Teen Mental Health Statistics in 2022

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 9

“If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Gods Honor Roll!

It is such a privilege to work hard in school and earn high honors. What an added joy to find out you are graduating with high honors! Well the Bible says when we serve God he also honors us!

Parents often make a concerted effort to push children towards academic excellence. How much more should we discipline our children ourselves towards spiritual excellence?

A lot of us seek and desire to be honored by man.  If feels good doesn't it? It feels good to been seen and congratulated for your efforts.  Even though it feels good we must remember that it is even more important to be recognized by God for our efforts.    

"Them that honor Me, I will honor!" This is a law—a principle—by which the Kingdom of God operates. When we honor God, we will be honored!

Question: Do you want to make God's Honor Roll? 

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 8

John 12:23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

Facing your hour!

“There comes a time when all us will face that appointed time, the hour our Lord has planned to accomplish his will.”  

Three times during His ministry, the Lord Jesus said His hour had not yet come. He first said this to His mother at the wedding in Cana of Galilee at the start of His ministry and again to His siblings, near the end of His ministry, when they mocked their brother about his Messianic claims.

The third time was as He taught in the temple, laying out His Messianic proclamation to the people and testifying that God was His Father. And although His Messianic declaration infuriated the scribes and Pharisees, we read, "but no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come."  Jesus now was ready to face his “hour.”

What about you?  Are you ready to face your “hour?”  Listen, we all have dreams, and often our dreams involve personal recognition and accolades. But Jesus has a different vision for his life. What kind of glory are you living for? What are you willing to sacrifice for God's glory? Jesus was willing to give it all.  How about you?

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 7

So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,
John 11:6

A purposeful delay!!
Why is it that things are not moving the way I plan? Could it be that, God is stalling for a reason?

Jesus loved Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, but He did not immediately come. This is a truth that is hard for us to deal with. With this message, Jesus stays where he is for two more days. It looks like the Lord ignored their request. The explanation in verses 4-5 gives us a second critical truth:

They were allowed to suffer, though they were loved by the Lord, so God’s glory could be displayed.

No one at this moment could see how God could possibly be glorified by this. No one could comprehend how this would be the love of God. The family could not understand how this was for God’s glory. The disciples could not comprehend how this was for God’s glory. Think about Lazarus’ point of view: it would look like to him that Jesus did not care to come. Who could understand this decision by Jesus? Where are you, Lord? Why don’t you do something? I thought you loved us! Jesus loved them and let Lazarus die so the glory of God would be revealed. The glory of God is the ultimate goal.

Question:
1. What is a situation that you can recall when God made you wait? How did his glory get revealed in that situation?

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 6

“He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Quote: Be very careful who you allow to get close to you!

To Be Continued! Watch out for the wolf!

Does He really have your back?
Many of us work with, work for, and even hang out with people who notice danger is about to take place but are planning to run off and leave you.

These are people who are only interested in you so long as they benefit. When it comes down to personal risk, they will abandon you. These people purposefully take advantage of others using deception.

Jesus is the Good shepherd in contrast to those who have selfish interests at heart. Jesus comes to offer life, and does so with humility and self-sacrifice. Jesus won’t leave you when danger arises.

Question

Do the people you hang around really have your back?

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 5

Could it be a test question?

“He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV

Quote: God will test you because He wants you to mature.

God is always testing us, and his testing does not come when we are warned and ready. Anyone can pass a test then. ...

God's tests catch us unprepared, off-guard. It is when we are confronted with some simple situation no one will know about that the tests of life really come. When you are relaxing at home and the phone rings and suddenly you are confronted with a call for help, or a demand for a response-and you had planned to relax and enjoy yourself all afternoon-what happens then? That's the test.

Question

Take a moment and examine your life. What situation are you currently dealing with that could be a test from God?

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 4

“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬ ‭

Drop Your Stones

Quote: Worry about your own sin. You won’t be asked about mine.

One of the most intriguing stories in the Bible is the woman the Pharisees brought before Jesus who had been caught in adultery. With stones in their hands, they told Jesus that the Law of Moses commanded them to stone her for her sin. Then, in John 8:5, they asked Jesus, “What do you say?” (NLT) I love that Jesus went back to what He was doing, which was drawing in the sand like He was bored. They demanded an answer from Him. He looked up and said, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” One by one, they dropped their stones and walked away.

