Tag Archive for: teen-devotions

Transformed – teen devotion – December 8, 2024

The entire life of a Christian is one of repentance. Even this is something that God works in him through the Holy Spirit.

(John the Baptist) went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 3:3

A Real Christmas is Rooted in Repentance

Put up the decorations. Bake the cookies. Take the end of the semester tests. There is so much work to be done in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Have you bought your mom a present yet?

In the days leading up to the start of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptist was preparing the way for him. He didn’t give people a list of tasks to do to be ready for Jesus to come. He said only one thing was needed to be ready.

Repent.

Repentance isn’t really a work we do. It’s something God works in us. When his law exposes our sin, it cuts us to the heart and makes us realize our need for a savior.

Repentance really has two parts: 1. Sorrow over sin and a desire to turn from it. 2. Trusting fully in Jesus for his promised forgiveness of that sin.

Repentance is the thing we need to be ready for Jesus’ second coming as well.

The first “thesis” in Martin Luther’s 95 Theses says this: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’, he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”

Repentance is the heartbeat of a Christian. We still have a sinful nature, so sinning is inevitable. Our response to sinning should always be repentance and aiming to cut that sin out of our life.

What a relief that there is no work required of us to have a real Christmas. Jesus has done the work for you. That’s why you can repent and trust in the forgiveness he has promised you through his death on the cross.

When we realize this, we are able to celebrate a real Christmas free from worry and stress. There is no work left to do. It’s all been done in Jesus.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for doing the work necessary for me to have eternal life. Grant that every day of my life would be marked by repentance. Help me to live a life that’s pleasing to you in all things. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – December 1, 2024

In order to have a real Christmas, we have to understand why Jesus came and why he is coming back.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

A Real Christmas Requires Remembering Why Christ Came

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TV Version) is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.

If you haven’t seen it, Clark Griswold is your everyday middle-class American who wants nothing more than to give his family the perfect, old fashioned, Griswold family Christmas. He wanted his family to have a real Christmas. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Hilarity ensued. Watch the movie when it comes on TV in a few weeks.

What is a real Christmas anyways?

We are starting the season in the church year called Advent this week. Advent helps us prepare are hearts for Christmas when we celebrate Christ’s first coming, but Advent is really about looking ahead to Christ’s second coming.

In order to have a real Christmas, we have to understand why Christ came the first time and why he is coming again.

Jesus didn’t come at Christmas so that we can take a break from school every year. He didn’t come to teach us a lesson about gift giving. He didn’t come to show us how to live our lives.
He came at Christmas to live for us. He came to die for us.

Jesus lived a perfect life, and he’s given us all the credit. He allowed Roman soldiers to shed his blood on the cross, because that blood was considered sufficient payment to God for your sins and the sins of the whole world.

In other words, Jesus came at Christmas so that you might be holy and blameless.

Those words are really important. The fact that Jesus has made you holy means that he has set you apart and taken away your sin. The fact that you are blameless means that the devil can’t accuse you of any wrongdoing. Jesus has taken it all away. You are an heir of heaven.

Paul wanted the Christians he was writing to to remember that. He wants you to remember that too.

As you prepare your heart for Christmas, remember that Jesus came to make you holy and blameless. Remember that he is coming back one day to take you to be with him in heaven forever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making me holy and blameless in your sight. Help me to reflect your love to everyone I come into contact within this world. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – November 24, 2024

Jesus entrusts the world to you.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back.”
Mark 13:32-25

You’re in Charge?

Think back to the first time you heard your parents say something like this: “We’ll be back later – you’re in charge of things! Be good!” What tremendous words of freedom – an evening to yourself where you can make your own decisions! And at the same time, what tremendous words of responsibility! What if something unexpected happens and you aren’t sure what to do? What if something dangerous happens and you aren’t up to the challenge? It’s exciting to be in charge… as long as things go well!

What are we to make then of the fact that Jesus left us “in charge” of the world until he returns? Should that be exciting? Should it be scary? Are we up to the task? Can we carry out the mission Jesus has entrusted to us? If we look at our past track record of sins and mistakes, the prospect of being “in charge” of the mission of the church becomes quickly becomes intimidating.

But the good news is this: Jesus doesn’t ask you to change the world. He’s already done that with his perfect life and innocent death in payment for sin. He simply asks you to testify to what he has done and eagerly await his return. And make no mistake, his return is coming! What’s more, you know what that day means for you: Jesus will gather his servants safely home for an eternity of joy and service in heaven! So be patient and take charge of the opportunity Jesus places before you. He is coming soon! Amen.

Prayer:
Jesus, you have already chosen the time and date of your return. Grant me the insight to see the opportunities to carry out your mission in my life and give me the strength and resolve to follow through. Forgive me when I fail and continue to renew me through your word. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – November 17, 2024

Jesus is the standard.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:24-28

Free from Judgment

Don’t judge me by my clothing! Don’t judge me based on my family! Don’t judge me based on one bad decision, or by my grades, or the way I look…and the list goes on. No one likes to be judged and evaluated by someone on the outside, because it’s scary! We know our own flaws and imperfections, and we tend to spend a lot of time and energy trying to cover them up.

From that perspective, it’s an even more scary thing to imagine facing judgment before the almighty and all-knowing God, yet that is something that awaits every person who has ever and will ever live. The writer to the Hebrews points out that for a child of God this appointment before the judgement seat of Christ doesn’t need to be a scary thing, because we already know the verdict that will be rendered.

Even though Jesus already knows your flaws and imperfections, he chooses not to judge you by those. Instead, he chose to lay down his own life and suffer God’s anger and judgment in your place! The writer to the Hebrews says that Jesus was sacrificed once for sin at the cross, and according to God’s perfect judgment that one sacrifice was enough! Your sins, whether known or hidden, are all gone. That means you have salvation already now. You’re a member of God’s family, already now. Stop living in fear of judgment! And someday, when Jesus returns, it won’t be to deal with your sin again, but to bring new life in heaven and eternal salvation to those who wait for him. What a day that will be! Amen.

Prayer:
Jesus my Savior, you suffered God’s judgment in my place and took my punishment on your own back. When I feel guilt and shame over my sins, or when I fear being judged for my thoughts and actions, remind me of this truth. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – November 10, 2024

Jesus sees the sinfulness we try to hide and loved us anyways. 

As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:38-44

Real Life

Every time an election season rolls around, it serves as a good reminder of how many things in the world are fake. Photos taken and retaken and then photoshopped and airbrushed. Promises made and then restated, perhaps with good intentions, but all too often some are unlikely to be kept. Stories told and retold and embellished and modified. All this for the sake of building a candidate or political party’s image!

The teachers of the law in Jesus’ day were also important and influential people in society, but Jesus points out that they too were “fake.” They were all about image and outward appearance, but underneath the show their hearts were filled with self-centered attitudes and self-serving motivations. Have you ever felt like that describes you too? Things look OK on the outside, maybe even pretty good a lot of the time, but it’s a good thing people don’t know what’s underneath because they’d see what a sham that outward appearance is! Most of us would probably do almost anything to make sure people don’t find out about the deepest secrets of our hearts.

