Archive for category: Teen Devotions

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9

Satisfied with God

When I was in college studying to be a pastor, I met with one of my advisors and he asked me, “Are you married?” I said, “No.” He then asked, “Are you dating?” Again, I said, “No.” Then he spoke of how important it was that I find a wife before I became a pastor, otherwise my ministry, not to my mention my personal life, would suffer tremendously.

I was 19 or 20 at the time and I took that conversation seriously. Every date I went on became an interview for marriage, which didn’t bode well for a second date. The ladies could sense the desperation radiating from me, and they wanted nothing to do with it.

Eventually I ended up at the seminary learning how to be a pastor. I met with another advisor who asked me the same questions, “Are you married? Are you dating anyone?” Again, the answer was, “No.” To my surprise, his response was completely different than the first. He said, “Good for you. I didn’t get married until I was in my 30’s. Enjoy your single life for a while.”

Both of my advisors gave me advice based on their personal experiences. I wish they had opened the Bible to 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and told me what God says about whether you are single or living the married life. If you haven’t read that chapter before, read it. It’s makes a lot of sense.

In short, God wants you to be content whether you’re single or married, because there are spiritual advantages to both. Single people can spend more time serving the Lord without having the responsibilities a family brings. Married people get to reenact God’s love story every single day with their spouse.

Whatever your situation, ask Jesus to give you a content heart that’s willing to serve him and a believing heart that trusts him to lead your future.

Prayer: Jesus, you and the apostle Paul were single and used your time to minister to others. Help me to find true contentment in my present state of singleness so that I can be fully devoted to you. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22

Pursue the right thing

God created you to be a sexual being. Of course, you already know that because you’re a teenager. You’re at a time in life when you’re hyper aware of what’s going on with your body and everybody else’s. You no longer see your friends of the opposite sex just as friends but as potential mates. It’s normal. It’s all part of God’s design.

But there’s a problem. That design got messed up when the first male and female, Adam and Eve, decided to go rogue and disobey God. Ever since then, that natural process has been perverted, and humans have taken sexuality out of its original context.

Sex was always meant for the enjoyment of one man and one woman who have made a life-long commitment to each other in marriage. Society doesn’t want you to believe that anymore. Social media, television, and blockbuster movies tell you that sex is for anyone who feels like having it with whomever they feel like having it.

What they don’t tell you about are the dangers of having sex outside of marriage: a guilty conscience toward God, a sexually transmitted disease, an unplanned pregnancy, a broken relationship, and a lot of other unforeseen consequences.

That’s why God says to “flee the evil desires of youth.” That means to run away from anything that would cause you to pursue sex outside of marriage, like watching movies with sex scenes and looking at pornographic images. It means having a conversation with your boyfriend or girlfriend to let them know you are saving yourself for marriage.

But notice that God doesn’t just tell you to flee from these evil desires. He says instead to “pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

God isn’t trying to keep you from having fun with this command. He’s trying to keep you safe. That’s why Jesus Christ lived his life pure and holy. He went the way of the cross because he wanted you for himself. He loves you so much! You will find the model for a committed relationship by reading of his love in your Bible and spending time with Christians in your local church, because that’s where you will find this righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

Prayer: Jesus, I want to flee from my evil desires. Give me the strength to do that and replace those desires with your righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Fresh start – #3 Goals

Goals can be powerful motivators. They give us something to work toward achieving. If our goal is to be healthier, we may incorporate exercise and healthier eating into our life.

When we add action steps toward those goals, they give us some clear direction for our life. For example, to get healthier, we are going to exercise three times a week and eliminate the late-night snacking. With these action steps, we now have some clear things to work on to get healthier.

As we seek our one priority, Paul sets the goal for us in his own example. His goal isn’t to be smarter in the faith. His goal isn’t to live a holier life. He certainly wants those things, but those things aren’t his goal. His goal was to get the prize of heaven.

Paul knew that a life in pursuit of heaven includes certain things. As you pursue heaven, these are things you need in your life too.

