Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  Hey, you got a problem?


Matthew 5:23-24 "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering"

Got a problem with someone?  Giving her the silent treatment so that she will come to you and try to find out what is bugging you?  Are you crying over some conflict that is going on in your life?  Are you the smart-mouth that is on the warpath because someone has done you wrong?  Or are you just going for the throat, taking no prisoners?  Or do you just turn to run and hide your head in the sand when you have a difficult situation with someone.  Or?

What are you doing to solve a conflict with a friend or family member?  Responding to a problem in any of the above ways only puts up a bigger wall between you and the problem.  Throwing blames and accusations only cause a bigger "pride" wall inside of you. 

You may be right or wrong it doesn't really matter. You are the one who is asked to leave the altar and make peace with your brother before worshiping God.  You need to humble yourself and go right away.  The more time you have to let a problem fester the harder it is to solve.  Friendships and family relationships are a precious gift from God, they are too precious to ruin.  Make the first move, you will be glad you did.  Forgiving someone is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Homesick


It's always the same thing every time I cross into the Mexican frontier.
The traffic lines on the bridge, the hot sun beating down as children
approach asking for quarters, the smell of diesel gasoline entwined with the
aroma of delicious tacos and other tasty dishes being prepared by street
vendors, courteous, hard working people selling their pottery and colorful
artwork, and the sounds of mariachi music that are unequaled anywhere in the
world!  Although the closest I really come to Mexico is through my maternal
grandfather, I feel strangely at home.  I've never lived there, but when I'm
there, I feel like I've missed it.  I get homesick.

In a song called "Sweet Beulah Land", the opening lyric says, "I'm kind of
homesick for a country to which I've never been before."

Whenever we long or yearn for something, the natural indication is that we
have experienced that thing before.  We know what it feels or tastes like
and it was something so pleasurable or enjoyable, that we want to experience
it again.  Psalms 42: 1 & 2 says, "As the deer pants for the water brooks,
so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living
God."  Our souls have experienced God in a place that our human minds can't
remember, the place where we began - Paradise! (Genesis 2:7-8, 18-22)  It is
the place where we are meant to return.  As the thief on the cross told
Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom!" Jesus replied,
"Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:
42-43)  Interesting to note that the Scriptures use a capital letter P in
the word "paradise".  That changes it from a state of being to an actual
place.  A verb to a noun.

We are instructed to store our treasures in Heaven. (Luke 32-34)  Why?
Heaven (Paradise) is our ultimate destination not the grave.  The grave
isn't nothing' but a whole in the ground!  What rich person would invest in
something that would not pay any kind of dividend?  Not many.  We are a rich
people (2 Cor 8: 9) in a foreign land.  We live, work, and play here but it
is not "home".  So, we don't invest here for it is not where we will be
staying.

Why do many people prefer to head to the mountains, beaches, and other
"nature" type retreats when the stress of everyday worldly life becomes
unbearable?  I believe it's because the Lord allows us "glimpses" of earthly
paradises to refresh us and REMIND us of where we came from and where we
will return to one day.  The only difference is that any earthly paradise
could never compare with the heavenly one we will return to. (Rev. 21: 9-27,
& 22: 1-5)

HOWEVER!!!  John 3: 5, Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one
is born of water and the Spirit ("born again", vs. 3), he cannot enter the
kingdom of God."

Let us always strive to remember two important things that while life is
hard, God is good and we are not home yet!  Jesus, by His death on the
cross, went on to prepare a place for us in Heaven.  We must receive Him
into our hearts, acknowledge His death on the cross for the remission of
sins, and strive to live lives that are holy and pure - starting today.
Don't wait!  Have a great day...I'll see you at home.

[Soldier4Christ]

  God Is...


True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they broke their promises, does that mean God will break his promises?  Of course not! Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is true. (Romans 3:3-4a) NLT

Out of anything that anyone could ever ask me to do, the hardest by far is to trust. It's a very scary thing for me. Once you have had that cord of trust broken multiple times, it's hard to extend your hand on good faith. To be truthful: trusting pastor's scares me the most. Any minister I have ever had has deeply hurt me. But, Paul reminds us that even when they are unfaithful, God is still trustworthy.

