The next logical step in the progression of Godly fear (an understanding of who God is related to how He sees us - resulting in a GOD-CENTERED focus and lifestyle) takes us down the path of Commitment. This is logical for so many reasons, the main one being that if we truly see God for who He is, and understand our place as His "created", then we are being wise to center all we do in the person of Christ - whose mind and will we live in and for.

So we make plans and live life understanding what the MAIN THING IS ---- God MUST be at the center of every thing we do. He is our foundation, and He guides our steps. Read Proverbs 16:1-3 and then read Psalm 16:7-8. Everything we do now, as believers, revolves around God. He is our center now; not ourselves. What we say, who we are friends with, how we treat people, the respect we have for authority, how we dress, where we go, what we look at, what we listen to - it all centers on who God is and what HE ALONE wants for us ...

Today's prayer: Father God, show me areas of my life where I am failing to make you my "center". Give me the courage and discipline to give these areas to YOU for Your glory. Thank you for being my CREATOR. I give you all that I am and all that I do ... in Jesus' name, amen.

Have you ever seen the car decals that say NO FEAR? Or, how about those that respond by saying FEAR THIS?!? I've always wanted to get one that says FEAR GOD, but someone probably already beat me to it.

FEAR GOD. FIrst of all, let's define what this means.

The fear of the Lord is an understanding and perspective that sees God for who He is, and an understanding and perspective of how God sees us. It is the knowledge of our place as "created" and His place as Creator. It is an understanding that all LIFE comes from Him, and without Him there is nothing good or valuable about ourselves.

The fear of the Lord is a GOD-CENTERED focus and lifestyle, where we look to Him for our righteousness (our right-doing) and everything we do and say is meant to lift Him up for the world to see ... to glorify Him alone. You cannot be SELF-CENTERED and GOD-CENTERED for very long. Christ is working in us as believers, continuously bringing us out of our sinful self-centeredness and into a God-centered focus. This is what Philippians 2:5 means when it says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus".

Today's scripture passages (Proverbs 15, Psalm 15) talk about the Fear of the Lord. Both chapters paint a verbal picture that contrasts a God-fearing person against a person who does not fear God. And what a dichotomy it is!!! You can't get more opposite views or results than what we see in these chapters. It's like oil and water ... they just don't go together. 

So the question you must ask yourself today is this ... "Is my life God-centered or self-centered?" As you read today's scriptures, you see the result of each focus,and the rewards of each lifestyle.

You can't have both focuses. Which do you choose?

Today's prayer: "God, I repent of my self-centered focus and surrender to Your correction and discipline in my life. I commit to following You completely with my life, starting right now, and ask that You would bring the right people and circumstances to me to help me stay focused on You. In Jesus' name I give You myself, Amen."

If you are wondering how YOU can get involved with planning a Face of Love Mission's Week in your town, PLEASE feel free to contact us at teenfirefaceoflove@gmail.com!

You can be a blessing to your community, and we can help.

Acts 3:19 "Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away."

Let's break it down:

1.  "Now . . ." - Do it now!  (Is that clear enough for you?)

2." . . .repent of your sins . . ." - this literally means "change your mind about your sin".  Where you once blindly chose sin as a pleasurable and a worthy investment of your time and soul, you now see your sin for what it is.  Realize it's falsehood.  See it's temporal (look it up) nature and its true face. 

Sin is like cheap jewelry.  It looks good until you put it on.  You can fool some people, and even look good doing it.  But YOU will always know it's a facade.

3. " . . .and . . ." - while you are changing your mind, you are also changing your focus.  That is what "changing your mind"/"repent" means.  You are looking to something else.  This simple word "and" adds this magnificent subject of our renewed focus . . . GOD. :)

4.  " . . . turn to God . . . "God offers you Himself.  The REAL.  This verse is tell us to repent of sin and to repent to God.  Change your mind about sin, and therefore change your mind about God. 

So what we're doing here, with this verse, is leaving the facade of sin for the fortune of Heaven.  The cheapness of sin cannot compare to the treasures of the Holy life. 

5.  " . . . so that your sins may be wiped away . . ."

Once you hold real diamonds in your hand, the allure of the cheap knockoff is instantly gone.  It's wiped away. 

Here's the skinny.  Now change your mind regarding sin's value, recognize the supremacy of God, and He will take your sin and replace it with real value.

Read Exodus 3:1-10.

Did you notice the excuses Moses had for God?  Do you think God already knew about Moses' speech condition, or even the fact that Moses was a wanted man in Egypt!?!?!? (Moses killed a man who was beating a Jew)

God called Moses by name. 

God knows who YOU are. 

He knows your weaknesses, your fears, and all the other reasons why it's not FEASIBLE (look it up!) to do what He's asking you to do!

Here's a shocker .... God loves to use failures.  He loves to use those whom everyone else has given up on.  Moses fit the description ... running from the law, a desert shepherd.  Once living in the royal palace, he was now walking the barren sand trying to eke out a living.

