Archive for category: Teen Devotions

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
Isaiah 11:1

A spotless rose

Winter can be a beautiful season: the Christmas lights, the ice sculptures, the snowmen, the falling snow on a calm winter night. However, it seems that every winter gets a bit colder. Yes, the weather and wind-chill certainly contribute to coldness, but I’m not talking about that kind of cold. The world seems colder. Countries are at war with each other. Peaceful protestors are beaten and arrested. Families fall apart. High schools and movie theaters are tragically transformed into shooting galleries. It doesn’t take much critical thinking to see that the cold bite of sin is everywhere.

However, this was the life we chose, wasn’t it? God created a perfect world, flawless, full of happiness and prosperity, rich with the warmth of God’s presence—and we sold it all for knowledge. Yet, despite our foolishness, God made us a promise in the Garden of Eden. Through enslavement, wandering in the desert, assault on every side, and even captivity, it was this saving promise that gave the people of Israel hope—even if the world was cold around them. Amidst the cruelties of the world, the imperfection and the corruption—the coldest winter—Isaiah spoke words of gospel comfort to those cold from sin. “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

Imagine a snow-covered field, the bite of the frosty wind, the gray of winter sky. Now imagine a single rose, pushing through the ice and snow from the ground beneath, and blooming. The frigid temperature and the absence of light do not hinder its growth. In fact, this crimson rose “unfolds to light” in spite of it. Later, the prophet Isaiah would refer to this rose as a lamb being led “to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent.” This tender shoot would bear the “iniquity of us all,” and later be “assigned a grave with the wicked…though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” For a short while, it seemed that the cold had triumphed, leaving the flower frozen and withered. But, as you and I know, the crimson pedals didn’t stay sleeping.

This world is certainly a cold, cold place. Yet, amidst the cold around us, it is the same promise that Isaiah wrote about that assures us of the warmth and comfort of salvation, a promise that we know has come to fruition in the fruit of Jesse: Jesus Christ. Our Lord and King was born that Christmas night in a barn, in lowliness and humility. He, Immanuel, lived among us in our sinful plight, living the perfect life we could not, to die for our sins, the very people who put him on that cross. He conquered death so that we may have the assurance that we won’t stay sleeping in death’s cold either. And now, he has given us the opportunity to share this warm message with people living in a cold world. But not just here: everywhere! Let this message always take root in our hearts this holiday season and always.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us yet another opportunity to spread your word in song. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, the means and message of our salvation. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to this world and taking on our likeness and dying for our sins on the cross. Let us never take such a gift of grace for granted but remind us daily of your love and our need to dwell in the warmth of your word. Amen.

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Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test.”
Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:10-14

The best spoiled ending ever

I still haven’t seen The Avengers: End Game. I know I can get it on DVD or Blu-ray. I know I can buy it digitally online. And yes, I know I can now watch it on Disney+ (only after I watch Star Wars: The Mandalorian, of course). Point being, it’s not that I don’t know all the different ways I could watch Avengers: End Game. The problem is, I already know the ending. I didn’t get around to seeing it soon enough after it hit theaters. As time went on, spoilers started to creep into my newsfeed on social media. Now I know how it ends. I know all the ‘awesome’ moments, who dies, and who wins. All those details were spoiled for me. If you know how the story ends, you know where the story is going. It’s lost its suspense. No more twists and turns. The surprise is gone.

We don’t like spoilers. Be it books, TV shows, or movies, we like a story with surprises, with twists and turns, and nail-biting suspense—well, except when that story is my life. When we’re waiting to see how we did on a math final or worrying about those test results from the doctor, we don’t like suspense. When we’re struggling to navigate in a new school with new classes, we don’t like twists and turns. When we’re wrestling with questions of identity, wondering if we made the team, or thinking about what to do after we graduate, we don’t like surprises. We want to know how it’s all going to turn out. When we feel small and weak, or when we screw up big time and we’re left feeling broken and guilty, we want to know everything will be alright in the end. When it comes to the stories of our own lives, we’d warmly welcome any and all spoilers, wouldn’t we?

