Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  Cast Your Cares

By: Mellisa


Missy was the kind of girl that everyone wanted to know. She had lots of friends, she was always happy, always looked at the positive side of things, she was always there for her friends, and always had the time to listen and make you smile. She was one of those people who when you asked her how she was she never said bad, and 99% of the time her answer was great. She always found joy in something, something that often many wondered where she got the strength to find it in.

"Ask, using my name and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:24 NIV

Missy found her joy, and the joy she shared with others in God. He was her God, her Heavenly Father, and her best friend Jesus. That's how people always saw her as happy and cheerful. The past few days though, Missy had a strange feeling with in her. She had a full day at school, went to volleyball, and now was at home finished with her homework. She sat on her bed holding her pillow in her arms, as out of nowhere tears began to pour down her cheeks. For a reason unbeknownst to her, Missy couldn't stop crying.  She was sad and her heart weighed heavy. Nothing in particular had been terribly wrong, but little things had piled up and eventually poured out. Missy needed peace, with herself, and with her issues.

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Friends, sometimes there are times in our life that pile up on us, and rain over us like rushing floods. But our God, he is there for us, to give us love, peace, joy, and an understanding.

Especially as teens we go through times where sometimes we just don't know who we are anymore, but God is there, to show us our path. " Cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." Turn your cares over to him.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Here For The Tough Times

By: Beth Hays


”A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)NIV

How many times have you and I heard this verse? Probably more than we need to remember. I know that I can think of countless sermons, church services, campfires, and other times when this was a sappy verse used for emotion—I don't think that's always a bad thing. But, for me it's led to a comfortability (yes I did make up the word) with the verse.

So, I was sitting the other day, just hanging out with God, when it hit me the depth hidden in these words. A friend loves at all times. That means even when it's tough to say, say it. Even when it's scary to bring up, bring it up. Even when it's un-cool to compliment, compliment anyway. It's love and love is the hardest, deepest emotion. And friends, true friends, should love at ALL times. That includes when life is hard or when you disagree or when your trust is broken. The kind of friendship God designed is full of LOVE AT ALL TIMES.

But, that isn't where I was really blown away. A brother is born for adversity. Just what does that mean? Well, if someone was born for something it's their whole purpose in life. And adversity is when everything is challenge a difficult, uphill challenge. So, (brace yourself, this is deeper than you think) that means families were created for the tough times. God designed the whole purpose of family to be a safe haven and support system when life stinks and seems unbearable. Wow! Did you catch that? Its WHOLE PURPOSE is to be a shelter in the midst of a storm. I know some of your earthly families aren't like that. Mine isn't either. But, I'm not without a God-designed family, and neither are you. You see, WE are the supporting, loving, family and we're here for the tough times.

That means when your life crashes down, you can always run into the arms of your brothers and sisters in Christ and we will hold you, nurture you, and stand beside you. That also means that you, as a sibling in Christ, have a responsibility to make this family a safe haven from the outside chaos of our world. How many different Christian groups or individuals have you known that DIDN'T show you that safety? Well, that's as hard as you have to work to
make up for it. We have the awesome opportunity to be a family. And we're created for when times get tough. Are you putting that into action?

[Soldier4Christ]

  Before It's Time

By: Jeff Lappano


”Be fruitful and multiply. Therefore a man shall leave his mother and father and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they unashamed.” (Genesis 1:28; 2:24, 25)

Earlier this year I bought the Sims. It’s a really great game, and I’m happy to have it. However as some of you may know, the Sims 2 was just released.

Reading the different articles and checking out the website from time to time has given me the passion to own the game. However, I was reading the message board this weekend on the website, and many people have been having different technical issues with the game. Of course I still want the game, but I want it when all the glitches are worked out. Of course we all know that the first two chapters of Genesis have one general theme, which is creation. I believe that God gives us his opinion on a very relevant issue this time. The issue at hand is sex and marriage. Where does sex fit in within the realm of marriage; before, after, or during the marital relationship? Of course it is inside the context of a marriage relationship.