Jesus knows all those secrets. But Jesus doesn’t respond like a sinful person. He doesn’t spread gossip in the rumor mill or look down his nose at you. Instead, he takes up your burden. He knows about your most shameful secrets, and he choose to love you anyway, so much so that he laid down his life for you! And now he invites you to spend your life with him. With Jesus, you can live secure in the knowledge your sins are forgiven and don’t need to bother you any longer. With Jesus, you can put aside your sinful habits and work and study and speak and play to his glory, every day of your life! Amen.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I have sinned more than I care to remember, and I have made so many efforts to hide my sins. Today I confess to you that I have failed in every way. Thank you for making me your child anyway. Thank you for loving me despite my flaws. Teach me to put aside my sinfulness and live my life for your glory. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – November 3, 2024

Death is not forever.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain, the [Lord Almighty] will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25:6-9

You Will Live Forever

The casket was open in front of the church. A woman lay inside… a wife, mother, friend, teacher. Her body was there, but she wasn’t there. She was wearing a pretty dress, her usual hairstyle, nice make up… but she was just an empty shell of the woman loved by her husband and children and friends. Death had changed everything.

Maybe you’ve experienced a similar scene at a funeral. If not, you will as the years pass. At some point it will also be your turn to be in a box in front of the church. The somber scene of a funeral displays the tragic reality of life: the wages of sin is death, and all have sinned, so all will die. Nothing can change that.

But listen to Isaiah forecast something different for the future. He talks about the shroud (the cloth draped over a casket at a funeral). He says the shroud covering the world is going to be destroyed! He says that the Lord is wiping away tears from the faces of his mourning people! The Lord is welcoming people into a feast! Where does this joyous change take place? On the “mountain of the Lord.” How does one get there? Jesus is the key. He climbed Mt. Calvary’s cross to destroy the shroud!

This past week, churches around the world celebrated All Saints’ Day. It’s a day to remember those who’ve died. More than that though, it’s a day of celebration knowing where they are – the Mountain of the Lord!

Don’t be afraid of the shroud of death – there’s life on the mountain of God! By God’s grace, you will ascend the mountain of the Lord to live with all who’ve gone there before you. Together you will live with God for eternity! What a joyous day that will be!

Prayer:
Lord God who holds the power over death, keep me close to your all the days of my life. When your time is right, bring me home to live with you and those who have gone before me forever. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – October 27, 2024

God is able to save his people.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16-18

Will You Fit in or Follow?

What are you going to wear today? How will you style your hair? Which extracurricular activities are you going to join? Which classes did you decide to take? These decisions in life, whether big or small, are probably decisions that are affected, at least in part, by what friends are doing. For many aspects of life, that’s completely normal and just fine. Everyone likes to fit in with the group, and friends who share your interests and tastes are a blessing from God.

But as a child of God, there are also going to be situations in life where you won’t be able to fit in with the group, no matter how desperately you want to. Your desire to live as a Christian will at times conflict with the sad realities of a sinful world populated by sinful people. The temptation will always be there to compromise your beliefs and values to fit in.

This is not a new struggle for children of God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were forced to fit in or follow God. Choosing God would cost them their lives! Many Lutheran churches this time of year are celebrating the Lutheran Reformation. Martin Luther faced the same choice: fit in with a corrupted church or choose the truth of God’s Word.

Where can a child of God find the strength to stand out from the crowd in situations like these? Perspective comes from remembering who God is and what he has done for you. The almighty God is powerful enough to rescue you, even from death itself, should he choose to do so. That’s what he did for the three men in today’s reading. But you know that even if God chooses not to do that on a particular occasion, he remains the God who adopts you into his family where you’re always welcome and always fit in no matter what. Why is that the case? Because your sins are always forgiven in Jesus. Your mistakes are always wiped away through his sacrifice. Your flaws and failings are forgotten forever. Especially when facing the choice to fit in or follow God, remember … you are a child of God. Hold onto that status, even when it means standing out and not fitting in!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, give me the strength to stand up when I need to, the courage to live my faith when so many do not, and the wisdom to connect your promises to my own life. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – October 20, 2024

The heart of a follower of Jesus when sharing the gospel is a heart that looks for nothing in return.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23

Whatever it Costs

It can be hard to get fired up to share the gospel. As a follower of Jesus, we know we are supposed to share the gospel, but it can be hard to be motivated to share the gospel. That is because you don’t get anything in return. Getting a reward is a great motivator. Tell a teen that if they clean their room they can go to the movies with their friends. Chances are that room will get cleaned. Tell a teen to mow the lawn and they will get paid $100. That lawn will get mowed, edged and swept. Tell a teen that if they clean the toilets they will get a brand new car. Those toilets will sparkle. Tell a teen to do any of those chores because Mom or Dad says so, it is safe to say that teen will be less motivated. A person is highly motivated to spend time, effort, and energy if they know they will get something in return.

That is why it can be difficult to be motivated to share the gospel. It costs a lot and you gain nothing. Paul said he would do whatever it takes to win someone over to the gospel. If he had to be uncomfortable, he would. If he had to be weak, he would. If he had to be ridiculed, he would. If he had to pretend to like something he really didn’t like just to build a relationship, he would. If he had to spend his own money, he would. If he had to give up his Saturday, he would. He would do whatever cost him just so that he might possibly win someone over to Jesus. And what did he gain from all of that effort? Nothing. Actually, he received hardships more times than not.

So why was he so on fire to share the gospel? He didn’t need a reward because he already had everything. When you have Jesus, you have heaven. Imagine having a visa gift card that never ran out. When you went out to eat with your friends, wouldn’t it be easy to pay the bill for everyone. When you have everything, it is easy to pay whatever it costs and you want to share what you have with others. So if you are struggling to share Jesus with the people around you, take a moment and think about how awesome heaven is going to be. Then look at that person and think about what they are missing out on. You will be motivated to do whatever it costs here on earth to possibly get to share with that person the joy of having everything in heaven. Amen

Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for giving me everything. There are so many people who have nothing because they don’t have you. Give me the opportunity to share the gospel with them. When I get the opportunity, give me the motivation, courage, and words to say. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – October 13, 2024

God’s grace is the most valuable thing you possess. 

