“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11)

What does it mean to “minister…as of the ability which God giveth”? It means that when we do work for the Lord, we ought to do it by His power, and not in our own strength.

Our talents and abilities all come from God. Even the time that we have to serve God is given to us by God! But sometimes believers start to forget that without Christ, they can do nothing . (See John 15:5.) They start relying and depending on their own efforts and their own ideas and their own hard work–and they forget to rely and depend on God. In fact, they forget God altogether sometimes! These believers need to be humble and remember that they need God”s strength in order to do ministry work that glorifies Him.

On the other hand, some believers are afraid to get too involved with ministry work. They think, “I am not talented enough. I am uncomfortable in situations. So-and-so is a better such-and-such than I would be. I don”t really have time. I don”t really feel ”up to” this kind of a thing.” Sometimes, believers start to forget that through Christ, they can do anything that He wants them to do. (See Philippians 4:13.) These believers need to be encouraged and remember that they have God”s strength available to them, and that it honors Him when His people use that strength for His work.

When you help clean at your church”s meeting place, did you know that what you do ought to reflect your dependence on God”s strength? When you obey your parents, you should do so in dependence upon the Lord. When you offer to do yard work for an elderly couple in your neighborhood, or when you take care of your younger siblings, or when you are asked to do a ministry job that just really scares you for some reason–remember that you can do it with God”s help, and that it is a glory to God when you serve with the strength He gives you.

Think about the last time you offered to do some work as a ministry to someone. Were you doing it for the right reasons? Were you counting on your own ideas and your own efforts? Were you hoping to get some special recognition for all your hard labor and devoted sacrifices? Or were you really just taking the gifts and skills God has given you and glorifying Him by serving in His strength? Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Do your good works point others” attention just to you? Or do they point to your Father in heaven?

An old preacher used to say, “A Christian is the only ”Bible” some people will ever read.” What kind of things are others “reading” about your God and His people when you serve? When you have a chance to minister to someone, honor God with your service: Minister to that person as God Himself would have you minister to that person.

God has given us abilities, time, and energy so that we can rely on and glorify His strength.

My Response:
» How do I respond to ministry opportunities?
» Am I using my gifts and skills and time for myself, or do I use them to honor God and help others?
» How can I change the way I serve so that my ministry will point others to my almighty God?

“Thou compasseth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:3)

The Matthews household was in an uproar. No one had seen the family cat all day, and it was almost time for bed. Aaron thought he had heard a faint “meow” a couple of times, but when he called, “Here, Kitty, Kitty,” Angel did not come.

The family had tried all the usual tricks, to no avail. Even the sound of the can opener and the smell of tuna had not coaxed Angel out of hiding. Their beloved cat had been with them for six years and had never gone away for more than a few hours. Whatever could have happened to her now?

Anna had an idea. She opened her closet door, and sure enough, out ran Angel, her eyes wide and black. “Meow!” she cried, and Anna followed her to the kitchen to set out the tuna and some fresh milk.

She explained to Aaron how she had gotten the idea to check the closet. “You know how Angel loves to nap on soft things? I thought maybe she might have been resting on my new fuzzy slippers this morning when I closed the closet door.” Anna left her slippers under her bed from then on, so that Angel could nap on them whenever she pleased without getting trapped in the closet again.

Just as Anna understood the ways of her pet, our Heavenly Father sees and understands everything about us. He knows our habits and our thoughts. It is not possible for us to go anywhere He cannot find us.

Jeremiah 23:24 says, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? Saith the Lord.” Is it hard for you to remember that God knows and cares about and watches you? Meditate on this truth from Scripture, and let it change how you respond to scary situations, times of sorrow, or temptations to sin.

God knows and understands us even better than we do.

My Response:
» Do I sometimes feel like I am on my own, or like no one is watching me?
» What habits would I change if I really believed and acted like God is everywhere and knows everything and sees all that I do?
» How can remembering that God knows my ways help me to trust and obey Him more?

“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers….” (Deuteronomy 7:7-8a)

Question: Why does God love us?
Answer: Because He loves us.

Does that sound like the correct answer to the question? Do you think your teacher would count that answer right if you wrote it on a test? The truth is, that is the right answer to the question, according to Deuteronomy 7. God told His special people, the nation of Israel, that He loved them simply because He had chosen to love them.

God has also chosen to love us, even if we are not Jews. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world–everyone. Romans 5:8, which was written both to Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews), says that God displayed His love for us while we were still sinners. How did God display His love? He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place.

Why should God love us? The answer to that question does not really have anything to do with us. God did not love us because we were attractive or because we were loveable. He did not love us because there was anything we could do for Him. He chose to love us, knowing we were helpless, lost sinners. There was nothing we could give Him in return. He chose to love us because He is God, and it is His nature to love. Out of His great love, He gave His Son’s precious blood to redeem us. Once we are His children, we can be sure that nothing will ever separate us from His love. His love is unchanging, everlasting, a love that never fails.

Where would we be today if it were not for the wonderful love of God? If God had not loved us, there would be no hope of salvation. Isn’t that a reason to thank Him every day of our lives for His gracious choice to love us?

God’s love for us was His choice because His nature is Love.

My Response:
» Have I accepted the gift of God’s love–salvation in Jesus Christ?
» Do I thank God for His wonderful love?
» Do I try to share that love with others?

“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:24)

There is no place we can go to hide from God.

