up some of the tough stuff entangled among the good in my heart. But unlike me, our Master Gardener knows how to handle the weeds growing inside of us.

With some soaking and a gentle tug here and there, He can pull out from our hearts what does not produce worthwhile stuff and give room for all the good things in us to grow, as He intended. And He will speak gently to you, helping you to let go of what is unnecessary and grab hold of good soil and a better foundation. Sometimes we hang onto the weeds in us because we are too afraid to release them. Sometimes we don't even know that we are holding a weed instead of a flower. Dandelions are pretty but they are weeds, after all. Don't be fooled by the copycats!

Are the "weeds" in your life choking out the good that God placed in you from the beginning of time? Can you even tell what is a weed? Is there something you need to let go of that is keeping you from growing? Ask the Master. He knows what gems He placed in there and how to get them to bloom in a breathtaking display of color! Sometimes pulling the weeds can hurt but the results are so worth it! How about it? Are you growing or are you choking?

[Soldier4Christ]

  A Woman From India

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”     Isaiah 7:9

In our neighborhood, there is an Indian woman (like from India) that I see walking all the time.  As I’m writing this she just passed by the window.  Given her current rate of walking and her normal round-the-block frequency, I would estimate to see her again sometime around September.  As my uncle would say, “She could lose a foot race to a 1-legged centipede.”  I know he’s kind of weird.  Anyway, back to my story.

I first noticed this woman about 3 months ago as she went for her evening walk.  I was mowing the yard and had just started when she went by.  About 45 minutes later, there she was again.   And we don’t have that big of a block.  But what she gives up in speed she definitely makes up for in consistency.  Every night, several times around the block.  Good thing it’s summer or she would need a flashlight around lap two!

Our Christian walk is to be like that – slow and steady!  Not a burst of speed right out of the blocks and then falling behind.  This verse points to the consistency of standing firm.  Little by little, step by step, keep moving forward.  I’m not really wired for that.  I want big explosions of growth. Somehow, that doesn’t happen.  Wherever you may be, keep moving forward.  Stand firm and ease forward.  Wow, I must be a really slow typist, here comes the Indian woman again!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Waiting on the Lord

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:25

If you are anything like a lot of my friends and myself, we can't wait for certain events to take place in our lives.  Can you relate? Do you ever find yourself trying to help the Lord and speed everything up?  For example, when you meet someone special and you have a strong desire to be with them, do you try to manipulate circumstances to make it happen sooner than it might occur otherwise?

We are all born with an innate 'instinct' to want to be in control of everything and do it our own way.  This is called being 'a natural man'.  However, Christians have given up that way of life when we accepted Christ to be in charge of our lives.  We are now Spiritual beings and we ought to act in ways that expresses the new character that we have been given through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  In doing so, we reflect our spiritual maturity and glorify God through that example to others.

In the verse noted above, Paul extols us to not give up hope for what we do not have, rather he instructs us to wait patiently for it.  Why doe he say that?  If anyone of the Disciples should know about waiting patiently for God to act in his life, it would be Paul.  The prophet Jeremiah also provides excellent wisdom on this subject in chapter 29.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

As one who used to impatiently try to figure it out on my own and 'make things happen'  in my own strength trust me, and wait on the Lord to act.  As a friend once described to me, God has the 'helicopter view' from heaven.  So, when you think you can't wait for something, someone or getting someplace, pray instead for God to show you the plan.  He knows the exact place you need to be, the individuals you need to be with and the timing of putting all of those elements together.  In doing so, you will allow God to receive the glory for how he uses you and what he does in and with your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Its Not God's Fault

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. When tempted , no one should say, "God is tempting me," For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone, but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. James 1:12-14

Ever notice that we are more tempted by the things we struggle with than other things? I know some of you are sitting there thinking, "Whoa Captain Obvious.', but I'm serious, think about it. If someone doesn't have a problem with not being a homosexual, then he really wont be tempted by it. But if he desires to drink alcohol, he will be tempted by that almost every day. Makes sense. I've also noticed that when people are being convicted by something, they blame God for tempting them with things they want to do but know they shouldn't. The Bible says that God isn't the one who is tempting us. Its really our own evil desires. We see something we want to do but know we shouldn't ,and we put ourselves in a situation where it will be hard to turn from it. Its in that situation when God sees how strong your love for Him is.