• You need to be people of prayer (Look up 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Let your heart and your mind continually be turned to the Lord in prayer.
• You need to be people of the Word and of worship (Look up Psalm 1; Colossians 3:15-17; 2 Timothy 3:14-17). Let God’s Word live in your richly and deeply as you live your life for him.
• You need to be in community with other Christians (Look up Hebrews 10:21-25). God has given you the community of believers to support you in your walk of faith as you pursue heaven.

Christ made you and your eternal life with him his top priority. His goal is for your life to be lived with him every day. That’s why he encourages your daily life to include time in prayer, God’s Word, and with God’s people (your faith community). Make a plan. Pray about it. Then, with God at your side, press on!

Prayer: Lord God, I need you, your Word, and your people in my life. Give me the self-discipline I need to incorporate these things into my life. Give me Christian friends who will encourage me in my walk of faith. Lord Jesus, forgive me when I fail and help me as I pursue heaven. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:15-16

Fresh start – #1 Evaluate

A new year is a great time to think about our lives and where we’re headed. A new year means a fresh start. We can start brand new in 2019. We can start brand new in Jesus, because he has forgiven all of our sins. This month, our devotions will look at what God says to us about our new year and our life in Christ.

First, we need to evaluate our time. God gives each one of us the gift of twenty-four-hour days. Each one of us has been given the gift of life and breath today from the same God. Each one of us has been forgiven all of our sins by the same Savior. It’s a brand-new gift that our God gives us freely and daily.

How will we use this time? How will we use fresh set of twenty-four-hour days that our God gives us? What is the best way to use our days and to make the most of every opportunity?

It’s a time to look at how we’re using our phones. (Check out your phones and see how many hours per day or per week that you’re using your phone. My iPhone tracks my phone usage for individual tasks.)

It’s a time to consider how we’re using our time with family and friends. Do we live for ourselves or in service to others?

It’s a time to consider how we’re using our time to grow in our faith. Do we set aside time for God to speak to us in His Word?

It’s a time to consider how we can make the most of every moment in every day to seek God and to share him with the people in our lives. Do we know someone who really needs God’s gift of forgiveness?

So, take a look at your calendar. May your use of time reflect your appreciation for this gift as you joyfully serve him and others.

Prayer: Dear Lord, you have given me each moment of my day. Each moment is a gift from you. Help me to use every moment for you and for your glory. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 1:16-18

Grace upon grace

I’ve been wondering about something for a while. What’s the downside to following Jesus? What’s the downside to holding on to the faith and walking in it?

It is pretty easy to figure out a downside to just about everything else. For every medicine that helps me get better, there is often a nasty side-effect. Just read the warning label sometime. Exercise is good for me; but at the same time, it breaks my body down so that some body parts may wear out more quickly. I think you get the idea.

Everything else in my life has an upside and a downside. But not Jesus. Jesus came to live with us, and there is no downside to that. There is an upside. John explains it the verses in front of us today.

First, Jesus is full of grace and truth. We don’t always like to hear the truth, especially when the truth is painful and uncovers sin. (I know that I don’t!) But it is good. What if your doctor never told you that you had terminal cancer? Would that be good for you? Of course, not! It would hurt when he told you, but how else would you know about your sickness and need for treatment? It’s the same when Jesus comes with truth!

We also see that Jesus isn’t stingy with grace. In fact, he gives grace in place of grace already given. It’s like he gives us grace; and then he gives us grace again. And again. And again! He loves you and longs to forgive you over and over again. He deeply desires for you to know how good and gracious he really is.

Finally, he shows us God! If you really want to know who God is, get to know Jesus as he comes and walks on this earth. To know what God is like, get to know Jesus! He is the one who makes the Father known. He is the one came to reveal God to us.

This Christmas, see how good Jesus is for you. Instead of gift upon gift, he gives something eternally better—grace upon grace!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the one thing I really need. Tell me the truth about my sin so that I can come to you for forgiveness and healing. Give me grace upon grace. I need your grace more and more every day. Keep showing me God. Thank you for coming to be that one thing I really need. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:9-13

Rejection

Rejection is a natural part of our lives. You are rejected when you don’t make the team or get a call back for a second audition. You get rejected while dating and in so many other situations in life. Everyone experiences rejection in their life.

