Monday, May 30, 2016

Jesus & Tough Times: Lesson 2 | Devotion 1

Take a look at the Band Aid you put on the other night. (If it already fell off, go put either a Band Aid or a piece of tape around your finger.) Take a moment and close your eyes and feel it around your finger. Notice how it feels tight around your finger.

Can you feel it sticking to you?
Regardless of exactly HOW it feels you know that Band Aid is there with you. If you had a wound or a “boo-boo” you would trust that it was healing underneath the Band-Aid. This is how it is with Jesus. We trust that He is with us, healing our wounds and walking us through the toughest of times.

As you look at your Band-Aid now:
  • Pray that you would learn to trust that Jesus is going to get you through this tough time.
  • Be honest with Him about how you are feeling.
  • Ask Him to show you how to have faith in who He is, and how He will bring you through hard times.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Jesus & Tough Times: Lesson 1 | Devotion 3

Are you starting to believe that God cares about your feelings?

Are you starting to be more honest with God about your feelings? Why or why not?

Take some time today and really contemplate why being with honest with God is either easy or hard for you. Is it that you don’t really trust Him? If this is true how can you get to know Him better so you do trust Him?

Today meditate on why God would love you so much He want to hear everything.


Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Jesus & Tough Times: Lesson 1 | Devotion 2

Remember how we wrote letters to God this week about how we are feeling?

God wants everything. We have talked a lot about telling God when we feel bad things; we can be honest about when things are going great too. He loves to hear everything from us, whatever is going on with you.

Take a few moments and write a note to God in the space below about WHATEVER you are feeling today, good, bad, ugly or mehhh.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Jesus & Tough Times: Lesson 1 | Devotion 1

"While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God."  Hebrews 5:7

Have you ever cried yourself to sleep? If not have you ever been so angry you wanted to punch something, or screamed into a pillow in your room? Think for a moment, “When things are going wrong, what do you do?” Do you scream, hit someone, or take it out on a friend or sibling? You know, Jesus Himself expressed a lot of emotion when HE experienced a tough time.

Look again at Matthew 26: 36-46. Stop and think for a moment about all that was going on with Jesus at this moment. He was about to be arrested, beat up, spit at, bullied, teased, whipped, and nailed to a cross. After all of that He was going to die a painful death being treated like a criminal when He had done nothing wrong. If you knew all of this was about to happen, how would you feel? No, stop for a moment, close your eyes and think about how you would feel. It’s fair that Jesus really didn’t want it to happen and that He needed to talk to God about it.

Can you relate when things are going bad for you? Do you want God to “fix” it? At the very least to you want things to change? Are you honest with God during those times about how you are feeling? Why or why not?

Something to think about...
  • Do you tell God on a regular basis how you are feeling about life? Why or why not? Have you ever thought about how He wants to hear from us, and all that we are thinking and feeling?
  • Jesus showed us that it’s alright to tell God anything we are thinking or feeling. God also showed us that He helped Jesus deal through His feelings. Do you believe God can help you through the tough times better when you are honest with Him? Why or why not?

Friday, May 20, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 3 | Day 5

The last two days, we’ve looked at being on God’s mission. Throughout this study, you’ve learned that knowledge without action is worthless.

Today, you are being compelled to act.

Spend some time asking God what that step is today. Ask Him how He wants you to join Him on His mission to make His name known. Listen for His response. And today, or tomorrow, or next week when He shows you what that next step is, take the initiative to act.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 3 | Day 4

Take a moment and read Revelation 7:9-12.

Take some time today to imagine the scene of the passage. All peoples from all places gathered together in worship to God for the salvation He has brought to them.

What do you think it will look like?

What do you think it will sound like?


You know, this scene is the end goal of missions. It’s the ultimate result of God’s knowability. It is the fruit of the Gospel at work over the generations.

In your journal or note-taking app, reflect on this scene and what God is showing you. How do you think you will feel when you are in the midst of this mass of humanity, praising that God you know as Lord and Savior?

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 3 | Day 3

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Read Psalm 46:8-10. Here we see that knowledge of God should be spread to the whole world. God’s mission is something that is still unfinished. People who study world missions write about “unreached people groups.” These are groups of people who do not have any access to the message of the Gospel. They will be born, live, and die and will likely never here about Jesus and what He did for them on the cross.

As we think of God’s mission, we can respond in several ways. We can pray that God would continue to be known by the lost. We can give money to support the work. And we can go. Today, here’s a challenge for you to pray.

There’s a great website online called The Joshua Project (http://joshuaproject.net/) that is focused on praying for unreached people groups. Go to this website today, and spend some time praying for the featured unreached people group of the day. As you pray today, ask God in what ways He may be calling you to put hands and feet to your prayers by giving and going.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 3 | Day 2

At the beginning of your Bible study this week, you may have looked at this quote from a scholar named Wayne Grudem:

“If we are to know God at all, it is necessary for Him to reveal Himself to us.”

After spending three weeks studying God’s knowability, you should have come to a point where you’ve grown in your knowledge of this concept. Have you?

Think About This...
  • How has God chosen to reveal Himself to you through this study?
  • What have you come to know about God through this study?

Monday, May 16, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 3 | Day 1

In this week’s time of Bible study, you learned that our knowledge of God is vital to our spiritual transformation. As we get to know Jesus through our relationship with Him, we become more and more like Him. Compare our relationship with Jesus with our relationship with others. Some people are guilty of spending more thought on our earthly relationships than with our relationship with God.

For example, a guy wouldn’t ask a girl on a date if he didn’t have a plan about what they would do and where they would go. Yet we so often sit down to spend time with Jesus and we have no real plan. We often get nothing out of our time with Jesus because we planned not to get anything out of it.

