Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

  Jesus: Then and Now

By: Jeff Lappano


“So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in a manger.” Luke 2:14 (NASB)

How easily I could take this verse and minister a Christmas message. However, that’s not where I’m going with this. Luke is giving us a visual of what the three wise men walked into as they found the manger. I’m sure as all new parents are; Mary and Joseph were amazed at the little baby in the manger. The three wise men found Jesus being totally dependant on his parents as all babies are.

The great revelator, John, gives us another look at the same man. Revelation 19:11-15 says, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

The two pictures we see in the texts are so amazing, yet so contradictory. Luke shows us a baby, and john shows us a warrior; a man of authority and power. Jeremiah had the privilege of declaring that God knows the plans he has for us. As He saw his son laying in that manger totally dependant upon his parents, God knew the role Jesus would play as the savior of the world, and who would take the authority from the devil.

How does apply to us? We’re going to feel like babies at times, and God knows that, and that’s why we have spiritual parents in our life. But He also knows where our lives are going. Keep reading the verses in Revelation 19, and you’ll see that we’re in that battle with Christ. The bible records that the armies of God rise up in victory in the war. As Christ reigns in victory, so do we, for it is in Him we live, move and have our being.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Seek Joy

By: Adam R. Rinehart


Luke 15:3-6  And He spoke this parable to them, saying,  4  What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it? 5  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  6  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost."

Back when I was a youth pastor, our youth had two favorite games, and since they are both played in the dark, we would play them on the same night.   Playing "Sardines" is a great time.  One person goes to hide somewhere in the church while the others try to find them.  Upon finding them, you must stay with that person until the last person found them and thus became "it".   I always loved that game because knowing the layout of the church like the back of my hand, it made it fun to hide and see who would find me. The other game that was so awesome was "Murder In The Dark".  One person was "it" and another the investigator.  While the rest of the people were the victims.  The "it" was to try to find all of the people and pick them off before the investigator found out who "it" was.   I used both games for some pretty good illustrations.   

How great it feels to be able to find the person that is hiding!  You soul just illuminates with joy all over because you have found the person, or the person is found out.  That is the same way that Jesus feels when a lost soul comes to know Him, and the same joy that we feel when we see someone come to know the Lord as well.   We are called to be the planters and the harvesters.  Why is it that we are not doing our job and out harvesting lost souls?  We need to see that joy come within our hearts, and want to have a passion for that joy.  What would happen if you went and told that friend of yours about Christ today?  Even if they did not come to know the Lord today, there is still that joy that floods the soul.  Today, be challenged to go and find that joy of seeing a lost soul come to know the Lord, and seek it whole heartedly!  May God's Grace Abound In You.

[Soldier4Christ]

They Need To Know

By: Steve Self


John 5:29 (The Message)

Those who have lived the right way will walk out into a resurrection Life; those who have lived the wrong way, into a resurrection Judgment.

There is a movement in America that has gotten a firm hold on us.  This movement has blurred the lines between what is right and what is wrong.  This movement says that good is evil and evil is good.  This movement is called political correctness.  It takes the evil desires of people and labels them under new and nice-sounding titles.  It takes child pornography and calls it "art".  It says pre-marital sex is ok as long as it's "safe".  It says people can cuss and be lewd and bash Christianity, because that's "freedom of speech."

We live in a time when people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.  We love to blame it on someone else.  "Well, I do this because my parents" .. or what is worse they say, "there is nothing wrong with this".  People have hardened their hearts in the name of "freedom", true freedom doesn't come from following sin.  Sin traps us and makes us victims of it. 

As Christians, it's more important than ever for us to know what is right and know what is wrong.  We like to accept Jesus as our saviour, but we don't like the whole "Lord" part of our salvation.  We need to dig into God's word and find out how He wants us to live, so we can be examples to others.  This world is hurting more than ever.  Political correctness has given people a good sounding reason to be what sinful desires want them to be, but political correctness doesn't offer the freedom that it promised.  It has only trapped us more.