There is someone who knows what rejection feels like—Jesus. From the very start of his life and ministry, he faced rejection and ridicule. People saw the miracles he performed and expected him to be their earthly king. When Jesus made it clear that he wasn’t an earthly king, they left him. Even his own family rejected him. Some of his brothers didn’t believe he was the Son of God.

Jesus was rejected throughout his entire life. Out of love for you and me, he chose to take our place and to take our sin on himself in order to suffer the death we deserved to give us the life he earned. That’s why Jesus came. He came to be rejected by men, so that we would be accepted by God. He came to be condemned by God for our sins, so that we would be forgiven. He even came to be rejected by God, so that we would be accepted by God. Because of Jesus and his rejection, God receives us as children of God. We will not be turned away or rejected by him.

Dear friend, receive the Word of God this Christmas: Jesus loves you! He has come to give you new life and to bring you into the family of God. Rejoice! You are an accepted child of God!

Prayer: Father, we confess that we often have rejected and rebelled against your Word. Forgive us. Thank you for restoring us daily as your children. We rejoice that in Christ our Savior, you accept us as children of God! Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

Changing shapes

Have you ever looked in a mirror that distorts your body? Some of the mirrors make you look tall and skinny, and others make you seem short and fat. I was at the mall the other day and watched as a boy in a wheelchair came up to the mirrors. He sat there and rolled back and forth between the two mirrors. He seemed to be having such a great time. Even though he was not able to fully enjoy the effects of it, you could see the happiness in his eyes.

How could that boy be thankful for having to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of his life? Have you gone through times in life and sometimes found it hard to be thankful? When things don’t go our way, we tend to start blaming God for not providing. We may go as far as disowning God for a short time. When we do not know the outcome of our future, doubt starts to creep in and causes us to take matters into our own hands. The truth is that we do not deserve a God who gives us perfect gifts. We are lost and hopeless sinners.

Jesus never promised that being a Christian would mean freedom from problems. Our verses remind us to be thankful in all circumstances. We don’t know the plan God has for us in the future. We may even be in pain while going through a bad time in life, unable to see light at the end. We may even feel completely lost and feel abandoned by everyone, and God still tells us to give thanks! We have a reason to be glad because we have a way to handle problems. James tells us our God does not change like shifting shadows. Shadows come and go. Our God is forever. He promised to be with us forever whether walking or in a wheelchair. He knows your burdens. He will help you carry your burdens.

Stop and take a moment to thank God because you woke up this morning. Thank God for life. For each other. For friends. For parents. For house and home. For Christ and salvation. He is the satisfaction for my soul.

Prayer: Dear Savior, you hold me in the palm of your hand. Give me the faith to thank you even on the darkest days. Even when all hope seems lost, remind me to give thanks because you have washed us clean by the blood of your innocent Son. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:6-10

Contentment

Some people think that contentment means getting everything they want as soon as they want it. If that’s contentment—a desire and want of more—it can easily lead to a negative view of life that says, “Look what I DON’T have.” It can lead us to resent what others have but we don’t.

What is the secret to happiness? God says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Being content with what you have rather than looking at what you do not will put your focus on the positive and not the negative. Contentment is the heart of a believer who believes God is our provider, who provides for our spiritual and earthly needs because we are his children. Jesus gave up his breath on the cross. There we find all debts of sin are paid. It promises peace with God. It assures of salvation. It leads to the conviction that “God works all things out for our good”.

One of the best definitions of contentment that I have heard is, “not having all you want but wanting only what you have.” Satisfied with what you have—that is being content. It means having all you need not craving for more. “But what if I do not have all I need to support my life?” Jesus answers, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26) Yes, you are valuable to Jesus! Find contentment in him!