It used to be really hard for me to separate God from ministers of God. When a minister hurt me, I almost saw it is as Jesus sitting right there doing and saying those things. To me, they were almost, if not as holy as God. But, after changing churches several times because of scars left from ministers of God, I learned that they are only human. And I have been blessed with two pastors at my church who are so very patiently, gently loving me. But, I am gently reminded n Romans that even when the pastors/priests fail, God will remain good.

Even if everyone you've ever come in contact with shatters your spirit, God is still gentle. Even if all humanity is ruthless and cruel, God is still good. And even when your own family deserts you, God is still your perfect father. God isn't limited to our standards. Even when people are completely untrustworthy, I assure you, God isn't. God is God; God is good. Let that truth overflow your heart today.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Faith Means....


When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:20 (NIV)

Faith is not only believing in the power of Jesus Christ to heal and save someone but in His love and willingness to do so. Such an example of faith occurred in Luke 7:1-10 when a Roman centurion from Capernaum summoned Jesus to come and heal his dying servant. Through local Jewish elders, he requested Jesus' help. When Jesus was not far off, the Roman had a servant told Jesus that there wasn't even any need for Him to come to his house. The centurion,a lifetime soldier, believed that if Jesus said so, his servant would recover and survive. Jesus' responded to this Roman soldier's trust by saying, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." (v. 9) The men who had been sent to Jesus returned and found the servant completely recovered.

Why was this solder's faith so great? He not only trusted in who Jesus was and in His power to heal but also in Jesus' willingness to do so. Think about it. A leader of a foreign occupying army asking a respected member and spiritual teacher of the subjugated population for help. This Roman soldier believed in the omnipotent power of Christ to heal his servant from a distance.

Believing in the power of Jesus Christ to heal and save the people for whom we have compassion is an essential aspect of a mission-oriented believer. Pursuing the mission of God in faith means entrusting the result to him. It means believing in the power of God to overcome anything. Hebrews 7:25 proclaims that Christ has the authority and power to forgive us completely of our sins: Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. God gives us the power to do what may be hard to do on our own power. After a rich young man walked away from Jesus not wanting to give up his great wealth, His disciples asked who could inherit the Kingdom of Heaven if not a rich man. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27)

Since our faith in God sometimes fails, we must encourage each other through times of discouragement. At times we all become discouraged and have doubts, so we need to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. (Romans 1:12) The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 that we have a responsibility to encourage each other in our common faith: Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Being on a mission from God means having the faith that Jesus Christ can and will save the people for whom we have compassion. Such faith trusts in the power of Christ, and not man, to save and to heal. When people have nothing else to hope for in their lives, they have Christ. We often believe the lie that our problems are too small for a big God, but they aren't. Because the faith of man tends to fail, we need to encourage each other to keep believing. When there is so little hope that it seems God couldn't possibly answer our concerns is when we need the encouragement to remain faithful the most.

So how do we have such faith? We simply have to choose to believe in the power of God. What seems impossible with man is possible with God. We must trust in his power. Encouraging others is a demonstration of our faith. When others lack the faith to go on, encourage them. Often, the faith of others is what keeps the faithless going. Faith trusts that if it is the will of God, then our hopes in anything that we can become and do are possible.

No problem is too big for God because God is bigger than any problem we might have. Trust God. His promises never fail.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Victims Of Terror


No, this isn't ANOTHER remembrance of the people who perished on 9/11.  Although what happened that day will forever change the way we live, it shouldn't have been the defining factor for us as a people or as Christians. 

There are things that happen on a DAILY basis, terrible things, that should convict us to change, to serve, and to follow Christ. Literally, thousands upon thousands of people go to bed hungry and cold every night; here in the USA, the land of "milk and honey".  Is it our problem or "their" problem?  Only you can answer.