It's wrong to be gay, it's wrong to cheat on your spouse, it's wrong to divorce, it's wrong to cuss, it's wrong to worship other gods, such as Allah and Buddha.  It's wrong to blend in with the world's way of doing things.  Subconsciously, people know this and that's why they are trapped because they don't know the truth.  The truth is that it's wrong, but the bigger truth is that God loves the people who are doing this and wants them to come to Him.  He molded each one of us together in His own hands, making us in His image.  God loves the doctors who perform abortions, He loves the people who get abortions.  He loves everyone, no matter what sins they are committing.  God offers these people freedom, but they have to know the truth.  They have to know.  We have to tell them.  We have the right to proclaim the truth of the gospel, after all, we do have "Freedom of speech", Satan is using it, we should too.

[Soldier4Christ]

Crawling Back to God

By: Beth Hays


Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. (Hosea 14:1) NLT

Have you ever felt like you were drowning in sin? It wasn’t long ago I found myself back in a lifestyle of sin. I was so full of guilt I was afraid to even tell those I was accountable to. I didn’t look anyone in the eye and I even stepped back from ministry. I was overwhelmed, brought down, with sin.

I had been told that God would take me back, but why would I believe that? I knew the greed and shame in my heart and I knew the righteousness of God. I didn’t deserve to even breathe the same air he does, let alone talk to Him. How could I go back to God when I couldn’t even face Him.

But, I started to realize that my way wasn’t working either. I was sinking fast. I had drown in a world of sin. I was too deep to pull myself out anymore. So, I crawled back to God….I didn’t run back, I groveled. I came into the presence of God weeping and ashamed. He led me to Hosea 12:6--”So now, come back to your God! Act on the principles of love and justice, and always live in confident dependence on your God.”(NLT)

He reminded me that it was the right choice to come back. He didn’t remind me of my sin. He didn’t turn me away. He told me what to do from here. He showed me that I did have a ministry (we ALL have a ministry) and reminded me to act with love.

But, above all he reminded me why I fell in the first place and how to prevent it in the future. I stopped living in “confident dependence.” I realized that when I was living in totally dependence on Him and acting in confidence because of that dependence, I was joyful and free. I could have that back. All I had to do was completely and fully rely on Him once again.

My friends, are you drowning in sin and afraid to go to the Father? Are ou afraid he will turn you away like the world does, that He will reject you like people have in the past? I can speak as one who understands when I assure you he won’t turn you away. He won’t throw your mistakes in your face. He won’t hurt you more than you already hurt. He will pick you up, set you back on track, and remind you of your purpose. My precious siblings in Jesus, you are worth far too much to lose to the battle of sin. Talk to your God today—let Him pull you out of the mire of sin.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Close

By: Scott Ringo


Have you ever gotten to the point in your life where everything within you is crying out for grace?  I have been there more times than I have wished for and just at the point of breaking, grace is ushered in like a gentle wind.  You maybe there today, you may be there tomorrow, or your friend might be crying out for that grace right now.

A mother held a baby not to long ago in less than comfortable surroundings.  As the cold bit at her face and she wondered how she would ever get through the night, she looked down and saw the face of the grace that would save the world.  There lying in her arms was the ultimate act of grace, God come to earth to save us.  Imagine the creator of the universe coming to live with us, to know us, and to die for us.  Imagine the grace that Mary would need as she lived through the rest of her life because she had become pregnant before she was married.

"Look!  The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning God with us)."  Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

It was at that exact moment in history, that God came the closest to you and me.  The great news is, He stayed with us from that point on.  Many times, I feel like God is very far away, however, the bible tells me that it is not God who is far away but instead, it was us who had strayed away from God.  Because of that little baby who was cradled in Mary's arms no longer am I one inch away from God.

In Ephesians 2 Paul tells us "But now you belong to Christ Jesus.  Though you were once far away from God, now you have been brought near to Him because of the blood of Christ."  Ephesians 2:23 (NLT)



Perhaps one of the biggest questions in the minds of all humanity is "Where is God, and why can I not hear Him?”  By studying His words to us, we will find that He is closer to us than even our own thoughts.  These two verses explain to us that Mary's child, Jesus, was God who came to us.  Because Of Him, we have been brought close to Him and nothing can separate us.  If you are in need of grace, God gave it to us once and for always through His son Jesus.