Prayer: Dear Lord in heaven help us to be content with what we have and not to worry about what we do not. For we know that you will provide everything that we need to keep our bodily life. Thank you for sending your Son to die on the cross in our place so that we can be content in you today. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Mark 8:34

Rebel #4 – The Weight

Many things make it hard to follow Jesus. We’ve talked about some of them this month. There are more that we haven’t even talked about. There are the temptations the world holds out as a lure. There is the direct opposition the world brings, for we believe things the world directly opposes. The devil is constantly after us like a roaring lion. So much is stacked against us as we live for Jesus and rebel against this world and its ways.

Those struggles are hard enough, and then Jesus adds one more. “Deny yourself.” In other words, Jesus is calling us to put others ahead of ourselves. We are not first, Jesus is. We are not even second, everyone else is. Which means—we are always last! “Deny yourself.”

We want “me” time, to be taken care of, and to have our turn. We want what is good for us. It’s what we want. But Jesus says, “Deny yourself. I’m first. They’re next. You are always last.”

But we want what’s good for us. We want our way the way we want it and when we want it. Jesus says, “Deny yourself. What I want for you is what you should always want.”

This is the cross that Jesus gives us to carry, the cross of self-denial. Yes, this is the cross Jesus calls us to carry as we follow him.

As we step under the weight of our cross and learn to say “God your way is best, and I trust you,” then we find contentment and even joy in the life that God gives us. When we learn to say, “God, I will give up my wants for the good of the people around me,” then we find that God will provide for us in ways that we didn’t even imagine with even more than we could have thought.

The weight of the cross and the struggle against it drives us to our knees so that we rely on God and on him alone. When God is all we have, we learn that God is all we need. He gives us salvation, support, and strength. He gives us all that we need.

So, step under that cross and accept in faith whatever God gives. Step under that cross and deny yourself as you live with other people.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, you call me to deny myself, take up my cross and follow you. O Jesus, it is hard and heavy. I ask you to give me strength to carry this cross. As I do, draw me closer to you, knowing you meet all my needs. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matthew 19:16-22

Rebel #2 – The Guide

People love a good “how to” guide. We want to know how to fix a phone that got dropped in the toilet. We want to know how to run a little bit faster. We want to know how to do all sorts of things. We even want to know how to get into heaven. This week we consider the guide that we have from our God, the “how to” of getting to heaven.

In Matthew 19, a man came up to Jesus to ask, “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?” He had the idea that if he did the right “good thing” he could get heaven. He was looking for a “how to” guide from Jesus. Jesus did give him a guide, but he couldn’t follow it, so he went away sad.

Take a moment to evaluate yourself and your relationship with God. How close to God are you on a scale of 1-10? Rate yourself closer to 1 if you feel like you’ve got a long way to go. Rate yourself closer to a 10 if you feel like you’re doing a good job in your relationship with God. After you’ve evaluated your relationship with God, read on.

I would be willing to guess that you didn’t rate yourself a 10. You looked at your relationship with God and felt like you weren’t quite where God wants it to be. You’re not a “10.” By doing this, you’re evaluating yourself the way this man did. You’re looking for a “how to” list from God to be good enough. If you can to do all the right things, you’d be a 10. But if you keep evaluating yourself this way, you’ll always walk away sad because you’ll never be a 10.

Jesus wanted this man to completely give up on his own ability to be good and find his goodness in Jesus. This man walked away before Jesus could tell him the only way to be good. Jesus would have told him, “I am your goodness. I am your righteousness. I am your perfection.”

We are perfect because Jesus declares us so. We are good because Jesus declares us to be good. We are righteous because Jesus makes us so. The apostle Paul says it like this: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). So you see, you already are a “10” in God’s sight.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You took on my sin and claimed it as your very own. You give me your righteousness, and by faith, I claim it as my very own. You became what you were not, to make me what I was not. By your grace, I’m a “10” in your sight. Thank you. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
Luke 22:39-43

God’s strength

This week we’re wrapping up our devotions on spiritual habits. I want you to think back to all of these devotions and notice something. We want to spend time in God’s Word, because in his Word he gives us his strength, courage, and motivation to live for him. We want to spend time talking to our God in prayer, because God promises to always answer our prayers. We want to spend time with the community of believers, because they will give us strength from the Lord.