King Ahaz knew the feeling. His kingdom, Judah, was constantly under attack. Ahaz was afraid that, at any moment, these enemy nations would invade. So, God gave him comforting words of promise. “Keep calm and don’t be afraid,” God says through the prophet Isaiah. Why? Well, God spoils the ending. “It will not take place, it will not happen,” God says. But God wasn’t done spoiling the story. “You want a sign of my faithfulness, Ahaz? You want proof it’s all going to be alright in the end? That I still am advancing my plan to save my people?” Ahaz wouldn’t ask for a sign; God gave him one anyway. And that sign has been given to you, too.

A virgin woman miraculously gave birth to a boy called ‘Immanuel’, which means “God is with us.”  That child was Jesus, the Son of God! Jesus entered our broken world to save it from sin—by living a perfect life and dying on the cross in our place. Jesus has faced sin, death, and the devil—the greatest adversaries you will ever face—he fought them, and Jesus won.

There is a whole lot of ‘unknown’ that will take place in your life. But the story of your life has already been spoiled. Why? Because the God who is with you always to the very end of the age has already won. You are his dearly loved child. Your identity is safe in Christ and so is your future. Spoiler alert: it’s safe with him in heaven.

Prayer: Heavenly Gracious Savior, thank you for coming to our rescue and saving us from sin, death, and the devil. Comfort us with the assurance that, because of you and your love for us, we have heaven as our home. Amen.

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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

Thankful for the peace of God

Her dad died when she was five. Her mother died when she was in high school. She went to live with her grandparents. They weren’t in good health. It was hard for them to be involved. So it was easy for her to lose her way.

She had boyfriends who only wanted her for the wrong thing. It was hard to make friends moving to a new high school. And she didn’t know how to deal with the emotional loss of her parents.

She got into drugs and dangerous partying. She ended up pregnant, and the dad bolted. Working two jobs and raising a little girl of her own, she didn’t know how everything ended up so wrong.

We often don’t know why things happen the way that they do. But no matter where we are, no matter how much we might be hurting, God never leaves us.

That young lady is now in her 50’s. She is remarried to a wonderful man. They have a couple more kids as well. When asked what got her through those tough years she said, “When I realized that God wasn’t out to get me but was going to bring me through this no matter what… that’s when my faith deepened.”

Trusting in God’s rule is difficult when things are going poorly. When school is difficult, and friends are unkind. When tragedy happens or when we lose someone we love. Even though it looks like God isn’t near or in control, that doesn’t mean that’s true. In these moments, Jesus longs to draw us closer to himself.

You see that when the disciples were stuck in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Terrified they asked, “Don’t you care?” And Jesus got up and stilled the storm. When they were hiding behind locked doors afraid of being killed like Jesus for following him, Jesus appeared and said, “Peace be with you.” Only our Savior who calms storms and rises from the dead can give us a peace that goes far beyond what we think and feel. In fact, God doesn’t ask us to understand his control. He doesn’t ask us to always feel good about it. He simply points our eyes to facts: “Your sins were paid for on the cross. Death, sin, and the devil can’t harm you because the tomb is empty.”

God’s peace in these promises will guard your hearts and minds.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to appreciate your presence. You are my perfect, heavenly Father who never leaves me. Lead me to appreciate your love and your guidance especially when my thoughts and feelings try to tell me otherwise. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:3-6

Thankful for people

While he was incarcerated, he spent two days in solitary confinement. He had been in several prisons. He’d seen many jail cells. This tall, buff, bald, and tatted man helped run a drug empire. This man wasn’t scared of anything. But solitary confinement? That made him almost shake with fear.

We aren’t made to be alone. Several studies have shown that children, teens, and adults suffer when they are alone.

Maybe you know what that’s like. Does it seem like other teens have a great group of friends while you are on the outside looking in? Does it feel like you might be an after-thought when others are getting together? Or worse, does it ever cross your mind that you don’t have the number of friends others do? Maybe you wonder if people even notice you.