Thousands of parents go to bed not knowing where their children are, due to countless child abductions that take place on a daily basis.  Who are these people who rip children from their homes, only to beat, sexually assault, and murder them?  They are, for the most part, American citizens.  Who are the "real" terrorists?

When people are beaten senseless by "peace" officers who are empowered to serve and protect, solely because they "fit" a certain profile due to the color of their skin or their cultures, where do they turn for protection?  Who are their defenders? When hundreds of Mexican immigrants die each year, victims of heat exposure and "coyotes" who smuggle them through deserts and in train box cars, illegally into the US because of Immigration laws that don't equally apply to all immigrants, one must ask, "Is this truly the great melting pot and, if so, which people represent the bottom of the pot that usually gets scraped and thrown away?" 

They are only looking for the promise of America; the land of hopes and dreams.  Is it available for all, or just the ones who have all the paperwork in order? I love the USA.  In all the world, there is truly no place like it.  However, we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that these things will just go away. 

For many people, like the families of the WTC victims, these are sources of real terror in their lives.  Let's not forget them.  What can we do?  Well, musicians won't get together to concerts, and TV won't deify their plights, but we as Christians, at the very least, can pray for them.  We can also get involved.  Ask God to show you where He would like you to be involved.  Let Him speak to your heart.  The next time you pass a homeless person or beggar on the street, look them in the eyes.  Don't turn your head.  It just may be the answer God is sending you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  All From the Same Hand


The rich and the poor have this in common; the LORD is the maker of them all.
(Proverbs 22:2) NLT

I don't know about you, but around me, there are so many divisions between the rich and poor. I live in a small town in which if you are not of a certain social status, no matter your personality, you are regarded as worth far less. At school, there are a number of cliques that terrorize anyone who does not fit into their category financially.

But, we are reminded that we all have something very, very important in common. The same hand crafted us all. The same omnipotent God made us all. We have been set in our places for His glory...whether rich, poor, or in between.

So, the next time you are tempted to include or exclude someone because of their wealth, remember that we are all equal in the eyes of God. The next time that you feel that you are excluded because of your financial status, remember that those same mighty hands that formed everyone else also created you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Christian Science: Friend or Foe


"A friend told me about a group called Christian Science. Is this the same thing as Christianity..."

There are many religious groups in the world today and many claim to be the same as, or a "cousin" to Christianity.  Some groups even add the name Christian in their name to add authority to their beliefs.  Although most of these groups don't practice human sacrifices, if you get involved in them you may be sacrificing your own spiritual life.

How can we KNOW the truth?  If you were hired by the FBI to be a counterfeit money expert, they wouldn't take you to a super-top-secret place, that they have to blind-fold you so you don't see where it is, just to let you look at fake money.  They wouldn't say, "this is monopoly money, see how it doesn't look like the dollar?" or "Here's a big fake dollar from a convenience store in Texas…see how it doesn't look like the dollar?" They wouldn't go around and show you a bunch of fake dollars; they would show you the real dollar bill.  They would walk you over every inch of the real dollar and you would study it intently.  Once you study the dollar bill and knew every inch of it, you could look at other dollar bills and be able to tell whether they are fake or real.  By following this example, we are able to compare our beliefs against those of the Christian Scientists.  Here's what you find:

Here are some the ideas they follow:  God is impersonal (basically, they say we can't have a personal relationship with Him); they don't think that God is a Trinity (the bible clearly teaches God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit).  They say matter does not exist; therefore sin does not exist (If I close my eyes while I'm standing on the railroad track, does that mean the train won't hit me?)  They say that man (mankind) is spiritual and perfect, and is incapable of sin, sickness, and death (Check out Romans 3:23) To them, Jesus was not the Christ (this alone is a HUGE cause for concern, it's the foundation of the Christian faith), they say Jesus was just a man who lived in Palestine in the first century.  They believe that the virgin birth of Jesus happened spiritually, in Mary's mind, and that it was not a physical event.  To them, salvation is of no concern since sin is an illusion and doesn't really exist. Since matter doesn't exist…they believe sickness isn't real either, so they do not use doctors or surgeons. (I read the story of some parents who let their 13 month old son scream with pain as he had convulsions for 12 days, because their READER (they don't have preachers) told them to not do anything but focus on it not being real, when the parents finally took the child to the hospital, it was too late the baby died.)

