Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  Rob & Cindy Mini-Series Part 9

By: Janet Adams


"Marriage?"

Rob feels that he truly loves Cindy, not just as a girlfriend but also as a Christian soul mate. His relationship with Cindy and dependency upon God has grown rapidly since she became pregnant. Now, Rob has to face what they are going to do. Rob wants to marry Cindy but he knows he is very young. He wants Cindy to keep the baby and for them to be a family. He is working so hard after school and putting every cent away. He was using his money to fix up the truck he bought last summer. He only makes minimum wage and can only get in 20 hours a week or so. That doesn't mean a lot of money. He has his college fund that his parents set up for him when he was born. He has a good bit of money in there. Every birthday and Christmas whenever he got cash for gifts he would put half of it in his account. He knows that he will have to use this money for Cindy and the baby and not worry about college for right now. He has decided that he will go to his parents and talk to them seriously about marring Cindy. But first he decides to go to his friend and youth pastor, Brad to discuss the marriage.

Marriage is the most serious long-term commitment a couple can make in their lifetime, but many enter into it with a lack of maturity and knowledge. The growing number of divorces shows how imperative it is that young people be adequately prepared for marriage. A good marriage is based on the dependence the couple has on God. The Cinderella syndrome where everything turns out to be happily ever after is not reality. Many have unrealistically high expectations of marriage and spend years suffering and adjusting, if they can stay together at all. Marriage is not intended to be a "fix all". Getting married to correct a problem is not the answer.

When getting married or thinking of marriage, be sure it is "in the Lord". Search for God's blessings and control over your own life and that of your partner asking for guidance in prayer.

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established: through knowledge its rooms are filled with great and beautiful treasures." (Prov 24:3 and 4)

After much praying and counseling, Rob and Cindy decide to get married. The ring wasn’t much, but it was enough to show the world the commitment they made to each other, not just through the pregnancy, but also through a life long commitment. The road ahead would be tough, but they will do it together, with their faith and trust in God leading the way.

The End…

[Soldier4Christ]

  Rob & Cindy Encore

By: Tony B. Rhoda


It was 3:30 in the morning. The lights were completely off in the house and everyone was sound asleep. Rob was curled up in his blanket and holding tight to his body pillow. If only he were married and Cindy would be beside him instead of feathers hidden behind a sewn cloth. Rob was dreaming of her when on the fourth ring, the phone finally awoke him. "Hello?" Rob managed to say in a half groggy voice longing to be back in his dream of Cindy.

"Say what?" Rob yelled. Before the phone could drop to the floor from Rob's hands, he was out of bed dashing for the door. The side railing of the stairs dug into his hip as he turned the corner sharply. He slammed against the wall waking his parents in the next room. Still in a daze he lunges for the keys with his left hand and the doorknob with his right. His father yells down to him from the top of the stairs in his robe,” What is going on down there?"

"Cindy's having the b...." the door was slammed shut and Rob running at mach speeds for his car before he could get out the last word. Tires squeal and the Indy 500 came to the small town that they both lived in, if only for the five-minute drive to the hospital.

He turns into the first open spot he sees; now is not the time to spend a half hour trying to find the closest spot to the door. He opens the truck door and starts sprinting for the hospital. It took about twenty steps for Rob to realize he left the vehicle running with the lights on. A quick turn around and a flip of the wrist fixed that problem. The door slammed behind him again and he took a quick pause to make sure he was all there. It was then he noticed he was still in his Spider Man pajamas that Cindy bought him as a joke two weeks ago.

"Oh well," Rob thought as he started for the hospital door again. There were other things on his mind right now, mainly the thought of him being a father. As he jogged through the front door, he got the answers that he needed and instead of waiting for the elevator he started up the three flights of stairs to the delivery room. Once inside, there lay his wife to be and her parents. Cindy looked out of it when her eyes perked up as Rob walked through the door. "This is it Rob, we are about to be parents," her voice barely above a whisper. It looked like she had a fairly rough night already. Rob didn't even want to try to comprehend what she might be going through. He wanted to just focus on being there for support and doing anything he could to help her. A small laugh escaped her lips when she saw the spider man outfit.