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Mark 10:26-27

You Have the Prize

A man asked Jesus the question every human being should be desperate to get the answer for, “How do I get into heaven?” Surprisingly Jesus didn’t say, “Believe in me as your Savior.” Instead he told the man to obey the commandments. Why?
Getting into heaven is like an archery competition. In order to win the prize of heaven, you have to hit the target. The target is obey God’s commandments. If you do this, you get heaven. The young man thought that he had hit the target but Jesus pointed out that he missed. He would rather sacrifice Jesus for his money than his money for Jesus. If you hit the target by obeying God perfectly, you get the prize. If you don’t hit the target, whether you miss by a little or a lot, you don’t get the prize. It means that you don’t get heaven. You get hell. And so, the man left in sorrow.
The truth is no one is able to hit the target. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. We, like the disciples, come to the same conclusion, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ answer, “With man this is impossible, but not with God.” God sent his Son, Jesus, onto the archery range (Christmas). Jesus pulled back the string and hit the bullseye (he had no sin). Jesus won the prize but doesn’t keep it for himself. He comes over to you in your sorrow, and even though you missed the target badly, he taps you on the shoulder and says, “Hey, I want you to have this.” He gives you the prize (Jesus’ death and resurrection). This is God’s grace for you.
The reason Jesus told the man to obey the commandments rather than telling the man to believe in him as his Savior is because he wanted the man to realize he was not capable of winning the prize himself. Jesus wanted him to despair of himself and then look to God to save him. We don’t know if the man ever looked to Jesus to give him the prize. The question is, do you?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for winning heaven and giving the prize to me freely as a gift. Help me to never take the credit or take your grace for granted. Help me to show my thanks for your gift by getting as close as I can to God’s target. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – October 6, 2024

Submission or you first love is at the heart of every God pleasing relationship.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21

How to Date the Follower Way

Being a teenager is the time in your life when you transition from being a kid to adult. For many of you, that transition comes with experiencing dating (aka looking for the person you want to marry and practicing being in a marriage relationship.) The world has so many wrong ideas about dating and relationships, so it is good for you to look to God for guidance.

Gentlemen, God tells you to practice being the kind of husband who submits out of reverence for Christ. That means you do what is best for your potential future spouse. You practice faithfulness and sexual self-control by making sure you both save sex and anything imitating sex for marriage. It means honoring marriage by not living together until you are married. It means you make sure that you and your potential future spouse go to church together regularly. It means confessing when you did something wrong and asking for forgiveness. It means forgiving when your potential future spouse sins against you. It means showing the same love Jesus showed you by doing what is best for your girlfriend even though it comes at a sacrifice for you. Be the kind of leader in your relationship that is responsible for making sure your relationship is a God-pleasing relationship.

Ladies, God tells you to practice being the kind of wife who submits out of reverence for Christ. To be clear, that does NOT mean you do everything your boyfriend wants you to do. It means you support and help your future spouse be the kind of man God wants him to be. If he wants to be sexually impure before marriage, you lovingly but firmly say no. God thinks you are worth it. He gave up everything for you. He sent his Son who submitted himself to death on the cross for you. Help your boyfriend value you the same way. If he is not ok with giving up his sexual needs for you, he is not someone you want to marry. Dump him. If he does value you the way God does, help him be the kind of man God wants him to be by being patient and kind, supportive and encouraging. Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Submit to your future spouse by submitting to Christ first.

Love is not a romantic feeling. True love is submitting to each other in a way that would make Jesus smile when he looks at your relationship. That is how you date the way followers of Jesus date.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you gave up your life for me because it was best for me. Help me to show you first love and do what is best for those I have a relationship with. Send me your Holy Spirit to help me do this. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 29, 2024

No matter how great the danger you face, you have a squad that is more powerful.

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6:16-17

Meet the Squad

Having a good squad makes a difference between having dread and confidence when facing an enemy. In the pregame lobby of a game of COD or Fortnite, if your squad is stacked, you are confident about what is about to happen. Sometimes, however, you are in that pregame lobby with a squad that is mediocre at best. You definitely don’t have the same confidence going into that game. Maybe you even have a little dread knowing that you are probably going to be destroyed by a squad of squeaky 9-year-olds.

The real danger, real enemies, and real pain that you will face in life is far worse than being defeated in virtual warfare. The devil will tempt you to sin and pull you down into the pit of guilt. His demons are chomping at the bit to stir up hardship and pain in your life. The world will hate you and will love to see you fall. These are the enemies that surround you. Knowing what imminent danger you face fills you with dread of what the future holds.

When the servant of Elisha was feeling dread seeing the enemies that surrounded him, Elisha asked God to open his eyes so that he could see the squad. He saw the powerful armies of God between him and the enemy. We too have God’s fiery angels on our side. Do you see them? We see by faith and not by sight but that doesn’t mean we can only hope the angels are there. We know. The promises of God that we read in his word take our faith from hoping to knowing. And when you know who is on your side, you no longer have any fear facing the enemies.

So believe the promises of God and know you have God’s squad on your side. He will never leave you or forsake you. He works out all for your good. You are forgiven. No one can snatch you out of the hand of God. Heaven is your home.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, Open my eyes of faith. Give me confidence knowing that you are on my side. Stop the attacks of the devil, the world, and my sinful nature. Keep my eyes focused on the cross and the empty grave to know that the victory is mine. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 22, 2024

What you gain on earth is temporal but what you gain in heaven is eternal.

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Mark 9:35-37

For Nothing

There were two men. The first man was a worldly man. He worked hard because he had goals he wanted to achieve. He got a good paying job. He bought a big house. He always had a nice car. He bought a boat. He ate in fine restaurants. He wanted to be seen as a generous person so every Christmas he gave to a charity. He was very political. Every year, he and his college buddies would travel to Las Vegas for their annual fantasy football draft. He won the fantasy football championship four times. He never married but had a few girlfriends. He invested well into the stock market. He retired early. He traveled the world. He died. He was not a follower of Jesus.

The second man was a follower of Jesus. He worked hard but his goals were different. He got a good paying job. He got married and committed his life to putting his wife first. They had four kids. He never could afford a fancy car but he had the car that he needed. He couldn’t afford to eat in fancy restaurants or go on fun trips instead paid for diapers and Christian education. He turned down the promotion so he could spend more time with his family. He was in charge of the Sunday school at his church. He gave generous offerings to the Lord. He would invite anyone and everyone he met to church. Once he retired, he mowed the grass at church and the yard of his neighbor who was an older widow. He too died.

The first man gained everything he ever wanted but took nothing with him when he died. It was all for nothing. The second man was a servant putting others before himself. He did it all for nothing, not looking to get anything in return. He did it out of love for his Savior whom he followed and out of love for others. In the end, he gained everything in heaven.

Which man are you?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, through your saving work on earth and the cross, you have made me your follower. Give me a heart that loves, not looking to get anything in return. Keep my eyes focused on heaven where you will give me everything. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 15, 2024

We have what we need to win the spiritual war against the devil.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Ephesians 6:10-13

You are at War

Getting ready for an average day is a lot different than getting ready for war. Instead of jeans and a t-shirt, you put on body armor. Before walking out the door, instead of grabbing your sunglasses, air pods, and Stanley cup, you grab your pistol, rifle, and grenades. Instead of slipping into your Birks and throwing on a trucker hat, you strap up your boots and put on a helmet. Getting ready on an average Tuesday is a lot different than getting ready for war because you aren’t worried about facing an enemy that is trying to destroy you.