When God told Jonah to go to Ninevah, Jonah disobeyed and “rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” He boarded a ship headed for Tarshish, but God saw him even there. You probably know the rest of the story. God sent a mighty storm. Knowing that the storm was meant for him, Jonah told the sailors to throw him overboard. He was swallowed by a huge fish, and was carried in the fish’s stomach for three days. He repented of his sin, prayed to God, and God answered his prayers, causing the fish to spit Jonah out onto the land.

God sees our disobedience.

Sometimes when we do wrong, we try to hide it from our friends, our parents, and even God. But it doesn’t work. God sees us no matter where we go. He always knows what we are doing and what we are thinking. Jonah couldn’t leave God’s presence by going to Tarshish. God is everywhere.

God also sees our troubles.

Sometimes when we are hurting, we think no one else understands; but God always does. When you feel lonely, you aren’t really alone. You can pray to God and ask him for help no matter where you are. There is no place you can go that he won’t hear you. Jonah prayed to God from the belly of the fish, and God answered his prayers.

The next time you want to disobey, and you think no one is around, remember that God is. He can always see you. And the next time you feel lonely, or think there is trouble in your life that no one else understands, ask for God’s help.

The Bible teaches that there is nowhere we can go that the Lord is not there. That means we can never hide from Him, but it also means He is always there when we need Him. Call on Him. No matter where you are or what kind of trouble you are in, He can always hear you.

God is already everywhere we could go. We cannot escape from His presence, and we can count on Him to be close by at all times.

My Response:
» Have I been forgetting that God is omnipresent (everywhere at once)?
» How should remembering that God is everywhere keep me from doing wicked things?
» How should remembering that God is everywhere keep me from worry or fear?

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

If you have ever read through Genesis, chapters 38-50 or so, you will probably remember the story of Joseph pretty well. Can you imagine how you might feel if your brothers and sisters decided one day to sell you off to some strangers passing through town? I would guess that there have been times that your brothers or sisters have done some things to you that were not nice. They may have even tried to hurt you in some way, but they have probably never tried to sell you. Joseph’s brothers did. (See Genesis 37:1-28.)

Joseph’s brothers hated him because he was the favorite son of their father Jacob. Joseph’s brothers hated him so much and wanted to get rid of him. They decided to sell Joseph as a slave to slave traders who were passing through on their way to the country of Egypt.

What a terrible thing to do! Or at least it seems terrible! But God is sovereign, which means He is in control of everything. He can take any bad situation and turn it into something good. God had a bigger plan for Joseph and his brothers. God used the evil intentions of Joseph’s brothers to save their family from starving in a famine many years later. Even though Joseph’s brothers wanted to do evil things to Joseph, God used their evil actions to accomplish something good.

God let them do what they wanted to do with Joseph, but He had very good reasons. He was in control the whole time, and He never forgot Joseph. In His Providence, God used evil-hearted men like tools, or like hands and feet, to help Him provide for His people. That does not make the brothers any less wrong for doing what they did, but it does show what a great and good God we have. He can turn even the worst situations around and work good things for His people. (See Genesis 45:1-15.)

Do you have something in your life that seems like it is going to end up really bad? Remember, God can take any bad situation and turn it to good. There is nothing that can stop God from doing what is good. Trust God that He will take your bad situation and change it to what is best for His glory and for your ultimate good.

God is great and good enough to change even the worst trials into what is best for His glory and for His people’s good.

My Response:
» Have I been feeling forsaken (left on my own) by God?
» Do I need to ask God for the faith to believe that He is bigger than my situation, that He cares about what is happening, that He is in control of everything, and that He has not forgotten me?
» How can I encourage other believers who are mistreated or who have been going through really terrible things?

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Life is full of all sorts of tests. Maybe the word “test” makes you think of that piece of paper your teacher is going to give you sometime this week!

But not all of the tests you take this week are the kind you will be taking in school. Sometimes a test can be simply going through hard times or enduring “tribulation” or “affliction.” Perhaps a best friend moves away and you feel all alone. Or maybe you get really sick. Or maybe other people make fun of you because you are a Christian. Maybe you did not make the sports team you really wanted to be a part of. Maybe your dog ran away from home and you cannot find him anywhere.

Situations like these can make you sad, and you might even wonder why God could let them happen.

But God is sovereign (He’s in control), and He does have reasons for everything He does! Not only is God not surprised by the afflictions that hit us, but He is perfect in helping us get through them. He is perfectly loving and perfectly kind and perfectly wise. 2 Corinthians 1:3 says that God is a “God of all comfort.” That means that God is there to help you through the difficulties you face. He always says the right thing to you (through His Word). He loves you more than any human being could possibly love. If God is going to put a trial into your life, He is also the best Comforter you could ask for to help you get through that trial.

Verse 4 explains that one reason God comforts you is so that you can comfort others better. You may not understand why you are going through tough times right now, but maybe God wants to teach you mercy and wisdom. Maybe He wants to use you to help someone else someday! God comforts us so that we can share his comfort with others! From your time with the perfect Comforter, are you learning how to comfort?

God is the best possible Comforter and the best One to show us how to comfort others.

My Response:
» Is God giving me a “test” to take this week?
» What have I learned from God’s comfort to me in the past that might help me be a comforter for others one day?