God has a plan for YOU, and the gist of it is found in verse 10.  Read it again here "Therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead My people, the Israelites, out of Egypt".  This is a precursor to the Great Commission! 

Look at what Matthew 28:18-20 says, "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Compare what God said to Moses and what Jesus says to us.  Here is where it comes together ...

1.  He calls us to GO

2.  He will be with us

Remember to LOOK AROUND YOU.  There are so many opportunities to allow Him to work through us, saving those who are lost.

Enough said.

John 4:35 says, " . . . As you look around right now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I'm telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It's harvest time!"

Open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you.  This is Truth speaking to us in a very direct way.  Jesus was contrasting a physical harvest of earthly crops (not ready for harvest for months) against a spiritual harvest of souls right in their very neighborhood, ready to be reached RIGHT NOW.

I've been in churches when people have raised THOUSANDS of dollars for overseas missions, but then have a hard time supporting their local homeless shelter.  Jesus is speaking to this hypocrisy.  LOOK AT WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU!  Look at who you sit by at lunch in your school.  Look at who you play weekend soccer or tennis with.  Look at who asks you for a dollar on the street corner.

Get out your Bible and read Matthew 9:35-38.

What are YOU going to do about this dilemma our savior is talking about? 

1.  Pray for 4 people who you want to invite to Church.  Write their names down.  Pray each day that God will give you the opportunity to be Jesus to them.  This could be something as simple as helping them with their books or homework.  Be a friendly face!  Reach out first.  Stop waiting for your community to harvest itself.  Get out of your comfort zone and simply smile and be friendly.

2.  Pray that God gives you the right words and actions to take.

3.  Befriend them.  Once God brings an opportunity (remember, this is something as simple as sitting down beside you at lunch) then TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!

4.  Bring them with you to a TeenFire or youth event.

LOOK AROUND YOU.

Peace.

Derek

Last Devo, we mentioned LOVE from a little different angle, and we mentioned the word "Reciprocation".  Look it up now, then come back here to get the rest of the devo .....

Waiting ......

Waiting ......

Ok, so I'm trusting that you defined it, and are ready to find some Truth to act on.

The Bible tells us that God gave us a new covenant (look it up!) that changes our eternal destiny!  Christ saves us from Sin and Hell, and we are to react in a certain way.  We are to reciprocate this love God gives to us.

Read this ... (John 8:31-32.) "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  Then you will know the Truth,and the Truth will set you free'"

Our part of RECIPROCATION is to follow Christ.  He alone is our way to God and He alone leads us to Heaven.  Jesus tells us to love God first, then to love others with God's love working through us. Take a moment to read I Peter 2:21 - "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."

So, our part of this great Covenant is to:

1.  Read the Bible ("abide in My Word")

2. Obey.   Follow Christ.  This simply means that we obey what Christ tells us in His Word.

John 15:10 says "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love."

John 14:15 says "If you love me, you will keep my commands"

RECIPROCATION.  God loves us, and shows us by coming to us in flesh and dying for our sins against Him.  There's no greater love than this.  We reciprocate by loving God, and we show Him by doing what He tells us and by loving others. (Read John 13:35)

Know God by knowing His word, obeying it, and by loving others like God has loved you.

Valentine's Day is GREAT ... unless your single with no one to share it with!

I know.  I've been there.  I remember when I was "unattached" and did my best to pooh-pooh February 14 when it came each year. 

Remember those grade-school days?  Wow, what a lesson in social failure and ostracization!  Johnny wonder-boy or Susie have-all-your-friends were raking in the "will you be mine" cards, and yours truly sat in his 5th grade corner and put a pencil eraser in and out of his belly button, trying to impress someone .... anyone?

The high school came,and all of us single guys would make fun of the love-struck, doe-eyed kids who spent family fortunes on boxed chocolates and flowers being sold in every hallway.

Don't get me wrong.  We would have GLADLY joined the masses .... but we had no one to reciprocate.

Reciprocate.  Thats a great word.  It means to give and receive.

To give AND receive.

We enjoy the full process.  Take away one part on either side, and we are left with an empty relationship.  Lopsided Love.

God feels the same way.

Read John 3:16 today.  He gives fully and joyfully!  He offers His Amazing Valentine!

Now read John 13:35.  He expects reciprocation.

Our part of the exchange.  God loves to love and BE loved.

Think of how YOU are going to do just that today ....

I hope you had a great V-Day!

I love this commercial!  It blows away any other Super Bowl commercial this year, in my humble opinion :)

Do you ever feel like this little boy?  I sure do!

There are many times when I wake up to the realization that I'm trying to do everything in my own strength, my own power, and in my own God-ness, so to speak. 

But there are some things we can't do, and that bothers us!  Just like the little boy, with his big Darth head in his hands (LOL!), we become stressed and live disappointed if everything doesn't turn out like we want.