This is the only way God intended for sexual relationships. Ever realized when you are in sin, you try to sneak around or cover up the sin somehow? 2 Samuel 12:12, “For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.” Here we find Nathan bringing a prophetic rebuke against David for committing adultery (which is having sexual relations with other people while one is married) with Bathsheba. When there is a sexual relationship between a man and his wife, there are no technical difficulties because everything is set according to God’s will. The bugs have been worked out. My personal view is that sex is a wedding gift to the newly weds. There will be a day for every one of us to open that gift and experience it in the way that God has fashioned it to be.

Maybe there are some of you who are dealing with this issue right now. You opened the gift too soon. You’re dealing with the guilt and shame of doing so. I’m not going to rebuke you because it’s not my place. May I offer words of encouragement instead? Number one, get right with God. He loves you and accepts you! Number two; make a vow to yourself and to God that from here on out that precious gift will be saved until your married. God is not a god of wrath and hate, but that of love and mercy. Being a part of this wonderful ministry at TDDM, I know for a fact that if you need prayer, you can contact one of us, and we will pray for and with you. We love you and do not hate you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Wasp

By: Amber Owen


“When he [Jesus] woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, ‘Quite down!’ Suddenly the wind stopped and there was a great calm.  And he asked the disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid?  Do you still not have faith in me?’” (Mark 4: 39-40)

I am deathly afraid of wasps.  I don’t like them whatsoever.  They sting, they look mean, and they are always flying around my face!  It never fails—I step outside and there is one in my face or buzzing in my ear.  I fear them so much that when I go outside in the summer time, I have to say a prayer for God, just to protect me from them.  Then, and only then, will I feel good about going outside. 

Although I pray, sometimes my faith proves to be weak.  I still flinch when I hear that buzzing in my ear.  Or I do the always famous “buggy bob-n-weave,” you know, when you look like a complete idiot from a distance, flailing your arms.  One instance when my faith was weak, was earlier this week.  I was driving with my windows down (no air conditioning), “Buzz, buzz, buzz.  Buzzzzzz, zzzzzz,” I hear coming from the dash board.  Looking around, I spot my yellow jacketed, bug-eyed friend, the wasp, equipped with stinger and all.  Immediately, I think, “Oh, I hope that thing doesn’t come near me.  I don’t know what I’ll do if it does.”  So, out of fear, I didn’t take my eyes away from it.  Scared to death it was going to land on me, I watched it fly from the right side of the dash to the middle and then eventually right in front of me.  “You better not land on me,” I said to the wasp in a threatening tone.  Guess what?  It did just that! Right on my face! All of a sudden I look up and there is a street sign slicing the passenger side of my car.  Out of panic, I veer across the two lane highway and end up in a pile of fallen tree branches (thanks to Hurricane Jeanne).  That’s right I wrecked my car because of a wasp. 

Thankfully, I was alright and my car was just lodged into a big pile of brush, which if it hadn’t been there I probably would have ended up in a house or something. While waiting for help to come and the police to arrive, I ran the scene over in my head.  Why weren’t my eyes on the road?  I was so afraid of the wasp that I wasn’t able to drive.  I wasn’t able to focus on the path I was traveling. 

I think as Christians we let fear push us off the path of faith that we are traveling.  Sometimes we compromise our morals, our living, our love, or (like in my case) our safety because of fear of pain, rejection, devastation, failure, distrust, etc. I didn’t have faith that God would protect me from that wasp.  The truth is that God protected me from that sign, protected me from the brush, protected me from possible oncoming traffic, AND the wasp!!  If God can calm a storm with raging winds and tumultuous waves, who am I to say that He can’t protect me from a tiny wasp. I learned that fear can keep you from doing the right thing and the right time, and fear is a direct result of lack of faith.