"I'm glad to see you came dressed up for the occasion," Cindy said. Just then her eyes shut and hands gripped the side of the bed. A painful grunt left her mouth and a doctor and nurse came in. Everything started happening so fast. It was time to deliver the baby. Rob was ushered to her side and Cindy's hand released the death grip of the side railing and her nails found the soft and tender skin of Rob's forearm. Rob winced in pain but never let the smile leave his face and the encouraging words stop flowing off his tongue. They had been through so much together and this was not going to be any different. They were a team. Rob started praying. Not just praying to himself but praying out loud, over the machines, over the doctors orders, over Cindy's pushing breaths. Moments later when he said "Amen," the doctor stood up holding a baby in his hands. It was a beautiful baby boy. The baby was laid in Cindy's arm and tears began to stream down both Rob and Cindy's face. Rob glanced up to see his parents standing at the door, holding a change of clothes.

"You really want your son to see you standing in Spider Man pajamas when he gets his first look at you?" Rob's dad joked.

"I think it will be fine, Grandpa," he said back with a sly twist of his voice and a wink of his eye.

Later that year Rob & Cindy were married and began the long road to adulthood and parenting. Sure it will be rough, and often Rob and Cindy wished they could have waited and found another way. But, this was the decision they made, the choice they have to accept and the consequences that followed their actions. Now they have a son to raise and a family to care for. Rob would give anything and everything to make sure the boy was safe and well. Never could he fathom the type of love and emotion that would follow a child. It only made his thoughts of Jesus all the stronger.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten son, that who should ever believe in Him, should not parish, but have ever lasting life." (John 3:16)

The End.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Held By God

By: Beth Hays


”Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.” (Psalm 27:10) NLT
   
There are two parts to this verse I want you to press into. We’re going take them one by one…and I promise there’s a treasure in each clause…if you look!

“The Lord will hold me close.” Grammatically speaking, it’s the independent clause. In Beth’s language, it’s the point of the sentence. The Lord will hold me close. Let that sink in for a minute. The Lord, the One who spun this world into existence, and the one who had tummy aches like the rest of us, wants to hold you. Hold you. Do you see the tenderness? He doesn’t just want to hug you…he wants to wrap his arms around you in your weakest moment and shelter you, swaddled in his love.

Wow! That’s enough to blow my mind completely! But, he doesn’t stop there. “Even if my father and mother abandon me…” Parents are simply supposed to love their children. It’s supposed to be a requirement when you have a child. Although it breaks my heart, I know that isn’t true in our world. It is so hard to imagine a mother abandoning her precious child. It would be the worst betrayal imaginable. Yet, we’re promised that God will still hold us, even if our parents won’t. Even if everyone else leaves, my friend, even if you are betrayed by all you’ve ever known, even if you have been violated and crushed by everyone you’ve ever trusted, God still wants to hold you.

Can you believe it? Does it blow you away? No matter what happens, no matter what anyone says, no matter who hurts or leaves you, God, our all-knowing, all-powerful God, wants to tenderly hold you. It’s true, my friend, really true. He’s waiting with open arms. There is nothing you can do to make Him stop wanting to hold you. So, will you let him? Run into His open arms…He’s waiting just for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Robbing God

By: Jeff Lappano

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.” (Malachi 3:

Here is a scenario for you. You go into the store and as your walking around, you pick up something and put it in your pocket, basket, or purse, of course with the intent of paying for it, but somehow you got though the checkout line without paying for it. Is that theft? Well of course it is because you didn’t pay for the item!