A theme emerges from these spiritual disciplines: They turn us to our God who gives us his gifts of strength, answers, help, and courage.

We see an Jesus’ example as he cried out to his Father in anguish. He was thoroughly overwhelmed by what was about to happen. He even begged that God would take this cup of suffering away from him. Look what God did in answer to his prayer: An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

This is what God promises to do for you as you walk through life. He promises that his Word is power for salvation; it is food and strength for you and your soul. He promises that he will always hear your prayers for help and for strength. He says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you” (Psalm 50:15). He promises that his church, his community of believers, will endure to the end. You will never be alone on this earth as you live by faith here.

God has given you the gifts of his Word and Sacraments, prayer, and his people to give you his strength and his support through life.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me your gifts to help me stay faithful to you until death. Thank you for giving me your strength to live for you all the days of my life. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25

The power of habit: Christ-centered community

These are the days when we are more connected and yet more disconnected at the same time. We are more connected on our phones, more connected through social media. At the very same time, we are also quite disconnected as we live life. We’re connected thumb-to-thumb but not face-to-face and not soul-to-soul.

That can be a dangerous thing. Social media can lead us to be fake with other people. We easily filter the way life is really going. We can easily hide what is really going on with us. We can easily isolate ourselves from the Christ-centered community that we so desperately need. The truth is: The lone wolf gets picked off. That’s who the devil goes after because there is no one around to help when tempted.

God’s people need each other. We need other people in our lives. That is precisely why the writer wrote these words to us. He knew that we needed a Christ-centered community around us.

On the one hand, we need each other to see the blind spots in our faith and the sins that hide in the corners of our lives that we can’t see. We need other Christians to show us our sins. Even more than that, we need them to show us Jesus’ forgiveness. We need a Christ-centered community around us to keep us close to our Savior.

On the other hand, other people need us just as deeply in their lives. They need us to lovingly show them the blind spots of their faith, the sins that hide in the corners of their life. They need us to show them their sins and even more than that to tell them that Jesus has forgiven it all! They need us to spur them on with gospel encouragement!

You, dear Christian, need the family of believers, the community of Christ-followers, around you. In fact, they are God’s gift to you to keep you close to Jesus until he returns. And in the very same way, you are God’s gift to them to keep them close to Jesus.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for blessing me with many wonderful friends. Be with my friends and me. Help us to encourage each other to grow in your Word. Keep Christ as the center of our lives and bring us closer to each other by bringing us closer to you. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17

The power of habit: Bible reading

What if I told you that you would die tomorrow unless you took one pill? Would you miss it? Probably not. You would probably set an alarm. You would do something to make sure that you always took that pill every single day, because you know it is a matter of life and death.

There are other things like that in our life, things that aren’t a matter of life and death, but still very important to us. We have daily routines and habits that are really important—brushing your teeth, taking a shower, doing your homework, or eating meals. These things have become part of your regular life, and you wouldn’t really consider cutting them out.

This month we’re going to talk about some disciplines that are important for your spiritual health. These are things that we want to be diligent about practicing. If we don’t practice these things, we put our faith at risk. We risk falling from the faith and losing out on eternity. Jesus himself tells us to “watch and pray” so that we don’t fall into temptation.

The first habit is Bible reading. It’s something that Paul tells Timothy to continue. He urged him, “Continue in what you learned and have become convinced of.” Paul wants to Timothy to make a habit of remembering what he had been taught. He wanted Timothy to keep Scripture on the front of his mind, continuing to remember it.

Then he tells him, and us, why.

The Scriptures make us wise for salvation. There is no better or higher reason than this. God’s Word rebukes us when we are wrong. It teaches us of God’s love for us. It points us to God’s forgiveness of our sins in Christ. It equips us for a life of righteousness. It gives and strengthens our faith in Jesus.