Are you letting fear steer you in the wrong direction?  Do you have that torturous buzzing in your ear?  Maybe you have some rocky roads to travel, or some stormy seas to sail?  Trust in Jesus.  Don’t let your lack of faith provide a breeding ground for fear in your life.  I pray that you, my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, will be encouraged that God is an awesome God and is preparing and protecting you for everything in life.  There is nothing to fear!  God Bless!   

[Soldier4Christ]

  Cleaning Our Hearts

By: Ariel Gant


"No," said Peter, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." (John 13:

It was one of those mornings. I found myself occupying the same pew as always, yet this Sunday, I felt I was there more out of habit than the desire to worship our Lord. For weeks, I'd been overwhelmed with my unworthiness for the love of a Righteous King. As the pastor began the message, my mind wondered a bit before falling on this verse, which God used to speak to my heart.

I rarely let God see my heart and work on it. I feel this incredible sense of unworthiness and shame for Him seeing how yucky I've allowed it to become—kind of like the fish tank on Finding Nemo when they clogged the pump and it wasn't cleaned for a few days. But His love cleans and covers that. Still, Satan continually reminds me of my past and the sins I still struggle with. And I sometimes feel like I'm so unworthy, so unlovable and wretched that God
could never even see my heart, much less touch it to cleanse it.

Over and over again, I've prayed for God to change my heart, mind and will according to what He wants for me. And I get frustrated when I look at my life and see little or no change. But, this verse reminded me that it's because I'm too ashamed of what resides within my heart, so I try not to let God even SEE it. Surely He couldn't TOUCH it and still love me. But, to reach the full extent of His love and healing, I know it's a necessity. As much as I try, I haven't figured out how to love and serve God without allowing Him to fully infiltrate my life and truly get to know me. It's impossible.

Is there something you're trying to withhold from him out of fear? You know, one really cool thing I've learned about God is this: He fully knows our hearts anyway, but instead of forcing His way in, He gently knocks on the door until you're ready to answer. And through it all, He still loves you completely...He only wants you to let Him in to clean up the mess and make you anew.

[Soldier4Christ]

  I Don't Wanna Get Up

By: Adam R. Rinehart


"Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.  Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised. The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.” (Psalm 113:1-4 KJV)

My wife and I were watching the newest rendition of “Freaky Friday” a few weeks ago, and needless to say, I laughed my head off. It also amused me to see the teenaged girl not wanting to get out of bed. (Incase you did not see the movie, the mother and daughter magically switched bodies)  It was also amusing to see the mother come into the bedroom and forcibly grab her feet and drag her out of the bed to get ready for school.

I would guess that I am no better.  I am not a morning person.  I would rather be nocturnal than I would get out of bed in the morning.  Some of you are saying, but “Adam, sometimes I do not feel that there is a reason to get out of bed?” I know how you feel, but the more and more that I study Scripture, the more and more that I find that there is more reason to get
out of bed then just to begin the day, and go about our business.

When we really look at what God has made us for, and what God commands us to do in the day, I find that we are called to praise the Lord all day long. We have got to understand that all of creation is giving glory to God.  All of the earth rejoices!  The cats meow, the dogs bark, the cow moos, the lions roar, the trees shake in the wind, the seas roar, and we get out of bed in the morning all to praise the Lord!

Some of you may still argue that, “Well, I have nothing to praise Him for.”  Excuse me? You have breathed.  You woke up that morning. You have a school to go to. You got there safely.  You got home, and are able to do your homework. You are able to see your family, and talk to your friends.  Those are just little things to praise God for.  We are to praise Him from the time that we get up to eat our breakfast to the time that we lay our head to rest for the evening. So, let’s get busy praising!  Praise The Lord!  May God’s Grace Abound in You.

[Soldier4Christ]

  A Love Without End

By: Tony B. Rhoda


But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him. (1 John 2:5) NIV

When we first enter a new relationship with the opposite sex, everything seems perfect. Every thought that enters our minds has something to do with them. Every time the phone rings, you’re seen making a mad dash in anticipation for the new love of your life to be on the other end. Constant butterflies seem to have invaded your stomach and nothing stands in the way of spending every second of everyday either thinking or longing to be in their arms.