My Challenge for Us
Take a moment and realize that God is right there with you.  God is no further away from you than the breath inside you.  If you need grace today in your life as I have so many other days, take a minute and know that you can have all the grace you need.  God's grace is sufficient because that grace is Jesus.

Do you need to extend grace to someone today?  Take a minute and ask yourself if you might need to be Jesus (grace) to someone today.

[Soldier4Christ]

  To Do or Not To Do

By: Matt Crawford


"And whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the father by Him." Colossians 3:17

If being a Christian is an all-encompassing, life-changing, priority-shifting commitment (and it is), that means how we do things, how we view things, and how we live, should all change, right? And the bible says that if we are saved, we should be in this world, but not be of it. Right? Most definitely!

Well, that leaves this question: "If the world is so sinful, and I am to live in it but not live as the rest of the world does, where do I draw the line? What can I or can I not do? Movies, parties, drinking, smoking, flirting, kissing, etc.? What things are sinful, and are there any neutral areas? There is moral and immoral, but is there anything that is neither?"

I dealt with this for a long time, and found myself confused. Here I was, trying to live holy, yet at the same time I wanted to have fun, to have recreation, to hang out with old friends, and just let go. Suddenly I was questioning the jokes I told, the movies I watched, the music I listened to, etc. So much of what we have grown used to in the world suddenly doesn’t seem so innocent when you put it in context of your faith. But what things are okay to do, and what things aren’t?

Well, to be certain, God calls us to a higher standard of living. We have liberty in Christ, so we aren’t called upon to set a huge list of dos and don’ts. But at the same time, we are to be careful how we act, talk, live, work, etc., because we are representatives for Christ, and that means how we act may reflect on someone else’s view of what a Christian is. If we are the only Jesus people will ever see, and we are doing questionable things, how will people around us perceive our faith and our Lord?

Rather than condemn or condone anything at all, I will refer you to the verse above, which pretty much ties up every loose end of this question. "Do ALL things in the name of Jesus." If we live for Jesus, we do everything in his name. If you hang out with friends, see a movie, read a book, work for your job, do it in His name. Once you put things in that perspective, things change. "Would Jesus do this? Is it appropriate to put his name on this?" If there are things in your life that you really can’t or wouldn’t dare put Jesus’ name on, then it is probably those things that need to go.

[Soldier4Christ]

  The Sparkle in God’s Eye

By: Beth Hays


The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great DELIGHT in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zeph. 3:17, NIV, emphasis mine)

What do you do when you delight in someone? When someone walks through the door that you haven’t seen in ages but you absolutely adore…what do you do? You may get up and hug them, maybe squeal , maybe you stand in awe. But, what I guarantee every one of you do is that you light up. Your eyes sparkle. You are DELIGHTED.

I was walking back to my dorm this past week when God spoke something amazing to me. I looked down at the freshly fallen snow and was overcome with awe at its beauty. It sparkled like nothing I had ever seen before. The glistening glitter that seemed to lie in the snow made me smile brightly. But, my joy didn’t end there. God quietly spoke to my heart and said “Just as your eyes sparkle with delight, so mine sparkle more brightly than this snow when I think of you.”

I needed a concrete way to see that God delighted in me. But, I’m me…and I didn’t respond with the childlike trust I should have. I questioned (have you noticed I question everything?). I couldn’t understand how the God of the universe, with billions of other kids, would take that much delight in me, the wretch and sinner I am. When I whined my excuses for why He shouldn’t love me, He simply replied “I can’t help it.”

That was enough for me. My friend, let it be enough for you. No matter how you feel about yourself, know that God sparkles when He delights in you. He adores you, precious one. He wants desperately to catch a glimpse of you, it makes His eyes sparkle brighter than freshly fallen snow. Will you give Him that pleasure to day and in the process be reminded of just how special you are to Him?