You’re not alone.

A man by the name of Paul knew what that was like. He had been persecuted and run out of cities. Worse than having only a few friends in Philippi, he had several sworn enemies. But that is where God stepped in.

Through the people of Philippi, Paul knew what it was like to have true friends who cared when few others did. He experienced the joy of having people who prayed for him, supported him, and were his partners in sharing the good news of Jesus. It was through the gospel that God gave them the joy of encouraging Paul. That joy was the source of his prayer of thanks to God.

Jesus too understands what it is to be alone. Crowds gathered for all the wrong reasons and ditched him by the thousands. Even his closest disciples left him when he asked them to watch and pray. After spending a night in solitary confinement, he was brutally beaten and nailed to a cross. And on the cross, he became more alone than anyone in the history of humanity. He was left all alone—even by his Father—as he suffered for our sins. But in this way, he paid the price so that we would never be alone from God.

Now the connection that we have with others means so much more.

We get to enjoy the company of our friends. More than that, in our faith family, we have partners who share eternal joy. Not just in this life, but as brothers and sisters in our Father’s eternal family. So, every encouraging word we share, every friendly moment, and every step we step we take together is all part of God’s plan in leading us to our heavenly home.

Remember that rough-around the edges character described at the beginning? He later admitted, “The only thing that got me through was knowing that I had just come to know my God and Savior. And I had a cell-mate who said he would pray for me.” He was never alone ever again. Neither are we.

Take some time this week to thank God for the people he has put in your life so you are not alone and with whom you might walk to heaven.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of friends who share my faith. I get to share not just my life with them, but by your grace eternity as well. Help me to be a support to them as they are to me on our way to heaven. Amen.

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So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-25

Monster killer: Self-control

Just stop it.

That’s our default strategy for dealing with spiritual monsters we face. Whether it’s lust, jealousy, rage, alcohol and drug addiction, or sexual sins, we normally have one plan to battle them.

“I’m just going to stop it. I’m going to use my will power.”

But this strategy doesn’t work. You know it doesn’t work because you’ve tried (and failed) to just stop. Why doesn’t it work? Because human will power is part of the “flesh”. That means it’s corrupt, weak, and incapable of following God’s will.

That’s why we will become frustrated and filled with guilt and hopelessness if we try to achieve self-control simply by following God’s law by our own power.

There’s a better way to battle against these monsters—these sins of our flesh.

Instead of “just stop it,” how about “just step with” the Holy Spirit? This is a better strategy. Why? Because with this strategy you’re tapping into the power of the only one who can truly transform your heart and life. With this strategy, you’re getting true self-control because you understand some important things about yourself.

Keeping in step (walking with) the Holy Spirit and getting true self-control involves three parts.

1. Remember who you belong to.

   Through faith, God has made you his dearly loved child. You belong to Christ, and he has given you his Spirit. The Holy Spirit is powerful. He has transformed your heart by giving you faith in Jesus. You are deeply loved and valued, no matter how well or how poorly you have been living. God never abandons his dearly loved children!

2. Call things what they really are.

   When you fall into temptation, don’t deny it or hide it. Confess it. Bring it into the open. Call those actions what they are: “the old me”. You will always have a sinful nature that wants to keep sinning here on earth. These actions lead to guilt, pain, and death. The more you call out your own sin, the more you destroy its power.

3. Put what you learn into practice and persevere!

   Stepping with the Holy Spirit means you are moving forward. He promises that when you stay close to him you will bear fruit (love, patience, goodness, kindness, and self-control). And, most importantly, don’t give up! Keep going back to #1 and #2.

Remember that keeping in step with the Holy Spirit is a marathon and not a sprint. Jesus is with you on the journey!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please give me true self-control by reminding me about myself. I am a dearly loved child of God bought with the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ. You will never abandon me! I also know I have a sinful nature. Help me put it to death every day by confessing my sins and trusting in your forgiveness. Finally, let me trust your Holy Spirit and keep moving forward. Staying close to him, I will produce good fruit in my life, all to your glory. Amen!