As days fly by, time takes it's indisputable toll. Once strong relationships of “love,” turn into battles of doing everything possible to keep from falling apart. Some say you need time away. Some think you may need to see other people. The point is, that you have lost the sparkle you once had.

When you’re first saved, there is a fire burning in your eyes that everyone can see. You head off into the day with a newfound hope, one in an awesome savior named Jesus. Just like every relationship, you can't stand being separated. Praying before bed just doesn't cut it anymore. You’re praying in class, the hallways, at lunch and any spare second you get. Your constantly reading a letter of love that He has given you known as the Bible in every period.

But in every relationship, hard times seem to seep their way into any crack we may have? If your not truly committed, truly honest with yourself and with others, it will fall apart. Believe it or not, Jesus never leaves us. We always seem to try and find others to fill His place. Whether it's secular music, teen magazines, drugs, or even your friends, we allow outside forces to try and convince us on what is right. Don't listen to what people say, or who you should, or shouldn't talk to or date. Listen to your heart. Jesus knows that you’re right for Him. And He wants to have a relationship that will last more than a lifetime. Invite Him into your life, and find a love that will never end. God Bless and Keep The Faith!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Sweet Surrender

By: Ariel Gant


”The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, Oh God, you will not despise,” (Psalm 51:17).

"God," I prayed, "If it's what's necessary, you can break me this weekend...but hold me close when you do." Nervous about finally surrendering to what I knew God wanted, I sat down in my seat from worship at a retreat my youth group was on. God had pressed upon my heart for a couple of weeks the importance of breaking down the walls of my heart and letting Him in. But, I'd been spiteful about it. In fact, I was so afraid of it, I'd wished I hadn't committed myself to this weekend in the woods with God. But, I knew I had to, and I'd better make the best of it.

As I took my seat, a young man walked out on stage and, with a heart full of passion and hurt, uttered the very same words that my heart had been crying and I'd refused to recognize the pain and uncertainty behind them to allow God to work on the situation. As the skit continued, I tensed and began to tremble, attempting to prevent tears from flowing from my eyes. "God," I began again, "I know I gave you permission and promised I'd go through with this, but do we HAVE to let me break down in front of EVERYONE?! I just can't do this RIGHT
NOW..."

That night, God brought me to a point where I could choose to follow what he wanted -- allowing the things that were hurting me to be felt and dealt with -- or denying it. In a moment of faith, I committed to it. But as my heart shattered amidst 150 people, I got scared and went back on my word. The consequences? A severe headache from holding back, a few more days of hopeless regret and pain, and the fear that I'd passed up my only chance at healing.

The next morning during our quiet time, I asked God to forgive me for going back on my word and to work on my heart. On my way to Psalm 23, that day's devotion, something drew my attention to this verse. Reading it, I knew immediately what I was supposed to do. I know we're called to make sacrifices for Him. Mine that day was to sacrifice my pride and fear and let Him begin to work on my heart. Only then would I be able to reach His peace again. And oh, did I miss it! So, I surrendered. And as I let him work on me, I saw glimpses of Him, opportunities to minister, and pieces of my heart begin to heal. Did it hurt? Yes. But was it worth it? Most definitely.

Sometimes we let our pride or fear take over. Not wanting someone to see our weakness, we hide alone in our pain and fall into hopelessness. Not wanting to show our hearts, we pass up the chance to tell someone how much they mean to us. We later lose them without them knowing. What is God prodding you to do? Put it in this verse...and know that they're for Him. No matter how bad it seems, He'll still love you just the same. And it WILL be worth it.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Making A Living

By: Amber Owen


“Yet true religion with contentment is great wealth.”  (1 Timothy 6: 6)

Car insurance, credit card, gas, car payment, etc…How many hours have I worked this month?  Am I going to be able to go to mall, that concert, or on that date? Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Or if you haven’t, I’m sure that you’ve heard your parents, brother, sister, or friends ask them at one time or another.  All these things pose a question about money.  How to pay for this and how to do that...