[Soldier4Christ]

  A Lesson From Coffee

By: Jeff Lappano


“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life

John 3:16 (NASB)

Having dinner at my grandparents is always a blast. It’s even so much better when my aunt comes. The best part of course is the desert time. Coffee with whatever deserts my grandparents happens to have. Me, being the youngest and all, I love coffee with cream and a lot of sugar. My aunt and grandmother likes just cream. Grandpa, on the other hand likes his “cup of Joe” totally black. Of course there are little comments between us of the different ways we drink the coffee, but never have we gotten into a huge brawl.

Turn to 1 Corinthians 1:11, 12“For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each of you is saying, “I am of Paul”, and “I am of Appollos”, and “I am of Cephas”, and “I am of Christ.” The people were fighting about the different teachings by the different men of God. All of these men were teaching accurately the life changing Gospel. Yet the church was arguing about who was teaching right, and who was teaching wrong.

What in the world does this have to do with us living at the end of 2003? The word I’m thinking of is denominations. We have so many denominations in the world today. From personal experience, I know that we have an attitude such as the church at Corinth. If we want to life as brothers and sisters in the Lord, we so just got to get over the denomination beliefs.

How does the scriptures and illustration fit together? It doesn’t matter if you put cream and/or sugar in it, or the amount thereof, its still coffee. Hebrews 9 tells us that Christ took His own blood into the holy place, and put it on the mercy seat. God gave his begotten son for the shedding of His blood. That is salvation. There is no other way to the Father but by the Blood of the Lamb. Lets get over our denominational doctrines and come together in the unity of the blood. Lets get over the fighting and remember that the only way to the Father is accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Comfort in Grief

By: Beth Hays


God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4) NLT

Have you ever lost someone who meant the world to you? Have you ever been left on this earth without the one who meant the most to you? Have you ever felt as though someone took a piece of your heart, ripped it out of your chest, and put it through a shredder while you watched? If your answer is yes, then I want you to know that I understand.

When I was eleven years old the one person I adored most was taken out of this world. She was my nanny and I adored her so much. She was everything I needed and wanted in a caretaker. She loved me. But, a brain tumor and the will of God stole her from my world. It crushed me to pieces.

But, I was never allowed to grieve. I was never allowed to cry and express the sadness I had inside. I bottled it up and pretended that it didn’t matter. I was told she was just a “babysitter.” I refused to see that it could possibly affect me. I never mourned.

I have since been able to see that the more I hold it inside, the more it eats away at my very soul. By letting it out I was finally able to set my heart free. It was during the rough ride of grief that I realized the blessing in it. I found that mourning is truly a blessing. The ability to feel the loss that took place was a gift. Without the grief, I could never know how amazing comfort is.

Jesus said that those who mourn will be comforted and that they are blessed. It is so true, my friend. I know the road of grief is so unbearably difficult it rarely seems worth it. But, I also know that it is a gift to be able to feel the grief, and even more so to feel the comfort that God will provide. There are far too many who are still tightly bottling it inside, devoid of emotion. If you, like me, are battling through the grief, let us hold hands and consider ourselves blessed because as deeply as we feel the pain, so will we feel the comfort.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Employee's Only

By: Tony B. Rhoda


Every promise from God shall surely come true" (Luke 1:37) TLB.

Life can certainly get rough from time to time. I know it has in my life. We all go through struggles and spend countless hours trying to figure them all out. I often wonder why it happens and how can we get through it. Every time I turn to the Bible and behold He shows me a way! 

A couple of years ago I was walking into my new job selling pagers and cell phones. My counter was located in the back of a noisy and cluttered game room. As I approached the door I read a sign that hung from the latch. It read, "Employee's Only." I smiled as I opened the door and thought, "hey, that's me!"

I always remember going to different places and stores and always seeing that sign. I've always wondered what life beyond those doors held. It's almost like the forbidden area that we only wish we could only take a peek at, or to have the satisfaction of being somewhere that others could never be.

