Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Truth and Tolerance

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-10; 1 PETER 3:15 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20CORINTHIANS%204%3A1-10%3B%201%20PETER%203%3A15&version=NIV] How do we speak the truth of the gospel when the world doesn’t always value truth? When I consider the changes my country has made in the name of tolerance toward various beliefs and ideas, fear casts a shadow over my heart. Can you be both truthful and tolerant at the same time? How do you show love, yet also stand for what you know to be truth? Is there a different time and place to speak up and to remain silent? These questions keep percolating in my brain, and you might have had similar thoughts. Here’s what we can always return to: What does the Word of God say? As children of God, our final authority on everything should be the Bible because it’s God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If something doesn’t line up with the Word, it isn’t true. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul talks about not twisting the words of the Bible but instead presenting “the truth plainly” (verse 2). So then what does sharing the good news of Jesus look like? You might have heard the saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” When talking to someone who may not share the same beliefs as you, remember to listen to them. Jesus is the best at being a good listener. He asks questions, even though He already knows the answers. It’s so good to read the Gospels—the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—and see how Jesus speaks to and treats the lost. Remember, we’re all lost without Jesus. Colossians 4:5-6 advises us: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Through us, Jesus invites outsiders to become insiders. If we need wisdom, we can ask God, who is eager to give it (James 1:5). “Speaking the truth in love” means loving the person in front of us, no matter their beliefs (Ephesians 4:15). As you love others through both words and actions, perhaps they will desire to know Jesus, the source of true freedom and the one who loves you both (John 8:32; 14:6; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:18). • Savannah Coleman • Sometimes Christians talk about the tension between grace and truth. Jesus is full of both grace and truth (John 1:14). But,as Christians, many of us tend to find one easier than the other. Do you struggle more with being truthful or being gracious? Why do you think that is? God our Savior...wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)

God Is Good (All the Time)

READ: NAHUM 1:7; ROMANS 8:28-39; JAMES 1:17 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=NAHUM%201%3A7%3B%20ROMANS%208%3A28-39%3B%20JAMES%201%3A17&version=NLT] “God is good. All the time.” Have you ever heard Christians say this phrase to each other? Sometimes one person will say, “God is good.” And the other will respond, “All the time.” But what do these words really mean? God’s goodness means He is both generous and merciful. The problem is, we don’t always feel like He is being good to us. Problem after problem chips away at us until we are exhausted. School, friends, family, jobs—they all demand pieces from us until we feel we have nothing left to give. Personally, I’ve been struggling with fear about finding a job after college. I’ve come across a lot of closed doors, and it’s a time of uncertainty. But, God is good. All the time. The amazing thing about God’s goodness? It’s unchanging. We can take comfort in the fact that God will always be good to us. The Almighty Creator wants to be generous and merciful toward us. That’s why He came to earth to save us. Jesus suffered the cross so that our sins could be forgiven and we could live with Him forever. Today, Jesus is with His people through everything we face, and He is working to restore all that is broken. We even see God’s generosity and mercy in passages that warn of God’s just judgment. For example, Nahum 1 is all about God’s anger toward Nineveh, a city steeped in sin. But nestled in this passage is a short but powerful reminder of God’s goodness. Nahum 1:7 says, “The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.” So, even when we are experiencing the brokenness of this world, we can rest in Jesus’s promise to be with us. God is good and remains good—eternally. • Naomi Zylstra • Throughout our lives, we all experience times when God does not seem good. Can you think of a time you felt this way? • We live in a world that has been broken by sin, but God is not aloof to our suffering. He loves us, and He came as a human, Jesus, to be with us. Through His death and resurrection, He made the way to defeat sin and death and heal all that is broken (John 1:14; 3:16-18). As we wait for Jesus to return and rightevery wrong, it helps to remember that He knows how badly suffering hurts, because He experienced it firsthand. So we can come to Him with anything we’re facing (Hebrews 4:14-16). Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about whatever struggles you’re going through. The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7 (NLT)

In-Between Times

READ: PSALMS 13:1-6; 46:1-11 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALMS%2013%3A1-6%3B%2046%3A1-11&version=WEB] Have you ever felt stuck between two phases of life? I know I have. The “in-between times,” as I like to call them, can be really difficult to navigate. Maybe you’re moving from middle to high school. Maybe your parents are splitting up, and you have to live in two households. Maybe you’re moving between schools, churches, cities, or states. No matter what, times of transition are difficult and filled with many unknowns that can easily cause some anxiety. In the middle of in-between times, I often catch myself trying to hurry into the next fun stage of life. It’s easy for me to get too focused on the future to see what God is showing me in the present. Instead of pausing to dig into God’s Word and talk to Jesus about what I’m going through, I attempt to take control—forgetting that I’m not ultimately in control of the life God has given me. Every day, I have to remind myself to “be still” and look for what God wants me to see in the in-between times (Psalm 46:10). It’s definitely a process! But Jesus is with me. I know He is working all things together for my good, and He will finish the work He started. But when I forget to rest in Jesus and His promises, the Lord reminds me to give myself the grace He has already given me. As we wait, let’s remember: the next stage is coming…but all in His perfect timing. • Abigail Rose • Can you think of a time you felt stuck in an “in-between time”? What was that like? • Can you think of something you’ve learned about God, yourself, or the world during in-between times? Or any ways you grew in your faith? Consider taking a moment to thank God for this. • As Christians, we’re all in an in-between time as we wait for Jesus to come back and make all things new. What promises from God can we rest in while we wait? (Hint: read Matthew 28:20; Romans 8:28-30; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Revelation 21:1-5) “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (WEB)