The Bible says we are blessed when we stand through trials and temptations. God will reward us for standing for the things we believe in. We should never blame God for the temptations we have. He doesn't throw them at us to see what we will do, we put ourselves in situations where we will be tempted. God is always watching to see how strong our faith is. The next time your tempted to do something know that its the thing YOU desire, and ask God to help you get through it. Stand against your temptations. Yes, you are only human. But you've got the God of all on your side standing with you. Its your decision whether you give in, or turn away. The bigger the temptation the stronger your faith will be. I don't know about you, but i definitely want to wear that crown of life.

[Soldier4Christ]

  There is Rest in God

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will you rest. Matthew 11:28

Are you tired? Are you weary? What is causing you to lose sleep? What is weighing you down? There is rest in God. Whatever you are facing today, give it to God. You have been trying to solve your problems yourself instead of giving it to the problem solver. He is the burden bearer. He is the heavy load sharer. Stop worrying about the situation or circumstance. There is rest for you. There is rest for your soul. There is rest in the arms of Jesus. You have run to the arms of a lover and you have found no rest. You have run to the arms of a friend and still you found no rest. You sleep for 8 to 10 ten hours and still tired. No one can give you the rest that you need. Release the thing that is weighing you down. Release the thing that is troubling your mind. Give it to God. Release that person that is weighing you down. The lord want to carry you today. If he can carry the weigh of the world upon his shoulder, I know he can carry you. He want to take care of you. He want to be in control. Free your mind of worry and doubt. Free your mind of your past. Enter into the rest of the lord. You don't have to lose sleep anymore. God wants to give you rest.

Is school weighing you down? Is work tiring you out? Are you having problems at home? You may be wondering is God hearing your cry. You may be wondering is God hearing your prayers. You are tired physically. You are tired spiritually. You feel like giving up. You feel you have too much responsibility. You feel like your life is going no where. You feel like throwing in the towel. You can't take it anymore. You are lonely and you have no help. I have good news for you my brothers and my sisters that help is here. A songwriter sing the song "There is someone who cares, there is someone who there to love you, his arms are open wide waiting for you to run inside". God is calling you. He is calling you to his arms for rest. He is saying to you today, take your rest, take your rest my son, take your rest my daughter. I will refresh you. I will sustain you. I will rejuvenate you. I will restore your joy. I will restore your strength. My strength is made perfect in weakness. You have a personal invitation today to enter into the rest of the lord. Will you enter or reject the invitation. It is your choice.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Garbage In, Garbage Out

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:8-10

Ever been dumpster diving? I mean, jumping head first and swimming in the contents of a dirty dumpster, all in the hope of finding some juicy treasure? Slime, trash, greasy food pieces, smelly cans of dog food and many other unmentionables to be rolled around in! Ahhhhh, just think of it! Sounds delightful, doesn't it? Head to toe in stinky, gooey gunk!

What a yucky picture, but the reality is that many of us, if not most, are covering ourselves in filth daily! We subject ourselves to a multitude of "uncleanliness" everyday. I'm sure you are wondering how in the world you could possibly do this without even being aware of it.

OK, take this test:
If you have an ipod, MP3 player or CD player, what do you listen to on it? What are the lyrics talking about? Are the songs lifting you up or bringing you down? Do they talk about love or of hate? Do they fill you with a desire to make a positive influence in this world, or to tear it down and not care about anyone but yourself? Don't fool yourself here - take a good look at it. What kind of "garbage" are you letting in and making your spirit dirty? Don't you realize that what you put into yourself will eventually come out?

Now, what are you exposing your eyes to? What kinds of movies are you watching? What things do you see going on in your home, in your neighborhood or at your school? What kinds of things are you reading and taking inside of you through your eyes? Once certain images are inside your head, they can be extremely difficult to get out.

