Devotional Day 34: Bring The Rain!

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 : "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 
• Romans 8:35-39 : "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
• The Lord will never give you more than you can handle. Through Him, all things are possible.

     1 Corinthians 10:13 is a beautiful verse. It explains perfectly why we can trust God. Things will be put in your path to test and strengthen your faith. These things will seem difficult and virtually impossible! We just have to keep in mind that God will never give us more than we are capable of dealing with. He doesn't want to hurt us. He just wants to help us grow! As it explains in the end of the verse, God will always provide a way out. He will always give you the tools and help you need to overcome your circumstances. This is where we usually run into a snag. We tend to rely too much on ourselves to handle every little things we do. When it comes to things that are a serious obstacle to you, don't forget God! He wants to aid you in your struggles as much as possible. God wants to see us prevail over bad circumstances and come out a stronger individual through character and spirituality. This is why I believe this message ties in heavily with overcoming failure! It's all a learning experience and a test of your faith.

     I think Romans 8:35-39 is an extremely powerful verse. It lays out every obstacle that can come across you and explains that nothing on this earth will come between you and God's love. Nothing will change how God loves you. No action you take, nothing that has happened in the past or that will happened in the future, no creature, person, angel, obstacle, sin, pain, death, or anything at all will take away how God cares for you. He made sacrifices for us and will always be there for you in your darkest of moments to your brightest of days. There is nothing in this world you will do alone. God is always there to guide your heart and mind. He is always there to comfort you and forgive you. Never be overwhelmed by the things you have to deal with in life. Just have hope! Have hope that there will be a way out, and God will hold your hand and bring you to safety.

                                                                     Questions/Application

• When was a time you felt you had too much to handle?
• Have you ever recognized God giving you a way out?
• How would you explain God's love for you?

Devotional Day 33: Peace, Love, And Potato Chips

• Ecclesiastes 5:18 : "Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot."
• Ecclesiastes 11:9 : "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment."
• Ecclesiastes 2:24 : "There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God."
• Part of working in life is sitting back to enjoy the labor you went through! Don't forget to embrace to simple things in life.

     Obviously Ecclesiastes has many verses that apply to this lesson! In 5:18 its very simple. It tells you enjoy each day you're given! Appreciate each day that you're alive and each day you have the ability to get up and work. It also says to take time to enjoy the works that you spent so much time on! This same message is displayed in 2:24! It says to eat and drink and find joy in everyday you live. The things we enjoy most in life, the things that we appreciate, the times we have to sit back, eat, drink, and relax, those are the works of God. Those are His blessings to you! He appreciates the hard work you put into life. He also appreciates when you utilize the talents you've been given!

     In 11:9 it speaks directly to youth. God wants the young people to enjoy the days we're young and appreciate the things we can do now. God says to follow your heart and see things for what they are. Have fun and use good judgement in what you do! Always keep Him in your mind and heart though for the things you do now will be remembered! Everyone will make mistakes, but it's important that we learn from those mistakes as we get older. That's how we truly experience life! Take pleasure in the time you have now to learn what you can and do the things that you can given your age! Spend time embracing His blessings to you, but always follow His guidelines, and your life will be something worth looking back on! Don't spend too much time focussing on what you don't have or achieving perfection. Always try your hardest and take time to stop and enjoy the simple things just like God intended for you to!

                                                                      Questions/Application

• What simple things do you enjoy in life?
• Do you make sure to tell God that you appreciate those things?
• What hard work do you put in to your day to day life?

Devotional Day 32: I'm A Loser And Proud Of It!

• James 2:24 : "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."
• Matthew 3:8 : "Bear fruit in keeping with repentance."
• I know this is crazy y'all, but I have to confess something. I'm not perfect! I know, it's shocking! No one in life is perfect, but it's by making mistakes that we learn. It's by asking for forgiveness that we grow!

     I love James 2:24. Faith is such an important thing when it comes to Christianity. Yet, if you profess faith and do not show it, what good is it? No one is perfect in their walk with Christ. We all have down moments. Sometimes our mistakes are made through genuine misunderstanding. Sometimes mistakes are made intentionally! Our consequences through our failures are what help us grow and understand! Failures build character! They help you learn what not to do because, Lord knows, we can't always do everything right. We're human after all! Now, that doesn't mean you go out and do every bad thing you've ever wanted to do just because you think it'll all be washed away! Our failures are meant to teach us to strive for perfection. Don't ever beat yourself up over perfection. Some people spend so much of their time trying to be perfect that their happiness is just a facade. Life is meant to be enjoyed and embraced even the icky parts. In Matthew 3:8 it brings up an important rule. If you've done something wrong, talk with God! Tell Him you recognize what you've done. Ask Him to help show you the lesson through all of those things. He doesn't expect you to be perfect either. He just expects you to try your hardest. Like my mom always told me, "As long as you're giving it your all and trying, I'll always be proud of you." After all, it's not your failures that define you. It's how you learn from your failures and push on that define you.