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All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:5b-7

Everything in love

Think of the last time a trusted friend turned on you. You thought you could count on them only to find out that they only were concerned about themselves. What’s worse is they betrayed you. They posted unkind things about you on social media. They spread lies about you. In the end, they really weren’t your friend.

That’s how pride works. For a while, you like pride. He’s your friend. You feel good about yourself. Others might even view you as confident. You seem to be getting ahead in life.

Pride inside of you says, “If you want to be great, put yourself first. If you don’t, you’ll never succeed.”

But, at some point, pride turns on you. You realize that living a self-centered life has its drawbacks: Friends might leave you or avoid you. Everything seems dependent on you and on your shoulders, but you realize you aren’t always in control of life. One mistake could ruin you. That’s a lot of pressure.

The most frightening thing about having a prideful heart is that God will oppose you. That’s not a good place to be. He will oppose you because there’s no room for him inside a prideful heart. God knows that when he’s not first in your heart, everything falls apart eventually. Pride really is a monster.

The good news is that you have another friend. A truer friend. He is humility personified. His name is Jesus Christ. He’s kind. He’s dependable. He is concerned about you. He sticks with you when others bail. He’s always thinking of you. In fact, he left everything to come rescue you and serve you. And he’d do it again if he had to!

If the monster of pride is getting to you, fight him with humility. Humility starts with confessing your pride and turning to your friend, Jesus. God will then lift you up and calm your heart with his presence.

Jesus’ love and forgiveness refresh you and empower you to a better life. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

So, hang out with and follow your best friend, Jesus, today. Put on your new self. Live today thinking of the interests of others, not just your own. Do something today that lifts up another person. Doing so will be a punch in the gut to the monster of pride.

Prayer: Father, you thought of us first even when we brought sin into the world. You promised us Jesus. He had everything, but willingly put our interests ahead of his own. Convince us that you belong first place in our hearts. Show us the ugliness of pride. Forgive us for our pride. Give us the strength to lift up another person today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
1 Corinthians 12:14-18

We are many

Ever have that one little pain that drives your whole-body crazy? A sprained ankle leads to limping and possible back and hip pain, as well as sore hands and shoulders from using crutches. Waking up with a knot in your neck muscles leads to impaired mobility and subpar functionality throughout the day. A severe headache might cloud your thinking and sideline you for the whole day.

Of course, the more severe the impairment, the more difficult it is for the body. Those without use of limbs (either by birth, accident, or otherwise), have a great deal of work to do to compensate. Those without senses have to figure out certain ways to navigate this world without being able to see, hear, or speak.

You see, God designed the body in such a way that every part has a function. Every part is important. And, every part is meant to work together in unison as one fully functioning body.

The same is true for God’s church on earth. You are not less important if you are not a pastor. You are not useless if you are female and not male (or vice versa). You are not a waste of the church’s time because you are young.

As we said a few weeks ago, every service and every servant matters. The apostle Paul tells us again here that every part belongs because, “God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.”

Maybe you are part of the tech team on Sunday morning. Maybe you are an usher. Maybe you help with VBS. Maybe you sing or play an instrument, or help canvass and pass out fliers, or simply offer whatever best offering you are able. God has given you the abilities to function as that “part” of the body of Christ and your work matters to the functionality of the whole body of believers in the church.

Think carefully about what you enjoy doing—activities, hobbies, work. These are likely things that involve the unique gifts and abilities God has given you. How can you use those to serve your Savior and serve your neighbor? It doesn’t have to be big! Maybe you will be a mouth that witnesses. Maybe you will be hands that serve. Maybe you will be ears to listen and a shoulder to cry on. But whatever you do, know this—your part matters to the body of Christ!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in addition to the many gifts you shower me with daily, you also have given me unique gifts and abilities to serve you and others. Help me to use these gifts as a part of the body of Christ. Amen.

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There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good… All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11

Every service matters

“I just want to find a good job someday—you know, doing something that matters and is meaningful.”