But maybe you should be. Paul says we are at war against the devil who is fighting day and night to drag your soul with him into the pits of hell. On top of that, this enemy is smarter, stronger, and more determined than you.

Have no fear. You have an ally in this war, the Almighty God. He gives you what you need in order to withstand the attacks of the devil. First, don’t forget to take God with you into battle. Like a lighthouse standing on a rock in the middle of a raging sea, God tells you to stand in his mighty power. When you do, the devil cannot overpower you. Second, God tells you to put on his armor that no attack of the devil can penetrate. Remember who you are, a baptized child of God. God has washed your sins away and covered you with Jesus. Read the Bible. Being in God’s Word every day is like being fully loaded with the best weapons.

You are at war. Everyday get ready for battle and you will win.

Prayer:
Almighty God, Be my strength and shield. Protect me from the attacks of the devil. Help me stand in you and put on your armor every day. Thank you for the victory I already have in Jesus. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 8, 2024

We are saved by the compassion and power of Jesus.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

Mark 7:31-37

The Word Not Dependent On Ears

This is one of Jesus’ coolest miracles.

You probably know the passage, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) So, what do you do if you can’t hear words?

This man most likely had been unable to hear since birth which means his life had an emptiness that is hard for us to comprehend. We hear words. We think in words. We speak in words. If you can’t hear words, you can’t think in words, let alone speak. He had no way to organize his thoughts into words. His world was one of silent emptiness.

But the worst part of his situation was that he had no way of coming to know Jesus. News about Jesus had spread, but not to him. Reports would have come in about the Messiah who heals and saves, but he would have no idea. Jesus could preach a perfect sermon, but he would never hear it. And if he can’t hear the Gospel, he can’t be saved, right?

Oh, the compassion and power of Jesus! He knows exactly what this man needs and interacts with him individually. He touches his ears. He touches his tongue. He sighs up to heaven. And using his powerful Word that is not dependent on the ability of one to hear or understand, Jesus opens his ears, gives him the ability to immediately speak plainly, and gives him faith.

This is who Jesus is and this is how he deals with you. He knows exactly what you need and interacts with you individually. When you were dead in your sin, his Gospel created faith. For some of you, when you were unable to comprehend the words of Jesus because you were a baby, he opened your heart and gave you faith through the Word connected to the water in baptism. Yes, Jesus is powerful. Yes, he has compassion for you. Yes, he loves you. What grace that Jesus used his power to make you his follower.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, We thank you that you have opened our hearts by your Word. Give us the opportunity and the determination to bring those who do not know you to you. Thank you for the people in our lives who brought us to you. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – September 1, 2024

Jesus wants his followers to care more about what is on the inside rather than what is seen on the outside.

“What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Mark 7:20-23

What’s on the Inside?

Two chicken tenders are placed in front of you. One is perfectly golden brown, covered in a crunchy flakey crust, and dusted precisely with flecks of seasoning. Not one crumb is out of place. You bite into it and the inside is made up of some kind of bland whitish meat. The other tender is not quite as pretty but inside of it is juicy delicious perfectly cooked chicken. Which tender is better?

Being the kind of follower Jesus wants us to be is like a good chicken tender. You can present your life as perfectly put together. You can wear your Sunday best when you go to church. Your hair can have just the right flow. You can be a part of the youth group. You can have parents that aren’t divorced. You can present yourself to look like the kind of Christian you find on Instagram. But, if your heart is full of lust and your eyes linger on things they shouldn’t. If you look down at someone who clearly doesn’t have it all together and gossip about that person. If you think your political party makes you better than that other person from the other party. If you are money hungry, a liar, or hateful, you may look the part but you aren’t the kind of follower Jesus wants.

Jesus wants followers who are good on the inside. He wants followers who wake up every day and humbly say, “God have mercy on me again today because I am a sinner.” Jesus wants followers who look at others with love knowing that they need Jesus just as much as you do. Jesus wants followers who love him more than money, are honest, defend those who are weak or struggling, and find joy in lifting others up. He wants your heart.

So which tender are you?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus. Change my heart. Make me clean. Help me be the follower you want me to be. I know you will. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – August 25, 2024

Some of Jesus’ disciples walked away from him because his teaching was hard to accept. The 12 knew better than to walk away from Jesus and his words of eternal life. We answer Jesus boldly as Peter did, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”… When they heard it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching! Who can listen to it?”

After this, many of his disciples turned back and were not walking with him anymore. So Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:51-52, 60, 66-67

Hard to Swallow Food

Family vacations are fun. They are opportunities to go see people you haven’t seen in awhile, or see places you’ve never been. The memories that you make on vacations remain with you forever. But the biggest drag about vacation is typically the drive. You’ve got to put in countless hours and miles to get where you are going.

Your family stops at a gas station to fill up and stretch their legs. You stare at the car door and you just don’t want to get back in. Your legs are cramped. Your siblings are annoying you. Your device is out of cell coverage. You just can’t get back in. Your parents may threaten that they’ll leave without you, but you just can’t do it!

But you HAVE to. You force yourself back into that car, because there is no other way to get back home. And if you sleep through it, it maybe won’t be so bad.
There are times in life that we have to choose the hard option, simply because there is no other option.

Jesus gave the people only one option. Eat the Bread of Life. Keep Jesus in your life.

It wasn’t hard to understand; it was hard to accept. It is hard to accept for the sinful soul to give up on the earthly appeal of this world. It is hard for the self-sufficient person to let God do all the work. But it is the only way.

There is no other option for us. As difficult as it may be to be a Christian, we realize there is no other realistic option. The world has nothing to offer us long term. Jesus is the only life-giving option we have.

Eat the Bread of Life. Keep Jesus in your life.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the only life-giving source, the Bread of Life. May we do the hard thing and choose Jesus over the world every day. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – August 18, 2024

There is only one path to heaven. There is only one salvation to be found. It is free from the Father through the working of his Son. Our daily consumption of the Word fills us with this spiritual wisdom.

“I am the Bread of Life,” Jesus told them. “The one who comes to me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.

It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
John 6:35, 45

Wisdom Gaining Food

A student goes to school to learn knowledge, facts and skills. While some of the things you learn will definitely be a benefit to you in your life, some of them you will never use again! What is the point in learning all this? It is frustrating to have to learn information that will be useless to you. But you learn it to pass the exam and be a more well-rounded individual. Sometimes you learn knowledge on your own that will benefit you through your own experiences, experiments, and endeavors.

But the fact of the matter is, if we want to gain spiritual knowledge, it’s not something that we can find on our own. We cannot seek and find the God of full and free salvation within ourselves, the world, or the wisdom of this world. Our flesh will claim it’s not foolish and the world will want us to think it wise, but we truly know better.