                                                                          Questions/Application

• Do you sometimes obsess over perfection in any part of your life? If so, how does it make you feel? (Overwhelmed, frustrated, etc..)
• What recent lessons have you learned through failure?
• How can you show you're trying your hardest for God?

Devotional Day 31: There's Only One

•  1 Kings 8:60 : "That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else."
• 1 Samuel 7:2-4 : "It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only."
• Many times when we are  desperate for God is when we turn to Him. What happens when things don't go the way we want? What happens when we experience hardship? Can God trust us to still put our faith in Him?

     In 1 Kings 8:60 the message is simple. There is only one God. There are to be no false gods or idols put before Him. We are to trust Him fully even given hard times! Sometimes we get angry with God or confused. Sometimes the thought of Him is hard to grasp! That's where personal faith comes in. However, some people turn to other means of worship through false gods who they feel can help them. I'm sure you all know the story of the golden calf. The people decided to worship this material thing because of selfish motives rather than trust what God has in store for them even through the bad times.

     In 1 Samuel 7:2-4 above it speaks of the Israelites and there struggle to trust God. Time and time again they would turn to God then turn away. Then they'd go back to God and turn away again wasting their time worshipping false gods. In a way we all do this when we struggle with our faith! We make others things a priority over God. In the Israelites case they were quite literally worshipping other gods hoping for a more favorable outcome for themselves through selfish motives. In our case things we "worship" or idolize are our false gods. When things are good we often stick to our texting, facebook, games, hanging with friends, social time, and many other things. It seems that we always turn back to God only when things get really bad, and we don't know what else to do. God should be able to trust that we will have faith in Him. That's why He gave us free will so that He will know when our faith is genuine. He will know by how much time you spend with Him making Him a priority or how much time you spend with your "false gods." I'm way guilty of this! When things are going good, and I'm having a great day I often forget to stop and thank God for those simple things. I spend too much time wrapped up in my fun! This message ties a lot into the lessons of trust and quiet time. Put no other things before God! You can only trust in one God. All other things will expire with time and leave you desperate for more than what you have. God will never do that to you. 

                                                                         Questions/Application

• Why do you think the Israelites kept the false gods close at hand?
• What do you consider to be your false god?
• How can we learn to make God a priority and recognize things we shouldn't put before Him?
• How do you think God feels when you don't fully rely on Him? What about when you do?

Devotional Day 30: Don't Get It Twisted!

• Colosians 2:8 :"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ."

• Revelation 22:18-19 : "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall ass unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
• The Bible is a book of guidance and specific instruction from God. You can't take only the parts you want from the Bible, or add to it to suit your needs! You have to read the whole thing, and understand what God intends for you to.

     Everyone has their own interpretation of how things are in the Bible. Some people have different ways of viewing the stories told and the lessons taught. No one can really know for sure exactly what the mediators for God where saying. We have to rely on our trust in God, on faith, and His word to try and understand and study what He is trying to teach us. The point that is being made above in Colosians 2:8 is that we shouldn't lean on others interpretations or understandings. Your journey with Christ is yours and yours alone. It's not meant to be dictated by someone else. It's a personal relationship! Some people's interpretations will speak to you and open doors to new thoughts. That's fine! What I believe it means is that you don't count on someone else to tell you exactly how you should feel and what you should take from the Bible. You have to read the Bible as a whole to truly understand all that has taken place.

     In Revelations 22:18-19 the message is pretty simple. Don't take away from or add to the Bible in order to suit your needs or discredit things you have done. There are many lessons to be taught from the Bible! Not everything in the Bible is positive, however. There are things that are hard to read and hard to grasp. Some things in the Bible will make you feel guilt or hurt. No one enjoys those emotions, but they are part of life. You need those emotions in order to know how to change and what path to take in your spiritual walk with Christ. As far as adding goes, that doesn't include interpreting what you genuinely feel it's saying in order to better understand. It just means, in my opinion, not to add all the fluff and nonsense in order to benefit you. The Bible is black and white on it's expectations of you, the stories told, and the lessons learned and taught. It's your personal text book! Read the Bible in order to arm yourself against those who take away or "fluff" His word. Read it so YOU understand it and so that you might help council others and open the door of opportunity for them to seek understanding. Don't try to condemn someone without knowing your stuff! The Bible is an important tool. God intended it to be a direct guide to what He feels you should do. Embrace that tool for what it is.