Take a moment and read Luke 12:22-26

Who's in charge?  Can we add even ONE hour to our life?

God is more than happy to start the car ... seriously, He is! 

But only when it's in HIS time.

Have patience and relax.  God is our strength, our "force", and our LIFE.

Hebrews 4:15-16, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

This is amazing stuff!  Let's recap the last several days:

1.  Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life

2.  He proves this by taking our sin, becoming the sacrifice for that sin by dying, and then God raises him from the dead.

3.  Now it's time for us to take part in this "Way" by accepting God's offer to be "set apart", to be Holy like God is Holy.

4.  We can be confident that Jesus is capable of this, because He is sinless, EVEN THOUGH He was tempted just like we are.  He never gave in, because He knew we would never follow someone who doesn't practice what he preached.  Read the verse again.  We can approach God's throne (through Jesus - He's the WAY, remember) with confidence!  We are weak and He is strong.  His strength is our perfection.

What are you waiting for?

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Hebrews 7:23b - 26 says, " ... because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens."

Jesus is our way to God.  To know God, we must learn to know Jesus.  God gives himself in the form of Jesus, who is perfect.  God gives us his best, not some weak version of holiness (set apart and purified).  Don't believe the lies that promote many paths to God.  Jesus is the only one who meets our need.  He alone is holy and exalted.  We can't save each other, because we are all drowning in our sin.  He is the only one who is above, lifted up, and willing to pull us into LIFE.

I like what the verses continue to say ... he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, and he is continually doing it.  God never sleeps.  Jesus never takes a break.  He is always interceding, pleading our case, and saving us.

So wherever you are right now; no matter what you've done; no matter what time it is ... Jesus wants you to come to him.  He alone forgives and restores.  In my sin, I felt hopeless and dirty.  I wrecked my life.  All I had left to do was surrender, and I thought "what can I lose".

I Peter 1:16 says, "Be holy, because I am holy".  Now, this verse DOESN'T mean that we have to somehow find a way to clean ourselves up, and come to him spotless and whole.  If that's the case, we have no hope.

That's not what this verse says.  God is saying "You can be holy and pure, because I am the only one who can give this to you, and I want you to have it.

Wow!  God wants to give us LIFE abundantly, and since he made us, knows us, and loves us ... there's no reason to reject this incredible gift.

What do you have to lose?  Your misery?  Your dirty life?  Your tragedy?  Your sin?

Just tell Him "yes".  Find a Bible.  Continue to read these devotionals.  Find a church that loves sinners (we are all unworthy).  Surround yourself with people who love God, and start your journey to holiness.

It is a journey.  Don't get beat down if you mess up here and there.  Commit your way to God, and He will guide your life. (Proverbs 3:6)

Welcome to the family!

2nd Corinthians 8:9 - "You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make YOU rich."

There's something to be said about someone who comes into the hole with you, puts you on His back, then carries you up and out of your darkness.  This is what Jesus Christ did for you and me.  The generosity of Christ is seen when He lays down His crown, relinquishes His glory, and becomes one of us, to die instead of us, and to offer a WAY to God.

He tells us He is our Way, our Truth, and our Life even as He is putting on our sin, and bearing our cross.  No one else does this.  Watch this ...

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Read John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

God is good in many ways, and for many reasons.  This Bible verse tells us that He is good towards us.  He has feelings of affection and concern for you and me!  So much so, that he is like a shepherd who puts His own life at risk to save one of His sheep.  His goodness towards us is so HUGE, that he is willing to die for us, to save us from death.

In fact, He's already done that, hasn't he?  Earlier in this book of John, God tells us (John 3:16) that he loves us so much, that he came (in the form of Jesus) to save us from our death - our sin.  He ended up dying for us.

The Cross. 

That was our cross, our nails, our pierced side, our torment and beating.

You can't deny the Cross and believe in God.

Another verse to read is Romans 5:8 - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

God is GOOD.

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(John 14:6 KJV) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Is this an arrogant statement?  Think about it.

Is Jesus really who He says He is?  He either is ... or isn't. 

No in-between.

If He really is who He says He is, then the above statement makes perfect sense.  If He is a fraud, then why is He still here?  Why hasn't He vanished into history like every other Loon who made crazy claims?

I believe it's because He is who He says he is.  And therefore His claim to be the way, the TRUTH, and the life makes perfect sense.

Why would the Son of God ... Creator of the Universe ... The Light of the world ... offer you something that is not the absolute best for you?  Himself.

If He loves you like He he says does, why would he offer you anything less.  That would dim His glory.  That would lessen His truth, which leads to unbelief.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man comes to God, but by me".  He's basically stating that He cares enough about you to tell you how it is.

If we will listen and believe, then we are set free.  If we listen and reject what He states, then we keep looking for what we are missing ...

That's Truth. 

That's Jesus.

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