I love this story because if any one of us had been there, we would have had a stone in our hand too. At the same time, each of us has stood where that woman stood. Each of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Even though we’ve been forgiven a great debt, we still pick up stones to throw at others who sin. It’s time we quit carrying stones, and started being thankful that God not only forgives our sins, but the sins of others. If God’s grace was sufficient for our sins, it’s sufficient for theirs.

Questions

1. Are you concerned about your own sin or do you easily point out the sin of others?

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional Day 3

“His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."”
‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This year do whatever He tells you.

Quote: If you know that God loves you, you should never question a directive from Him. It will always be right and best. When He gives you a directive, you are not just to observe it, discuss it, or debate it. You are to obey it.

Mary, Jesus’ mother told the servants at the wedding to do whatever Jesus said to do. This is great advice for any of us who are following God’s plan for our lives. Often, we make following after Jesus hard. We might stress over what career path to choose or who to date. And while those are important decisions to get His input on, following Jesus isn’t always about the big things. Often, following Jesus is about smaller things.

What is that one thing that you feel like Jesus has told you to do? Today, don’t over-complicate what you feel Jesus is leading you to do with doubt and fear. Instead, simply do what He told you to do.

Whatever it is that Jesus has spoken to you to do, do it. As you do, He will lead you and guide you into more things. Today, don’t be afraid to step out and do the things He has put on your heart to do.

Question: What is God telling you to do? 

A Purposeful Way of Life Devotional - Day 2

Save the Best for Last

John 2:10 Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.  

Why does a gymnast put her most impressive skill at the end of the routine? Why do fireworks designers put the big burst at the end? Why is the fourth movement of the symphony the most powerful one? Why do stand-up comics like to end with their strongest material? Why does the climax come at the end of the movie instead of the beginning? Why do we eat dessert last? Why do sports movies and documentaries fetishize games that are decided in the final seconds? Because the best should be saved for last for lasting impact.

Sports fans may be familiar with Kobe Bryant, an American professional basketball player who retired in April of 2016 after a stellar 20-year career. In his career finale he scored 60 points in one of the greatest final game performances in the history of the game.

Jesus sometimes saves the best for last. He delights in delivering the unexpected to the unsuspecting. He waits until there is opportunity to show up where the needs are rampant but the solutions are few. Then He meets the need unconventionally and boldly. Many times, this is His method because Christ is counter-intuitive. He wants others to ask “Why?”  Why did Jesus save the best for last? One reason the Lord saves the best for last is to honor the recipients. Those who persevere deserve the best. For example, in relationships, the fruit of long-term commitment produces the best experience. Trust, contentment, and fulfillment all earn their right in relationships that resolve to remain true.

God blesses those who wait: “Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land.” Psalm 37:34a

The best is yet to come! Jesus always saves the best for last!

Questions:

1. What’s an example of Jesus saving the best for last in your life?
2. Have you ever settled and then realized that what Jesus had was better if only you had waited?

John 6:35 “Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger”

Quote “Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.” Dorothy Day

There are times in church when a mother has her baby in her arms. Many times she’s sitting toward the back of the sanctuary so that she can get to the nursery when necessary. When the baby starts whining a little bit, the mother will  pull out a pacifier and give it to the baby. That’s fake food. It’s a piece of rubber designed to trick the kid. It’s designed to make the kid feel like he’s getting something and subsequently quiet down. So the kid will start sucking and gradually begin to suck harder because he realizes that nothing is happening.

This baby hasn’t lived long, but he’s not crazy. That baby quickly realizes that the pacifier is not food and that his mother is trying to temporarily distract him from his real craving. That baby really wants milk—the real deal. The mother normally realizes that she has two options at this point. She can reach into her bag and pull out a bottle or she can go somewhere private and pull out something else. She can try to hold the baby off as long as possible, but eventually the baby will start whimpering, and then start crying, and then start screaming because he’s hungry and tired of fake food. He’s tired of being pacified. He’s hungry for the real thing, not for a substitute.

Many people come to church on Sunday and they’re satisfied with a pacifier sermon and a pacifier song because it makes them feel good, only to discover later that they’re still hungry. The soul demands the bread of life or else it will go hungry.  Jesus is the Bread of Life.  Now that’s real soul food!