                                                                       Questions/Application

•  What was your favorite Bible story growing up? What about your favorite story now?
• How does reading the Bible make you feel? What emotions does it stir up?
• What Bible verse do you feel helps you against false prophets?

Devotional Day 29: Humility

• 1 Peter 5:6 : "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you."
• Matthew 23:12 : "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
• An ongoing lesson we must all keep close to our hearts is the one of humility. Being humble brings respect not only from others, but God as well.

     In 1 Peter 5:6 it talks of being humble so that God can reward you properly. If you do a good deed or find your self to be a generous, hardworking person, but seek that recognition right then by being boastful, then God cannot reward you properly. Do what you feel you should out of the goodness of your heart, not because you want to look good in front of others. If you are humble in your actions and words towards others, God will surely see that and bless you for your humility. I like how in Matthew 23:12 it speaks of those who are "arrogant" or boastful. It simply warns people with an arrogant character that their actions will be refuted one day, and they will learn humility the hard way! Yet, if someone is humble and does good deeds with genuine motives of being a servant to God, they will be noticed! Their praise and blessings will be significantly more than that of the person who views themselves higher than those around them. Be humble in your actions for it was God that blessed you with what you have. He deserves the glory. He will recognize what you do. Your good deeds will never go unnoticed! Just remember humility!

                                                                           Questions/Application

• When was a time God humble you?
• When was a time you did a good deed without needing recognition and received a greater reward?
• How can you show more humility towards others? Towards God?

Devotional Day 28: Stick With It!

• Philipians 4:12-13 : "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
• 2 Timothy 4:7 : "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
• Life is full of obstacles. Many things we want to accomplish put us through many hardships. All we have to do is remember to never give up!

     In Philipians 4:12-13 it talks of understanding each spectrum of life from the lowest lows to the highest highs. With hardship comes obstacles and with success comes responsibility. No matter what we do there's always an easy way out by just quitting! I love how in the end of the verse it says, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." It's the perfect verse! It speaks clearly what we so often forget. We aren't meant to handle our struggles alone. God never intended for that. We have to seek guidance and strength through Him, our undying resource for wisdom. If we but remember the things He has taught us and the way He has guided us we will find strength and inspiration through Him and His works! I love how in 2 Timothy 4:7 it says, "I have finished the race." Sometimes the hardest part is the middle of the race! Your starting to get burnt out with what you're doing, and you get the sense that you just can't do it anymore. That's when you have to dig down deep inside for that second wind! God is that second wind, that breath of fresh air. He reminds you how proud He is of your accomplishments and the goals you have achieved to see you through to the finish line. My best advice to you is don't give up. If you have a dream or a goal, fight for it! No matter the hardships remember to turn to the one that knows you best and that can help you move mountains. Do all things through Him and surely your hard work will pay off!

                                                                        Questions/Application

• What is a goal you have set for yourself?
• How do you intend to achieve those goals?
• How can you trust God to help you with those things?
• What inspires you to keep going even through hardship?

Devotional Day 27: Value

• Matthew 22:37-39: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
• I only included Matthew 22:37-39 because I feel like its speaks well enough on it's own for this message. Life is about building relationships with other people and God so that you value them enough to respect them.

     First thing there is to remember is establishing a valued relationship with God. You have to commit your entire heart to Him! Not only that, but you have to commit your mind and soul to Him as well. Building that lasting relationship is what will build your confidence in God and your respect. You'll learn to value what He has to teach and care for Him so much that you have no problem following what He wants you to follow. It's just like a respected teacher or maybe a coach. You know what they are instructing you is true, and you trust that they want to push you in the right direction.

     The same valued relationship you have with God should be the same kind of valued relationship you have with you parents, siblings, friends, and other people. Part of valuing others is being able to be honest with them and trust their opinions. Value also reflects in the way you respect them and what they have to say. Sometimes making someone feel valued is as simple as listening! If your mom asks you to take out the trash, do it! She'll value that you respected them enough to do what they asked you. If a teacher gives you an assignment, do it. They'll value that you respected their deadlines and instruction. This can go many different ways with many different relationships. In many ways the lesson of value goes right along with the lessons of love and listening. Show others you value them through the simple things! Then they'll know they can trust you through the big things. The same goes with God. Show God you value Him through the simple things, and He'll be proud when you prove your value through the big things.