Today, I want you to write down a plan of how you want to spend your time with Jesus today.
  • What do you want to do? You could pray, read the Word, memorize scripture, sing a worship song, etc. 
  • When are you going to do it? 
  • How long will your time together last? 
  • What is your goal of your time together?
Having a plan is a great way to minimize distractions. It shows you’re serious about knowing God more.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 2 | Day 5

One of the ways that we can experience Jesus is through worship. As we worship Jesus, we thank Him for who He is and what He has done for us.

Today, we are going to do something different for our devotional time. Think of your favorite praise and worship song and find a place where you can get alone with God. Spend a few minutes listening to and singing the song and praising Jesus for who He is.

Then make sure to pray to Jesus and simply respond to Him with how the song makes you feel.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 2 | Day 4


Yesterday, we saw that Jesus is making us into artistic expressions of His grace. Today, use a journal or note-taking app to draw a picture, write a poem, write a song, or share a story of the power of God’s grace.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 2 | Day 3

In Hebrews 1:1-3, we saw the power of the Gospel, that Jesus who was powerful, great, and God came and took our place. He became sin so that we can become like Him.

The problem is that many times we as Christians think that we are to try our best to follow Jesus by looking to Him as our example. Several years ago, there was a Christian fad of bracelets called “WWJD,” which stood for “What Would Jesus Do?” This was the question you were supposed to ask before you did something. The problem with all of this is that we are not God and we cannot perfectly live like Jesus – that is why He came and took our place on the cross.

So how does living for Jesus work? Turn in your Bible to Ephesians 2:10 and read the verse. It says that we are Jesus’ “workmanship” and that we were created for good works. “Workmanship” is a weird word to us, but in the Greek, it means “poem.” We are God’s artistic expression on the world. God is making broken people like us into beautiful works of art that point people to His power to change a life.

Following Jesus is a lot less about wondering what Jesus would do and a lot more about surrendering your life to Jesus as He makes you into an artistic expression of the beauty of His Gospel to a watching world.

Think About This...
  • Come up with a few ways this practically fleshes itself out in your world. 
  • Commit to living out this truth today in your life.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 2 | Day 2

Since we learn about Jesus through His Word, it’s important that we study God’s Word to get to know Him better. Today, think through the Bible stories that you know about Jesus in the gospels and write a list of words to describe Jesus.



Now, take some time to praise Jesus for being those things. For example, “Jesus thank you for being ______________________________.”



Monday, May 9, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 2 | Day 1

“’You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’”  John 6:67-68

One of the passages we looked at in this week’s lesson was John 6:66-69. It is the story of the crowds walking away and the disciples sticking with Jesus because they believed He was God. As a Christian teenager, you face peer pressure for following Jesus. The crowd is going one way and to take a stand for Jesus means you may be standing alone.

Re-read John 6:66-69. Take a moment and answer the following questions:
  • How do you think the disciples felt when people walked away from Jesus?
  • What separated the disciples from the crowds?
  • What are some ways that you may have to take a stand for your faith this week?
When you take a stand for Jesus, you may feel like you are standing alone. But you’re not alone. Jesus is there with you.

This week, remember the truth that Jesus is the true God and that He is for you even though crowds may stand against you.

Friday, May 6, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 1 | Day 5

Read this quote and think about it as you go through your day:

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”  A. W. Tozer

Think About This...
  • Why would Tozer think that the most important thing about us was what came into our minds when we think about God?
  • Do you agree or disagree with the quote? Why or why not?
  • Why is knowing God so important to our lives?

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 1 | Day 4


In your journal or on a note-taking app, take a moment to write a prayer to God. Thank Him for choosing to reveal Himself to you. Tell Him in your own words why it matters to you that He chose to have a system that allowed you to know Him personally. Pray that God would begin to show you more about Him. Pray that He would make Himself more known to you.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 1 | Day 3

In your Bible study time this week, you looked at the stories of David, Elijah, and Hezekiah. You saw that they began to know God better as they relied on Him. This is a pretty good practice for us too.


Spend some time today rereading over one of the stories.

David’s story is found in 1 Samuel 17:1-58.

Elijah’s story is found in 1 Kings 18:20-36.

Hezekiah’s story is found in 2 Kings 19:8-19.


Once you have read the story of your choice, answer the following questions:
  • How did the person rely on God?
  • How did God respond?
  • How can I rely on God like the person in the story today?

Don’t look at the characters in the Bible as fictional people, or as outdated examples. Think of them as people just like you. Their lives are recorded in the Bible to serve as models for you. Don’t miss the chance to learn from them.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 1 | Day 2

In this week’s lessons, you saw stories of God at work in people’s lives. There is power in a story of what God has done. Write a story, a true story, about what God has done in your life or in the life of a friend or family member.


Now, take this story and share it with someone today to encourage him or her in his or her faith.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Knowing God: Lesson 1 | Day 1

“Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.”  Exodus 29:45

Is God real? Can we really know God? The only way for us to know God is through Him revealing Himself to us. We can see who He is by seeing what He has done for others in the past through His Word and by experiencing Him working in our own lives. Knowing God gives us strength when we are faced with people who question God’s existence or challenge us when we try to share our faith. People can argue theories and ideas, but they cannot argue with someone who truly knows God because he or she has experienced Him personally.

In your Bible study lesson from this week, you probably talked some about the importance of knowing God personally instead of merely hearing about experiences others have had with Him. Your challenge for today is to continue to wrestle with the question that came at the end of this week’s lesson:

Have I personally experienced God, or am I simply living off of my parents’ faith?

Spend some time today considering your thoughts on that question. Think about it as you drive around in your car, or between classes at school. Don’t be too quick to answer. The question is pretty important.