Devos

God Wants Children To Obey Their Parents

   

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” (Ephesians 6:1)

I love to ride bikes; and when I was a young girl, I would ride my bike everywhere. I would take a spin around our block, go downtown, or visit my friend. Riding my bike was one of my favorite things to do. But sometimes, I was not allowed to ride. For instance, if my mom was not at home, and I couldn’t get permission, I was not supposed to go out on my bike, because my parents needed to know where I was going and when I would be home.

One summer, my mom had a job at a daycare; and when she left the house in the morning, she told me that I was not allowed to ride my sister’s bike (my bike was broken). That morning, my sister and I were playing outside, and she challenged me to a bike race – my sister would go first and I would time her, and then I would go and she would time me. I knew my mother had told me not to ride my sister’s bike, but I disobeyed. As I was trying to beat my sister’s time, I braked too hard and flew over the handlebars, breaking my left arm. Of course, my mom showed complete compassion, but she also reminded me during that time that if I had obeyed, I would not have broken my arm.

My mom reminded me that it is important to obey her; but more importantly, she reminded me that I should obey God. And when I disobey my parents, I am also disobeying God. God says in Ephesians 6:1, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Because I want to do what is right, I need to follow what the Bible says about obedience. Learning the lesson of obedience to our parents is important because it also teaches us to obey God. God has placed our parents in authority over us for safety. When we obey, we place ourselves under a God-given protection.

Obedience to our parents teaches us obedience to God.

My Response:
» Do I obey my parents in what they tell me to do?

Devos

God Commands You To Tell Others About Jesus Christ (Part 2)

   

“And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

If we are obedient Christians, we will follow the command that God has given us in Mark 16:15 to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ. But this command is not always easy to follow. Sometimes, we are afraid that others may laugh at us. Other times, we don’t know what to say. What are some things we can do that will help us obey this command?

Pray. Before we tell others, we should pray for them. Even though God uses us (no matter how young or old we are) to be witnesses for Him, it is ultimately the Holy Spirit who works in the hearts of those we tell. We can pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of our friends and neighbors before we give them the Good News. Also, we can pray for ourselves. Jesus promises that He is always with us, so we can pray that we will remember His promise and not be afraid. Jesus also promises that the Holy Spirit will empower us to witness for him (Acts 1:8)!

Prepare. Read your Bible and pick out verses that will help you when you talk, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world, that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that we only need to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead in order to be saved. You may like to use the Romans Road, or verses that go with the Wordless book. You can write out these verses on a card or underline them in your Bible so that you can find them quickly. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is “powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword”!

Present. Start talking! Maybe you’re playing basketball with some friends and they ask you about why you have to go to church. Or maybe you’ve baked some cookies to take to your neighbor. We talk to people every day; why not talk about Jesus? You may choose to ask them directly, “Do you know Jesus?” Or you may choose to tell them about what you’ve been learning in Sunday School. Remember that Jesus is with you, so you don’t have to worry. And remember to be kind and polite.

If you are telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ, you are obeying God’s command. Your responsibility is simply to tell others; God will “give the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6)!

God wants us to obey His command, and He will help us to do so!

My Response:
» Am I afraid to tell others about Jesus Christ? Why?
» What can I do to overcome my fears and start obeying God’s command?

Devos

God Commands You To Tell Others About Jesus Christ (Part 1)

   

“And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

Imagine that you are playing outside in your yard when you start to smell smoke. You turn, and see a fire in your neighbor’s back kitchen. What do you do? Do you carry on playing like nothing is wrong? No; you run over to your neighbor’s house and start yelling, “Fire! Fire!”

Why would you do such a thing? Why would you warn your neighbor about the fire in his house? You do so because you know something he does not: that his house is on fire, and thus, you have the responsibility of warning him.

The Bible says that there is a fire that is never-ending. It is unlike any fire you have ever seen. Your neighbors and friends may not know about this fire because they do not see it; but it is real, and they are in danger of being caught in this fire forever. Yes, forever! This fire is the fire of hell, and it is where any person who does not believe in Jesus Christ will spend eternity. But there is Good News! Any person who trusts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior will not only be able to escape that fire of hell, but will also spend eternity with God in heaven!