Their church services consist of a READER (not preacher), reading a pre-prepared lesson sent to them from the mother church (is that like a mother ship?) out of Boston, Massachusetts.  They do read parts of the bible along with a science book (written by their founder) for their studies.

These are just a few of their beliefs and practices, if you would like to learn more about them you can check out the book "Why So Many Gods?" by K. ETUE, it's written for youth and it's easy to understand even I understood it!  This was only one of the references I used to gain this information, I can send you more if you would like.

In no way am I making fun of anyone's beliefs, however, the teachings of Christian Science directly contradict the teachings of Christianity.  As a matter of fact, all of the books I read on this subject, place Christian Science under the 'cult' section.  In Christianity, the foundation of all we believe rests on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   To gain salvation, we must believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is our LORD and savior.  He died so that we could live. 

The information that Christian scientists talk about CAN make a lot of since, but if you study the bible (daily) and have a relationship with Jesus (who IS the Christ), you will know that their information is false.  It's hard to discern between right and wrong with all the religious ideas floating around but when you study the dollar (the bible), you will be able to see the truth and you will be able to point out the counterfeits. 

[Soldier4Christ]

  Where Is Jesus When It Rains


During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Matthew 14:25-30 (NIV)

We profess to have faith in Jesus, but when the storms of life blow in, we have a tendency to focus on the storm instead of Jesus.  We tend to ask "LORD, why aren't you saving me from this situation?"  When we should be asking, "LORD, What do you want me to learn from this situation?"

Notice the fatal mistake Peter made?  When he quit focusing on Jesus and began focusing on the storm, he lost his faith and began to sink.  We do the same things in our lives.  You can take this situation directly from the bible and apply it to your daily life.

Today, take a look at your life.  If you profess to have faith, do you exercise it?  When the storms of life come blowing in, do you remain looking at Jesus, or do you focus on the storm?  Remember, through clear weather and bad weather, Jesus is still standing there.  The fog, rain, sleet, hail or snow may be blinding and you may not be able to see Him, but He is always there. Jesus gave us that promise, He said "...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

[Soldier4Christ]

  How to grow Your Faith


Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6. (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. James 1:2-4. (NLT)

What is faith? Faith, simply defined, is taking God at His Word, and living accordingly. If our lives exhibit faith, it means our actions are consistently based on the truth and reliability of God's commands and promises. Today's scripture from Proverbs tells us how to both cultivate and exhibit our faith, while James tells us the result of living by our faith. Let's see what riches these passages hold for our life.

Trust in the Lord - The beginning of faith is trust. Trust is the outworking of the Word of God in our lives. In order to "trust in the Lord", we must first know what He has said. This is accomplished by reading His Word - the Bible. Once we know what God has said, we must believe it. We must give mental assent to the instruction contained in God's Word - agreeing that it is true. But Faith doesn't stop with mere belief. That belief must be demonstrated in our actions. Only when we act on the Word of God, depending on its promises, we display our faith.

With all your heart - This faith is not sometimes thing. It is an action that we embrace with the totality of our being. This is not something we do on occasion, but constantly and consistently. It becomes the foundation of our lives.

Do not depend on your own understanding - This is perhaps the most challenging instruction of this brief scripture. Most of us want to rely on our own understanding, But God says, "NO!" This does not mean that God bypasses our minds. In fact, He uses our minds to build our faith. Romans 12:2 says, "be transformed by renewing your mind." We are to train our minds in the ways of God by being immersed in the Truth of His Word. But we are not to rationalize our way out of God's instructions. We are to know and believe God's Word. If We need interpretation, we use Scripture to interpret Scripture, and rely on God's Spirit to fill in the blanks.

Seek His will in all you do - Faith is applied to all our activities. Faith is not restricted to our spiritual life, but should permeate our entire life - our work, our worship, our relationships, and even our recreation.

