Teen Devotional: One Body, Many Members

If you’ve grown up in church, you might be able to relate to the feeling.  Whenever someone comes to church or some other assembly of Christians and presents their ministry it seems like (if they are convincing speakers, that is) that the particular need they represent is the most significant need out there, and is worthy of the attention of every true Christian.  
One might present the multi-faceted needs of abandoned children in Rio de Janeiro.  These needs are real, and this speaker knows that God wants him to be there, working with, loving, providing for, and protecting these children.  He asks for you to share his vision and to at least pour yourself into prayer and financial support of current works.

One Sunday School teacher emphasizes evangelism and discipleship.  These obviously ought to be the chief objective of every church and every Christian as they go about everyday life.  She is not only passionate in her presentation, but she herself lives an evangelistic life.

Someone else frequently talks about using smart methods to evangelize the world - like teaching English to get into people’s lives.  Certainly more people should be doing it, because it is the ticket to missions today.  

These are just three examples to show that we hear many thoughts of many right ways of ministering to others.  All are valid forms of ministry, probably.  Throughout my life, such considerations have left me wondering, How can one person passionately care and invest themselves fully in so many good things?  It doesn’t seem realistic, but it sometimes seems like that is what is expected when people share their ministry burden.  What’s my role in any or each of these?

In answer to those questions, several New Testament passages convey the truth that God wants various Christians to have different responsibilities and work in His kingdom.  Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 are two chapters that discuss this.  The first part of Acts 6 shows an example of what it looks like in real life.  

Secondly, these passages show that no one is exempt from God’s service, whether it be at home, work, or an official ministry capacity.   Every Christian gets to minister to other Christians -- helping Christ’s body -- and every Christian’s life is a witness to lost people.  

Lastly, I often think about David.  As a young man he used a slingshot and stone to fight God’s enemy.  But just a few years later, as a king, he would’ve used “regular” weaponry and armor - swords and shields for instance.  He did not allow youthfulness and inexperience in battle to keep him from doing what God wanted him to do during the season of life that he could only use a slingshot.  He got busy with what God had allowed him much practice with already.  But, he did not refuse to learn and grow into being a “real” warrior.  

From these things, I see three lessons for me, that may also help you:

1. God has various people to perform various tasks.
2. God has something for every Christian to do.

3. God wants me to be flexible and teachable - to be willing to grow into new tasks.

Teen Devotional: Grace for Life's Wounds

"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15)

Today I visited with the resident of a nursing home where we had a short church service.  As I listened to her, I realized that she has carried undue weight on her heart all through life.  She lives in bitterness and hatred for those who have done her wrong.  She doesn’t understand that the venom of bitterness is keeping her from knowing Christ in the joy of salvation.   

I’m thankful to say, I have also been around some godly older people, who have testified to making use of God’s grace to forgive those who have sinned against them.  They know that they themselves used to be God’s enemies.  They understand that when God saved them, it was because of His extensive mercy - not because they were good enough to deserve His love.   “...when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:4-5)  These Christ-followers choose to allow Jesus to be their Shepherd, to restore their soul, to be with them through all of the griefs, to anoint them with healing balm (see Psalm 23).  They also realize that Jesus has made provision for their “enemy” to also be saved from sin, for as Titus 2:11 tells us, “...the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.”  

We’re young.  Maybe some of us have already had “our share” of trouble - enough grief from hurtful people.  Or maybe we’ve had relatively tranquil lives so far.  Everyone will have heartaches in this life at some time or another.  What will be your response?  Bitterness over those problems could never be worth missing Heaven.  

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Teen Devotional: Lessons from Jesus' Temptation

“1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:1-4, NASB)

Jesus was tempted to assert divine power to meet His physical need - one that could not (humanly) be met at that time and place.  Jesus was tempted to not wait for his heavenly Father to take care of it in His time and way.  It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t need food.  It wasn’t that his desire for food was wrong.  But God did not want His Son, who was 100% God, 100% man, to use his “God privileges” to “sail” through life.  God wanted Jesus to be our example of dependence on and submission to the Father in everything.