Almost every aspect of our life is touched by money in one way or another.  How we can make decisions, sometimes comes down to knowing how much change is jingling in our pockets (or lack thereof).  A question that I ask myself almost everyday is how much money is sitting in my account.  Numbers and figures run through my mind almost all the time.  We are making a living.  This is what life seems to be about.  “Making a living.”  It’s funny when I look at that phrase and think of God. 

Really, God makes us live.  God is the one making the living.  He’s making the living for us.  He blesses us and feeds us, and He knows just what we need when we need it.  I think that all too often we are obsessed with making the living and not living with the life that we have been blessed with.  Sometimes I find myself falling away from faith, because I don’t have the means to pay off the credit card, or purchase a new car.  I worry about how I’m going to buy that present for my mom or do that thing with my friends that I really want to do?  This is what Timothy is talking about in a verse following the one above,  “…some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).  Knowing this, he is encouraging us to have true religion (ultimate faith in God) and be content with what we are given, for we are blessed. 

Are you worried about money?  Do you worry about how you are going to pay for the next tank of gas, or the clothes you need for school?  Pray that you will be filled with contentment that God has blessed you, and He knows what you need when you need it, and the best thing of all is that He will provide it when the time is just right.  Be patient and persistent in your faith and do not worry about that next dime.  Make a living with God, and let Him handle the money. God Bless!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Theft-Proof Joy

By: Matt Crawford


“And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” (- John 16:22)

Jesus made that promise to the disciples over two-thousand years ago, and guess what? Two millenniums later, no person has ever taken away the joy of a Christian. Whether mocked, abused, neglected, rejected, raped, or tortured, no Christian on Earth has ever lost their joy because another person took it.
The second that we believe in Jesus, a door is opened to a new dimension in our life, and can never be shut again. That new dimension is the joy that comes from knowing for certain that the God of the entire universe has become our Father.

Before we were born, we did not exist. Like magic, our bodies came from nothing and developed into working organs inside the womb, and all because God wanted us to exist.  Imagine God knew all your sins before you were ever conceived. He knew all your flaws, your imperfections, and yet he knew that if he created you, he would love you. So he gave you life and your very own unique soul.

On top of that, God sent Christ to die for you, so that you could be with him forever. And you WILL be with him forever, alive and unblemished, with eternal pleasures scheduled by God himself before time started. Furthermore, you have his assistance now. His Holy Spirit, his mighty hand, his healing power, his saving grace, his answer to prayer, and his tender love are all available to us for the asking - His word promises it. Think about it. The God who started everything, who is bigger than life, who is infinite - is your best friend. All the things of this world are as nothing. In the blink of an eye, it will all pass away, and eternal life will take hold. And all because God chose YOU.

All of this in a person’s life creates a capacity for joy which can never be stolen from them. The only thing that can smother a believer’s joy is the believer themselves, whether it is a sin being committed, or a depression or grudge being nursed. The reason a person has no joy is no one’s fault but their own.
If there is something smothering your joy which you are willingly holding on to, it should be made clear to you that joy awaits if you are willing to let go. With salvation, you have been given the keys to a mansion owned by God. In the living room is the loudest, most technologically advanced stereo system in the world. It is always ready to play, but believe it or not, you control the volume. Joy is the same way. It is not controlled by external sources or circumstances. How much joy we have simply depends on how much we choose to meditate on the reasons we have for joy.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Helping Yourself

By: Donn Adams


     John tells us the wonderful story bout Jesus and the woman who committed adultery. Everyone knows the story. After a group of religious leaders tried to arrest Jesus and failed, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. He appeared again in the temple courts where he encountered a woman who was accused of adultery. Her accusers demanded the death penalty in accordance with the Law of Moses. Jesus countered the accusers with one statement, "If any one of you is without sin, let him cast the first stone." (John 8:1-8). John 8:9 explains…. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. Jesus stood up and asked her "Woman, where are they? Has no-one condemned you?" The woman said, "No one, Sir" and Jesus said, "then, neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." Jesus, by His actions teaches us that we must become involved in order to help someone. Luke tells us that helping others is a PRIORITY (Luke 13:15-16). Peoples needs are more important than laws. Helping always comes to those with faith (Luke 18:35-43).