And he will direct your paths - When we submit to the instruction of Faith, God rewards us by directing our paths. He provides guidance and direction every step of the way. And, he makes our way straight. He leads us toward Christ likeness.

I knew of these verses when growing up, however, when I started to really take it seriously, it became one of those life-transforming experiences. I must tell you - I began to put this verse to the test - I started living by it. Since I have done this, I have found God managing my life in every area. And I now find that every area of my life is far superior to when I began. Were I to begin to list the things that are different and better in my life, I would be filling hundreds of pages with God's rich blessings.

However, I must also confess that there have been some deep valleys in my spiritual journey.  There are quite a few "bumps" in the road of my life. See, that is what James is talking about. Notice James says, "when trouble comes," not "if trouble comes." Trouble comes into all of our lives. But if we have ordered our lives after the instruction of Proverbs 3:5-6, rather than being defeated, our trust in God will find that we become mature in our faith. We will be better able to integrate faith into the points of conflict and challenge in our lives.

I encourage you to write Proverbs 3:5-6 on a 3x5 card and place it where you will see it often -- maybe on your mirror, or on the dashboard of your car. Every time you read it, make a decision to live by it. Turn over whatever you are wrestling with to God. Search His Word for His answer, and then put that answer to the test. You will discover that your life will be blessed and your path will be made straight.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The End of Innocence


I remember the days when a "bill" was someone's name and not the horrifying pieces of paper that constantly bombard my mailbox. 
I remember when "too much stress" meant that if you pulled any harder, the rubber band would pop!

I remember when "depression" was just a storm out in the ocean.
I remember when TV shows were about Andy and Opie going to the fishing hole for an afternoon.  Now, it's police shows specializing in special sex crimes units, profiling kinky sex crimes.

Yeah, I remember the "good old days".

Unfortunately, those days are long gone!  What do children have now?  Dysfunction, abuse, A.D.D., sex, drugs, violence, etc, those things may have always been with us, but never to the extent that children are exposed to today by TV, movies, video games, etc.  Well, there are still some good things for kids like...sports, right?  Well, look at this...

Sports Illustrated For Kids Magazine, August 2001, reported...

75% of children dropped out of organized sports by age 13.
69%of children indicated that they prefer a coach that puts more priority on fun than winning.
41% of children indicated that they've awakened in the middle of the night worrying about a game.
71% of children said it wouldn't matter if no score were kept in the game.
37% wished no parents watched them play.
74% of children said they had seen out of control adults at their games.

What are we passing on to our children?  What kind of pressure are we laying on them?  Why are we in a rush to turn them into adults?  We spend half of our time saying things like, "Stop acting like a baby", "grow up", and the like.  Then, we spend the second half of our time saying, "They grow up so fast", "If I could only hold them again", and so on.  So many angry young people committing violent acts.  Are they just "bad apples" or are we reaping what we've sown?

Jesus, calling a little child to His side, said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me." (Matt 18: 3-5 NKJV)
He also said in Matthew 19: 14, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

There is a certain child-like innocence that appeals to Jesus.  It's not clogged of bogged down with "adult" issues.  Those very issues take away our innocence and that takes us away from God.
Be sure that you promote "children" things with children, and don't kill their innocence with "adult" issues.  Also remember that, even as adults or teens, we are called to have a "child-like" faith to be able to see the kingdom of heaven.  I remember the good old days, but I look forward to the good NEW days!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Spending Time With God


Question:
I have such a busy schedule all week long that when it comes time for me to do my quiet time at night i am so worn out that it's hard to focus. Any advice?


Mark 1:35 (NIV)
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the
house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Christianity is a way of life.  When we become a Christian, our spiritual
life becomes radically changed, we should work on changing every other
aspect of our life radically too.  Out with the old, in with the new.  This
includes SPECIFICALLY making a time for a DAILY, DISCIPLINED, prayer life.
We HAVE to have our time with God, if we don't, the relationship won't grow?