Hey listen, we make choices everyday. If you have found that you have fallen to"dumpster diving" into filth, then pray and ask God to help you out and clean you off. Then make the decision to clean house - get rid of the stuff that will make your spirit dirty, and grab a hold of what lifts you up and honors God. God Is faithful to keep you strong to the end! Turn to Him, lean on Him and He will give you what you need to climb out of the trash and stand before Him - a bar of soap will be optional!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Making Promises

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.  It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.  Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

Have you ever had someone promise something to you and then not follow through with it?  On the other hand, have you made promises to others that you have not kept?  There seems to be a trend today where a promise does not have the meaning that it's original purpose intended.  Sadly, this is becoming more the case in relationships, particularly in marriages.

I was rather shocked to hear the other week, that divorce is now more common within the Christian church than it is the secular community.  In another recent poll, only 46 percent of Americans trust the church.  Theologians are unsure of why this is happening.  Whatever the reason may be, it points out a significant problem that has developed within the church and is now giving the secularists reason to doubt Christianity's credibility.

When Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes 5:4, he knew how the Lord felt about those who did not keep their vows (or promises).  Maybe you did not realize this, but when a Christian makes a promise to someone, especially in marriage, it is literally being made to God at the same time.  That is why He considers one who does not keep a vow a fool.  As Solomon goes on in the verse, God has no pleasure, or delight in Christians who break their vows.

Solomon also makes the point in verse 5 that it is better not to make a vow than back out of it.  God takes our vows very seriously because it is the same as lying to Him when we don't honor them.  My challenge for you today is: think very seriously before making a promise to anyone.  Be mindful of how you would want others to follow through on their promises made to you.  Consider the consequences of breaking your promises, not only with God, but with the individuals(s) you have made promises to.  After you have done that, then decide whether or not to make that promise.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Intentions

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

I intended to stay away from sweets this summer, but my pastor took me to Cheesecake Factory.
I intended to follow my curfew, but no one else was ready to go home.
I intended to get up early in the morning to pray, but I had a really late night last night.

What do all of these statements have in common?  They are each an intention that didn’t come to pass.  Intentions are a great thing, because usually they are meant for good.  But, how often does something get in the way of our good intentions?  If we don’t act on our intentions, they are often worthless.

Thank God that He acts on His intentions, unlike us.  In Jeremiah 29:11, God says that he knows the plans He has for us, plans to give us a hope and a future.  We can rest assured that this intention of God’s to give us hope and a future doesn’t stop at being an intention, it will come to pass.

Today, follow through on your good intentions.  Not only will you feel better about the things that you do, but you will also become closer to God because you are acting more like Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Relax...God is in Control

Be still and Know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

Just the other day, I was having a really bad day.  Everything was going wrong and it seemed that the harder I tried, the worse I felt.  I was in a hurry to get home from work, I just wanted to get in my bed and pull the covers over my head.  I was even more frustrated because the traffic was heavy and slow moving. I asked God to help me.   Then I saw a bumper sticker on a van ahead of me.  It was a picture of a  fish in a bowl with a cat’s paw dipped into it. I felt like that fish. Then in bold letters the sticker read,  “Relax...God is in Control”. 

As soon as I read it, I remembered the scripture, “Be still and know that I am God”. 

I knew this was from God.  I relaxed because I knew He was with me, and I was even glad for the slow traffic because I had just had an encounter with God himself.  Yes, he was even in control of the traffic, which was a good thing, otherwise, in my hurry to get home, I would have never seen that bumper sticker or remembered that scripture.

I must have heard that scripture before but I couldn’t remember where it was in the bible so when I finally got home, I did a Google search on my computer and typed in “Be still and know that I am God”.  Many results came up with that scripture and where is was in the bible.... Psalm 46:10.

I got out my Bible and looked it up and read all of Psalm 46.  How comforting!  God said he is our refuge and strength.  A very present help in trouble.  He is with us.

My day that was bad had  turned into a good day, because I experienced God comforting me.  I didn’t go to bed and pull the covers over my head, I gained confidence because I believed God is in control.

When you are troubled or having a bad day, slow down, get still and spend some time with God.  He is your God,  He is with you. He is bigger than any problem you have.  And He can turn it all around.  He created you, this world and everything in it.  He really is in control.