                                                                        Questions/Application

• How can you show others you value them?
• What simple things can you do to show God and others that you value them?
• How do you think people and God view you when you prove that you value them?
• How do others show you that they value you?

Devotional Day 26: Who Am I?

• Ephesians 4:25 : "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another."
• Psalms 139:14-16 : "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
• To be honest with others you first have to be honest with yourself. You have to understand who you are, what goals you have, your spiritual walk, and what boundaries you have as a person.

     In the Ephesians verse about it speaks of putting away falsehood. Sometimes we not only convince others we are someone we're not, but we convince ourselves of the person we should be. It's important that as Christian brothers and sisters that we encourage on another to be who we truly are on the inside. Don't spend too much of your time trying to become something else for other people. Whether it's seeking popularity or some way to fit in, a majority of us have been guilty changing who we are. Who you are is how you act when no one is watching. It's who you are when you are around your family, people that make you feel the most comfortable. Be secure in your walk with God and don't be afraid to tell other people about that. Don't be afraid to enforce the boundaries you've set for yourself. No amount of senseless acts you do for popularity or others things will ever make up for your dignity. If you are comfortable with God you often times find you are comfortable enough with yourself. Everyone has their weak moments! There will be times when you are pushed out of your comfort zone. How you adjust and still remain true to yourself is what matters. As it says in the Psalms verse above, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. God made you just the way your were supposed to be made, inside and out! He knows every decisions you'll make before you even do it. Just remember, once you've found your goals and boundaries, stick to them! You earn respect, and in the end it all pays off. Trust me! Trust God.

                                                                          Questions/Application

• What are your goals in life? Your boundaries?
• How do you enforce those boundaries? 
• How do you remain true to yourself even when placed in a compromising situation?
• What special gift has God given you?

Devotional Day 25: Too Much Of A Good Thing

• Exodus 20:3 : "You shall have no other gods before me."
• Matthew 6:20 : "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
• There are many things we take pleasure in from day to day. God wants you to enjoy yourself, but He doesn't want you making the things you enjoy more of a priority than Him.

     In Exodus 20:3 it gives pretty point blank instructions. There should never be anything more important than your time with God. That's easier said then done sometimes, at least I know it is for me. There are a lot of things I really enjoy! Some of these things I catch myself spending more time with than I do communicating with God. It's simple things too! Shopping, music, clothes, money, friends, boyfriends or girlfriends, texting, and many other things can all be considered false gods. These are things that we borderline worship being that we envelope our lives with them.

     In Matthew 6:20 it simply speaks the inevitable truth. If you are spending more time with material things or people then that's where your heart is. It's not with God. Now, don't get me wrong! This doesn't mean that we cut out everything in our life besides God. We are allowed to enjoy ourselves. You can make God a part of your life all the time through simple things! You make Him part of your life through decisions you make, things you say, and the way you act. You make choices everyday! Making Him part of those choices is simple. Talk with Him while your driving! Making God a large part of your life can be a lot easier than you would think. The world is a hectic place now! It's a fast place full of so many different activities and opportunities. Don't forget to include God on major decisions you make and your everyday life. Make Him your priority.

                                                                      Questions/Application

• What or who would you consider a false idol in your life?
• How can you make God a bigger part of your life decisions?
• What simple things can you do to show Him he's a priority?

Devotional Day 24: Feel The Burn!

• Proverbs 13:4 : "Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied."
• Deuteronomy 15:10 : "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."
• Not everything in life is going to be easy! Life, relationships, and success come from hard work.

     I love how blunt Proverbs 13:4 is. People who want things, but have no ambition or drive to actually work for what they want will achieve nothing. It's those that want, work hard, and are determined to achieve that goal that will prosper. Life isn't meant to be easy! If it were easy we wouldn't learn what it's like to truly appreciate something. Hard work makes you appreciate the journey you had to make in order to achieve something. You value it so much more. That applies to everything almost! Relationships with others and with Christ take work as well. You can't remain too complacent with where you are or too content with your comfort zone. Spirituality is supposed to be about striving for more Christ-likeness which, of course, takes work. It takes fighting through temptation, habitual habits, struggles, doubt, and many other things.