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

Have you ever seen a vine twisted tightly around a tree? I recently saw a big vine as I was in the woods enjoying a picnic. When I first looked at the big tree, it was difficult to tell the vine from the tree itself. But as I looked more closely, I began to see the outline of a vine that had grown higher and higher by wrapping itself tightly around the tree and growing up as the tree grew up. I went over and tried to rip the vine away from the tree, but it was no use. The vine had twisted around and bound itself into the strong trunk of the tree. That vine was not going anywhere, except where the tree was going!

The word “wait” in Psalm 27:14 has the idea of binding together by twisting. God wants us to wrap our hearts and minds around Him through His truth – just like a vine wraps itself tightly around the giant tree. God is like the firm, unmovable tree that grows high. We should be like the vine that grabs hold of God so tightly that we only go and grow in the direction He wants us going and growing!

God has given us His Word so that we might think and believe right thoughts about Him. Because of God’s grace, we can wrap ourselves tightly around God through His Word. When we think and believe rightly about God, and therefore trust Him, we wait on the LORD like it says in Psalm 27:14.

Just like Jacob refused to let the angel of the Lord go (Genesis 32:26), we should refuse to let go of any truth that God has taught us from His Word. We should never let go of the truths that God is a holy God and angered by any sin. We should never let go of the truths that God is loving, kind, and forgiving. If we let these truths go, then we would be like a vine unraveling itself from its tree. A vine that does not cling tightly to a tree will fall to the ground and begin to die.

The more tightly we wrap ourselves around God, the more strength He gives. The vine is not strong, but the tree is! When the vine embeds itself into the tree, the vine is safe, it climbs high, and it shares in the great strength of the tree. Christ invites us to do all things through Him, and He will give the strength we need. Are you clinging to Him today?

We should greatly desire to attach our hearts and minds to God through His Word.

My Response:
» Am I clinging to God through His Word, or am I loosening my grip?
» What are some Bible truths about God that I can wrap my heart and mind around today?

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26:3-4)

Raging waves slammed up against the body of the boat, and the worn-out sailors tried to keep it from capsizing. They had spent the whole last month traveling up the east coast of the United States, visiting different harbors on their way to Cutler, Maine. As they neared their final destination, a storm broke out, sending the ship into a furious fight for its survival.

The crew members ran back and forth from the stern to the bow of the ship, trying to secure the sails. To arrive at the harbor, the ship had to get around or between two huge rock formations that were jutting dangerously out of the water. The sailors knew the danger–these rocks could smash the whole ship into smithereens! As the sailors were about to lose hope that they could get the ship around the rocks, they looked up and saw an amazing sight. There, at the wheel, was their captain. He stood calm and looked straight ahead, as though he was not even aware that a dangerous storm raging all around them.

Confused, the crew turned around to see what what their captain was staring at. The captain was watching directly ahead, right along a bright path of light that stretched out over the waves in front of the ship. The light came from a lighthouse on the shore. For years, this lighthouse had been guiding ships through the dangerous rock formations.

When they saw the light and they saw their captain trusting the light’s guidance, the sailors understood why he could act so calm, and they felt more calm, too. As long as their captain was watching for the light and following it, he knew that he could steer his ship safely through the rocks. Soon, they would be on shore. Believing that, the captain could have peace, even in the middle of the storm! As long as he kept his eyes on that path of light from the lighthouse, things were going to be fine.

The Bible gives us many examples of men and women who experienced scary trials in their lives: Esther pleaded for her people’s lives before an unbelieving king. Gideon had to go into battle against the Midianites with only 300 men. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were sent to burn in a deadly furnace because they refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. However, each one survived and saw God’s blessings. They were able to experience peace, because they put their trust in God.

Before you shrug your shoulders and think, “Well, of course they had peace. God took care of them!” –remember that they did not know what was going to happen to them. They trusted that God would take care of them, but the Hebrew boys did not know for sure whether God would take them to heaven by dying in a fiery furnace. Esther knew she was supposed to go before the king, but she also knew that it was at the risk of death. Gideon knew God wanted him going into battle with a tiny army, but he had no idea why God chose that. Think about how scary each of those things must have been for these people! They did not know the future. They did not know whether or not it was God’s will to protect them or to let them die. But they trusted Him, no matter what. And they had peace. How could they have that kind of peace?

They could have that kind of peace because they were not looking at their own plans or at the storm going on around them. They were looking at their Guide–their all-powerful, perfect, all-knowing God. They did not know what He was going to do with them, but they knew that He was their God and that they were in His good and great hands.

Just as that ship captain had peace while looking at the lighthouse’s light, Isaiah 26:3-4 says that you can have perfect peace when your mind is fixed on the LORD. We all go through situations in life that cause us to be afraid. Just like the captain, you might be going through a “storm.” Maybe your dad has just lost his job. Maybe your mom or another family member is battling a serious illness. Maybe you’re having trouble making friends in your new school, church, or neighborhood. You might be trying to solve your “storm” in your own way, running around like the frightened sailors doing everything they could to save their ship from capsizing–but your own efforts are not working. When you keep your mind on the LORD and remember everything that He is and does, He has promised to give you peace. He does not promise physical comfort or that we will get everything we want. He does not even promise safety. But He promises never to leave us or forsake us. He promises to be the same God yesterday, today, and forever. God wants you to be still, even in the very middle of your storms, and to know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Trust in the LORD always, for God alone can give you perfect peace (Isaiah 26:4).

Trust God alone to give you perfect peace.