There is only one way to see and know the Bread of Life; within God’s Word. This is the one place where God has revealed his full plan of salvation for the world. It is abundantly clear that we need to learn of the Father’s love through the working of the Son and the Spirit which brings us to trust in this knowledge of salvation. This knowledge is freely handed to all, so all may know their Lord.
Our regular and consistent connection to the Scriptures will be our key to being fed with this spiritual, life-saving wisdom. If we cut ourselves off from that which feeds our faith, it will starve. Unfed faith can hold to Jesus for a bit, but not indefinitely.

Learn from Jesus, learn from the Word. Receive spiritual wisdom to eternal life.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Bread of Life, so encourage our hearts to seek you fully for our spiritual life. May we never seek our salvation elsewhere. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – August 11, 2024

The world seemingly has A LOT to offer to us. It tries to convince us that worldly wealth can keep us content and happy, but we know that the world and all it contains is temporary. We need true stability which can only be found in Jesus.

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Do not continue to work for the food that spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. “I am the Bread of Life,” Jesus told them. “The one who comes to me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:27, 35

Food for the Soul

“I’m hungry!” are words heard in households across the world. Kids looking for food after a long day at school are interested in filling their stomachs with sustenance. And while this happens day after day, our bellies can never be permanently filled. Parents will complain about their teenagers eating them out of house and home. But this is the way things have been and will continue to be.

The crowds came searching for Jesus after they had their fill of fish and bread on the hillside during the feeding of the 5000. This miracle opened their eyes to the incredible possibilities of regularly receiving their fill on the cheap! They wanted their daily needs filled by Jesus, every day. This is why they sought him out that day. They wanted Jesus to be their Bread King.

Still today people desire to have their needs filled by God without doing any work on their own. They think that a connection to Jesus means that life will be better. They’ll have more conveniences and luxuries of life if they are a Christian. This lie has been shared and believed far too often! The life of a Christian is not about having our physical needs filled but understanding our absolute need to be filled spiritually.

Jesus wanted to offer the world so much. He didn’t come to be a bread king of the nations. He didn’t come to end world hunger and fill our stomachs to make a fulfilling life on earth. He came to fill us spiritually. Christ came to give us spiritual life. Come to the Bread of Life and have your fill! The only way to truly be filled is to have Jesus in your life.

Prayer:
Lord, keep our eyes from focusing too much on the world around us. Show us that you are everything we need as the Bread of Life. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – August 4, 2024

There are many reasons to be afraid and confused in ministry. There are extreme highs and deep lows. If Jesus’ disciples struggle, then I should expect struggle. And yet, Jesus tells me I don’t have to fear. Why? Because he’s with me. I can take courage knowing him and experiencing his presence!

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Mark 6:45-56

Fear Not, For the Lord is With You

Put yourself in the shoes of Jesus’ disciples.
Mark 6 tells us of the whirlwind ministry tour the disciples were on with Jesus:

  • Jesus sends them out 2 by 2 to tell others to turn back to God. He gives them power to drive out demons and heal sick people.
  • John the Baptist was beheaded. No doubt the disciples find out about this, and it impacts them emotionally and spiritually.
  • Jesus tries to take his disciples on a little retreat to get some rest and relaxation
  • People follow them. Jesus shows compassion. The people are hungry. Jesus says “You feed them.” They bring Jesus what they have, and he feeds over 5,000 people.
  • The disciples are amazed but confused. They have trouble trusting Jesus completely
  • Jesus makes his disciples go ahead of him on a boat to the next ministry location. A storm surges on the sea. They are afraid. Jesus walks out on the water. They are more afraid.

Talk about a rollercoaster of highs and lows! The disciples now had first-hand experience of how ministry is not for the faint of heart. And yet, in the middle of the storm, in the middle of their fear and confusion, Jesus says to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” There may not be a better way to end a series of devotions on ministry than these words from Jesus.

If you take courage in yourself, you will be discouraged. If you hope in another person, you will be disillusioned. If you look to positive results in ministry to make you happy, you will be disheartened. To escape these feelings you may turn to distractions—money, alcohol, porn, drugs, or another self-medication.

There are many reasons to be afraid and confused in ministry. You are a sinner serving other sinners. And yet, you are a dearly loved child of God. Bought with the blood of Jesus. And he says to you, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” The one thing you can count on in a life of serving Jesus is his presence. And that’s enough to sustain you and encourage you.

He is humble and gentle at heart. In him you will find rest for you soul and courage to face your fears. And you’ll find the motivation to keep going. His grace, mercy and forgiveness are the fuel to your ministry-fire.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you have promised to never leave me or forsake me. You tell me to take courage and to not be afraid, for you are with me. I can trust you because you proved your love to me by living for me, dying the death I should have died and beating death by rising from the dead. Because of you I am a dearly loved child of God! Thank you! Embolden me to do meaningful ministry in your name. Let your grace, mercy and forgiveness fuel my life and ministry. In your name I pray. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – July 28, 2024

God owns everything and is the giver of every good thing I have. He has unlimited resources. He loves to bless me so that I can show love to others by giving to them.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11

God Meets our Need to Meet Other’s Needs

Have you ever found money on the ground? More than just change? Finding a $10 or $20 bill unexpectedly can be a rush, can’t it? You start to think of ways to spend the money. Buy a coffee. Grab some lunch. Browse Amazon for something you didn’t even know you needed to have! Having extra is fun. Multiple possibilities come to mind.

Did you know God enables you to have that same mindset with everything you have? The income from your part-time job. The gifts your parents and grandparents give you. The talents you possess. Everything. It all can feel like finding money on the ground. It all can feel like extra. How?

By remembering who gave it to you and what his resources are. God is the giver of every single thing you have. Every. Single. Thing! His resources are endless. And he loves blessing you with gifts. He says, “There’s more where that came from!”

God especially loves blessing you with gifts because that’s how he blesses others in your life. Through you! He designed you to be a river, not a reservoir. A reservoir stores up, but a river flows freely because it’s constantly being fed from a source.

God is your source of all good things, and he never runs out. He blesses me abundantly so that I can bless others abundantly. And when others experience your generosity, they give thanks to God. He gets the glory, and you get the deep satisfaction of helping meet a need.

Prayer:
Dear God, you truly own everything in the entire universe! And, you love blessing me. Let me meditate on those truths and let them change me. You give me good gifts because you love me. And you love others, too. You bless others through the gifts you’ve given to me. Let me give generously and cheerfully, knowing you never run out of resources. Give me the deep satisfaction of helping meet another’s needs. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – July 21, 2024

One truth shared: Jesus has a compassionate heart for me and for all people. In order for us to have a meaningful ministry, our hearts for people need to match our words to them. We tell them that Jesus loves them and saves them, and we let our hearts break for them, love them, and be compassionate towards them.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Mark 6:30-34

Jesus Models a Compassionate Shepherd’s Heart

Has anyone ever said the right words to you, but their attitude and behavior didn’t match what they said?
“I’m sorry.”- And then they repeated the hurtful behavior.
“I promise.”- And then they quickly break their promise.
“You’re my friend.”- And then they hardly text you and seem to have excuses whenever you want to hang out.