Do you realize God asks of you some of your income? It’s called a tithe. A tithe is simply a tenth. It could be a tenth of anything. If you read through the Old Testament, you would see that the people even bring their livestock, and it would be acceptable to God. Proverbs 3:9 takes it a step farther and says, “first fruits,” which is the first tenth. This is to say before any other bills are paid, God gets the first tenth. If you do not give this to God, yes, my friend, you are robbing God. I am not saying this as a word of condemnation, but a word of encouragement, because I understand that there are churches out there that may not teach this biblical principle.

What is the point of giving God your money? First of all, so His house, the church you worship the Lord in has it’s needs met in the financial department and of course they can continue to be a blessing to the community. Secondly, your needs will be met. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians, “Give, and it shall be given to you.” I love tithing because I know that every one of my needs will be met. The word of the Lord concerning tithing is, “test me!” I have tested God on this matter and every time my needs have been met. Those who don’t tithe, who rob God, the bible records, they are cursed with a curse. I don’t want to be cursed, and I don’t want any of you to be cursed.

In just a couple days the opportunity will present itself once again to tithe. What are you going to do? “To give? Or not to give?” is the question. For every dollar you make, all God is asking for is ten cents. When you think about it, that isn’t a lot of money especially when God says that He will give back to you multiple times over!

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Big Picture

By: Ariel Gant


”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! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, and love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 (MSG)

As you sit here reading this devotional, you may be so overwhelmed with something that you've considered giving up. You may be to the point that you think it's the only way out.

Have you ever thought back to a time in your life where you know you would have made a different decision had you been able to see the big picture, or known a little more about the situation? I know I have.

This verse above reminds us that we can only see what's here and now -- we can't see that the friend who hurt us is terribly sorry and longs to reconcile with you; the loved one who's sickness seems to be consuming every aspect of your life is one step away from healing; or the problems you're facing will get better and aren't worth ending your life over.

God is the only one who can see the "big picture." As He sits in Heaven, He knows the past that haunts you, the turmoil you now face, and the freedom that awaits you. And though He allows you free will to make your own choices, He's asking for you to open your eyes and realize that there is something far bigger. He's asking you to simply trust in Him, and allow Him to pull you through. He can't wait for the beauty He's producing in you to bloom, and for His glory to radiate from your life. He wants you ... to hold on ... hoping, loving, and trusting in Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Wanna Be A Superhero?

By: Amber Owen


“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and your command will be obeyed.  All that’s required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me!  You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.”(Mark 11:22-24) NLT

Are you a Spiderman fan?  I am, and, naturally, I went to see the Spiderman 2 sequel the other day.  I remember growing up watching the Spiderman cartoon when it came on Saturday mornings.  He was so cool! Now, Spiderman, may not be able to fly around the world like Superman, and probably couldn’t use is web to get him very far in the middle of the desert, but if I could be any superhero, I would be Spiderman.  It would be awesome to swing from building to building, rescuing people, and fulfilling my mission of fighting evil. 

While I was sitting in the theater watching my comic book favorite on the big screen, I noticed the theme of the movie.  I won’t spoil it for those of you that haven’t seen it, but Spiderman/Peter Parker, was struggling with living the life of a superhero.  Not only did he suffer for what he was working for, but he doubted his mission and who he was supposed to be.  As soon as he started to doubt, he lost his powers and found himself a small web short of a skyscraper a few times.  I believe this is what happens with us sometimes.  We doubt our walk with God, and stumble. We get caught up in doubt and worries about the impossibilities that we don’t remember that we can do anything with God working through us! 

Looking at the verse in Mark 11, Jesus is saying that we are to believe in the power of God, and what He can do through us.  He tells us that if we believe and have faith, we could move mountains!  I don’t know about you, but that’s some trick!  God has a plan for us.  There are a lot of challenges that we will be faced with as Christians.  We could be expected to do things we don’t want to do, like praying for our enemies or even the sacrificing our time to those we don’t think will even care.  We could be expected to do what seems to be the impossible, like moving a mountain, or healing the sick through lying of hands.  But because God is great, He has made these things happen.  He has the awesome power to overcome anything!  God is the ultimate superhero here, and we are all his little side kicks, but we have to believe in Him and have Faith that we can do anything! Once Spiderman regained his faith in his fate of being a superhero, he was able to fight stronger and better than ever before. 