Life is FAST!  We live in a microwave, fast-food drive through, pop tart,
instant coffee, and instant tea kind of world.  If we are not careful, life
ends up running us, instead of us running our own life.  Our current life is
filled daily with things we think are important.  When we become Christians,
we are supposed to make changes in our life.  Changes that reflect that we
have something NEW that is important, things of God.  A Daily, disciplined
prayer life is an absolute necessity for Christian growth.

Martin Luther (a big guy in Christianity) once said "My life is so busy,
that I have to pray for 4 hours a day."  4 HOURS A DAY!  I'm not saying that
you have to pray for 4 hours a day, but you must pray daily, making time for
you and God to be alone.  People constantly tell me "I don't have time to
pray everyday."  My answer to this is "With as fast as life is passing by,
and the uncertain time of our own death, we don't have time NOT to pray
daily."

The bible is full of times where Jesus went off to pray, He had a much
busier life than we do, but He MADE the time to pray because He knew how
important it was.  One of my "heroes-in-the-faith" always says "What has
your attention, has you."  Does God have your attention?  The plain and
simple answer is that we must DECIDE to MAKE time to pray daily.  For me,
that means getting up much earlier than I used to.  If you are serious about
being a Christian, you need to seriously get into it.  Prayer time doesn't
just happen, it's a goal that you have to strive for.

If you are putting something between you and God (like a busy life), then
your lifestyle has become an idol (god) that you put in line before Him.
Check out what God says about that:

Exodus 20:3 (NIV)
"You shall have no other gods before me."

Do you have a daily, disciplined prayer life?  If not, take a long, hard
look at your schedule and find out what activities you need to move and
maybe what activities you need to RE-move, in order to have the prayer life
you need.  If God truly means something to you, you WILL be motivated to
make that change.  God wants to be first in our lives, are you putting Him
first?  Today, make the decision to make God first in your life, destroy any
idols you've allowed to come between you and Him.   The only walls between
you and God are the ones you hold up.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Protect Yourself from False Teachings


Work hard so God can approve you. Be a good worker, one who does not need to
be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

To give us victory over the problem of false teaching, vain traditions and
man-made philosophies (all of which are very much present today), God has
given us protection. That protection is His Word. Paul, the elder, wrote to
Timothy, a new preacher, to “work hard so that God can approve you.” The
essence of that work was Bible Study. Why? So that Timothy could be a
preacher who “correctly explains the Word of Truth!

You don’t have to be a preacher to have this protection. Since we have the
same problem, the same protection works for us. In our lives and in our
world, there are many false teachers, vain traditions and man-made
philosophies. These ideas vie for our attention and approval. But our proper
response is to compare every teaching, tradition and philosophy to the Word
of God, and only keep those that are entirely consistent with God’s Word.

The Word of God has many teachings. But there are at least two major
divisions: Doctrine and Behavior. I have found that most preaching focuses on
the latter of these: Behavior. But, the truth is, the ability to DO the
things that God requires rest in KNOWING the TRUTH of God, that is, Doctrine.
Did you know that most of Paul’s letters can be divided into two sections?
The first half of the letters focus on DOCTRINE (Truth), while the last half
focuses on BEHAVIOR. It is impossible to DO the things of God without first
BEING the person God created you to be. Paul says a believer cannot
underestimate the importance of faithfully believing God’s truth and
consistently correcting (in as loving a way as possible) those who would
present a different message. Titus 1:9 tells us what a believer is
responsible for: He must have a strong and steadfast belief in the
trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others
with right teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

You must not be afraid to oppose false teaching. People’s eternal destinies
may depend on your willingness to take a risk and speak the truth. Learn the
Truth of who you are, so you can DO the things that only the Child of God can
do. Only by knowing who we ARE in Christ are we able to DO the things of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Trust


You are a teen and you want more freedom.  You should be allowed more freedom as you get older.  What to do?  You want to go to a party but your parents say to be home by 11???  You want to stay later.  Go to your parents in a decent respectful manor and ask them if you can stay out later.  Most parents what their children in before midnight because not many productive things are happening for teens after the movies are over and the bowling alleys closed.  Mostly it is a matter of trust, not just about trusting you but trusting others.  When my son began to drive and wanted to stay out late, I wasn't worried about him driving home late, I was worried about others out there on the roads, drinking, drugging and driving fast.  Late nights attract all sorts of evils.  Things people wouldn't do during the day they let themselves go late at night for some reason. 