     No matter how old you are, you will encounter times in your life when someone comes to you and asks for help or you go to someone to ask for help. This is not a weakness or a sign that you are not capable of helping yourself, it is a sign that you care both about yourself and about others. You are capable, at any age, of developing a strong lasting relationship with another person by being willing to become involved with that person enough to want to help them. It is an experience that we, as humans and as Christians, value and cherish. I know that each of you has committed to help someone you know and I know that you have experienced the wonderful feeling of the sense of accomplishment and love you have shown. This is one of the most compassionate and loving you can do for someone else who is in need. Helping someone, giving of yourself will give you a sense of self worth and accomplishment. Our churches spend a lot of time helping others in many situations. Selfish people do not become involved, selfish people don't care about others. When we help we are not selfish. God will reward us for this and He will love us for this. Helping is infectious. Try it sometime, help someone without being asked and let me know how you felt about yourself and the person you helped. Help someone each day and you will experience a calm and a peach in your life. I pray that I have helped you today.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Fighting The Odds

By: Tony B. Rhoda


"Give and it will be given to you." (Luke 6:38)

     The Word of God calls us to plant seeds in people's life. He calls us, to be the light to a dark world. He calls us to be of good nature. He asks us to love Him with all our heart, and to follow Him even when the road gets rough. We strive everyday to do these things, but when it comes down to God asking that you give up your money. "Hold Up, Wait A Minute. I'll give you my heart, and my life, just don't touch my money."

     I've been through it all. I have experienced being able to receive anything and everything I have ever wanted. I have also struggled watching my parents scrape together the funds to put food on the table. Money is a very touchy subject and corrupts a lot of people. A couple of years back I received my paycheck and soon as it fell into my hands I already knew where the money was going. Gas, oil change, transmission fluid, and maybe a bite to eat if I had enough left. Unfortunately, I only received enough money to pay for Gas, and for my trucks expenses. I had no idea how I was going to get through the rest of the week.

     When I got home one of my friends was almost in tears. His tire went flat and didn’t have enough money to fix it and his parents didn’t either. Before I left I could feel God pulling on my heart to leave the money from my check with him. But, how was I going to pay for my stuff? "God you must be seriously tripping!" I knew though it was Him, I felt His pull, so I knew it was what I should do. I left the money on his front seat and went to soccer game I was playing in. I prayed that God would meet my needs and I could only hope I knew what I was doing. Because I had to fully rely on the Lord at this point. No other way around it. Now, I was broke.

     I had a full tank of gas and about ten cents. This was going to be an experience. But, slowly and surely I saw the Lord meeting my needs in a remarkable way. I received ten for mowing my neighbors lawn. The next day a kid came up to me at school wanting to buy my old raggedy trumpet that looked like scrap metal for ten dollars. "Sure," I said, knowing I never use it anymore. Then I was called into DJ a private party out of nowhere at the skating rink that I DJ for. Not only did the rink pay me cash, the director of the private party thanked me for a great job with a twenty dollar tip. Here I had only ten cents to my name and when the week was over, not only did I have enough money to meet my needs through the week but I also had enough to pay for my oil and transmission along with put another full tank of gas.