Do you want to be a superhero?  Do you think you could move a mountain?  Would you say that you could?  Jesus said, “You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.” I encourage you to pray today for what it is you need, and then believe that you will get it.  Have faith in God and He will do wonderful things through you.  God Bless!   

[Soldier4Christ]

  Be Prepared!

By: Jeff Lappano


"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching, she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So, I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children
dead. Then all the churches will know that I am He who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now, I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): only hold on to what you have until I come.
(Revelation 2:18-25, KJV)

I would like to begin by looking at a general flow that verse 19 dictates to us. Notice, with me that their love produced service and their faith produced perseverance, they were doing more than they did at first, theirs was not a dead faith, but it was a growing faith. This verse can be cross—referenced with 1 Thessalonians 1:3 which says, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Just because they had these great things in their favor does not mean they had it all together. The church allowed the spirit of Jezebel to run rapid among the congregation. They had not guarded the truth entrusted to them; the church leaders had not guarded their flock, as they should have. This false prophetess encouraged those who would listen to worship idols, eat
food offered to idols, and commit sexual sin. Of course, all of these things are against the will of God. This woman had a time to repent but did not do so, and of course there were consequences for her actions, and all those who follow her.

How does a prophetess in the Old Testament apply to us living in the year 2004? Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24, that in the Last Days’ false prophets would arise to deceive the church. Scripture also says that false teachers would arise in the Last Days. This day has come. False teachers and prophets are arising and trying to deceive those who love the Lord. I
encourage you not to listen to the doctrine of false teachers, as it will only lead you into sinning.

How can we not be lead astray by the doctrine of false teachers? 2 Timothy 2:15, in the KJV says, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We need to have a handle on the Word of God so we know what doctrine is the truth, and what isn’t. My question to you, when false teaching is presented to you will you know the truth of the Word in a way that you will be able to resist the inaccurate teaching and hold fast to the Word of Truth? Will you be prepared?   

[Soldier4Christ]

  Got Hope?

By: Ariel Gant


”But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Do you know anyone who is so optimistic and enthusiastic about everything
that it nearly makes you sick? They simply have this seemingly unwarranted
peace that everything will always be okay.

That's something that non-believers especially can't understand. Even a lot
of believers may seem a little pessimistic. One big difference between
believers and non-believers is believers have hope. You may not always get
what you want. You may not always have everything happen just the way you'd
like; but, as Paul reminds us, we can always have that assurance that
everything will work out for the best because in Christ, you have hope.

”May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace as you trust in Him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans
15:13)

[Soldier4Christ]

  Sleeping in Safety

By: Beth Hays


”The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” (Psalm 121:5) NLT

I was created to be a mommy. There are few things I can tell you with absolute certainty about who I am. That is one of them. I have had the opportunity to put this into practice countless times. I have practically raised a precious little boy named Eli. He’s three and a half, and yesterday I had the wonderful privilege of taking him for a couple days and caring for him. He’s my baby boy. 

When it was time for him to go to bed, he started to worry. He was away from home and didn’t want to go to sleep (at three and half sleep must be the worst punishment in the world, which means you miss eight hours of action!). He was starting to get fussy and irritable and my dad was getting frustrated with him. So, I took him into the room in which he would be sleeping, sat down beside him, rubbed his back, and sung to him. Within ten minutes, he was fast asleep.

How did he fall asleep so fast? He felt safe. He knew that I would be there and wouldn’t let anyone harm him. Sometimes, I miss that—falling to sleep knowing someone was sitting by my bed to protect me. Then, today, I stumbled across this verse, literally stumbled. I was walking in my room and my Bible was on the floor. I tripped over it and it opened to a page with this verse inscribed in a picture. My heart smiled when I read it.