[Soldier4Christ]

  And The Greatest of These...

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Could there be a more comforting and mouth-watering smell than that of bread fresh from the oven? Holy cow, that's a wonderful smell! I have heard people say that God's presence has a aroma. If you've seen the movie, "Michael", you know that he (the archangel) smelled like chocolate chip cookies. Again, that is another comforting smell and apparently one that attracted women. (Is there something about women and chocolate?) I suppose if I were to choose a scent that would represent God's presence, I would pick that of fresh bread.

It takes a few ingredients to make a good loaf of bread or some chocolate chip cookies. What would either of them be like without flour? They'd probably resemble mush, at best. Flour is the main substance in both and crucial to each recipe. Then, of course, you need yeast to make bread rise (or you'd have a tortilla!) and you need sugar to make the cookies sweet. And what chocolate chip cookie is complete without the chips themselves?!

We, too, need some ingredients in our lives to make us appealing. We need sleep or we'd be worthless and grumpy after a couple of days. We need food and water or we could die. We need shelter from the weather and a place to call home. But we need love above and beyond all of these things. Love would be the essential ingredient in our lives that makes us whole, satisfying and delicious. Without love, we become like flat bread and sugarless cookies.

In your quest for love and acceptance, take note of what kind of love you are giving. Is is sweet or does it have a "bite" to it, like molasses? Is your love unconditional or does it require things of people? Remember that there are many ingredients that go into a relationship but just like faith, hope and love - love is the greatest. Love each other and be amazed at what comes back to you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Ticket or Treasure?

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life? You know the commandments: "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother. "Teacher, he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack, go sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Follow me. At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. Mark 10:17-23

I was at a Bible study last night, and the speaker spoke on this story. He taught us about knowing the difference between making Jesus our treasure , not just our ticket into heaven. To make Jesus our everything, to make Him our treasure, we need to surrender EVERYTHING we have to Him. The rich man in the story wanted Jesus to be his ticket into heaven. He came to Jesus and asked for all the wrong reasons. When Jesus said to give up everything and follow Him, the rich man just walked away. He didn’t want to surrender everything he had. He treasured his possessions so much that he couldn’t part with them. He wasn’t willing to let Jesus be his treasure.

The Bible tells us to love the Lord with everything we have. To make him our treasure, our everything, our all in all. But in order to do that we need to be willing to give up everything. Our hopes our dreams, our possessions, our loved ones. We need to give it all to him, and let him be our one and only treasure. Because worldly things pass away. Possessions, money anything we own will one day pass away. People we care about will let us down, but the Lord is sufficient for us. He will meet our every want and every need. Is Jesus your treasure? Or is Jesus just your ticket? Think about it.

[Soldier4Christ]

  By Grace Alone

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8

There are many Christians who are under the mistaken impression that we have to do all sorts of "good deeds" or "works" in order to achieve Salvation and be in Heaven with Jesus on the Last Day.  This is often referred to as a "works mentality" or earning your salvation by doing all sorts of good things for others.  This type of thinking is theologically incorrect.  Salvation equals grace plus nothing. 

Martin Luther dispelled this notion of working our way into heaven back in the 1500's when he wrote his treatise and nailed it to the door of the church at Wittenburg.  There are also some individuals out there who spread the idea that we can lose our salvation.  This is also faulty theology.  At the time you give your heart and life to the Lord, your salvation is secure.  Paul explains this in the the book of Romans "neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:39

As Luther discovered in the Book of Ephesians, it is grace alone that secures our salvation.  There is not anything we have to do, aside from putting our faith in Christ to be saved.  Good deeds or 'works' are instead a result of our salvation.  As John tells us "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."  Paul also touches on this subject in his letter to the Colossians, "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God"

Good deeds, 'works' and good fruit are then, the evidence that our salvation is real, not the means by which we receive it.  It is our faith in Christ that opens the door to this gift from God.  James explained this very clearly, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."  James 2:26  Today, I entreat you to be secure in your salvation and don't waste your time questioning it.  Don't allow others to confuse you.  There are so many more important things to be done for the Kingdom.  Once saved you are eternally secure in your salvation.  So, go out into the world and show others by what you do, that your salvation is indeed genuine.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Move From Where You Are

A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. Proverbs 18:16

What is your gift? What are you good at? What is the thing that people say you�re good at? Before the foundation of the world, God placed the gift inside of you. You are to use that gift to benefit the kingdom of God.