     God appreciates when you work hard. He wants you to know He notices your work and shows you through blessings and revelations! In Deuteronomy 15:10 it speaks of even working on your character. Be a person that's generous and selfless. God will recognize your love to help others and your hard work to be a servant of Christ.  Just know that what you do doesn't go unnoticed. You just have to be open to receive the gratitude He tries to show you. It may even be through other people! Now, this doesn't mean we have to work all the time. We are supposed to rest when we need it, and take time to sit and observe the things and people we have to appreciate! 

                                                                        Questions/Application

• How do you work hard in your day to day life?
• How can you apply hard work to your relationship with Christ?
• When is a good time to rest? 
• What do you feel you have to appreciate?

Devotional Day 23: Resurrection

• John 11:25-26 : "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
• I know I only have one verse this time. This verse about, to me, speaks volumes. Sometimes things have to die for them to be reborn and seen the way it was intended to be seen and to save what it was intended to save; you.

     I was in church this morning and the pastor said something that really stuck with me. Sometimes God lets our dreams die so that He can fix them. We spend a lot of time planning things for ourselves. We think about ourselves a lot. "God can you just answer my prayer? I need this.." We do a lot of asking. And sometimes we forget to stop and think of God. We plan these big dreams for ourselves! Life gets so good sometimes that we feel we're just walking on clouds, not a care in the world, and we forget about Him. God wants you to think about Him, to appreciate Him. He did so much for us, loved us when we didn't deserve it. With the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives we too often forget to stop and say thank you. A lot of the things we do, whether we realize it or not, have selfish motives. God will allow something to fail if it keeps you from being blind to Him. Another thing that our pastor brought up was something I would have never thought about. He lets those dreams die to take away your pride and selfish motives. He wants all that you do to be through Him. He wants you to take the path that will protect you. If you need to get to the very bottom, to your deepest darkest moment to realize that you're desperate for God, then so be it. He will save you and wrap you in His warmth and protection. I like to remember that I can depend on God. Even when the world is falling in around me and I feel I can turn to no one, I know I can turn to Him. He will meet me wherever I am. God will follow me to the gates of hell if that's what it takes for me to realize He loves me. He loves you. Cherish that. Appreciate that. Let God love you.

                                                                                 Questions/Application

• When was a time your dream died? How about when that dream was resurrected?
• Do you see God's discipline as punishment or love? Why did you choose that option?
• Do you love God enough to let Him love you?

Devotional Day 22: Letting Others Love You

• Romans 12:9-10 : "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."
• 1 Peter 4:8 : "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."
• Life shouldn't just be about loving others and loving God, but allowing other people to love you.

     I love how in Romans 12:9-10 it speaks of letting love be genuine. So many times in life we put on a facade of love. We act out what love should be like without really understanding what it means. Sometimes we're just plain afraid of love! We get caught up in this fear of pain so much that we never truly allow people to love us or love them back. The Bible constantly speaks of  a true, pure, honest love. Love is an essential to life! As humans we crave love whether it's from parents or a significant other or your children. When that love is somehow betrayed, we feel like no matter when we love we will be let down. Love is about taking risks though and understanding that there will be disappointing moments, but that doesn't mean that love isn't strong. If someone loves you, let them love you and don't be afraid to love them back.

     In 1 Peter 4:8 it speaks again of an honest love. Don't pretend to love someone just because they tell you they love you. You have to really mean it and feel it inside. A pure love is one like what you feel for God, unconditional. Sometimes it takes getting past our own barriers we've put up inside to feel love rather than fear it. When you do feel love, never run from it. Love is something to be cherished. It's something you appreciate day by day not live through it waiting for something bad to happen. If you always anticipate the bad you'll never appreciate the good until you've lost it. Love wholeheartedly because it's worth it. Let others love you because they're willing to take that risk. Kids, sometimes that means even letting your mom kiss you in front of all your friends or telling her you love her when she drops you off for school!

                                                                       Questions/Application

• What does love mean to you?
• How do you show others love?
• How do you let others love you? 
• If you have a hard time with love, what barriers do you feel you need to overcome? 

Devotional Day 21: Fearing Failure

• Galatians 6:1-2 : "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

• Psalms 73:26 : "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
• Proverbs 24:16 : "Even if good people fall seven times, they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, that's the end of them."
• Failure is inevitable! Sometimes we feel defeated by are failure. What we have to realize is with failure comes strength.