My Response:
» Am I focusing my mind on the Lord?
» Am I in the middle of a “storm” that I need to trust God with?
» How can I practice the commands to “be still and know” that God is God?

“Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20-21)

John and Betty Stam were missionaries to China in the 1930s. China was a dangerous place to be. The Communist army did not want foreign people in the country, and they did not like Christians. One day the Communists captured the Chinese city where the Stams lived. They took John, Betty, and their baby girl, Helen, captive.

That night, John, Betty, and Helen were locked in a room together. Sometime during the night, Betty found a way to leave baby Helen some things she would need if they were separated. She tucked a clean nightdress, diapers, and two five-dollar-bills into the blankets where Helen slept.

The next morning, John and Betty Stam were led outside the city and killed by Communists. They became martyrs, people who lose their lives because of their faith in Christ. Baby Helen was left alone in that little room. But God had not forgotten the baby. A whole day and night passed. The next day, Christian friends of the Stams found Helen after she had been left alone for thirty hours! The money that her mother had hidden in her blankets was enough to provide for these Chinese Christians to carry her to safety.

God’s plan for John and Betty Stam was to glorify Himself through their death. The Stams went to be with Him. They joined the great chorus of praise around His throne. Through all eternity, they will keep praising Him. Many people have been awakened to the needs on the mission field by hearing their story. Thousands have carried God’s Word to the dark places of the earth because of the Stams’ sacrifice.

But God’s plan for Helen was to glorify Himself through keeping her alive. People all over the world heard about Helen’s rescue and praised God for His care for that helpless little baby.

God might lead you to a dangerous place someday in your service for Him. Are you willing to trust Him and follow Him so that He might be glorified—whether in your life or your death?

God chooses life or death for His children that He might receive glory.

My Response:
» Am I afraid to follow God? Can I trust that His choice—life or death—is best for me?
» Do I want His glory more than I want anything else?

“With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” (Psalm 119:10)

If you were participating in a Bible trivia game and were asked to name the first three kings of Israel, you would probably have no trouble jumping up and shouting out “Saul, David, and Solomon!” You have heard the stories of how Saul became king while looking for his father’s donkeys (1 Samuel 9), how David killed Goliath with his slingshot (1 Samuel 17), and how Solomon asked God for wisdom instead of riches (2 Chronicles 1). But have you ever thought about what kind of heart each of these three kings had for their God? Did they follow God with their whole hearts, just parts of their hearts, or none of their hearts?

King David had a whole heart for God. The Bible describes him as a man “who followed [God] with all his heart,” (1 Kings 14:8). You can open your Bible to the book of Psalms and read many of King David’s prayers to the Lord. David had a desire to follow God with everything that he had.

King Solomon had half a heart for God. He started out wanting to serve God with all his heart, but as he grew older, he became distracted by the world. When comparing King Solomon with his father, King David, 1 Kings 11:4 says, “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” King Solomon got sidetracked from following God. He lost his focus on God and wandered away from God’s commandments.

King Saul had no heart for God. God chose Saul to be the first king of Israel. But King Saul rejected the Lord, and the Lord rejected him. 1 Samuel 15:26, “And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.”

God wants you to seek Him and follow after Him with your whole heart! You must choose what kind of heart you are going to have for God. Will you be like King David, with a whole heart for God? Or will you be like King Saul and King Solomon, who both failed to follow God with their whole hearts?

The God of the Bible wants you to seek Him and follow after Him with your whole heart!

My Response:
» Does God want just part of my attention, or just some of my obedience?
» What kind of heart do I have for God?
» How can I change to have a whole heart for God?

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

God tells us in His Word exactly what we need to know about our sin. He tells us what we ought to hear about the hardness of living the Christian life. And God tells us what we should know about our need for Him.

God is there to help us. We should try to please and obey Him, but we do not have to rely on our own strength and wisdom to do it. In fact, He wants us to depend on Him for grace and help, rather than trying to do things on our own!

Have you ever seen a toddler try to carry around a gallon of milk? A two-year-old can hardly even lift a gallon of milk, let alone walk around with it! What would probably happen if that toddler was allowed to keep staggering and slogging around with that gallon of milk? Well, the milk would probably get dropped sooner or later, all over the floor. If that little child would like some milk, then an adult will probably have to come and help carry it to the table and pour it into a cup, or else there will probably be a huge mess.

Have you ever tried to please God in your own strength? If so, you have probably learned that you cannot do it! Our strength is too weak! We need God in our everyday lives, and we need God to help us please Him. Here are just a few examples of the thousands of ways we need God.

WE NEED HIS PRESENCE
“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5b)

WE NEED HIS STRENGTH
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

WE NEED HIS WISDOM
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)

WE NEED HIS INSTRUCTION AND GUIDANCE
“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” (Psalm 32:8)

WE NEED TO TRUST AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
i>”Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:5)
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6)

WE NEED HIM IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” (2 Corinthians 3:5)
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

As you can tell, we need God! We can be glad that God tells us how it is. He does not smooth over the facts to make them easier or more pleasant for us to hear. He tells us the truth we need to know about our sin (and gives us the solution). He tells us the truth about what to expect in the Christian life (and what He expects from us). And He tells us the truth about how weak we are and how much we need Him (and promises to help). What a wonderful God we have!

God makes it very clear that we must depend upon Him for help, and that He is willing to help us when we do.