Then it dawned on me shortly after wiping the counters down that our whole life is like that. As Christians we strive every day to make it behind the doors of heaven. To be able to get a sneak peek of what might to come. I remember before I accepted Jesus into my life, I was always curious about what this place in the sky would be like. I now imagine myself walking up to heaven, looking to the pearly gates and seeing a sign that reads: Employee's Only. If you accept your job title as a Christian than you can enter, if not you will be cast out of the store.

If you have never accepted Jesus into your life then the application is on the table. There is always a "Now Hiring" sign outside. Every promise that God tells us in His Word the Bible will come true, and one of those is the gift of eternal life. If you haven't received this, I encourage you to fill out the application. There are only two questions on there. It's not a trick question! Do you believe in Jesus and willing to dedicate your life to Him.....check yes or no. God Bless and Keep the Faith!

[Soldier4Christ]

  Perfect Choice

By: Scott M. Ringo


Most of us that are single are concerned about when and who we will marry.  We get eager, and it there is few stories left where a person patiently waited out God's choice for their mate.  Especially around Valentine's Day careful thought to whom or why someone is dating is abandoned and the motivation connected to not being lonely than finding God's choice for our mate.  Most singles go through several unsuccessful dating experiences of which a little thought would have prevented, after which God presents His choice and they lived happily ever after. 

In olden days of the bible the fathers arranged the marriages and in some countries and cultures still do.  The fathers were respected for their wisdom in knowing to whom and when their child was ready for marriage.  One such example was Abraham.  Abraham sent his servant to find God's choice for marriage to his son Isaac.

Abraham said to his servant, "He [God] will send His angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a woman there to be my son's wife." Genesis 24:6

Abraham did not even trust his own judgment for a wife for His son Isaac but instead deferred the choice to God.  God's choice for a lifelong mate is worth waiting for.  In modern times rarely are parents counted on to arrange marriages for their children.  However, we have a Father in heaven who is very interested and active in choosing our mates for us. 

The questions come when we think about how we will know if a person that comes into our life is the "right one" or not.  Since the "right one" has never shown up in each of our lives before we meet them, what shows a "green light" in a particular person over another?  Good question.  However, when God chooses a mate there will be no denying whom the person is.  God is God and He makes His will known in marvelous ways.

God wants very much to be involved in the decision making of whom we get involved with and lastly who we give our lives to.  We can trust that God will help us know His will when that special person is presented to us by Him.  We can also trust that God will confirm our choices by people that has surrounded our lives with as we move into a relationship with that special person.  God's choice for that special love-mate in our life is worth waiting for and we can trust Him that He has made someone just right for each of us.  To settle for anything less is, well, to settle for less.

Some Questions to Think About:
Is there a difference between a good choice and the ultimate right choice?

God is always faithful, so why do we have such a hard time trusting Him with this decision?

My Challenge to Us:
God wants to be involved with every aspect of our life.  Many times, we substitute love relationships with others in place of the intimate love relationship that we will only find in God Himself.  In doing so, we impatiently sacrifice being involved in less perfect relationships instead of waiting out God's for our mate.  Allow God to have complete control over the love relationships in your live and your choice for a mate and He will bring you the person that He has created just for you.  Then when God presents you with the person He has created for you, listen to your heart, and those around you and you will have no doubt He has given you the love of your life.  When you choose God's choice, you will not end up with anyone less than who God made for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Being Connected

By: Adam R. Rinehart


James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will drawnigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever have the opportunity to get DSL for my web access.  It seems that every time here lately that I go to log on whether here at the church, or at home something always happens that causes me to get disconnected.  Either it is my daughter, someone calls, or I just plain get logged off. Maybe when they lower the price of DSL I can have it both here at the church and at home. 

When we want to pursue intimacy with God and have a relationship with Him, we have to be careful that we are not finding ourselves like Internet access and being disconnected from Him because of sin that is goes un-confessed. When we want to connect with God, God always draws near to us, but catch what also James says here at the end of the verse, “Cleanse your hand sinners, and purify your hearts.” We are so busy wanting to come to God in prayer, but yet we forget to confess our sins and ask the Lord for forgiveness.   