Sometimes it’s possible in ministry and in life, to say the right words, but have the wrong attitude. We tell people Jesus loves them, but we don’t have compassion or patience for them.
People may not believe us. They see our lack of compassion and could question if God’s love, which we’re telling them about, is actually true.

Life is hard. Sin is real. People mess up. They do need the truth. But, they also need compassion. The way God designed our hearts is that they are transformed by grace, not by guilt. They are changed by love, not by lists of to-dos. They are softened by compassion, not by commands.

That’s how your heart was transformed. Jesus saw you as a sheep without a shepherd. His heart broke for you. He longed to bring you close to him to bring you care and healing. So much so that he broke himself on the cross and under God’s wrath. For you.

Jesus and his disciples once tried to go on a retreat to get some relaxation. Their vacation was cut short by needy people. Mark tells us in chapter six that Jesus had compassion on them because they looked like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.

Want to make an impact in ministry and in someone else’s life? Yes, say the right words—talk about sin and grace, forgiveness and salvation. And…let your heart break for them. Remember how far Jesus has brought you from where you were. Show them the same compassion Jesus has shown you.

When your demeanor matches your words, the message will stick.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you have a compassionate shepherd’s heart! Your heart breaks for me when I am hurting and when sin ravages my life. Give me that same compassion for other sinners. Let my words and my attitude towards people be the same—full of compassion. In your name we pray. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – July 14, 2024

One truth shared: Jesus owns all ministry. He gives us the authority to serve others with the gospel. His love shapes our character to reflect him. Our Godly character gives evidence that we serve with his authority. 

The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 

Titus 1:5-9

Sent with God’s Own Authority

“What gives you the right?!?”

Has anyone ever said these words to you? More like…has anyone ever YELLED these words at you?

Authority is a touchy subject in our society. People don’t like it when someone tells them what to do.

Maybe it’s your sibling, or your friend. They know your flaws. They know you aren’t perfect. So who are YOU to tell THEM to do ANYTHING?

One of the most important truths when it comes to gospel ministry (service in God’s kingdom using the gospel message) is that all of the ministry belongs to Jesus. And him alone. Jesus is the owner. He calls us to be managers of all that is his.

That’s where we get the “right” or the authority to do ministry. From Jesus, as we do it in his name.

Look at verse 9 in Titus chapter 1- “…hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught,” When you tell others about Jesus’ words and promises or a command from the Bible, you are telling them GOD’S message, not your own.

Godly character in ministry is also important. Paul’s message in Titus 1 is that our character reflects on the message we are telling others and the ministry we are doing. It reinforces that we have God’s authority.

Love what is good. Speak the truth in love to someone going down a bad path. Encourage others with the gospel.
God gives you the right!

Prayer:
God, remind us that all ministry belongs to you. And, remind us you give us authority to serve others in your name. You give us the right to tell others your law and gospel. Shape our hearts through your love to become more like Jesus’ heart. May our character reflect this awesome authority we have. Open our mouths, that we may declare your praise! In Jesus’ name, and under his authority, we pray. Amen


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – July 7, 2024

One truth shared: People won’t always respond with gratefulness and joy when we tell them about God’s words and promises. If we aim to please an audience of One (Jesus) we will be satisfied in simply bringing God glory and we won’t crave the approval of others. That means we can even face rejection from others when we share Jesus with them.

He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.
Ezekiel 2:1-7

Not Glee and Gratitude, but Rejection and Resentment

For the next month, we will be talking about ministry. Serving God and other people. Especially with the gospel—the good news about Jesus’ love and forgiveness. What results should we expect when we do ministry in Jesus’ name?

We all expect to see positive results for our efforts. When we lift weights. We expect to gain muscle. If we study hard for a physics exam, we’re disappointed to get a D. Hard work at our job should mean an eventual pay raise, right?

When our efforts involve serving other people, can we expect positive results from them? Not always. The fact is you can’t control another person’s thoughts, behaviors, beliefs, or feelings.
The prophet Ezekiel got a lesson in this truth from God. God was sending him to His people, the Israelites. You couldn’t blame Ezekiel for expecting God’s people to express glee and gratitude after hearing from their God.

But Ezekiel couldn’t control how the Israelites would respond. In fact, God told him to expect rejection and resentment. Ouch! God also warned Ezekiel he might become afraid after hearing the Israelite’s threats and insults. Ezekiel would feel like he’s surrounded by thorny ground while scorpions chase after him. I wouldn’t call those positive results from other people!

Maybe you’ve experienced something similar. You’ve tried to tell someone about Jesus and they weren’t impressed. You took a leap of faith and spoke to a friend about how their current lifestyle wasn’t bringing God glory. And you got verbally blasted. It hurts like thorns. It stings like a scorpion. No one likes rejection and resentment. If we put our hope in other people’s approval and acceptance, we will constantly be disappointed.

So, what can you expect when you serve others, especially by pointing them to God’s words and promises? Go back to verse 5: And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. You can expect the best result of all. People hear from God. The same God who sent his Son to face the ultimate rejection in your place. And God is pleased. He is glorified. And you get to be a part of that! If we make our goal to please an audience of One (Jesus), we can’t go wrong, and we won’t be disappointed.

Prayer:Heavenly Father, we want to please an audience of One, and that is you! You understand us. You know that when we face rejection we feel hurt and deflated. Fill us with your love. Forgive us for the times we let our weakness get in the way of letting others hear from you. Give us the satisfaction that when we tell others about your Son, you are glorified! Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – June 30, 2024

One truth shared: The living Lord completely changes our view of death.

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.

Mark 5:21-24a,35-43

Victory over Death

Let’s talk about death.

Do you hate it? Fear it? When you think of death, do you think of your own death or the death of a loved one? Nobody wants to experience it – the dreaded phone call that someone we deeply care about is gone, the funeral of a loved one, the doctor’s terminal diagnosis, the reality of our own mortality or impending passing. It’s crushing! But we have to talk about it because it’s a fact of life. It’s unavoidable. That’s what makes it so difficult – the reality and finality of death.

Is your fear that we or our loved one did something so wrong to displease God that he would punish us or them with death? Or we fear that God is uncaring or insensitive to what we’re going through – that he would allow us to experience something so horrible alone and without hope? Even worse, when someone near to us minimizes our fear and grief that we’re experiencing. How can he or she be so ignorant or insensitive?!

Death can really put our faith to the test.

Perhaps that’s how the people around Jesus felt when Jesus said, “The child is not dead but asleep.” Perhaps that’s why they actually even laughed in the middle of their mourning. “Jesus, how can you be so insensitive?”

Jesus, however, is not cold-hearted or uncaring. Jesus can genuinely and sincerely minimize death because he has the power over it. He can wake someone up from death as easily as he can wake someone up from a nap. And that’s exactly what he did for Jarius’ daughter!

Jesus now says to us what he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Jesus took the death we deserved when he died on the cross. And then, Jesus rose from the dead to assure us that death is not the end.