My Response:
» Am I trying to please God in my own way and in my own strength?
» What are some things I can rely on God to help me with?

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

What if you were sitting at your desk one day and your teacher said: “Class, tomorrow you will have a test. Be sure to study hard and be prepared for it.” That would be a good enough reason for you to start some serious thinking. But what if the teacher stopped her announcement right there? What if she would not tell you what subject your test would be in? How would you know whether to study Math, English, Science, History, or Geography? How would you know what books to take home or what chapters to review?

If your teacher announced only that you needed to prepare for a test, but she did not tell you important things about that test, her announcement would not really be very helpful to you, would it? In fact, it might be scary and frustrating!

I’m so glad that God tells us exactly what is expected of us as His children. First, He honestly tells us that the Christian life isn’t easy. In James 1:2 it says to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” It doesn’t say IF, it says WHEN. That tells us that we should expect difficult times. But praise God that in verse 5 He says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask Him for it and He will give it to us! He doesn’t just tell us what to expect: He also helps us to be prepared for what comes!

The apostle Paul often used illustrations to help us picture what the Christian life is like. He gives at least two examples: the soldier (who must fight in battles) and the athlete (who must work and train very hard for competitions).

Here are a couple verses that show us that the Christian life is not for lazy or goofy people, but that it requires us to be consistent and focused, like an ATHLETE:

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1c)

“If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2 Timothy 2:5)

In modern terms, 2 Timothy 2:5 basically means this: If someone wants to compete in athletic games, he cannot win unless he plays by the rules. An athlete who wants to win a race in the Olympics has to train every day for months and even years. He usually also has to give up some things. He might go without things like soda pop, pizza, and cake. He might give up his favorite TV shows and time with his friends. He follows the instructions of his coach or trainer very carefully, so that someday he might win that gold medal.

And here are verses that show us that the Christian life is not for weak or cowardly people, but that it is full of hardship and danger, like the life of a SOLDIER:

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

We can understand these examples. A soldier’s life is hard. An athlete’s life is hard. When God describes the Christian life in the Bible, He does not just say, “Oh, you’ll have to take a test, so be prepared.” No. He tells it to us straight. He explains that living for Christ is a fight and that to win, we have to be disciplined and faithful.

Once again, God tells us what we need to hear about the hardship we can expect in living for Christ. But He also helps us to be prepared. He equips us with what we need to fight sin and to endure hard things with patience and faith. At least if the Christian life is going to be hard, it is comforting to know that God is on our side and ready to help. If you keep reading in Ephesians 6, you will read all about the “armor” God provides to protect us and help us fight. If you keep reading in Hebrews 12, you will see very clear instructions from God about how to run a race–laying aside sins and weights, and looking to Jesus as our best example. If you keep reading in 2 Timothy, you will see that God calls us to keep from getting tangled up with distractions and to live before Him in trust and obedience. In fact, we find in all these verses that God expects us to read His Word, to trust Him, to pray, and to stay away from worldly things. Those are some very clear and encouraging guidelines to help us prepare for the hard tests in the Christian life!

God explains what He expects of us, and tells us what we ought to expect in our lives as Christians.

My Response:
» What does God expect of me?
» How can I show that I trust God and want to obey Him, in spite of hard things in my life?

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Have you ever been told: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it!”? If you have, it was probably your parents stopping you from saying something mean to your brother or sister!

Sometimes the things God says to us in His Word do not seem very nice. In fact, sometimes God says very honest and serious words that can be hard to hear. Have you ever wondered why sometimes it seems like God says mean things about people in His Word? Here are some of God’s words to us about ourselves:

“The heart [of man] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9)
“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)
“There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:3)

These are very hard things to hear, but God says them. People often say, “The truth hurts.” But sometimes the truth is the best possible thing for you.

What if you had a dentist appointment, but the dentist who examined your teeth would not tell you what he was seeing? Imagine that he looks into your mouth and says, “Hmmm.” You would not want to be left in the dark if he sees something wrong. You might say, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Now, what if the dentist sees that you have a very bad cavity. He would know that your cavity needs to be fixed before it causes you lots of pain and trouble. But what if he were afraid to upset you with the bad news, so he just says: “Well, everything looks great! I’ve never seen someone with such great teeth! See you next year at your checkup!”

Later on, if your teeth started hurting, you probably would not be very happy with your dentist! In fact, you would probably go find another one! After all, your dentist was the expert. He was the one who was supposed to examine your teeth and help you. He was not honest with you when you most needed him to be honest with you. And now you have a terrible toothache!

Sometimes we need to hear things that are not very easy or pleasant to take. But we still need to hear them! We never have to worry about God not being honest with us. In His Word, He tells us exactly the bad news that we need to hear. The bad news is that we are all sinners and the wages of our sin is death. Our sin separates us from God! Now that does not sound very nice, but it is the truth!

We can be thankful, though, that God does not just leave us with the “bad news.” He tells us the bad news so we can realize that we need the Good News (the Gospel). He has the solution to our problem! Look at the last part of Romans 6:23–“The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And God also tells us in I John 1:9 that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Even though the truth can be hard to hear, it is the best thing possible. Your dentist might tell you that you need a root canal or a couple of your teeth pulled out. But afterwards, you would not get a toothache! After the bad news, we are able to enjoy the good news. We can be glad that God is honest with us about the bad news so that we can understand and trust in the Gospel.

God tells us the truth, even when it hurts.

My Response:
» Since God has been honest with me about my sin, what do I need to do about it?
» Am I willing to trust and obey whatever God says, even if it is not what I wanted to hear?

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

Carrie’s dad used to tease her that he had eyes in the back of his head. It seemed like he could be driving the truck or watching TV, totally paying attention to something else, but if she tried to untie his shoelace or sneak off with a cookie, he could always catch her in the act! Have you ever noticed that in your own parents? They might be cooking, cleaning or reading the paper, but they just seem to know magically whenever you are planning to do something you do not want them to notice.

God is our Heavenly Father, and just like a parent, He always watches over us. Even when you don’t think He sees you, He does! The Bible says “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” God is actually far more watchful and aware than your parents ever could be, because He is God! He knows everything. He sees everything.

God spots sin immediately. In the book of Joshua, God strictly forbid anyone from taking gold, silver or clothing from Jericho. But do you know that is just what Achan did anyway! Achan stole from God, thinking God was not watching or that God did not really mean what He said when He commanded them not to take anything. Achan buried his stolen treasure under the ground, in his tent, which was only one tent in the middle of the huge Israelite campground. Surely God would not see him there. Surely God would not mind that he took a few things and hid them away. But God saw. And God did mind. Achan had disobeyed and then tried to cover up his disobedience.

God’s watchful eyes do not let anything slip by. God showed Joshua exactly where to find Achan and the stolen goods. Achan and his whole family had to pay for his sin of disobeying God.

The Lord’s eyes are in “every place” throughout the world. He will not let sin and wrongdoing slip by. God cares about His glory. He expects us to obey Him. God cares about His people. He watches out for them like a father watches out for a child. He is seeing you now, and He wants to see you doing right.

Are you like Achan, trying to get away with something? Are there sins you are trying to hide from God? If so, you are showing that you do not really believe that God is Who He is. You are acting like God cannot see you, or like God’s knowledge is limited.

Remember that God’s eyes can see every hidden thing. He has no limits. Confess your sins and live before God in trust and obedience.

The eyes of God are in every place, all the time.

My Response:
» Am I trying to get away with something before God?
» When I’m fighting temptation to sin, does it help me to take the time to acknowledge that God sees everything I do?
» Have I started thinking of God as though He had limits like I do?

“For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:14-16)

1 Kings is one of the Bible’s historical books, which means that it tells us the stories of what actually happened during the time those kings and prophets lived. What good can those old stories do for us now? Some of those things that happened back then would never happen now, in the 21st century! God probably has never told your pastor to pray for a river to dry up so you could walk across it, and God probably will not tell your pastor to pray that it would not rain for three years!

Even though some of these historical stories could probably never happen nowadays, God had good reasons for including them in His Word. For one thing, we can learn a lot about God’s character and His works through reading those stories. Think about when someone at your church stands up and gives a “testimony.” What is it? It is just that person’s story of something God has done, and it gives praise to God for being the kind of God He is. We listen to testimonies of people who believe in God, and they remind us that God is powerful and cares about His people. The historical stories in the Bible are often testimonies about the greatness and goodness of God.

We can learn a lot about God from the things He commanded and promised in some of those old stories. In 1 Kings 17, God had told the prophet Elijah to pray that there would be no rain for three years. Elijah obeyed and told the wicked King Ahab what God had said. Then God told Elijah to hide near a small stream, where God would ravens (crows) bring him food. For a while, everything seemed to be going fine. The ravens brought Elijah food every single morning and evening, and he had all the water he could drink from the stream. But because there was no rain, even this stream finally began to dry up. Now what was Elijah going to do?

God spoke to Elijah again and told him to pack up and leave for a far village where God had commanded a widow woman to take care of Elijah’s needs. Elijah obeyed again, and when he arrived at the city, he saw the widow picking up some sticks so she could light a fire and cook some food. Elijah asked her if she could bring him some water. Elijah was probably very thirsty from his long journey. As the widow went to get him some water from the well, he called after her and asked if she also would bring him some food.

The widow turned around and told Elijah in all honesty that the only food she had left was barely enough to make one last meal for herself and her son. After they had eaten that, she said, she figured they would have to starve to death. Elijah listened to her, but he knew that God had promised this widow would take care of his needs. Elijah knew that if the widow was going to help him, the Lord would have to help her.

So the woman listened to Elijah’s amazing promise that the Lord was going to keep her food supplies full until the rains came again. And she cooked for him, and for her son and herself, and they never ran out of food. God did provide food–that last little bit of flour and oil stretched on for about two whole years! Elijah and the widow trusted God, and He provided for their needs by doing a miracle.

How about you? Do trust God to provide for you? He does not always work in the same way in the 21st century as He did back then, but He is the same God. That story shows us that God is strong enough and merciful enough to care for His people even when the situation is a humanly impossible thing. Maybe you have prayed for a long time for an unsaved family member to be saved. Are you trusting trust that God will save that person? Or, maybe you have a grandparent who is very sick. Do you believe that God can take care of your grandma or grandpa?

And what happens if you do trust God, and He chooses not to answer your prayer request the way you were hoping He would? Can you still trust Him that He is strong and loving? Can you still rely on Him as a great God and a good God? Yes! God’s plans are not always our plans. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” The widow could not have figured out how God would have met her need, but she trusted Him. We do not have to understand or know the future, but we can trust the God of the past, present, and future.

I can trust God to provide for me because His plan is always best.

My Response:
» Am I trusting God to provide for me?
» Even when things happen that are not what I want, do I still trust that God has a perfect reason for them?

“But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)

Tyrell and Tia couldn’t wait to get to Sunday School. Last week, the teacher, Mrs. Naginflagin, had told them that each person in the class could get up in front of the class and tell his or her favorite Bible story. So, all week long, Tyrell and Tia had been getting ready to tell their favorite Bible story.

Tyrell’s favorite Bible story was David and Goliath. Tyrell wasn’t very tall; in fact he was the shortest in his class–even the girls were taller than him! He liked the story of a small boy taking down a big giant.

Tia’s favorite story was about the birth of Moses. She loved the fact that Moses’ mother gave up her baby so that his life would be saved. She liked seeing how God made it possible for Moses’ mother to get Moses back, in a way. She got to raise her own son because Pharaoh’s daughter found him floating in the basket and wanted one of his own people to help her care for him.

Sunday morning finally came. As Tyrell and Tia took their seats, they looked around wondering what was everyone else’s favorite story would be. “Good morning, class,” said Mrs. Naginflagin. “Today, each of you will get to tell the rest of the class your favorite Bible story. Who wants to go first?”

Immediately Tyrell’s hand shot up into the air. Mrs. Naginflagin invited him to walk to the front of the room, and he began to tell the class the story of David and Goliath. And Tyrell got excited! He went into all the great details of the story, even bringing up other classmates to help act out the awesome fight scene (of course, Tyrell was “David” and the biggest boy on the class had to be “Goliath”). It made Tyrell feel good when his “stone” (it was really a crumpled up piece of paper) hit the “giant” in the forehead and knocked him to the ground.

One by one, each kid in the class told his or her favorite story. When it was all done, Mrs. Naginflagin began to teach the Sunday School lesson. She began with a question. “What do you think God wants you to do because of the story you just told?” Tyrell and Tia had never thought about that before; they just liked the stories.

Mrs. Naginflagin told them to turn to James 1:22–“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Mrs. Naginflagin began to teach the class a very important lesson. She said that God’s Word does not have these stories in it only because they are “cool stories.” God’s stories are wonderful stories, but they are more than that! These stories are actual events–they really did happen! And God included them in the Bible so that we would learn about Him from them, and so that we would know how we should act.

Tyrell and Tia had never really thought of God’s stories that way before. Now as they remembered their favorite stories, they paid attention. They thought about how God might want them to act based on the truths they learned about Him from the stories. Tyrell leaned that God can give strength to fight His battles, even when the chances of winning seem impossible, and no matter how hard it seems. And Tia learned from what happened with Moses’ mom that she should rely on God for protection and blessing, even when everything seems hopeless. Both of them saw good reasons in their favorite stories for trusting God and obeying God.

God gave us His stories to teach us about Himself, and we should act on what we learn from them.

My Response:
» What is my favorite Bible story?
» Have I ever thought about what my favorite Bible story teaches me about God?
» Have I changed my behavior based on what God has taught me about Himself from His Word?

“Casting all our care upon him, for he careth for you.” (I Peter 5:7)

Randy and his mom stepped into the hospital elevator, and he pushed button 5 to take them to the 5th floor, where Grandpa Jim’s room was. Randy normally liked elevators, but not this hospital one. Grandpa Jim’s cancer was getting worse every day, and Randy was pretty sad and scared about it. He could feel gravity weighing him down as the elevator carried them up, and he thought to himself, “That’s just how my heart feels right now. All weighted down.”

Has your heart ever felt heavy with sadness or worry because of the things going on around you? Have you ever been afraid or frustrated because of people around you? Randy was sad and scared about his grandpa’s pain and possible death. Maybe you have burdens that are hard for you to bear. If you have ever felt like your heart might break if it has to take one more thing, the God of the Bible is the One to Whom you should turn. He invites you to take your worry and sadness and fear and frustration to Him.

Did you know Jesus Christ calls us to come to Him when we are burdened down with cares? In Matthew 12:28-30, Jesus Himself says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Do you know what a “yoke” is? A yoke is a wooden frame to fasten two work animals together. A yoke joins or unites two horses or two oxen, so that those two will work together to pull a wagon or a plow. It spreads the weight across two sets of shoulders instead of one. If one animal is weaker than the other, the other pulls harder to keep up with the work load. Once they are working together, they can get the job done.

Does it seem odd to you that Jesus is calling already-tired laborers and people with burdens to come and put on a “yoke”? But the yoke of Jesus is a lightweight yoke. He says His yoke is easy to bear. Jesus is telling us that when we are afraid, or have something to do that seems impossible to us, we can rest if we are connected to Him. If we are walking with Jesus and going in the direction He wants us to go, we do not have to bear any of our burdens alone. The load Jesus has borne for us is heavier than anything we could ever endure. And there is no load God cannot bear. He wants us to know that He will bear the heavier load when we are “yoked” to Him. For Him, the load is easy and we can find rest.

Today, if you feel burdened by something that is happening in your life, take some time to think about what kind of God we have. Imagine that you are fastening Jesus’ “yoke” to your neck and ask Jesus to help you. Be “yoked” together with him and give Him all your cares. He promises that, with Him, the burden is bearable and you will have rest.

God invites us to rely on Him when our burdens are too much to bear.