     We all sin at some point! None of us are perfect or guiltless of sin. I like how in Galatians it says if someone fails, if they give in to the sin, then help and encourage them to dig themselves out! It's important that we are there to council people in there times of need. Perhaps you are the one that needs the help! Another thing we have to keep in mind is that failure isn't the end! It may temporarily paralyze us, but it's never the end. Failure is our greatest teacher! It teaches us what not to do and allows us to learn from what mistakes we made in our failure.

     As humans, unfortunately we are highly susceptible to the circumstances in our lives. This especially happens when we feel like we have to handle everything on our own. We fall, we fail, and we have to understand that it's with God's help that we get back up. Failure isn't permanent! Some days we will give in to our human wants and needs. It's those weakest days and moments in which we should lean on Him the most. He wants to be there for you, for everything you go through, and help you through the struggle of failure. God is the one that will open your eyes to the things you must do differently. Just like it says in Proverbs above, even the good fall. It doesn't matter who you are! But you can always get back up, dust yourself off, and move forward. It's those that don't understand the meaning of their failure that are held captive to it. It's those that seek no lessons and no aid from God that will become a prisoner to their failures. We can't fear our failure, only understand and learn from it. Use your failure to better who you are and strengthen that relationship with God.

                                                                     Question/Application

• When was a time that you failed? What did you learn from that failure?
• How can you better rely on God when you fall?
• How did it make you feel when you failed, but overcame it?

Devotional Day 20: Being Equally Yoked

• 2 Corinthians 6:14 : "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"
• 2 Timothy 3:5 : "Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."
• Proverbs 16:9 : "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
• It's inevitable that we will deal with all kinds of relationships in life. What's important is that we surround ourselves with people that have to same understanding and morals or ideals that we do.

     In 2 Corinthians 6:14 it speaks of not involving yourself with nonbelievers. I think this needs to be explained. In life, it is our Christian duty to witness to those who do not take the opportunity to build a relationship with God. Its important that we reach out to those people. What is also important to realize is that some people do not want to be helped. Someone people are content with their life how it is and have no desire to move forward in Godliness. These are the people 2 Corinthians 6:14 speaks of, in my opinion. It's not those that haven't been helped, it's those that have been shown the opportunity they have and contently turn it down. Those are the type of people that can drag you down in your spiritual walk and your fight for Godliness. No matter how strong of a Christian you are, we all have weak days. Don't intentionally hold yourself down with someone who has no desire to understand what you believe through faith. The best thing you can do for them is pray.

     In 2 Timothy 3:5, I believe it speaks of people that, for lack of a better term, are fake. We're human. We can be fooled and a lot of times we like to give people the benefit of a doubt. In all actuality, sometimes we just have to step back and realize something for what it's really worth. Many times it's the people that are good actors that get to us the most. The feed in to what we hold close to us through our spirituality and relationship to Christ for their own beneficial needs. It's hard to recognize at times. A relationship has to be built on an understanding of one another. Make sure you truly understand someone before you assume all they say is true. Don't be too quick to be infatuated (like me and I'm sure every other teenage girl out there does) with what you see on the outside and what you've been convinced of up front. As harsh as the word "fake" may sound, sadly enough it's true.

     The most important thing to remember is that God has to be part of your relationship in order for it to be successful. You decide what path you take in life, and like the verse says above in Proverbs, "the Lord establishes the steps." God is going to be your main foundation! Your relationship has to be one of understanding and respect. If you are two spiritual leaders through Christ, what can harm you? You have each other there for daily support and to remind you of who your foundation is. Have a relationship based on both of you progressing towards Christ likeness. Have a relationship based on prayer.

                                                                           Questions/Application

• How do you think you can defend yourself against the "fakes"?
• What do you feel most puts God in the center of your relationship?
• How can you and the person your with include God even more in your day to day life?
• What is the best thing you can do for someone that doesn't seem to want help?

Devotional Day 19: Having A Happy Heart

• Proverbs 15: 13 : "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit."
• Proverbs 15:30 : "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones."
• Job 8:21 : "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting."
• We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine! In a way it is. Having a happy heart helps you make it through tough times and contributes to a healthy Christian life.