The Game Maker

READ: ROMANS 3:19-28; 5:6-11 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ROMANS%203%3A19-28%3B%205%3A6-11&version=NLT] With pounding heart, Riley leapt off the platform for the umpteenth time. Dodging fireballs, she jumped from foothold to foothold, as heat rose from the lava below. She was almost there! Ahead was that final jump—that final expanse of lava. She could see the cool, grassy paradise at the end of the course. Her companion, Julius, watched her dart across the expanse, fielding each obstacle with precision. One jump, two hops, a dash…and then a final jump— the most perfect leap Julius had ever seen. Oh, no! Julius watched as Riley reached out in vain toward the paradise, falling down into the pit of lava. She was still fifty yards short. FLASH. Julius and Riley returned to the start of the level. Riley’s eyes brimmed with tears of frustration and anger. “It’s no good, Julius! We can’t do it.” “We have to—the Game Maker wouldn’t have made it impossible. “Julius, you saw it. My last jump was perfect. And it wasn’t even close!” With no other route through the fiery abyss, the pair decided to rest. They lay down, exhausted. As she fell asleep, Riley whispered a desperate prayer: “Game Maker, where are you? We can’t do this!” When they awoke, a man stood on the platform. “I’ve come,” He said softly. “I’m the Game Maker you called last night.” They stared. “How…?” “I wrote myself into the game.” He smiled. “Come.” He started across the course. Uncertain and confused, Riley and Julius followed. He motioned them to the final jump. “You’ll make it,” he said. “Trust in me.” Then, he grasped their hands, and before Riley and Julius could jump, they found themselves flying through the air, the abyss stretching out beneath them. The man’s grip on their hands never loosened, and, finally, they tumbled onto the soft grass of paradise! The pair was in shock. “Here you are, friends,” the Game Maker said. “The land is yours.” “That’s it?” Riley asked. “That’s the only way?” The Game Maker smiled. “Indeed, friend. I am the only way.” • Christiana Albrecht • Like in today’s allegorical story, sometimes it’s hard to believe that we can be saved without having to work for it—that’s why God gives us so many reminders throughout His Word (such as in Mark 10:15, Galatians 2:21, and Ephesians 2:8-9). Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you notice when you’re starting to believe that you have to earn God’s love and favor, and who can point you back to the true good news of Jesus? (If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.) • According to Romans 3:23-26, it’s impossible for us to overcome the power of sin and death on our own. Why can we only be saved from sin and death through Jesus? • For more about how Jesus saves us, see our "Know Jesus [https://unlocked.org/knowjesus/]" page. Jesus told him [Thomas], “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NLT)

Worry Wars

READ: MATTHEW 6:25-34; PHILIPPIANS 4:4-12; 1 PETER 5:7 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MATTHEW%206%3A25-34%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%204%3A4-12%3B%201%20PETER%205%3A7&version=NIV] Maybe you’re like me. If you grew up in church, it might be second nature to pray about everything. After all, you want to share whatever is going on in your life with your best friend Jesus. So you ask God to help you face the challenges at school. Will you be able to pass the algebra test? What about physics? English literature? You pray about your relationships. Why can’t adults remember what it was like to be a teen? Can the misunderstanding be healed between you and a former friend? Worry steps up with every question. I have an exercise to help me deal with anxiety. I mentally place my worry in a box and tie the box with red ribbon. I give the package to God and experience a tranquil moment. But sometimes, another question pops into my mind, and I grab back my worry. After more prayer, I place the situation in God’s hands to regain a sense of peace. But the cycle repeats. Again and again. One night, the worry war went into overtime. My exercise wasn’t working. Exhausted, I finally said, “God, I can’t give you my worry. Just take it, please.” Then, the anxiety of that evening lifted, and I drifted off to peaceful sleep. In the daily battle of worry, we can always turn to Jesus. His love for us is something we can rely on, no matter what. • Esther M. Bailey • We all have times when we feel worried or anxious. Jesus knows how we feel because He experienced anxiety too, and He wants to help us (Mark 14:33-34; Hebrews 4:14-16). He loves us so much that He died and rose again to save us, and when He returns, He will put an end to everything that is worrisome. Until that day, He invites us to bring all our worries to Him and rest in His compassionate arms. Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about your worries. • God wants to help us in lots of ways, not just through prayer and Scripture, but also through the care and expertise of other people. When you find yourself feeling worried or anxious, who is a trusted person you could talk to? If you need someone to talk to, you can request a free conversation with Focus on the Family’s Counseling Department by calling 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Please be prepared to leave your contact information for a counselor to return a call to you as soon as possible. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)