Do you realize we have a God who will do for us exactly what I did for my Eli? He will watch over us. A few verses earlier in this Psalm, it says that our God never sleeps. Even while we are asleep, our God watches over us. He will be our protective shade! Wow! What a picture. He will be the shield between us and the things we are afraid of. He will keep us safe.

So, as you lie down tonight, it is my prayer that you will be able to feel the presence of God sitting beside you on your bed, watching over you, as you drift off to sleep knowing you are eternally safe in His hands.

[Soldier4Christ]

  He Lifts Up Your Head

By: Beth Hays


“But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high.” (Psalm 3:3) NLT

I was sitting in a cabin at camp with a friend as she stared down at the ground telling me of a world full of hurt in her heart. The tears dripped slowly, bearing the weight of the burdens that tore at her soul. And no matter my responses, her eyes never left the ground. I hadn’t seen her eyes the whole conversation. This bothered me, because the thought of her feeling so much hurt and shame she couldn’t look at me broke my heart into pieces.

So, I sat down on the floor (she was on a bed) and cheated. I sat in her eyesight. I caught her eyes for a moment and then she quickly looked away, as though I would condemn her. I gently lifted her chin, looked into her eyes, and told her I still loved her. Her head didn’t fall back down the entire conversation. From that moment on, she was free to look at me, as if she knew that no matter what she told me, I would still think the world of her.

I don’t know about you, but there have been countless times I have gone to God and looked at the ground instead of into His eyes. I am ashamed of what I have done, or worse, who I am. I am ashamed of the things people have done to me, or the events I have seen. And so I look away. But, it never fails, my friends. His reaction is always the same. I can gently feel Him lifting up my head so that my eyes look into His, and He gently looks deep into my eyes and reminds me that He still loves me.

You see, precious one, He is the one who lifts up your head. When your hurts has weighed it further down than you can bear, when your shame has driven it away from locking eyes with the Savior, He gently picks up your head, and I know He reminds you of how much He loves you. Every page of the Bible has whispers of it, you know, whispers of how much He loves you. He desperately wants you to know. The God of the Universe will get on the floor and kindly glance into your eyes, just to prove that even amidst your pain and shame, He loves you that much.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Just Say No

By: Dominic Mayweather


“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it,” (1 Cor. 10:13 NKJV).

If I gave you a million dollars, would you accept it? What if I told you that I would hire a maid to clean up your messy room? Would you accept it? How about it I told you that you can go down to any car dealership and pick out the car of your choice and I would pay for it? Would you accept it? Most, if not all of you would answer, “Yes!” to these questions. I realize that many of us do not have a problem saying “yes,” but sometimes we do have a problem saying “No.”

In the verse above, Paul is providing the Corinthians with some words of comfort, which serve as words of comfort for us today. Have you been tempted lately? Maybe you have found yourself in a situation where you have been tempted to lie, cheat, or steal. No matter what temptation you have experienced, there have been others that have experienced the same temptation.

Maybe, you have been tempted to participate in sex before marriage, or date an unbeliever. Maybe, you have been tempted to watch pornography on television or the Internet. Maybe, you have been tempted to smoke, drink, or do other drugs with your friends and acquaintances. Maybe, you have been tempted to cheat on tests in school or lie on a job application. Maybe, you have been tempted to steal or murder.

Just remember that God is faithful! The moment that you are tempted, God provides a way out. He will not let you experience anything that He has not prepared you to experience. We all have the yes covered, now let's work on the no.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The World's Hatred

By: Amber Owen


“When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you.  The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t.  I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you.  Do you remember what I told you? ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’  Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you.  And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me.” (John 15:18-21)

Have you ever taken a religion class?  Maybe you’ve watched the History Channel when they ran a special feature about the history of martyrs. A martyr is a person who makes great sacrifices or suffers much in order to further a belief, cause, or principle. Did you know that all the disciples of Jesus died a martyr’s death?  I know Peter was hung upside down on a cross by his ankles, and was left to die.  Jesus died a martyr’s death. Maybe you’ve heard of Joan of Arc?  She died by burning at the stake, because she would not denounce her God. 