     In Proverbs 15:13 it speaks of a happy heart shows, but when you have a heavy heart because of sadness and things like that, it crushes your spirit. It makes you feel weak and hopeless. Sometimes, in our darkest moments, we just want to be sad. That's okay! Sadness isn't a bad thing. There's a time to grieve and times for sadness, but it shouldn't last forever. When we don't want to be sad anymore, when we need something to take our mind off of what's causing the pain, we can turn to laughter! Focus on things in life that make you happy. For example, when I'm having a bad day all I have to do is talk to my mom and brother. They give me the serious talk I need to help sort through my problems, not avoid them. Then they bring me comic relief from the stress I feel. God wants you to be happy and laugh. In His Word it even states that God loves a cheerful giver. 

     Sometimes just looking happy can help other people! Laughter and smiles are contagious! If you feel happy then show it. Your happiness may help others find their own joy. You never know when just smiling at someone when they pass you in the grocery store can change their entire day. That's why i like Proverbs 15:30 so much. It simply states the obvious. When you feel good and show it, it raises spirits, not only yours, but others as well!

     God wants to do things that make you happy! He wants to bless your life with things and surprise you with miracles just to see you smile and fill your heart with warmth. I think that is clearly explained in Job 8:21! He wants to fill your mouth with laughter! He wants to take away your stress and your pain. You just have to let Him do His part, and recognize the hands He puts out for you to take! Blessings don't have to necessarily be supernatural. It can come in the form of financial help or someone new being brought into  your life. God feels joy when we are happy. He loves us and wants us to have a healthy, happy heart.

                                                                        Questions/Application

• What has God given you that makes you happy?
• What has God blessed you with recently that was unexpected?
• Who in your life do you feel is a blessing? Someone that makes you laugh? Makes you happy?

Devotional Day 18: Worship Through Talents

• 1 Peter 4:10 : "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
• Romans 12:6 : "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith.."
• Each of us is blessed with our own special talents! God gave us these gifts, so we should honor Him by using them to worship Him.

     In 1 Peter 4:10 it talks about using our gifts to serve one another. Part of worshiping God is trying to be more Christ like which includes compassion and helping each other! We need to use our specific talents to their best capacity to be servants of God. Use your talents to witness and to aid. Like I've stated before, you never know how you can change someone's life. Different things speak to different people! Your talent may speak to someone in ways that other people can't whether it's writing, singing, dancing, and many other things. Recognize your gift and be thankful for it! Appreciate the tools God has given to you to help yourself on your spiritual walk with Christ.

    In Romans 12:6 it simply says that we all have different talents. We should find those talents and use them to the best of our abilities. Understand the depth of what you have been gifted with! You could be a witness, a leader, or an inspiration to someone else without even knowing it. God gave you the gift He knew you could use the best. Show your thankfulness by utilizing that gift!(: For example, I think God has given me the gift to simplify and explain things, the gift of council. I try to use that gift as much as possible for good and show that I appreciate it.

                                                                     Questions/Application

• What gift has God given you?
• How can you use your gift to witness to others?
• Who's gift do you appreciate that you feel speaks to you the most? (Basically, who is an inspiration to you)

Devotional Day 17: Willingness To Die Everyday

• 1 Corinthians 15:30-31 : "And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord."
• Matthew 16:24-25 : "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."
• In order to follow Christ down a strong spiritual path we have to die to ourselves everyday. The sinful worldly part of us has to die to be more like Him.

     I like in the verse from Corinthians above how it speaks of dying everyday. It's a bit morbid the way it's said, but still valid none the less. Each day we walk out our doors we take a risk. We take a risk of uncertainty of what will happen in the world around us. We endanger our lives, so why can't we take a risk with our spiritual self? Faith and sacrifice is part of a Christ like walk. We have to sacrifice the things our worldly body thinks we need. Our sinful nature and human wants have to die in order for us to take the spiritual risk in Christ through faith.

     This same message is displayed in Matthew 16:24-25. Jesus tells His disciples to deny themselves if they wish to follow Him. If you sacrifice your spiritual walk with Christ for worldly pleasures then surely your life, your soul, will be lost. Yet, He also says those who would sacrifice the life they live on this earth for Him, just as He did us, shall find their true life through Christ Himself. It's all about taking leaps of faith and sacrificing your contentment for something more. We have to understand that the things we have here, material things, superficial things, and so on, are not eternal. As much as we think we need certain things, we truly don't. As children of God it's important for us to realize our priorities in our needs. The spiritual walk we have with Christ and the faith we hold on to needs to be at the top of the list. 

                                                         Questions/Application

• What material sacrifices do you think you can give in order to strengthen your time with God? (For example: less TV in exchange for quiet time with Him)
• What do you think your response would be if you were asked to sacrifice your life for Christ?

