Acts 7:9 - "These patriarchs were jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him." (NLT)
Jealousy can lead us to do some pretty awful things. We know that the Ten Commandments remind us that we should not covet what other people have, and yet we live in a world that constantly reminds us that we do not have as much as others. We live in a world that tells us what we have is not enough or that we are not good enough.
It is not the world that we should be listening to, though. God is the ultimate authority on what we need in our lives and what we should do throughout it. He has goals for us, and we need to listen to His voice in our head. In Joseph's case, his brothers were jealous of him and turned to terrible means to get rid of him. Yet God even used the evil of others to continue to use Joseph.
So even when we are the victims of other people's jealousy, God can use it to further His plan for our lives.
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Sunday Scripture: Acts 7:9 originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Sunday, June 17th, 2012 at 14:30:17.
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Matthew 10:8 - "Give as freely as you have received!" (NLT)
We have received so much from God, people who love us, and more. As much as we have to earn certain things, there are so many more things in our lives that have been given to us for free. We receive love from God without even asking. Our lives, health, free will, and more have all been given to us freely.
The best way to show appreciation for these gifts is to give them freely to others. We need to learn to do things for others with no expectations. This is why we have volunteer outreach programs that give us direction for doing something nice for those who have less. We give our friends unconditional love. We honor our parents without question. Since we have received so much from God, let us follow His example and give to others.
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Sunday Scripture: Matthew 10:8 originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Sunday, June 10th, 2012 at 13:37:10.
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1 John 5:14-15 - "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." (ESV)
When we ask for things that are in God's will, we know that He will provide. Does that mean he will give us everything we ever ask for? Probably not. God knows best what is good for us and what we need according to His plan. It never hurts to ask God for direction or even for things we think we need, but we need to understand that God works according to His plan, not ours.
It is easy to be disappointed or angry about what God doesn't give, but take a look around. God gives us plenty. The world is full of His miracles, and we have much more than we think we do.
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Sunday Scripture: 1 John 5:14-15 originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 at 14:51:05.
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So, This is Love
The Bible has a lot to say about all different kinds of love:
Bible Verses about the Love of God
Bible Verses about How God Loves Us
Bible Verses on How We Should Love Each Other
Some Random Thoughts
Want more of what the Bible has to say? How about some fun and games? Or get serious with your salvation...
The Importance of Christian Fellowship
What the Bible Says About Beauty
Bible Games for Teens and Youth Groups
A Simple Salvation Prayer
Common Christian Questions: I'm Just a Teen, So Why Should I Tithe?
Stuff to Check Out this Week: Love and Many Other Splendored Things originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Thursday, May 31st, 2012 at 01:06:01.
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Matthew 6:6 - "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." (NLT)
Sometimes we just need to find a little solitude to get in the right place with God. Our lives are so insanely busy with classes, after-school activities, homework, family time, chores, etc. There is a cacophony of sound that bombards us every day from our iPods, televisions, radios and more. It can be overwhelming, and not getting some alone time can sometimes get in the way of truly connecting with God.
Throughout the New Testament we are reminded of the importance of solitude in our spiritual walks. When we're alone with God with no distractions, we can often open up in ways we never thought we could. Even Jesus took to times of solitude to spend time with the Father. Take time in your life, even if it's just a few moments a day, to be alone with God.
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Sunday Scripture: Matthew 6:6 originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Sunday, May 27th, 2012 at 13:43:46.
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Proverbs 29:15 - "A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother." (NIV)
From an early age we learn that there are consequences to our actions. Most of us learn this as our parents set down rules and guidelines for us. It's up to our parents to set the rules and tell us how to make good decisions, but it's also up to us to follow those rules and think through what we're doing.
Making good decisions is something none of us can take for granted. If we want to live Godly lives, we have to choose things that make us live the way we want to be. It can be easy to fall into sin, or to take the easier route toward a goal, but sometimes there are no shortcuts, and sometimes the right decision can be painful for a while. However, there are spiritual, psychological, and emotional consequences when we choose the wrong path.
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Sunday Scripture: Proverbs 29:15 originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Sunday, May 20th, 2012 at 12:11:06.
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Jeremiah 29:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" (NLT)
Do you have hope for the future? In high school it seems like we're always looking to the future. When we graduate...when we go to college...when we enter the working world...when we have a family. Our eyes always seem to be years ahead of where we are. While we think of all the plans for what's coming, we speculate. However, God knows. He knows what He has planned for us, and sometimes those plans are full of surprises.
In Jeremiah, God reminds us that he has plans for us that will ultimately end up good. Does that mean our lives will not have any problems or troubles? No. It means that God can use whatever happens for good. We all have a future in God's eyes, whether in this world or the next. God has many good plans for us, we just need to allow him to guide us.
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Sunday Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 originally appeared on About.com Christian Teens on Sunday, May 13th, 2012 at 16:16:07.
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Image © Sue ChastainThe term "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, and it identifies a concept of Christianity that is not easy to grasp or explain. Yet most conservative Bible scholars agree that the Trinity doctrine is clearly expressed within Scripture.
Image: © Davide Guglielmo
The One I Wait For
Most recently, I've put together an extensive collection of wedding Bible verses distinctly suited for including in a Christian marriage ceremony:
Wedding Bible Verses
Outline of a Christian Wedding Ceremony
Christian Wedding Traditions & Customs
Wedding Vow Samples
Wedding Prayers
More Christian Wedding Resources
Even as Jesus' ministry in Galilee was drawing to a close, we discover that his followers still had much to learn about the kingdom of God. The Bible story of Jesus and the little children brings this point into focus.