    Friends, I can't explain it. I don't know how or why it works. But, if you give to the Lord, and tithe and let God use what is originally His in the first place, He will not only meet your needs but He will do more. The world says to hold on to your money, to save it. Never lend it out or give it away. But, the Lord tells you differently. If I ‘d kept my money, I would have still fallen short of all that I needed. But, when I let God take over and I gave it to Him to use when He asked for it. Not only did a peace and joy come over me, but, all my needs where met. There is no other explanation than God. Pray about what you can do to further the Kingdom of God. Let him not only use a part of your life, but all of it. You would be amazed at what He will do for you too. God Bless and Keep the Faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

  This Is My Story

By: Tony B. Rhoda


Let your light shine before all men…(Matt 5:16)

Each morning we wake up to a new dawn, a new day, and a new start. Each afternoon we go home, go to practice, or go out. With each evening we lay our heads down and fall asleep awaiting the next dawn, the next day, the next new start. What is your story?

I have grown up in the best of times and the worst. I have been there and done that with many aspects of my life. I have been on the top of the mountain shouting out to the world and demanding attention. I have also sat in the valley in hopes of the attention of an ant...yet it just crawls on by.

With every morning I am faced with a choice. Will I choose to make the best of every situation, or lie down in defeat when things do not go my way? I have a choice whether to follow my God, my heart, or my temptations and shortcomings. I can choose to use my talents or focus on my failures. I and only I, have the ability to write another chapter in the book of life.

You see life is what you make of it. You will come across times that are out of your control or situations, which may be out of your hands. It is what you do during those times that when you look back on, you will see whether your book will be a best seller or one that doesn't even get published. This is my dawn, my day, and my new start. This is my story, what's yours?

[Soldier4Christ]

  Encourager

By: Matt Crawford


They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. (Acts 2:42-43)

Who are our best examples as Christians, if not the New Testament believers under the first apostles?  It was in their time that the gospel was first spread, and it’s teaching was accompanied by miracles and signs. They had the presence of Jesus still fresh in their minds, and the power of the Holy Spirit had just come upon them. If any group of believers ever had this Christianity thing down, if any group ever would’ve had the right idea of what to do next – wouldn’t it be them?

Despite the fact they were the highest (and only) examples of Christians, who could’ve rested on their laurels and been satisfied with the amazing things they already experienced, our verse says that they devoted themselves to prayer. We may be a far cry from those people as a church, but one thing they did (and the most effective), we can do just as easily. They devoted themselves to prayer. That means they were always praying. Not just when they had need, not just when they were changing jobs, not just when they were making decisions. Always. Any spare moment, they prayed. They knew how serious this belief thing is.

Being devoted to something means you keep at it until you see results - no matter how long it takes. Then, seeing it works - you continue doing it. Devote yourself to prayer, asking for the things of God with all of your heart at every turn. If the first church, who already had Gods hand all over them, knew they had to be devoted to constant prayer - how much more should we? But they were faithful - they prayed. And we see right in the bible the results they got. Nothing anywhere says we cannot see those same powerful results, if we pray like people who know Jesus will answer.   

[Soldier4Christ]

  Handling Opposition

By: Beth Hays


When Saul returned to his home at Gibeah, a band of men whose hearts God had touched became his constant companions. But there were some wicked men who complained, "How can this man save us?" And they despised him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them (1 Samuel 10:26-27) NLT

Saul was a pretty cool guy (we're talking about the one in the Old testament here...not the one who became Paul). He definitely made some mistakes. But, for the most part he tried to follow God. Some people noticed that he was on the right track and followed him. Some people even became his close friends. But there were others who weren't quite as nice.

Have you encountered people that treated you like that? Do you feel like you're all by yourself in a very cold world? Have you had people oppose you, tell lies about you, start rumors to destroy you? Then, you know how Saul felt. This godly man had a slew of people who despised him. In my words: they hated him with a passion.

He didn't let that stop him though. What did he do when people came against him? He ignored them! He walked away and let them say their wicked things. Do you think maybe you could help follow in his footsteps? When people come against you with anger, malice, and even violence, can you ignore their wickedness and be content with the ones who will be faithful to you? Think there's no one that fits that description. Try God. "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5) NIV says your Brother. Even when the wicked hurt you, turn and look to God...He will never let you go.