That’s worth repeating: Death is not the end.

May we be like a grieving Jairus in our hour of fear and need. Seek out Jesus! He is the only one who can really help us with death. Be certain that he will not forsake us when we’re afraid. Recognize Jesus for who he is – the Son of God, who conquered death and has power over death. Then, like Jairus, trust that Jesus will calm our fears and will give us exactly what we need when death comes knocking.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am often scared of death, mine and those I love. I don’t like to think about it, and I hope that it doesn’t come anytime soon. I know that you have the victory over death. You raised Jarius’ daughter from death and your resurrection proves it. Help me to not be afraid. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – June 23, 2024

One truth shared: Our gracious God is with us through all the storms of life.

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:35-41

Power and Perseverance Through the Storms

Have you experienced any storms recently? Not the kind with rain, thunder, lightning, and high winds, what about the “storms” of your life? You know… those life circumstances that bring challenges, hardship and pain. Things like handling difficult people at work, struggles with teachers and grades, a personal illness, or injury or that of a loved one, a personal but contentious relationship with a parent, friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend.

On top of the pain and hardship that storms bring, have you felt as if God doesn’t care? Almost as if God is unaware of what we’re going through or that he is sleeping on the job? Does your prayer-life reflect your frustration? “Wake up, God! I need your help!”

That’s how the disciples felt. In this case their storm was an actual weather event – a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and rain. In the middle of their storm they too felt pain and challenged. And all the while their friend Jesus was, in fact, literally sleeping in the back of the boat. So they, like we would, fired off their “prayer” to Jesus. “Jesus, are you aware that there is a storm going on? Don’t you care that we might drown?”

How did Jesus respond? Mark tells us that Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and waves, and it became completely calm. Amazing!

In these verses Jesus lets us know that having feelings of fear and doubt in the midst of our storms is due to a lack of faith. While fear, doubt and struggling in faith are natural for sinful human beings, they are not what God wants. By God’s Spirit, we can respond in faith knowing from God’s promises and our past experiences that God does indeed care and he is in control.

One last thing … Jesus reminds us of his amazing and unconditional love. He forgives us for our doubt and unbelief. He shows us that what may seem like him being uncaring, or even slumbering during our storms, is actually our gracious, all-powerful God in complete control.

Remember, Jesus is with you in the storm. He will give you the faith to face and persevere.

Prayer: Dear Savior, it’s natural for me to respond to life’s storms with fear. I know you want me to respond with faith. Take away my fears when the storms come. Remind me that you have power over all creation, that you care and that you are always with me. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – June 16, 2024

One truth shared: The kingdom grows when the seed is sown. The Word works.

The Parable of the Growing Seed
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.  As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

Mark 4:26-34

Trust the Word

How do you measure progress? Or success? And how do you achieve them? In American culture, progress and success are largely measured by outward results, and the path to achieving progress and success is directly related to the amount of effort one puts in.

Think about it:

  • Sports are measured by wins or championships and success depends heavily on the efforts of the players and coaches.
  • School is measured by grades and test scores, and success is largely driven by how much studying a person does.
  • Companies are driven by profits and revenue and success or failure is directly related to the efforts of the employees and management.

It’s easy to take those same ideas and mistakenly apply them to the kingdom of God – that kingdom progress means more people sitting in church, that if we’re doing a good job sharing the gospel then we’ll see more and more people coming to faith in Jesus right before our very eyes. Based on these ideas we’ll likely feel like our efforts are insignificant and failing, we’ll get discouraged, and we’ll possibly even stop trying to make disciples of others as Jesus commanded us.

Perhaps that’s why Jesus told two short parables about sharing the gospel. He often taught in parables – earthly stories with a spiritual meaning.

In both parables Jesus encourages us to simply share the seed (the gospel or good news of Jesus) with others and trust in God’s promises.
What are God’s promises when we do that? The first parable promises that the power to convert another person to faith is not in us, or in our efforts, but in the gospel itself. Faith will sprout and grow even though we don’t know how. By nature, all people, including you and me, are corrupt and sinful and we reject the grace of God, but God’s Word overcomes our unbelief and brings us to faith.

The second parable reminds us not to judge the growth of God’s kingdom by initial outward appearances or results. God promises that he will grow seemingly small and insignificant beginnings into something greater than we’d ever imagine!

Therefore go, and share God’s Word with comfort and confidence, trusting that the Word will do the work, and leaving the results in the hands of your almighty God.

Prayer:Lord of the Harvest, it’s such a human thing to take credit for success. Forgive me when I do that. Give me confidence, not in myself, but in the power of your Word. Help me share Jesus with someone new this week. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – June 9, 2024

One truth shared: The rest (Sabbath) we need most—from guilt, from worry, from shame, from hopelessness—is graciously given to us by the Lord of the Sabbath.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
    and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
    and you will eat dust
    all the days of your life.
And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”
Genesis 3:8:15

Victory over the Devil

Have you ever heard the story about New Coke? Back in the mid 1980’s Coca-Cola company, one of the most iconic brands in the world, was looking to improve quality and make a splash in the marketplace so they created a new product with a new taste and introduced New Coke. Unfortunately, New Coke was a disaster. Consumers did not take to the new product like Coca-Cola hoped. After incurring a $30 million debt from New Coke, Coca-Cola company eventually scrapped the new version.

As big of a disaster as New Coke was, it was nothing compared to the disaster of the Fall into sin. The devil convinced Adam and Eve that they needed to “improve” their quality of life and make a splash in their world, so they disobeyed God and introduced the ugliness of sin into humanity. The events that immediately followed the Fall are a sad reflection of the brokenness we all experience today in our relationship with God and with others – fear, guilt, shame, conflict, pain, separation, and hostility. This widespread brokenness can lead us to believe that the devil is winning. It can lead us to despair.

Like Coca-Cola, our perfect God could have scrapped the project called “humanity” after the Fall. But God so loved his creation, that includes you and me, that he instead promised a solution – a Savior. This Savior would rise from within humanity and erase mankind’s impossible debt to God. His death on the cross would be a temporary strike to his heel, but his death would fatally crush the devil’s head, and spell victory for humanity.

Sin and brokenness is real and painful. Don’t despair. Genesis 3:15 is God’s promise of victory.  Rejoice in Jesus’ victory that is also your victory! Live at peace with God knowing that his grace covers all your brokenness and that he has forgiven you of all of your sins. Be at peace with yourself. Live at peace with others knowing God’s grace covers their brokenness and sins too.

Prayer: Almighty and Merciful God, when I see the problems in our world and in my life it can really bring me down. It’s worse when I consider my own sinful part in those problems. Thank you for responding to all of this with grace and forgiveness. Thank you for giving me the victory over all of this through Jesus. Help me to live in that victory. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – June 2, 2024

One truth shared: The rest (Sabbath) we need most—from guilt, from worry, from shame, from hopelessness—is graciously given to us by the Lord of the Sabbath.