Do you know you can change someone�s life with your gift? God has given each and everyone of us a gift or gifts and we have to move from where we are. Some of us know we have a gift but we sit idly. We do nothing with it. Some of us are afraid to move. Some of us are afraid to go places because we will be uncomfortable.
God says to you today, �Don�t worry or be afraid. I am with you all the way�. God is saying to �take the limit off of me. You have tied up my hands with your unbelief. You have tied up my hands with your doubt�.

Some of us don't want to sacrifice or pay the price. We want everything given to us without having to work for it. The Bible says, �faith without works is dead�. Move from where you are. God wants to pour out a blessing that you don't have enough room to receive. He wants to make your name great just like Abraham�s. Move from your comfortable place.

The Lord showed me something while reading this verse and meditating on it. The very fact that your gift will make room for you means that God favors you. When you do what He has placed inside of you to do, He will open doors for you. You will go places and get positions that you aren't even qualified for because you are favored by God. Some of us are worried about money. Some of us don't know where to start. I say to you today to trust God. He didn't give you the gift for you to just work it out by yourself. Give your gift back to God. Allow Him to lead you and guide you in the direction He wants you to go.

I want to share my testimony with you. I recognize the gift God has given me. It is writing. I have been hearing from people, family, and friends that I am a good writer. I write poetry as well. I hear people say �you should write a book�. I say yeah, yeah, I should. But I never gave it a second thought. I would say, �God use me, use me as a writer, use my gift�. I was working part time at my Job and going to School at the time. My Best Friend and Spiritual Mother spoke something to my heart that shook me up. I believe that it is important to have people around you who truly know you and your heart. She knows my heart and she said to me, �you have gotten so comfortable. You want God to use you but you won't move from where you are. You just settle for a job but you�re not working towards your goal and going higher with your gift. That caused me to move from where I was. Right now, I have an internship at local newspaper in Queens, NY and I have another volunteer position as a writer for an online Christian magazine, not including a volunteer writer for this ministry.

God knows our hearts and He will make room for us once we move from where we are and trust Him. We also have to imagine and think the impossible. Think big. Dream big. You�ve got to see yourself going higher. Move from where you are. Do what God wants you to do. Go where He wants you to go. Move from your comfortable place. When you move watch the doors open for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Universe and You

Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you. Jeremiah 1:5

I do this funky thing sometimes. I guess it's because I am very visual and like to see things in pictures. I will think about how incredibly small I am in the wide scheme of things. Looking up at the stars, it's easy to see yourself as small or maybe insignificant. Just think about taking a walk around the Grand Canyon or in a magnificent city like New York, feeling the magnitude of things and sense how tiny you are. Yet, you aren't small or insignificant at all! Follow me for a moment on the journey.

I will then zoom from the stars way deep down into myself, right into my body, my arteries, veins, heart, muscle tissue and brain and I stand in absolute awe on how I am put together! How can all these teeny-tiny parts work together so efficiently and I take them for granted every day? How am I so fearfully and wonderfully made - each part with its own purpose, functioning together as one body...mine! That's significance! What is a further amazement is that God knew me and all my parts even before I was born - before I was actually conceived in my mother's womb! And He loved me and continues to love me! That not only is amazing but it is highly significant and flabbergasting!

How can I ever think I don't matter? How can you? God gave you life. He gives you breath every day and He is for you, not against you! He wants the BEST for you, in everything, regardless of your love and devotion (or lack thereof) towards Him. You don't have to earn it - it's yours already!

Don't let the enemy fool you into thinking you are somehow an accident. God has a plan for you and He will bring it to pass, if you only yield to Him and take your eyes off yourself. I have to remember at times that this life I'm living is not all about me. Is yours all about you? Enjoy star gazing for a time but don't live there. God needs you here on Earth doing what He intended for you from the beginning of time.