“5...this attitude… was… in Christ Jesus,6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself...  (Philippians 2:5-8, NASB)

Jesus didn’t comply with the desire of his body at that moment, but curiously he didn’t even respond to temptation by praying for God to provide His needed food, which is what I would’ve done, I think. I find Jesus’ answer to the temptation interesting, because he didn’t simply refuse what would’ve been sinful for him.  Instead he shows us that God’s Word is truly essential for life; without it we cannot really live.  God, His Word, His kingdom -- these are the foundation and meaning of life.  Not comfort, not pleasure, not work or school or marriage.  (Please read Matthew 6:25-33 also.)

After Jesus endured temptation (without sin - Hebrews 4:15), God’s angels came to minister to him (Matthew 4:11).  We can rest in the fact that God is faithful to see our needs and meet them, as we honor and obey Him.  We should follow Jesus’ example, instead of trying to work things out in our time and way.  God is good and His ways are the ways of blessing.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Teen Devotional: Choosing Wisely in Your Friendships

Who is in your in-group?  Who do you spend significant amounts of time with? Whose values do you share?  Who influences you most, and on whom do you have the most influence? Who is it you want to please? Who are your friends?

To see a person’s friends is to see what that person really values and what their future will likely entail.  God knows how impactful friendships can be, and gives us His wisdom for how to choose confidants. In 1 Corinthians 15:33 He warns us that, “…Bad company corrupts good morals.” (NASB) Which means that having friends who have bad character will affect a person’s own heart and behavior. Why is this true?  Because in the give-and-take of relationships, people end up trying to please each other.  If a teen’s influencers are ungodly young people, they will surely make it easy for him to do wrong and even to justify it.  (Prov. 28:24 shows an example of one’s person sin making it easy for his friends to sin in another way.)

Thankfully, Godly friendships are possible!  The Psalmist who composed Psalm 119 prayed two times about godly friends.  In verse 63, he writes of how he is living out his commitment to the Lord, “I am a companion of all those who fear You, and those who keep Your precepts.”  In verse 79 he asks God that “…those who fear You turn to me, even those who know Your testimonies.”  There is much to gain from the fellowship of those who delight in living for God: those who love God, His Word, His people, and those who are doing everything they can to help others find salvation.

Paul instructed the Corinthian Christians, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14) Truly, it is impossible for light to stay light while accommodating itself to darkness.

Do you love the Lord?  Do you want to live for Him?  Where do you want to be spiritually in ten years?  Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Are your current friendships conducive to a close walk with God, or are the individuals you’ve gathered around you helping you to slip away from Him?  (Please also read Psalms 1 & 26.)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Teen Devotional: Faithfulness in Work

What thoughts come to mind when someone talks to you about homework, chores, or your fast-food job?  I would propose to you that the “boring” everyday tasks a Christian performs are important to God.  In Colossians 3:23, God speaks to those who work for others (which includes us if we are employed).  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (NIV)  As students, this would also apply to our attitude toward our homework.  God expects His children to give Him their best efforts.

During a time of particular need in the early church, the apostles sought out Christian workers who could take care of widows’ daily needs.  Acts 6:3 says that they selected men of “good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom…” (NASB).

On the day they were chosen for this job, they already had good reputations.  People had been watching their lives and had observed faithfulness, carefulness, diligence, reliability, and trustworthiness.  These men wouldn’t have been chosen if they did not already have people skills - knowing how to gently and appropriately interact with people.  They wouldn’t have been trusted with resources, if they hadn’t been faithful with finances and material goods in the past.

They were “filled with the Spirit,” which surely indicates they were obedient to everything they knew to be God’s will, they were growing spiritually, and they had given themselves completely to God.

They were wise.  Wise people understand the big picture.  Those who are wise see a situation as it can and should be with God involved in it.  They are God-dependant, but eagerly do the task at hand as they depend on God.

Maybe we wouldn’t yet be up to such as job as these men had back then.  Maybe we don't yet have a track record like they did. But as Christian young people we should be growing in the character traits that they exemplified, so that in God’s timing we too can fulfill His role for us.   
   

Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”  (NIV)

What has God given you to do right now?  Are you demonstrating diligence and carefulness in this “small thing”?  As you work, are you learning to depend on God?  

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® 

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation