Day 40--God saves and GOD LIVES!!

“He. Saved. Me.” –Jordan H.

I thought we’d closed our 40 days together with this one.  A perfect reminder of God’s perfect sacrifice, His perfect love.    

If you’ve ever watched a fire fighter in action then you have an idea about the way God’s love works for us.  It doesn’t matter how high or dangerous the flames are.  It doesn’t matter if the house is ugly and the people inside are not perfect.  Without question and without hesitation God sends his love to save us over and over and over again.  We sin, we fall short, but God’s love never does. 

Give Him a thousand crosses.  A thousand Easter mornings will follow.    

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from you yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

There’s nothing we can do to make God love us more and there’s nothing we can do to make God love us less.  His gift to us is unending love, unending mercy, unending grace.  And you are worth it, friends.  You are worth it.

Happy Easter, everyone!!!  HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Day 39--God is everywhere.

“Today I had a professor tell me, "Kylie, I know you know this but sometimes a reminder never hurts. No matter how stressed and overwhelmed you may feel right now, always remember that you are being held in Jesus' unfailing and never changing hands."  I may not go to a "Christian University" per say, but I am thankful for professors here who speak truth into their stressed out students’ lives.” –Kylie S.

We’ve come to Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus’ crucifixion and death on the cross.  We started this blog on Ash Wednesday with “God is here”.  Don’t think for a minute that His death means He is not.  As Kylie’s professor so perfectly reminds us….no amount of nails could keep Jesus’ unfailing and never changing hands from our lives.  There might be darkness today, but Sunday is coming!

“The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’” Mark 15:38-39.

I hope you have been as blessed as I have been with the testimony shared over the last 39 days.  I hope it’s not just gone to prove our “here” God is, but how EVERYWHERE He is!  What else could make such a dark day in history so good? 

Your life is a testimony, friends.  It is a gift.  God wants to fill it in every way, everywhere.  Let His Son’s sacrifice fill your heart this weekend.  There may be darkness today, friends, but Sunday is coming.  Sunday is coming….

Day 38--God is the difference.

“This is why Christianity is different. This is why true Christians are free. Being holy in the eyes of God isn’t about doing enough goods to counter the bads, because we can’t. Being holy is focusing on, running to, and loving the one who was, is, and forever will be. Then we get to watch Jesus radically change our lives and work mighty works through us.”  --Kevin L.

Christianity is different because God is the difference.  He is the difference between peace and unrest.  Hope and despair.  Eternal life and death.  So many other people and things can make you very tempting offers.

They all fall short.     

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17

Allow God to make a difference in your life today.  Don’t worry about the past.  Don’t worry about the future.  Focus on the One whose love defeats even the grave, and watch it make all the difference…

Is there something in your life right now that could use the difference only God can make?  Maybe it’s a friendship, a class at school, a situation at work.  Ask God to be a part of that, to take away the old questions, fears and doubts, and replace it with new hope and life. 

Day 37--God wants your gifts.

“I’ve been working at The River, which is an organization that gives children with special needs a chance to participate in the fine arts.  Watching them perform and seeing how excited they are by sharing their gifts with others has been incredible, and I am so blessed that God has given me the opportunity to watch them bring joy to others.”  --Abby W.

For with great power comes great responsibility….. 

(hmmmm…..I appear to be on a super hero kick this week J)

Each one of us is gifted in some way.  Can you imagine the world if people used their gifts to God’s glory all the time?  Think about how encouraging that would be!  How peaceful! 

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world indeed!!  Use what you’ve got and do some good with it.  If you’re a dancer, a singer, a painter, good with numbers, good with tools.  Find a way to use the gifts God gave you to encourage others and pass on His love.      

Make a list today of all the gifts you think God has blessed you with.  Pray over these gifts.  Ask God for guidance and opportunity to use the gifts to bless and encourage others.  Ask God’s light to shine through you to others today.

Day 36--God is Love.

"In February, I got to go to the wedding of my big sister, Emily, and see her begin a new life with her husband, and now my new brother-in-law, Robert. Just by looking at them, and the family and friends they had with them, you could tell that God was a very central part of this event. I've always known that having Christianity and God are very important parts in a marriage, but just being able to see it first hand, it was just so inspiring to see two people join together, before God, and start a new life together with Him at the center of it."  --Noah S.

There’s a lot of ways to feel love for someone.  You love your family.  You love your friends.  You love your boyfriend or girlfriend.  You love Captain America.

 

Love is a good thing--God commands us to it—though it’s not always an easy thing.  Especially when people irritates you.  But love--God’s kind of love--calls for action more than it calls for emotion.  He makes it possible to love even when you think you don’t feel it. 

 

"…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us."  1 John 4:16-19

God showed His love for us with the ultimate sacrifice of His Son.  He loves us beyond fear and beyond imperfection.  His love for us is not conditional.  Our love for others has to be the same way.  We have to stop thinking of love as a romantic or affectionate way to feel about someone, and start thinking about love as a way to live for the whole world.    

Read 1 Corinthians 13.  Pay attention to how Paul describes the act of loving.  He’s not just talking about the love you might feel for a significant other here.  He’s talking about how to BE loving to others in Jesus’ name.  Pray about how you can put Paul’s words to action today.    

Day 35--God wants you.

“I grew up in a Christian home. I went to Bible studies and church with my family on Sundays. I went with the flow of things. I never really understood what my purpose was until God spoke to my heart. I was baptized when I was little, but that wasn't my choice, it was my parents. I decided to get baptized again and make the choice of having a personal relationship with Jesus. I made this choice when I finally understood what having a relationship with Christ is like.  Having a personal relationship with God has taught me that you can get through anything as long as you have two important keys. These keys are hope and faith. Be sure to always put your faith in him where ever you may turn. Always put your hope into your obstacles that may come your way. If you allow god to live through he can and will change your life for the better.”  --Kathryn J.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week in the church.  It’s a time where we follow Jesus’ journey to the cross, from His triumphant entry into Jerusalem to Judas’ betrayal.  From praying in the garden to being beaten by the soldiers.  From an unfair trial to death on the cross.

There’s a lot to take away from the week ahead of us.  If you’ve never been to a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service I encourage you to find one and try it out.  You can come with me!  But if you do, hear or learn nothing else this week please listen to this…

God. Wants. You.

He wants a personal relationship with YOU.  Your parents, your friends, your pastors…these are all wonderful people He’s put in your life.  But none of the gifts they can share with you will be more precious than the relationship He will have directly with you.  Otherwise everything ahead of us this Holy Week will be for naught. 

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38

God knew that the same people that hailed Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday would betray him, hurl insults at him and mock him just a few short days later.  He sent Him anyway.  Jesus comes in the name of God, who created this world, who created you, who loves you, who seeks to have a relationship with you.  We are blessed indeed.

Dear God, it’s Monday and you know what that means.  Back to the grind at school, at work, at home.  But Lord let this week ahead of me be different.  Let me hear the message you have for me in Jesus’ story.  Let me hear your voice like never before.  Lead me to the cross, God.  Lead me to You.  Amen.       

Day 34--God is light.

“I felt God's presence the most this year because at school one of the most godly men I knew committed suicide.  This past February my English teacher got in a really bad wreck and lost her 8 year old daughter in the accident. When all these hardships came down on me I turned to God and, yes, I was mad at Him. But I also knew that it was all a part of his plan and I had to trust that everything would be OK. When Frankie committed suicide I just had to know that whatever was bothering him was gone, even though I wish he wouldn't have done what he did. I still have to accept it and that he is happy living in heaven.”  –Robert J.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Through Him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made.

In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:1-5

The darkness has not overcome it.  The darkness will not overcome it.  The darkness cannot overcome it.

Have you ever opened the door to a dark hallway?  Light spills from the lighted room behind you into the darkness.  The darkness never goes the other way.  It doesn’t creep back into the lighted room.  This is God’s power in the world.  Where there is darkness and sadness, death and despair, God’s light takes over.  It cannot be defeated.

We might not always understand the chaos happening around us, but we must trust God’s power.  We must trust His love.  We must trust His light.

The darkness has not overcome it.  The darkness will not overcome it.  The darkness cannot overcome it. 

Father, we stand before you today saddened and angry by the things we cannot control, cannot understand.  There is so much beyond our control.  So much that seems cruel and unfair.  But your light is with us, God.  You that created this world will not be overcome by it.  We ask for your comfort, God, and give you praise that the darkness will not have the last word.  Amen. 

Day 33--God wants you to see the world.

“When I was on a mission trip in Haiti…the kids all ran up to me and had the biggest smiles on their faces, and I knew that even in their awful poverty they loved God and others with all their hearts.  They were so full of joy even when they physically had so little.” –Emily R.

It’s a big world out there.  God wants you to see it.  And not like a tourist necessarily—though if you can swing a trip to Europe let me know!  Maybe I’ll fit in your duffel bag!  No, God wants you to see the world, His creation, as He sees it. 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

It’s really easy to get wrapped up in our own little world.  We get so consumed with the tiny details of who has what, who said what, who’s going where, that we forget about the bigger picture….God’s picture.  There is no corner of this globe that His hand has not touched.  No crevice that does not need His love. 

Go into the world today, whether that’s out your back door, across the lunch room or across the ocean.  See what the Lord has created is good.  And spread His goodness to it.

Commit to making a difference today in God’s world.  Sign up for a summer mission trip.  Pass out sack lunches to the homeless.  Sit with someone lonely at school.  Check on an elderly neighbor.  Pray that God will give you the strength and boldness to be His light.  He always will!!    

Day 32--God brings people together.

“This past summer I went to Marvell, AR on a mission trip with my youth group.  God completely blessed me during this trip because I was able to meet some now lifelong friends from Virginia and able to help the young children of this small town.  It was a completely uplifting and spiritual high that I have God to thank for.” –Samuel L. W., Esq. III

Ever wondered how so many people, from different all walks of life can, despite all their differences, come together in peace?  When God is at the center it matters not what your differences are.  We CAN live in harmony.

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

Jesus’ ministry was all about loving God and taking care of those around us.  Differences are bound to pop up.  Quarrels are inevitable.  But when we put God first no matter what we are doing, and especially in working with others, we allow Him to bring us together like nothing else can.

Being part of a family of believers is important.  God’s family reaches from church to church, city to city, state to state, country to country all across the globe.  His love connects us beyond anything else. 

Think of the people God has connected you with.  If there’s someone on this list you have a hard time with, remember that person is God’s child, too.  Pray that God come into your heart and help you to see him/her for God’s purpose and not just your own.   

Day 31--God has the best perspective.

“There was a time when anxiety took control of my life. I became scared of the world and I felt all alone. I felt like God had abandoned me. I focused on the bad things in life. One day my grandma gave me a picture with the verse Philippians 4:8 on it. I began to live by this verse. This verse showed me The Lord in a new perspective. I realized that there are so many good things in the world that God had given to me. I shouldn't be focused on the negative all the time. Through prayer and faith my anxiety disappeared. God did the impossible on my life. This situation was awful, but I wouldn't change it for the world because it is what brought me closer to The Lord.”  –Bailey M.

The SNL character Debbie Downer is HILARIOUS!!  Until you realize it’s you.

There are plenty, and I mean PLENTY, of things to complain about.  Plenty!  But if there’s one thing you need to know about all that plenty….it isn’t of God.  Satan lurks everywhere planting the seeds to rob you of your hope and your joy. 

But rest assured, friends.  There is a cure. 

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8

They say the best way to kick a bad habit is with a good one.  Make this your good one.  Let God give you a new, better perspective on life.  After all, He sees it all, knows it all, holds it all in His hand!  God does the impossible every day.

Read Philippians 4:8 again and make a list of the things in your life that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable.  Pay close attention to the music you listen to today, what you watch on TV and the things you read.  How do they affect your perspective?        

Day 30--God has better plans for you than a pity party.

“When I was 13 I went to Camp Blessing over the summer.  It was incredible to see all the campers with special needs just having fun.  They jumped around and praised God and are the happiest people I’ve ever met.  That really gave me a new perspective on how I handle my problems.  Like I can either sit and feel sorry for myself or I can continue to grow stronger in my faith in God.  Thankfully I chose the second option. J” –Kate B.

AMEN, Kate!!  Not a one of us is perfect.  Not a one of us is un-challenged in some way.  We can either dwell on these things, treat them as punishments and waste our time on self-pity, or we can look to God and gain peace.  Praising God isn’t just a reaction to the good things that have happened to us.  It’s a way of reminding ourselves of what carries us through the hard times, too.   

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me….For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9,10

There’s an amazing Casting Crowns song called “Praise You in the Storm.”  It’s all about remembering who God is when things get tough.  Whether good times or bad, our God is unchanging and He is strong!  Strong enough for all of our imperfections.  Let go your sorrow for those things you wish could be different and lean on Christ instead. 

Father, help me to put aside my feelings for the things that seem to be going wrong today.  Help me to look beyond those things about myself that I don’t like.  Help me, instead, to focus on your strength and your love.  Help me to remember that every imperfection in my life, every difficult moment, is an opportunity for me to lean on you and let your light shine through me instead.  Amen.

Day 29--God is enough.

“This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to go serve in Haiti with my dad and several friends.  It was crazy to see how little the people there had and yet how happy they were.  Seeing this I thought about how upset we are here if we can’t get exactly what we want when we want it.  In Haiti, God showed me that all the stuff we have isn’t what’s important, that it’s the people he has put in our lives that really matter.” –Kendall K.

We have the tendency to relate happiness to stuff.  How many this, how much that.  I want this, I need that.  God wants us to know that true sufficiency comes from a life full of Him, not full of stuff.

The Apostle Paul writes, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:11-13

When you have God, whether you have little or much, you will always have enough.  Things in this world will come and go.  But His Truth endures forever. 

God, help me to put you before my circumstances today.  I know that you will give me the strength to do what I need to do when I put you first.  I praise you for the blessings in my life, the people around me and the things I have.  Help me to use those to bless others as well so that, instead of all the stuff, we simply see You instead.  Amen. 

Day 28---God's not a worrier.

“One afternoon I had just come home from baseball tryouts and I was kinda nervous. I didn't know if I was going to make the team or not or anything like that and so I was a little stressed and on edge. So I get home after the tryouts and I decide to listen to some music to kinda get my mind off of things and not kill myself from the anxiety. I put on my Taylor Swift album cause I wanted to get in a better mood and felt t-swizzle always helps me in moments like this. So I'm jamming out to 22 when all of the sudden in the middle of the song it changes to Lift Me Up by The Afters (which if you haven't listened to that song…do it, it's amazing) and I just got this sense of aura around me and felt God telling me that there was no need to worry. He had my back and was going to carry me through my tryouts and the stress that came with it all. I just needed to rely on him and not worry.” –Kelton M.

God’s not a worrier and neither should you be.   

Yeah.  Easier said than done, right?  But that’s what following God’s will for your life is all about.  Leaning on Him even when you don’t know the outcome. 

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”  Matthew 6:27

Try to think of it this way.  God is a productive God.  All the time His will is working in your heart, it is working for good.  Worrying is like stepping in gum.  It gets in the way of the good.  It slows things down and mucks things up.

It takes practice not to worry and it’s not always easy to let it go.  But when you give your life to Christ He wants ALL of it. 

I’ll bet Taylor Swift doesn’t worry about anything….

Read Matthew 6:25-34.  Is there something you’ve been worried about that you need to hand over to God?  Pray about that today.  Whatever it is, He can handle it.

Day 27--God heals.

“God really showed himself to me during a mission trip to Sri Lanka. During our trip we held a healing service. The line for healing was so long that it went all the way to the back and outside of the church! There were so many people there who just wanted to be touched, and one person in particular even had a demon cast out of them. I will never forget that healing service and how powerful it was to everyone involved.”  -Austin B.

God heals us inside and out, physically and spiritually.  It was the power of Jesus that led a blind man to see, a leper to be made clean and a dead man to rise.  His power led Zacchaeus out of the tree and Paul from a life of wickedness. 

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”  1 Peter 2:24

Sometimes we like to try to help the healing along.  Ever attempted to heal a broken heart with a little ice cream or an entire roll of cookie dough?  Raise your hand if you’ve NOT been caught pumping your fist along to I Will Survive at a traffic light.  How about the guy in My Big Fat Greek Wedding that puts Windex on everything?  We’ve got ointments, oils, pills, home remedies and vitamins from here to kingdom come.    

But ice cream melts, songs end, ointments and oils and pill go bad.  Even Windex has an expiration date.  What then?

God has proved his power over and over again.  He sent His son to die for us that we would have everlasting life, and in that we are healed.  There is nothing this world can do to us, no illness we can fall under that God cannot overcome.  He is the ultimate healer.

Ask God for healing today.  Whether you need relief from allergies or relief from a broken heart, let His power work in your life.  There is nothing He can’t restore. 

Day 26--God is my source of joy.

“Me and my mom were in the car and we saw someone begging for money.  Even though my life is hard I know I could be worse off.  I thank God for my family.  That person had a God Bless sign…it just impacted me a lot.” –Kyle D.

It’s tempting to compare yourself to the person next to you, but that’s a slippery slope.  As soon as you catch up to what that person has, how that person looks, who that person knows….someone else is going to come along with something better.  You might as well just...   

 

...let it go.

God loves you no matter how much you have or how little.  He hasn’t stopped blessing you even if you don’t have an IPhone. 

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Count your blessings, name them one by one, for there are many of them!  The peace of God and the joy of His will don’t come from the things around you anyway.  They come from the thankfulness we feel inside no matter what’s going on around us.  Your God loves you.  And He wants you to know the true happiness of living life with Him. 

Father, help me to resist the temptation today to compare my have’s and have-not’s with those around me.  Help me to, instead, focus on you and the joy that can only come from walking with you.  Amen.

Day 25--God wants you to own your faith.

“Growing up in a Christian home I grew comfortable and familiar with words such as Jesus Christ, the Bible, and God.  But never truly knew in depth who or what these things were.  In elementary/middle school my parents signed me up for summer Christian camps and mission trips and it was there where I truly felt the light of the Holy Spirit work inside of me. Mistakenly I only thought I could feel that love and that “camp high” for a few weeks during the summer.  I quickly learned that as long as you show love for God to other people and keep your foundation built on His word you will never stop feeling that “camp high”. God has blessed me so much during my life and sometimes I forget how truly great He is.  As I grow I will never stop chasing the feeling of the Holy Spirit in my heart and learning his great teachings.” –Grace B.

It’s a good, good, very good thing to have parents that take you to church and experiences like camp to reinforce your faith.  But God doesn’t just want you because your parents want you to want Him.  And He doesn’t just want you to want Him at camp!  God wants you to own your faith. 

“And WHATEVER you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

It’s easy to rely on your parents for things, even church!  It’s easy to confine God to a weekend or an experience.  But God has a plan for your life and it involves YOU.  Every day and in every facet of your being.  Don't leave it up to your parents or your camp counselor or the really hot guy or girl that goes to your youth group or to the excellent pastor you think is so neat.  God wants a personal relationship with YOU.  And you’re the only one that can give it to him. 

Read Luke 10:27…..“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”….Are you leaning on someone else for your faith?  Are there areas of your life where you don’t feel connected to your faith?  Pray about these things.  God is ready to be all in.    

Day 24--God isn't a numbers kind of a guy.

“I love how our Father speaks to us when we aren't expecting it at all. Driving home from the library tonight and I realize how overwhelmed I get by numbers. I often catch myself thinking that I have "this many" papers to grade. I have "this many" projects, tests, and presentations to give. I have been sick for "this many" weeks. I am only going to get a max of "this many" hours of sleep. I have "this many" kiddos who need me to be at my best. The cool thing is, our Father doesn't care about numbers. Yes, He knows the number of hairs on our head, but He doesn't keep a record of our wrongs. He forgives us every time we run from Him - and then some. He loves us through all of our screw ups - and then some. He knows all of our past - and then all of our future. So why do I let the numbers that stress me out overwhelm me, when our Father who could count up all of our wrongs doesn't keep track? Y'all, God is good.”  --Kylie S.

I know, I know.  How could there be an entire book of the Bible called “Numbers” if God didn’t keep track of something?  But truly, Kylie is right.  While God may know every single specific of your life, His love for you is not concerned with keeping tally.    

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18-21-22

Jesus’ message to his disciples was simply this.  God wants you to pass along the same kind of forgiveness to others that He bestows upon you day in and day out.  It’s challenging, I know.  But what a blessing to rest in!  That no matter what you have done, no matter how far you have gone and how many times you have messed up, God is waiting to take you back.  Every single time.  How can we not pass that on?

God erases the boundaries we have a hard time over-looking.  He does this because He sees our hearts and He wants us to dwell with Him for eternity.  So let go of your numbers people because…“Y’all, God is good.”

Read Matthew 18:21-35.  Pray about the forgiveness you need from God right now and about the forgiveness you might need for someone else.  Ask God to help you get there. 

Day 23--God puts you back on track.

“I had been slacking in my classes all of freshman year…not slacking to where I’d get anywhere lower than what my parents would expect...but slacking compared to years past when I would get 100's on every assignment.  Instead I’d settle for 80's and 70's.  I would always tell myself some excuse, like "Oh, the classes are just harder than I’m used to." But God showed me that I had the potential to get the grades that I had been used to in years past.  He did that not by failing me, but by letting me taste the grades that I had gotten before again, and that has put me back in the track that I had strayed from.”  --Cade K.

It's not always easy to stay on track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0YjSIkfkbU

Believe me when I say that God has good things in store for you.  He uses His word and our lives every day to show you He will be faithful to His promises.  But sometimes other things get in the way.  School.  Friends.  Relationships.  Work.  Food.  Money.  Clothes.  Fear.  Pride.  And the list goes on and on and on and on!!    

“You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?  That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.” Galatians 5:7-8

Whatever circumstances might be getting in your way, God’s truth does not change.  His will for your life, His love for you, His goodness is unwavering.  Time and time again God will bring you back to where He wants you to be.

Is there an area in your life where you’ve gotten a little off track?  No time like the present to ask God to help you get back on it!  Father God, I know that even though the things around me in my life are constantly changing, your love for me does not.  Help me, God, to find your will again.  Help me to trust in your love to keep me there.  Amen. 

Day 22--God wants you to be free.

“Being a Christian is freeing. Free from the rules, free to experience the joy of Christ’s spirit; and being in Christ spirit, He cleans you up. Christ is calling for you to come to Him, broken and full of evil. Calling you to get to know Him, and love Him. That’s all. Then as you walk in His embrace and Spirit, you begin to find yourself not doing the things you once did, and loving those who you once couldn’t. Not because you took it upon yourself to be a better person, but because of what Christ has done in you.” –Kevin L.

Sin weighs you down.  There are always consequences, even when they don’t pop up right away.  God is offering you a better way.  He knows you will be tempted.  He knows you’re not perfect.  But He wants you to feel the freedom of living with Christ in your life and living according to His will.

 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

Do you still have to go to school and drive the speed limit and eat your vegetables?  Yes.  You’re not that free.  J  But the kind of freedom God is offering you does something more than all these external rules can do for you.  It frees you up on the inside.  It takes the weight of sin and puts it on Christ’s back instead of your own.  It makes room for joy, for peace, for hope.  It’s the best kind of freedom there is.

Is something in your life weighing you down today?  Have you made some choices you wish you could un-choose?  Give those things up to God today.  Ask for His forgiveness and guidance that you may live in the freedom of His love.

Day 21--God wants you to step up.

"I went to Discipleship-Now with my youth group. During that weekend, God spoke to me like never before. He really made himself real to me.  It really helped me see his powerful love that God has cast upon us!  Not just the sermons, but the songs really moved me as well. Praising God really made me feel His presence!  The theme of D-Now was Step Up. The three sermons were all about how Daniel and his three friends chose to make a difference & step up for God.  Overall, D-Now let me know how much we need God and his love & encouragement in our lives. Just the other day we were doing a family devotion and this one verse stuck out to me…Luke 11:9. "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you." The past couple of days I have used it in certain circumstances.  I am learning to be more confident and bold in asking and trusting God to answer. Ever since D-Now I have been praying to Him and in God's word more often." –Bryce R.

Step it up, guys. 

No, not like that.  Like this…

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” 2 Timothy 1:7

If there’s one thing the enemy cannot overcome it’s this.  Be Bold.  Like a team of 1980’s step aerobic instructors we are unstoppable with the power of Christ behind us.  God has been, God is and God will be faithful.  His spirit is one of confidence, that even in uncertain times, we can trust in Him. 

Chances are you will encounter a lot today that’s going to shake your confidence.  Gossip, grades, criticism, money, body image.  There’s a lot of junk in the world.  But God can overcome all of it.  He’s waiting, with a spirit of love and power, for you to step up and join Him.  In prayer, in praise, in character, in action…be bold today.    

God, help me today to be confident in you.  When everyone and everything else makes me feel uncertain help me to remember your promises that I can always trust in you.  Help me to be bold today in following you and sharing your love with others.  Amen.