What courage!  What faith these people must have had! If you look throughout history, Christians have always been persecuted by the people of the world.  Look back in the Roman times, before Emperor Constantine and his issue of the Edit of Milan, which stopped the persecution of Christians in the coliseum.  The Roman people, who were of this world, found sport and entertainment in watching the Christians be eaten by lions—they paid money for this stuff!  Why does it look like Christians never get a break?

In the verse, Jesus says, “The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me.”  Did Jesus mean that because we believe we must suffer, and be persecuted?  No, but he is warning us of the struggles we will face.  We are fighting a war with the world, because, as Jesus is saying, “…they don’t know God who sent me.” God is all powerful, all loving, all knowing, who wouldn’t want an Entity like that on their side?

Could you be a martyr if it were God’s will? Are you feeling like everyone who does not believe has life so much better than you?  Look around and tell me what could be better than having God as your Father? Examine your life, and tell me where He has abandoned and forsaken you?  You won’t find anything.  He never will abandon or forsake those that believe.  God loves you and He’s the ultimate warrior, who is looking out for your best interests. If you feel like you are being persecuted by the ways of the world in your walk with God, keep the faith, and trust that He is the ALMIGHTY!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Hurricane Faith

By: Tony B. Rhoda


"Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds from blowing upon the earth. Not a leaf rustled in the trees, and the sea became as smooth as glass.  And I saw another angel coming fromt he east, carrying thee seal of the living God.  And he shouted out to those four angels who had been given power to injure land and sea, 'Wait! Don't hurt the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on teh foreheads of hi servants." (Revelation 7:1-3)

I have to admit, I was getting excited. The commotion was stirring and the radio was on. The Channel 6 News had been interrupting the regular scheduled programs with emergency updates. All I could think of was what store could I get to before the inevitable happened and everyone decided to board up for Hurricane Charley. There wasn't much time left and plus if I waited too long, it could be sold out--if there was ever a time in the history of Florida to make my move, now was the time. I had to get to the grocery store....I had to buy a kite.

Sure, you might think that there are more important things during this time than a kite, however when was the last time you could see a kite fly from 0 to 300 feet in 2.7 seconds? My thoughts exactly. Life is all about priorities.

Unfortunately, all the stores were closed and my cell phone kept ringing with friends, family and my fiancé giving me the latest. A tornado touched down here, a storm front there, lighting striking around the corner, and a cat stuck in a tree. The tornado being reported five miles away didn't bother me as much as the cat in the tree, poor thing had to be getting soaked and we all know how much cats love water.

I still have a few hours till the hurricane hits, and with the change of direction reported, it looks like I might have a target on my house. Luckily, with modern technology I have time to prepare and I have time to make sure I am ready for this force of nature.

However, there will be a point in the not so distant future that we will be taken by surprise. There will be no warning, and no Super Duper Doppler in the world will be able to detect it. With a force so strong, the tombs will be pushed aside, and in a blink of an eye, we will be on our way to Heaven. For Christians, this is something we look forward to even more so than an Extreme-kite flight. For those who are not prepared, it will be the worse experience to date. I encourage you today to pray for those who are not saved and do your part to warn them of the upcoming storm--not one that progresses through the alphabet, but one that will have eternal consequences. God Bless and Keep The Faith!

[Soldier4Christ]

  My Story Of Faith

By: Beth Hays


“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) KJV
   
By my calculations, this is my 100th devotional. So, I thought I would set it apart and use it to answer a question many of you ask me. I thought I’d use it to share my journey of faith, in hopes that through it, you can see that God can take even the ugliest creation and transform it into something beautiful.