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
Mark 2:23-3:5

Rest is a Gift, Not Something to Be Earned

It’s easy to see rest as a reward for doing hard work. A vacation is time off that you’ve earned after weeks of long hours on the job. Christmas or summer break is a well-deserved hiatus from school after studying hard for the semester and final exams.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some well-deserved rest and down time after working hard on the job or at school, but it would be a mistake to believe that the spiritual rest that God desires for us is similarly earned through hard work. Unfortunately, we can easily slip into this way of thinking. It’s what many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day thought.

God’s Sabbath Day commandment was originally given to Israel as a day of rest, a day to remember all of God’s creating and saving blessings. But the Pharisees piled on many of their own rules and regulations to God’s Sabbath commands. The joy in recalling God’s blessings was smothered by worries about whether one had done or not done something covered by the rules. In time, following the Sabbath rules became a way of earning God’s favor and even earning heaven.

This attitude about the Sabbath was what prompted the Pharisees to confront Jesus on two different occasions. They tried to trap Jesus, claiming that he was violating the Sabbath.
Jesus was deeply distressed by their stubborn and hateful hearts. He responded to their accusations from scripture, not from their interpretation of the law. As Lord of the Sabbath he defined what the Sabbath is and what it’s not.

The Sabbath was not created as a means to earn the grace of God but as God’s gift to us. The spirit of the Sabbath promotes mercy and compassion over ceremony and rules. Most importantly, by rejecting Jesus the Pharisees were forfeiting God’s favor, his heaven and his spiritual rest only found in him.

Do you want to experience true spiritual rest? This summer, you can find it – not because the school year has ended and you’re looking forward to an upcoming vacation. Summer rest is found in Jesus. It’s rest from your sins, guilt and shame through the forgiveness Jesus won for you by his death on the cross. It’s rest you can experience no matter what the circumstances around you may be. It’s a foretaste of the final full eternal rest you’ll have in heaven.

Prayer:Lord of the Sabbath, thank you for giving me true spiritual rest as a gift through Jesus Christ. My soul yearns for that rest in the middle of my busy, sometimes stressful life. Help me to work hard in your kingdom while also enjoying the rest I find in your Word and Sacraments. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – May 26, 2024

One truth shared: Through Jesus Christ we are brought into a unique and blessed relationship with the triune God.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory

Romans 8:12-17

Our Triune God Makes Us Blessed Members of His Family

How many of you have seen the musical/movie Annie? Annie is a little orphan girl, living in a pretty dumpy home run by a terrible lady who’s often drunk, and forced to do inappropriate labor. A rich man named Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks selects Annie to live at his home in order to promote his image and political career. For Annie, everything changed on that one day when she was rescued from the orphanage and brought into Daddy Warbuck’s home – her sense of family, self-worth, identity and purpose.

What’s true of Annie in that movie, is true for all believers in Christ – but in a much bigger and better way.

All people including you and me are by nature spiritual “orphans” in desperate need of rescue, without a father, with no direction or purpose in life, and no identity. Like Daddy Warbucks, God dramatically changed all that. In an amazing act of love, God sent his Son Jesus to die on a cross, and to rescue us and adopt us into his family.

What does life look like for believers restored to God’s family? Paul describes it as an incredible, beautiful life centered around a relationship with the triune God of the Bible – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

You can call God – the almighty, eternal, supreme God of the universe – your Father! You can call on him at any time, just as you would call on your earthly father, trusting that he hears you and treats you as his beloved child.

You have Jesus, the Son, as your brother. He did everything to secure God’s love and a place for you in God’s family. You are a fellow heir with him in all of God’s blessings including the gift of an eternal home in heaven.

You have the Holy Spirit, living inside of you, strengthening you in your walk of faith, testifying to the Father on your behalf, and giving you a spirit of peace, comfort and contentment.

Through Jesus you have so much more than Annie did. You have someone so much richer and powerful and caring than Daddy Warbucks – you have a heavenly Daddy. One who truly loves you. It’s no political move. It’s no stunt to promote His image. Your heavenly Father truly wants you in his family – and he planned out everything from eternity, and carried it out in time, through His Son Jesus and through the Holy Spirit, for you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for adopting me as a child into your family. Thank you for my Brother Jesus, who paid the price for my adoption. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who brought about my adoption and dwells inside of me so that I might live for you and serve you all my days.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.

Transformed – teen devotion – May 19, 2024

One truth shared: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are active in our lives today. 

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.”

John 15:26

We Are Not Alone

Imagine your typical high school musical. You see the stage. You see the scenery. You hear the music playing. POOF! The spotlight flips on, and there is the lead character. Despite a changing teen voice that occasionally falters, he does a marvelous job in the opening scene. Then the curtain closes. A few moments later the curtain opens again, but this time in a different scene. Another character takes the lead this time. She does an amazing job too! You see, both characters are equally important, but at different times each has a different role to play—sometimes in the lead and sometimes in support.

In a somewhat similar way, God has operated in this world in different phases or stages. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have always been equal in power and authority. They are three equal persons in one true God. However, starting with creation, it was God the Father who took more of the center stage as Maker and Preserver of this world. The Son and the Spirit were certainly around and active, but they didn’t take the spotlight.

When Jesus was born, a new scene began. This time he took the lead as our substitute and Savior from sin. The Father and the Spirit were certainly around and active, but they didn’t take the spotlight. Once Jesus ascended back to heaven, the curtain closed on that scene as a new one was about to begin.

That new scene was the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came in a miraculous and marvelous way. He empowered the disciples to be bold witnesses and more than 3,000 people came to faith and were baptized. From that point forward and to the present, the Holy Spirit has had center stage. Now it is the Holy Spirit who is taking a more active role in the life of the Church. The Father and the Son have been and still are certainly around and active, but they aren’t taking the spotlight, so to speak.

This is what Jesus was promising and foretelling in John 15. He talked about the “Advocate” who would come to testify to the truth. An advocate is someone who speaks on behalf of or helps someone else. The Holy Spirit is that Advocate. When we share the good news of Jesus the Son of God, the Father sends the Spirit on his behalf. The Holy Spirit is the one who works people’s hearts. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings people to faith and then strengthens faith. And, the Holy Spirit is the one who fills us with courage and boldness to witness like those first disciples did.

It can be easy to feel alone at times and wonder, “Where is God?” Know that the Father is still our Maker and Preserver. He’s not standing on the sidelines, but actively working to preserve and protect us. Know that the Son is still our Savior. He’s not standing on the sidelines, but actively coming to us through the Gospel in Word and sacraments. Know that the Spirit is still our Advocate and Guide. He’s not standing on the sidelines, but actively working in people’s hearts when the Word and Sacraments are used. Praise be to God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who actively works in our lives!

Prayer:Holy Spirit, fill me with comfort knowing that you are always working and with me. Then fill me with courage to be a bold witness to others confidence to know that you will work through my words. Amen.


Teen Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship.
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.