It seems to be the elusive dream of every teen. Get into a good college or trades program. Find a job that is influential and important. Do something that really makes a difference. After all, who wants to be a low-class person doing low-class work?

The apostle Paul challenges you to think differently today. There is no such thing as doing more important work than others. There is no such thing as being gift-devoid or ability bankrupt, as if everyone else has some special gift (academics, athletics, personality, etc.) but you have nothing. Whether in the world or in the church, all work and all workers are equal. Why is this?

Because it is the same Holy Spirit who distributes gifts to each person. It is the same God who works in and through each person.

So yes, some people may function as leaders in the world or in the church. Some people may have higher profile jobs that get more attention than others. Some people may make more money than others. But what of it? Different does not mean better. Each person has gifts from God and so is an instrument of God with those gifts.

Think of the bread you eat in your home. Some farmer raised and harvested the crops. Someone bought the product. Workers in a factory processed and produced and packaged bread. Truck drivers delivered it. Stock boys (or girls) put it on the shelves. Someone rang up the groceries. And someone in your family purchased it with money earned from their job. Each had a different set of skills used in a different vocation (life-calling), but God used each to provide for you and many others.

Think of a Sunday morning. The pastor often gets the limelight and attention. But what if no one replaced the lightbulbs, turned the lights and AV on, or even paid the light bill for that matter? What if no one greeted you, gave you a service folder, collected and counted the offering? What if no one played an instrument or led the congregation in singing? Or, God forbid, what if no one made coffee or had snacks available?

This is precisely what Paul is teaching. There are many gifts and many kinds of service. Each is valuable and important—both inside and outside the church. You have been given gifts and abilities by God. So friend—get to work! And trust that your service is important and valuable to God and to others. Why? Because God himself is working through you!

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to see the gifts that you have given, to make wise use of them, to be grateful for the opportunities to serve you and others. Amen.

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On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Acts 20:7-12

The fall of Eutychus… (a.ka. “Sleepy”)

Our last Bible character could be called Sleepy, but Scripture tells us his name is Eutychus (pronounced “Yoo-ti-kuss”). Of all the Bible characters we’ve met over last few weeks, he is one we might be able to understand the most. Especially if the pastor has droned on during a warm summer morning at early service when your parents tore you away from your comfy bed. Didn’t they realize you had a long night texting a friend through her troubled relationship or going for that next rank in a game of Rocket? Eutychus was a boy who was in church listening to the apostle Paul speak for a long time. He fell asleep. Not because he hated Jesus, nor was he annoyed by the Word of God. He fell asleep because he was human. He tried, but he still fell…asleep. Sadly and shockingly, he also fell…three stories to his death.

The lesson to the story is not to stay awake in church, especially if you are sitting in the balcony.

Look at this story from a different perspective. Why was Eutychus still there? Why did he stay so late at night that he fell out of a window? Because he loved God’s Word that much! He was tired. He probably wanted to be in bed. He was weak. But he still loved God’s word that much so that he stayed. And that’s the place where we need to start. Even if we’re tired. Even if we’d sometimes rather be somewhere else. Start there and show up for church. At least we’re there.

And then realize that we need a wake-up call. Because attendance is not the same as attention. Showing up in church is not the same as honoring God’s Word and taking it in for our souls and for our faith. We certainly need a wake-up call because God’s Word is more important for our faith than getting a few more hours of sleep in the morning. God’s Word is more important than mastering that next level of your game.

Jesus died and rose again so that you can wake up and do this again. He died for all of you who “mean well” but in reality “act bad.” He died for you who fall asleep in church or don’t even get up for it. He died for a world of sinners, of whom I am the worst. He died for all of us. And that means he died for you. And on the third day Jesus didn’t rise from sleep; he rose from the dead. He rose to wake us up from our slumber, to open our weary eyes, and to let us know that this is what we get up for. And not just on Sundays, but EVERY DAY of our lives! So, friends in Christ, “Wake up!”