My Response:
» Is my heart weighed down by things I cannot handle?
» Have I accepted Jesus’ invitation to come to Him with my burdens?
» Am I walking in step with Jesus, trusting in His strength, and obeying Him?

“For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.” (John 16:27)

When God made Israel into a nation and blessed them, He also gave them some instructions (what we now call the Law). Unfortunately, the people of Israel often disobeyed the Law. In fact, they disobeyed much more often than they obeyed.

As Israel went on disobeying, God sent prophets to them, warning them that He would judge their sins if they didn’t come back to Him. But Israel kept ignoring Him. So eventually He kept His promise and sent cruel armies against His people to destroy their cities and drag them away from their homes to foreign countries.

But God was merciful, and He allowed many of His people to return home. That happened a few hundred years before Jesus was born. When the Jews returned home, they realized that God was serious about sin – that He really meant business.

But many Jews began thinking that God was merely an angry God, without much love.

When Jesus came, He showed compassion to people. He was often stern – He had to be so that people would know that He took sin very seriously. But He also forgave people who turned from their sins, and He was patient with people who kept messing up.

Because Jesus was so kind and good, His disciples knew that He loved them very much. However, they still viewed God the Father as a bit too distant – a bit too stern – for them to ask Him for things. So they would just ask Jesus.

But then Jesus told them something that probably amazed them. Just before He went to the Cross, He said, You don’t have to ask Me for things anymore. You can go to the Father directly, because the Father Himself loves you.

Jesus also said that the only reason we can go directly to the Father is that He (Jesus) died for us and made a Way. In fact, Jesus said that He is the Way to the Father. Because Jesus is the Way, we pray to the Father “in Jesus’ name.” But we don’t have to pray to Jesus, asking Him for things. He wants us to pray to the Father. Jesus wants us to know that the Father loves us, just as the Father loves His Only Son.

If you believe in Jesus – if your confidence is in Him – then the Father loves you. And so you can pray directly to the Father, in Jesus’ name.

Not only does Jesus love you, but the Father loves you, too.

My Response:
» Do I pray to Jesus instead of to the Father because Jesus seems nicer? Do I need to start praying directly to the Father?
» Do I pray in Jesus’ name? Do I need to start praying in Jesus’ name to remind myself that Jesus is the Way to the Father?

“And the LORD God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

Mrs. Gillen watched her sixth-grade students go through a fingerprinting procedure at the school safety fair. A very tall police officer was helping the children place each fingertip in ink, and then carefully press their fingers, one by one, on their papers. As the students compared their fingerprints, they realized that none were alike, not even the fingerprints of the identical twin boys in the class!

Have you ever look closely at your own fingerprints? Have you ever compared them to the fingerprints of your friends or siblings? No one else has your fingerprints. They are uniquely your own. How can this be possible?

Genesis 2:7 shows that God is the One Who created human beings and gave them life. Psalm 139 is another passage that gives a picture of how closely God pays attention in His creative work. David, the writer of this Psalm, describes this kind of special attention to detail way in verses 13-16: “Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb…. My substance was not hid from thee….thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect…and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” God knows everyone this closely–each and every single person who has ever lived, who is living now, and who ever will live one day in the future. No wonder David declares in verse 14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Now, take a moment to think about this: As of the date you are reading this devotional, the world’s population is estimated to be 6,512,737,489. That means there are over six billion people alive today on Earth. And all of them have a unique set of fingerprints. If you multiplied over six billion times 10 fingers per person, then–wow! That is quite a number of unique, individual fingerprints! What an amazing Creator we serve, and what mercy and grace He shows to us when He pays attention to the tiny details of our lives and takes care of our special needs.

For His glory, God created everyone unique.

My Response:
» Why should I praise God for making me unique?
» How should I think about my looks and talents in light of the knowledge that God made me just the way I am?
» How should I treat others, knowing that God created them the way He did?

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

Before Jesus went to the cross, He spent an evening talking with His eleven closest followers, preparing them for what was about to happen. John 14 records part of what Jesus said that evening. A well-known part of that conversation is John 14:2: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

There are two things that we need to understand about what Jesus said that night. First, the word “mansion” doesn’t mean “big house,” which is the way we use the word today. “Mansion” in John 14:2 means “room” or “place to live.” The point that Jesus was making is this: Don’t worry; there’s plenty of room for all my followers to live with the Father. I’m not going back to live there alone.

To understand the second important part, we have to remember what Jesus was about to do: He was about to go to the Father. His path to the Father was difficult: He had to die, be buried, and be raised from the dead. Then He would go up in the clouds. So when Jesus said, “I’m going to prepare a place for you,” He didn’t mean, I’m going to heaven to start a building project. He actually meant, I’m about to die. You’ll be upset, but you shouldn’t be. The reason I’m dying is to make a place for you where my Father lives.

Now why does Jesus say first, “There is plenty of room,” and then, I’m going to make a place for you?” Well, even though there is plenty of room for people like us to dwell with the Father, there would be no way that we could join Him, unless Jesus first made a place for each of us–by dying for us.

Jesus’ work is done now. When He died and was raised from the dead, He made a place for all of His disciples, for everyone in the past and the future who would ever believe in Him.

When Jesus died, He made room for us to dwell with the Father.

My Response:
» Am I one of Jesus’ followers?
» Have I said “no” to my sins and made Jesus my Master?