I relate my journey to that of a butterfly. That means I started as an ugly caterpillar. I was a terror of a child. I don’t say that lightly. I have never met a child as cruel and heartless as I was. I spent my days trying to make everyone else’s life miserable. And my entire goal in life was to hurt everyone I met, because I had been hurt and that was only fair. My mom has been terminally ill since I was two and my dad worked an awful lot, so, he wasn’t really around. I became the caretaker of the family, and the scapegoat for every problem.

By the time I was in fifth grade, I had built my cocoon. I decided that I would trust no one, they weren’t safe, and that I would never let anyone see the hurt inside. I tried things like stealing and cutting to mask my hurt, but nothing ever reached deep enough anyway. I wouldn’t let it. I hid emotionally.

And then life got even worse. I started to struggle like I never had before. My mom was in the hospital and supposedly dying. Even if she lived, she would be wheelchair bound for life. I lived alone with my father, and we had a horrible relationship. My best friend committed suicide and in his goodbye letter he blamed me for it. Talk about never-ending guilt! A few other things happened and I wanted to die, literally. I had a plan set in place for my own death. It was interrupted by an unwelcome reminder that I had to go to camp.

Seeing a perfect opportunity, I took my razor blades with me and planned to end it there. But, all the struggling had happened for a reason and through the love or some amazing people showing me the love of God, He broke through my cocoon. I realized that God loved me and was big enough to handle my pain. Even greater, I realized He gave me a reason to live.

Butterflies can’t fly the moment they come out of their cocoon. All of the blood in their body has to be flushed to their wings before they can fly. This is done by perpetual stretching. The years after I found Christ, were marred with trial after trial. Many of which I had caused in my pre-God days and spent most of my life apologizing for. But, I kept going because I knew that if God worked that hard to choose me as His child, I could work that hard to please Him. And this stretching led to strength.

That strength led to flight. Because of it, I am now where I am. I still have a long way to go. But, he has taken so much ugliness in me, without any attempt of my own, He has made them more like Him. My hands are used for gentle hugs, instead of stealing. My thoughts of suicide have been replaced by a genuine love of life and of people. But more than anything, my closed off, heart of stone has been melted and sculpted into one which has been taught to love.

I know that was long, but there are nineteen years in those words, and much was still left out. But, I hope, that seeing the journey through which I have come to see the beauty of our God and His transformation in His people, will serve as an expression of hope. My friend, if He did it for me, He can do it for you. There is not one too far out of reach for Him, or one to ugly to make beautiful. Transformation and Redemption are His specialties. I pray you’ll let Him change you today!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Be Faithful Even To The End

By: Jeff Lappano


"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:8-10 (KJV)

Have you ever felt like everything and everyone was against you? The church at Smyrna felt the same way. They were a physically poor church, but they we’re rich in spirit. Physically, the church in Smyrna suffered from persecution from the Jews. As we read in Ephesians 1:3, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing.

Unfortunately, this letter grows a little gloomier before the light at end of the tunnel. In John 16:33, Jesus tells his disciples that in the world they will have tribulation, but to take courage; He has overcome the world. Through the penmanship of John, the Lord tells his church that even persecution is on its way. The devil was about to put some of them through a big test.

The encouragement of the Lord for this situation is, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” What does this mean? How are we going to withstand persecution? Believing in Christ isn’t a joke; it does cost people their lives pretty much every day all through the world. Even living in the United States of America, you can face persecution for your faith in Christ!

The only positive thing about this church, other than being rich in Christ, is their faithfulness to Christ. Are you willing to die for the sake of the cross? I know that I ask that question many times, but I feel I have to because it’s important. It brings us all to a reality check. Christ died for you. Would you die for Him? Maybe, just maybe, the situation wouldn’t be like what He went through. Persecution can happen on many levels. Maybe you live in household that you’re the only one saved, and those around you laugh at you make fun of you because you wake up so early on Sunday to be in the presence of the Lord. That too can be persecution. My question is, are you faithful to Him? I encourage you not grow weary. Take courage my friend, for your redemption is near. Faithfulness to the King of kings will not go un-rewarded.