There will still be the occasional boring sermon on a hot summer’s day after a long weekend. But may God wake you up to see his forgiveness, his love, his peace, and the power to wake up, praise him, follow him, and rouse others from their slumber of sin to the wide-awake joy of life in Christ now and forever! To him alone be the glory and praise!

Precious Lord, remind me of my baptism as I pray:
My loving Father, there you took me
To be henceforth your child and heir.
My faithful Savior, there you let me
The fruit of all your sorrows share.
O Holy Spirit, comfort me
When threatening clouds around I see. Amen.
(Christian Worship 294:2)

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After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.
Judges 3:31‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Shamgar the judge

What can you do with a 10-foot pole? It’s an odd question. Shamgar used one, called an oxgoad, as a weapon. An oxgoad was a long, pointed tool used by farmers to prod their cattle and make them move when they decided to stop and rest for a while. God called Shamgar to use his oxgoad for more than oxen. It was a strange weapon to use to kill 600 men, and the odds seemed impossible for Shamgar. How could Shamgar believe that a stick with a sharp iron point would be all he would need? Shamgar knew it wasn’t the stick or his ability that accomplished the seemingly impossible. It was God’s power that gave Shamgar the confidence to fight and God’s grace that gave him victory.

The previous two chapters in Judges show that time and time again Israel decided to leave God, follow the world, worship false gods, and enjoy the sensual sins that accompanied the worship of those false gods—in essence forgetting the true God altogether.

It’s rather sad. The God of grace was always before his children—saving them, providing amazing homes they took for granted, blessing them with parents who tried their best (flawed as they were) to put food on the table and clothes on their backs—only for another opportunity to save them when they decided to completely take him for granted and go their own way…. Suddenly, we are talking about more than the Israelites.

How similar we are to them! It’s not just the Philistines that deserve to end up at the end of a prodding pole. Our sin has earned us even worse. God gave Israel Shamgar and used him to save Israel in an amazing act of power, justice, and love!

God gave us Jesus. Taking on flesh, leaving his throne of grace, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! He saved you, in an amazing act of power, justice, and love! Now God prods us with the stick of his Word, driving us beyond ourselves and our selfishness to see not the oxgoad that skewered 600, but the staff of the Good Shepherd that pulls us along, guides us in truth, and seeks to steer us away from danger and sin every day. Better yet, we see the big piece of wood that held our Savior—his cross!

Thank God for Shamgar and his oxgoad. Most importantly, thank God for sending a Savior—the living, faithful, powerful, grace-filled Jesus Christ! Through water and the Word in baptism, he saves us!

#PGFWABF ALWAYS!

Prayer:
Baptized into Your name most holy,
My faithful God, you fail me never;
Your promise surely will endure.
Oh, cast me not away forever
If words and deeds become impure.
Have mercy when I come defiled;
Forgive, lift up, restore your child. Amen.
(Christian Worship 294:3)

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Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
Proverbs 25:20

Good smells and good advice

Walk by Bath and Body Works at the nearest mall, and you will be bombarded by vanilla, fresh rain, and summer berry (whatever that is). Step outside on the Fourth of July, and it’s likely you’ll be able to tell that someone in your neighborhood is grilling. Smell is a funny thing. A good smell can lift our spirits. A bad smell can kill our mood. Solomon compares good advice to a wonderful smell.

At times, our friends need our counsel, but our advice isn’t very good or very godly. Someone wrongs them, and you are filled with rage on their behalf. “You should totally get back at them!” Your friend wants to do something you know is wrong, but you want to be supportive, so you blurt out: “You should do what makes you happy!”

Sometimes you are the one who needs good advice but get bad instead. You needed someone to tell you a hard truth, but the people around you just told you what you wanted to hear.

Later in the aftermath of bad decisions, the smell of this bad advice makes us sick to our stomachs. Why didn’t we just say/seek the right things? A cloud of stink only enhances our misery.