As you get older your parents will allow you more freedom and that is where the trust comes in.  They will want to know where you are going and who you are with.  They are not trying to be nosey and get into your business but they have a right to know these things in order to protect you.  When they tell you to be home at a certain time, make sure to respect that and be home at that time.  IF you are going to be late, call them and explain to them that you are going to be late and why.  Never drive after using alcohol or any drug, or drive with anyone who has.  Call your parents, they will come to get you no matter what time it is.  Make a trust agreement with them on this.  You promise that you will call if you need them and they promise to trust you with more freedom.  Trust grows and as long and you don't blow it, it really does work out well.  Your parents will respect your maturity and you will get more freedom.  If you don't understand all of this now, one day you will when you are sitting where they are, a parent of a teen.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Christian Gossip Hound


Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Christians, more than anyone else, should encourage and strengthen each other.  We should be a support network for each other.  When we support others, we build a group that will also help to support us.  When we have a group of people we can rely on, we gain a lot of strength in our fight to make it to the end.

At one time or another, Christians focus on "ME! ME! I want this! I want that!  We should do things like this, because that's how I want it!"

When we're busy focusing on ourselves, we don't see the hurting and the pain going on around us.  (When we focus on ourselves we aren't focusing on God, but that's another devo.)  We also don't share our own hurting and our own pain with other Christians to be built up.  Christians are afraid of each other. They are afraid that if they tell someone that they have messed up or that they are hurting, that that person will run off and GOSSIP and tell everyone else.  Unfortunately, this is true, most of the time.

Christians, more than anyone else, are known for being busy body, gossip hounds. The worse the news, the faster we'll spread it.  This needs to stop.  Sin is killing us, gossip is a sin.  It tears down the body of Christ.  Instead of making ourselves look good by having "the scoop", we need to go to those who are hurting or who are fighting with sin and build them up.  If we don't support them, why should we expect them to support us? The cycle will just continue.

Today, take a look around your life.  Look at those close to you, see if there is something in their life you can HELP them with, not gossip about(If you truly look, you WILL truly find).  Each morning when you wake up ask yourself "Self, is this today?" and if it is today (which it will be) then search for someone to build up and help through struggles and sin.  This world is crying for true love and support.  Go and do your best to help out.

Those looking to be busy, will never run out of things to do if they do this.  People of the world are always in need, and the struggle is never over.  Go now and make this world a better place.  You CAN do it, one person at a time.  Have faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

  A Higher Standard


If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. (Ephesians 4:28-31) NLT

Do you remember when you first found Christ? Do you remember what kind of shape you were in? Wow...I sure do. I was depressed, lonely, negative, hurtful, sneaky, and at times vindictive. I was a very angry person who took that out on everyone. My struggle was not with stealing, as the verse talks about, but instead with bitterness and rage.

We are reminded that we should take that negativity and turn it around. I took my emotions and my words that I had used to tear people down and cut wounds so deep in human hearts and I started to find ways to use those for God. With my emotions, I have learned how to love with all of my heart and how to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, because someone did for me. With my words, I have taken those harsh cruelties and started to use my words to write devotions and to explain the amazing love of God to people who need to hear it.

Paul tells us that we are not to bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit by our lives. If we use the precious gifts God has given us to tear others down and hurt His children, that is exactly what we are doing. But, if we take those things and use them as God intended-to further His kingdom, we are bringing glory to the Holy Spirit. We, as Christians are called to a higher standard. We are called to stand out by our behavior-to put away the evil things, and chose to be a reflection of the beautiful God we serve. Look at your life: what are you bringing to the Holy Spirit--Glory or Shame?