Devotional Day 16: Understanding An Opportunity When It's Given

• Colossians 4:5 : "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
• Galatians 6:10 : "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
• Life is full of opportunities. Some of them are simple. Some of them can alter the path of your entire life. Seize an opportunity when it's given! It may never be there again.

     In Colossians 4:5 it states to be wise in the way you act towards others. This is so true! Everyday you meet, see, and talk to different people. Some of them are complete strangers. Some of them are people you already know pretty well! Each time you talk to someone you have an opportunity to witness or to set an example for a Christ like character. You may have to opportunity to have to biggest impact on someone you just met! Maybe it's something as simple as stopping someone if they look like they are having a bad day or helping someone out with taking their groceries to the car. All of those little opportunities God hands out to you are opportunities to witness and to shine His light. Even the smallest thing can brighten someone's day. Go with what God impresses on your heart to say and do. He knows what's best and will speak through you to help those in need if you let Him.

     Doing good to others not only helps them, but heightens respect you receive from others. They see and know you as a beacon of God's light. They will come to you for guidance, for help, and at that time you can truly speak what God intends for you to. It's all about taking to opportunity when it comes. Don't let something pass you by if you feel the urge to do speak up. Sometimes taking God's opportunities can put us a little outside of our comfort zone! You have to remember that life isn't about just being content. Life is about striving for something more, something deeper, something powerful. Take those opportunities and run with them. You never know where they'll take you or who's life you may change.

                                                                       Questions/Application

• What opportunities has God given you to witness?
• Has anyone every come to you seizing an opportunity for something God impressed on them?
• How do you think you can better strive for more rather than contentment? 

Devotional Day 15: Faith

• Hebrews 11:1 : "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
• 1 Corinthians 16:13 : "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."
• 1 Peter 5:9 : "Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
• Faith is not something that can be taught. Faith is not something that can be forced nor seen or touched. Faith is seeing even when the rest of the world is blind.

     I love Hebrews 11:1! It explains faith in the most appropriate way. A lot of faith is based on hope and trust in God that what He has told us is true. You can't see faith and each of us learns faith in our own special way. I gained faith through a very unfortunate, but powerful way. It took something extreme to happen. In December a night or so before the 4th, I decided to sleep in the living room downstairs. I just had a feeling something wasn't right, and I couldn't sleep. My mom had me come into her room, and I could see that her body was twitching uncontrollably. She was scared, and so was I, but I needed to stay calm for her. I helped her out of bed and told her I was going to call the ambulance. She had me find some cute comfy pajamas (lord knows if somethings going to happen she still has to look good;-) ) and right then I started praying. I knew something unnatural was going on, and I needed God to pull through for me, to keep my calm so I could help my mom. I didn't know what to do, but He did. Finally I walked into the living room and helped her sit down on the couch. The twitches wouldn't stop and neither would my prayers. We needed a miracle. I prayed that she would stay safe until the paramedics arrived, professionals that could help with what was going on. I heard the sirens and saw the flashing lights, so I walked outside to meet them. They asked me a few questions as we walked in and I showed them to the living room where my mom sat. I could tell she was scared. Right as the paramedics walked in and turned to ask her a question my mom went into a full active grand mal seizure, the most dangerous kind there is. The paramedics knew exactly what to do, and they took care of her until the seizing stopped then wheeled her out to the ambulance to take her to the hospital. I was shocked. My mom held back something that powerful for over an hour, before she even came and got me. God answered my prayers that night when the paramedics showed up at the exact right moment. I knew He has shown me what I needed to see to trust Him. Sadly enough I should have trusted Him all along, and I hate that it took something that extreme to open my eyes. I know now what I feel inside, an unmistakable amount of faith.

     Faith is our biggest weapon against evil, but its the hardest thing for some of us to grasp. It's hard to trust something you can't physically feel or touch. It's hard to trust something you have never seen before in your life. Some moments in life teach you the lesson of faith in a way that speaks to you the most, but sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Another thing that we have to realize is that we aren't the only ones with this struggle! People all around the world struggle with faith, with trust. It's something that takes time so that you can develop your own understanding. Faith isn't something someone is going to be able to teach you, only show you what it's like for them. Faith is a self journey, one that's well worth taking.

                                                                       Questions/Application

• What does faith mean to you?
• How did you come to understand faith?
• What makes faith difficult? How can we face those difficulties?