Jesus gives the best advice. To the guilty and burdened he advises, “Come to me and find rest.” To the fearful and anxious he says, “Cast all your anxiety on me.” To those wrestling with relationship issues he says, “Love as I have loved you.” To those who are feeling lonely he says, “Know that I am with you always.” To someone about to do something harmful to their souls he says, “Be careful that you are standing firm on what I’ve taught you.” These pieces of wisdom are so good, they are better than even the smell of summer berry (whatever that is). They are so valuable because they come from God himself.

What does Jesus teach us here about wisdom for our friends? 1) Make sure your advice is well grounded in God’s Word. That’s yet another reason to make Bible study a priority. 2) Surround yourself with friends whose heartfelt advice comes from a heart where Jesus makes his home. I thank God for friends over the years who told me exactly what I did not want to hear and kept me from making terrible mistakes in the heat of the moment. 3) Be the friend and surround yourself with friends who tell you about the love and forgiveness of Jesus. I’m so grateful to God for friends whose wisdom took me back to Jesus’ cross and empty tomb again and again. The fragrant smell of their words still brings me joy to this day!

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, only you can teach me to be a good friend. Help me not only give sound, biblical advice but also surround myself with people who will do the same for me. Amen.

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A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 17:17; 18:24

Stand by me

I was doing yardwork this past Memorial Day when my neighbor pulled into his driveway. He served in the U.S. military for many years, so I took the opportunity to thank him for his service. He thanked me politely and then looked down for a few seconds. When he looked up again he said, “I miss the friendships…What I miss most is the friendships.” Then he walked inside his house. I spent the next few minutes behind my lawnmower thinking about those friendships built between my neighbor and his brothers in arms as they faced all kinds of adversity.

We need a friend who will stick by us during times of stress and trouble. That person becomes more than just a friend, they become a brother…a sister.

Can you picture the disciples sprinting away from Gethsemane in the moments after the soldiers began tying Jesus up? Can you see the desperate glances thrown back over their shoulders? The adversity has hit them hard, but they are certainly not acting like they are Jesus’ brothers.

It’s sad to consider how little adversity it can sometimes take for us to stop being someone’s friend. Maybe there was someone you used to hang out with in grade school, someone who was like a brother or sister to you. Lots of memories from sleepovers at each other’s houses. Then you got to high school, and other people decided that friend of yours was weird. Nerdy. Someone to be AVOIDED or MOCKED. You saw it happen. You saw the abuse they were taking. Rather than drawing close to them during their trouble, did you run away instead?

Jesus didn’t give up on the disciples as he was led away to the cross that night. He doesn’t give up on us bad friends either. In fact, his entire existence on earth was to prevent our ruin. He refused to leave us, even when it cost him dearly. He continues to stick closer than a friend or brother. Look at yourselves through Jesus’ eyes. You were the perfect candidates to be ignored and avoided. Yet Jesus still seeks a closer relationship with us and never leaves us.

As I think about the people in my life that God has graciously placed around me, I think about sitting on a dorm room bed and talking with some of them about guilt, about family struggles, about worries for the future. I think about them sticking up for me, even when they would have been better off sprinting away, casting desperate glances over their shoulders. I am grateful for friends who are closer to me than brothers and sisters, and I am well aware that I don’t deserve them. I pray that God allows me to be the kind of friend who supports people on the battlefield that is this entire life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, only you can teach me how to be a truly good friend. Give me the love and courage to support others, even when it will cost me something. Amen.

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The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” … [Jesus] said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
John 8:1-11

Judge Not

Perhaps the most popular passage in our culture today is “Judge not!” (Matthew 7:1). Many pervert what Jesus is saying here. Some believe that Jesus doesn’t want us to ever point out anything someone does that is wrong. Of course, this isn’t true.

To save the world, Jesus had to point out sin. Jesus had to judge all hearts, whether they were sorrowful over sin and trusted in him or not. Jesus was all about saving, and he wants us to be too, just like him. He wants us to point out sin, first in ourselves, and then in others, not to stone them to hell, but to save them by the gospel.

A perfect example of how to judge someone to save them is John 8:1-11. Jesus encounters a woman who is clearly guilty of adultery, aa sin punished by death. Does Jesus condemn her? No, Jesus offers her “no condemnation,” telling her to leave her life of sin.