God wants a close relationship with us, if He didn’t He would have never sent His Son to pay the price for that total access with Him. He wants us to come to Him with our sin, and ask for the forgiveness that only He can give. Let us draw near to God, and watch what God does in our lives by drawing near to us!   May God’s Grace Abound In You!

 

[Soldier4Christ]

  God Is...

By: Beth Hays


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]

  Pencil It In

By: Jeff Lappano


“Love keeps no records of wrongs” 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

I am so fascinated by the words that the apostle Paul penned. Every time I get to read anything that the author wrote I am totally blessed. However, there are times when I read a verse here and there, I wonder if Paul is contradicting other author’s writings, even his own at times. Its not until I study the entire passage that I find the harmony in what the two say.

A while back the Lord dealt with me in the area of anger, and out of that came a devotion out of Ephesians 4, where Paul deals with anger. If you would like a copy of that, please let me know. Verse 26 in the KJV says, “Be ye angry, and do not sin: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Paul began this verse by quoting something David wrote, and went a different direction with it, I want to show you what David wrote and tie everything together. The direction David takes is found in chapter 4, and verse 4. “Think about it overnight and remain silent.” Paul and David both tell us that it’s alright to be angry, as long as you deal with it in the proper way.

OK, by now ya’ll are scratching your heads trying to figure out how this ties in together. When that person who you lover ticks you off, you have to deal with it or else strife and a bunch of other junk will destroy the relationship. Yet the timing of dealing with the situation has a lot to do with this as well. Therefore if the timing isn’t immediately there to deal with the situation, it’s a good thing to remember the situation so at the proper time it can be dealt with. Don’t ink into your heart, but that’s permanent, but I challenge you to pencil it, because at the right time, you can deal with it and erase it.

[Soldier4Christ]

  Obscurity

By: Scott Ringo


We are all searching for significance in our lives, sometimes so much so we ignore the significant items that we have already found.  Where was it that we were taught a "magic" formula that once we happen upon it everything will suddenly be bright in our lives?

Many times, we treat the bible as a soothsayer and believe that if we just hold tight to certain verses they will eventually wield a secret power.  God's word, the bible is true in every word, and every word that God spoke to those authors is His and do hold His incredible power.  We tend to forget is that those words in the bible are conditional, conditional on our obedience.

There was a boy named David born to a man named Jesse.  David was the youngest of eight brothers.  Being the youngest, David spent countless days in the fields watching his father's sheep.  He must have had constant thoughts of what a worthless life God had planned for him.  Regardless, David knew God in such an incredible way that eventually God used David to write a large portion of the bible. 

One day while David was watching the sheep a brother called him to the house, and David returned to find all his brothers, his father, and a prophet of God named Samuel waiting for his return.

"And the Lord said, 'This is the one; anoint him.'  So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the olive oil he had brought and poured in on David's head.  And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him from that day forward." 1 Samuel 16:13 (NLT)

One minute David was just being obedient watching his father's sheep in the field.  The next minute, David was anointed by God as the next King of Israel.

Obscurity in the pastures was David's training ground and God chose that place so He would have David's undivided attention.  God has planned great significance for each of our lives, the challenge is allowing God to bring about that significance in His time. 

It is a challenge to live today for everything it is worth while making a note of the significance and wonder in which God has already surrounded our life.  Today will never come again, and you cannot go back and make today up. God will bring the rest of the significance to your life in His timing.  Until then live today for today, you will never get it again.

My Challenge to Us
The significance that God has made your life for will be more incredible than you can imagine.  However, many of us are too impatient to wait on God's timing and instead make our own significance.  When we short-circuit God's plan for our life we will never know how wonderful it could have been.  For David, he would have sacrificed being the King of Israel if he had put his own plan in place.  Instead, take a moment and look at all the significance your life has and all the special things in which God has surrounded you.  Live today for today as if you will never get it again and God will take care of all the other days.