God’s Word is good for everything else in this life too. In short, God’s Word is also a personal trainer for our daily walk as Christians. It equips and trains us to live as God’s people in this world.

Would you ever skip brushing your teeth on purpose? Of course not! It wouldn’t be healthy. The same goes for daily Bible reading. Sustain your spiritual health and grow in it by including God’s Word in your daily life.

Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, we thank you for the many opportunities you give us to make your Word a part of our daily routines. Strengthen our bond with you and help us realize the importance your Word has on our daily lives. In His name we pray, Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:9-11

Tough conversations about sexuality

“I am straight.” “I am gay.” “I am lesbian.” “I am bi-sexual.” “This is who I am. This is what I do.”

These are the days when people are more proud than ever to say these kinds of things. You’ve likely heard people say these things with pride before; maybe you’ve even said them yourselves.

Paul has something to say, “These people who claim this identity and live this life will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.” Paul actually enlarges this group to those who also say: “I am a thief.” “I am greedy.” “I am a drunk.” “I am a swindler.” “I am a slanderer.” “This is who I am, and this is what I do.”

If you—or if anyone else—want to claim an identity and live a life that God calls sin, then you are asking God to leave you out of heaven. Paul is clear. “These people will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.”

But that’s not the only answer here. He is talking to you, dear Christian, who is struggling with what to think about your sexuality. For you who refuse to be identified by your sexuality but instead by your repentance, something else is true. For you, who struggle daily with what God says is sin, who grieve because you know the good you ought to do but don’t do it, Paul says something else to you. “That is what some of you were.”

You were identified by sin, but now you’re not. Now you are identified by your Savior Jesus. You are cleansed by his blood. You are justified and not guilty in his sight. You are washed. You are not who you used to be. You are forgiven.

If you’re struggling with your sexuality, reach out to a Christian friend and lean on God’s Word and Jesus’ blood for salvation for help. If you’re struggling with the sexuality of your family or friends, seek God’s wisdom in his Word and some counsel from your pastor. Tough conversations about sexuality do not have easy answers.

But there is always this: Jesus takes us as we are and makes us someone new. He always forgives. He always helps us in our struggle with sin, whatever that sin happens to be, even in our sexuality.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me your words and your wisdom as I talk to people in my life about their sexuality. Give me a broken heart when I see how I have sinned against you in my own sexuality. Lead me to find my identity and my salvation in what you have done. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
Psalm 146:3-5

Tough conversations about politics

Over the next month we are going to talk about things that are deeply personal. We’re going to look at things that are highly controversial. Just a single post about any of the topics this month sets off a firestorm of comments on both sides of the conversation.

These are topics about which it would often be easier to be silent. But God is not silent on them. So, we won’t be silent either. This week, the topic is politics.

As we tackle it, let me ask a question: Why are we often troubled by what our leaders do? Why do we often get so upset and sometimes even rebellious when we talk about our leaders? The answer is simple: We’re not in control, and we want something else to happen. We don’t trust these leaders to do what is good for us. Sometimes we actually think our leaders are out to harm us.

The psalmist puts his finger on the problem. We are looking to human beings to do for us what only God can do. We’re looking to our human leaders to take care of our bodily needs, to give us a blessed life, to protect us, and keep us safe. But that’s a job that only God can do.

Only God can save. Only God can provide. Only God can give the blessed life. Only God protects. God is the only one who can do these things. And he does do these things. He does them through the leaders he has put in authority.

So, trust your God. He is your help and hope. Even when our earthly leaders and rulers don’t seem to be doing good for us, God is always doing good for us. Our God gives the blessed life.

Pray for your leaders. Pray that God would give them wisdom and lead them to do what is good for us. Pray for their health and wellness. Pray for their families. Most of all, pray that they would turn to the Lord and be Christian, godly rulers as they rule over us.

Prayer: Lord God, be with our leaders, our president, our representatives, and all who lead our country. Give them health, wellness, and most of all wisdom. Lead them to rule over our country so that we may live peaceful lives and so that more people might know you. Amen.

Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Commission on Youth and Family Ministry.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.