Like Jesus, do the same. Start first with yourself. See your sin. Then hear the most beautiful judgment ever declared, “Not guilty!” in Jesus. What a beautiful message to share with your friends whether straight or gay. To you and all your forgiven friends Jesus encourages, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to remember that on all issues of sin, your Scriptures were written not to condemn but to save people. As surely as you have saved us by your Word of truth and grace, help us share your Word with others in all truth and grace. Amen.

This devotion is part five of five devotions on the topic of LGBTQ. Be sure to search out the previous devotions for more insight from God’s Word on how to address this issue.

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Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
John 3:3

Born this Way

“I was born this way. I was born gay.” Did you know there is a way to understand that to be true? That’s because people are born sinful, and none of us were born any differently. This is what David confessed about himself when he said, “Surely I was born sinful from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). The apostle Paul helps us understand more clearly how devastating the effects of sin are on all of us. In Romans 7:18a, Paul shares that sin corrupts us absolutely: “I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.”

This means all people have the capacity to be any kind of sinner. We all have the same capacity to be liars and thieves as being gay. At the same time, we each have our different sins and gravitate toward particular perversities for various reasons. If it helps, think of all sin in your heart as either asleep, waking, or active and dominating your life. Usually when people say they are born gay, they are confessing that homosexuality is active in their life.

Although saying, “I was born this way” is biblically true, sin is not okay with God. That is also biblically true. Jesus points out in our passage from John 3:3 that the whole reason he came as our Savior from sin is because we weren’t born right with God. When Jesus tells us that a person must be born again, that means there’s something wrong with our first birth.

Thanks be to Jesus that he came to give us second birth, and you have been given second birth through faith in the waters of baptism. Keep holding on to your second birth! It is your forgiveness in Christ. Keep pointing others imprisoned by their first birth to the freedom of being born again.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are all born sinful. Help us to remember that you give second birth through your Spirit. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving us baptism where we are born again. Help us to live holy lives, born anew. Amen.

This devotion is part three of five devotions on the topic of LGBTQ. Be sure to come back for more insight from God’s Word on how to address this issue.

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By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35

Love

If you google “Christian LGBTQ” (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Questioning), you’ll find out from the links that these are two communities in opposition. You’ll find arguments full of emotion, sometimes hatred, and rarely love.

Does that bother you? Does it especially bother you that many well-meaning Christians don’t come across as loving to LGBTQ? Many times, it almost feels like Christians forget about the souls on the other side of the issue. They can be quick to quote chapter and verse but forget about love. What good comes of it when Christians speak and act this way? The apostle Paul says that speaking the truth without love only sounds like clanging cymbals even if you have the voice of an angel (1 Corinthians 13:1). What’s a Christian to do?

Our passage today is the answer: “Love one another.” First, remember that we are disciples of the One who bled and died for all people, gay or straight. Second, act in love towards all, just as Christ acted in love. Jesus showed exactly what love in action looks like in the opening of John 13. He washed his disciples’ feet. Following John 13, he showed love again. Jesus forgave his enemies and died for them, even though they rejected the truth and continued in their hardened ways. Jesus was compassionate to all, not wanting any to perish but all to come to the knowledge of the truth and embrace forgiveness through faith and repentance. Those precious souls include you and me, once enemies of God but now are his children by grace. Jesus loved in both word and action as he also spoke the truth to everyone.

Saved, forgiven, and loved, we are called to do the same: Befriend those who identify as being gay. Build a relationship with them as you look to genuinely care for them. When the opportunity comes, point them to Jesus who can save them from their sin of homosexuality.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us show love to all people, whether they are gay or straight. Help us to point fellow sinners to you and confess how much we all need your love and forgiveness. Finally, Lord, open the hearts of the people to whom we show love. May they see we are your disciples. Amen.

This devotion is part one of five devotions on the topic of LGBTQ. Be sure to come back for more insight from God’s Word on how to address this issue.

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