In Mark 16:15, Christ commands His disciples to tell the world this Good News. But, this command is not only for the disciples in Jesus’ time. If you are a one of Jesus’ followers – if you have acknowledged that Jesus is Lord and believed that God has raised Him from the dead – then this command to tell the Good News is for you. You must go and tell others about the Good News of Jesus Christ! Just as you have the responsibility of warning your neighbor that his house is on fire, so you have the responsibility of telling him that Jesus Christ can save him.

God commands His people to tell others about Jesus Christ.

My Response:
» Whom do I know that does not know Jesus Christ?
» Have I obeyed God’s command to tell my friends and neighbors the Good News of Jesus Christ?

Truth in Real Life Moments

William Carey

   

“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”

Fifteen years before the United States of America officially became its own independent nation, one of the world’s greatest missionaries was born. In a small cottage in Paulerspury, England, William Carey was born on August 17, 1761. The oldest child in his family, William enjoyed learning and loved reading. He especially enjoyed reading about “explorers” – so much so that his friends nicknamed him “Columbus” when he was young.

Carey spent his teen years apprenticed to a shoemaker. He grew up to become a shoemaker and…so much more! He would often look over at the globe he had made of shoe-leather, and he would begin to weep. Why? It was such a painful reminder that people all over the world were dying and going to hell. Carey had read in Andrew Fuller’s book this line: "If it is the duty of all men to believe whenever the Gospel is presented to them, it must be the duty of all who have received the Gospel to endeavor to make it universally known." He felt that responsibility to share the Gospel with everyone for the glory of God.

Because missionaries were virtually unheard of during his lifetime, Carey faced many challenges when he decided to go to the mission field. Other preachers and even some of his respected friends argued with him, saying short-sighted things like, “If God wants people to get saved, He’ll save them without your help! Give it up!”

Carey disagreed, believing and obeying instead the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach [make disciples from] all nations.” He declared that we ought to “expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

His dogged commitment to reach all people groups with the Gospel, and to do so in an efficient and God-glorifying way, led to the beginnings of the modern missions movement. Today, missionaries are free to travel all over the world to share the Gospel because of this “Father of Modern Missions.”

William Carey dared to do the impossible and led many to Christ as a result. He spent 40 years as a missionary in India. They were years full of difficult, heartbreaking trials and setbacks! It was six years before Carey saw someone convert to Christianity. There were deaths in his family, a fire that destroyed their mission facilities along with months and months of translation work, and many more apparent tragedies and obstacles that looked impossible to overcome. But God had sovereignly appointed Carey’s mission there, and God sustained him and brought glory to Himself through Carey’s work.

The “father of modern missions” has been quoted as saying, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.” Do you imagine you know what will make your future “bright”? God promises never to leave you, for example (Hebrews 13:5)! And God promises always to love you! (Romans 8:39). Can you press on in the way God has laid out for you, in spite of what friends and family might say to try to discourage you? Can you trust Him to hold you and keep you for His glory, even when things around you are falling apart?

Mark 16:15 – And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
 

Devos

Jesus Wants You To Be a Light for Him

   

“Ye are the light of the world….Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”(Matthew 5:14a, 16)

Have you ever been in an airplane at night? When you look down over a city as you are flying in an airplane, you cannot make out anything because it is so dark. All you can see are the lights. The lights may be of different sizes and different colors. Some are brighter than others. But they are all beautiful to look at.

If you look around yourself right now, you will see darkness all around you. You may not see it on the outside. The darkness I am talking about is the darkness inside the hearts of men. Many people do not believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. Some of them don’t believe that God exists at all! Their hearts are dark because they do not have the light of the true Savior.

Because you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you must show others that you are different because of Him. This is what Jesus meant when He told believers to be the light of the world. When you let your light shine, others will see it, and will want to glorify God and know that Jesus Christ can save them, too.

Maybe you are asking, how can I let my light shine? Whether you are at home, at school, or at play, you must try to please God in everything you do. Even if everyone else is doing something wrong, you must not do it if you know that it does not please God. For example, if your friends ask you to help them play a mean trick on someone, you must ask yourself if that will please God. When you are at home, you can please God by being obedient to your parents. Some people may make fun of you for being polite and kind, but because you are pleasing God, your light will shine before them.

God has commanded us to let our light shine before men. Your unsaved friends and family should be able to see that you are a child of God because you try to please Him in everything that you do.

Jesus wants me to be a light in this world so that others will come to know Him.

My Response:
» Am I trying to please God in all that I do?
» Where do I need to let my light shine?