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DEVOTIONS FOR August 25-30, 2008

Topic: Kick off the school year right...Prioritizing, God first

Devotions Archive

 

Spend time with the devotions this week.  Read the Scriptures and then think how you can apply them to your life.
    

 

 MONDAY August 25

Look up and read Haggai 1:5-6 

             

With the start of a new school year come new challenges, mainly, what things to get involved in (activities) and who you will be friends with and date?  God wants you to give careful thought to your ways (the life you live and what you do).  When put into a new situation or setting do you tend to do or say or get involved in things that you don’t think about, if that’s what God wants for you?  Here in Haggai 1:5-6 God states that we do a lot but none of it is really fruitful, we hunger and thirst after things but are never really satisfied, always wanting more stuff and we have money only to spend it and waste it on things that really are not necessities.  This school year may you be challenged to look to God to guide you in what you should and should not get involved in.  Pray today and ask for His help.

   

 

 

TUESDAY August 26

        Look up and read Proverbs 23:26

 

What have your eyes seen today?  Have they seen things that are focused on God?  The interesting thing is, it’s not your eyes that sin but in your hearts.  In the passage here in Proverbs 23, God simply asks for your hearts so that He will help guide and direct your eyes to focus on Him and His ways.  The more you give of your heart to God, you’ll find that the more you will focus on things that are of God and less on the things that are not.  This school year may you be challenged to give your heart more and more to God so that He can help you keep your eyes focused on His ways.  Spend some time in prayer today asking God to help you give more of your heart to Him so that He can continue to work in and through your life so that your focus will be on His ways.

 

 

WEDNESDAY August 27

Look up and read Psalm 119:35

 

Where are your priorities at?  I’m sure by now you feel like you’ve been run over like a Mac truck with syllabus’ and homework assignments, sports schedules and many other schedules for activities through out the school year.  Did I mention social life?  There are so many things we can choose to be involved in (good things) but you have to remember that God comes first!  Nothing should ever take priority over our relationship with Christ.  You will be challenged through this school year and it will be up to you to keep the “Main Thing the Main Thing”.  In Psalm 119:35 it’s David crying out to God for help in directing his path through God’s commands and that he’d find joy in being in that place of obedience to God’s Word.  If David, a King in charge of a great nation, needed guidance how much more should we be looking to God for guidance?  Meditate over this verse and look over your schedules for the year and make certain that you’re going to God first to help you put on the calendar the things that would keep your life centered on Him.

 

 

 

THURSDAY August 28

Look up and read Deuteronomy 28:14

 

Do you think it’s easier to follow or lead?  Do you find yourself getting into trouble by following the wrong things or people?  That’s why God calls you to follow Him and surround yourselves in worship, fellowship and discipleship.  It will be through these ways that we will draw closer to God and others.  It will keep us from following the world’s way and its enticing things.  The verse in Deuteronomy 28:14 specifically says that we should not turn away from God’s commands, to the right or the left where trouble awaits and not to follow other gods or things we put ahead of God.  Pray today to ask God to help keep you from following the world and to hold to His Word.

 

 

FRIDAY August 29

Look up and read Luke 16:13

Are you playing the game?  The game of being a Christian on Sundays and Wednesday nights and then the rest of the week you’re not.  Eventually you’ll come to realize that the only person you’re fooling is yourself, not God.  The passage in Luke 16 says that we cannot serve two masters.  That’s what you’re trying to do when you’re one way at church and then different at school.  You’re either a Christian or you’re not.  A relationship with God is 24-7 and you’ve got to decide who you will serve.  It’s the biggest choice you’ll ever face.  Maybe right now you’re thinking, well I can’t even choose what to wear to school tomorrow or what to eat for dinner.  All things small and great are important in God’s eyes but He wants to know that you’ve chosen to live a life for Him.  He’ll help you with the rest!  Spend some time in prayer asking God to help you with your choices.

 

 

SATURDAY August 30

Look up and read Romans 12:1

What was the first thing you said when you woke up this morning, “Thank you God its morning” or “Oh my gosh it’s morning’?  How often are you offering up things to God, a roof over your head, food on the table, relationships, gifts and talents, school, schedules, choices, YOUR LIFE?  In Romans 12:1 God calls us to offer up our bodies, everything, as living sacrifices that it be pleasing to God as an act of worship.  You do this as God’s mercy showers down on you.  If your life is a constant sacrifice it will help you understand more how you need His mercy because you will not be able to do it on your own.  It’s an act of worship and you have God and your family and friends to hold you accountable and lift you up.  This school year will you seek to offer your bodies as living sacrifices?  Meditate over this verse and ask God to help you offer yourself up.

 

See you at Sunday School, Worship and Youth Fellowship this Sunday!

 

 

Bible references provided by www.biblegateway.com

Copyright© 2007 Matthews United Methodist Youth Ministries    Last Updated 08/25/2008 03:07 PM