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Devotionals With Answers

It’s a crazy world! It’s a scary world! It’s a confused world!

Are there real answers? Is there such a thing as true love?

Is there a path to peace?

Daily Devotionals for Salty-Lit-Up Teenage Disciples has answers!

Based entirely on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, these devotionals offer power-packed answers for pain-packed problems!

Take this year long journey with Jesus  and study His most powerful sermon!

Receive hope when you feel overwhelmed by the circumstances of life over which you have no control.

Be encouraged that God has a purpose for every life – that means you!

Most of all allow yourself to be engulfed by the love of Jesus for an entire year.

Experience the joy of learning that the Giver of Love can teach you how to love!

BEGINS JANUARY 1, 2021!

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You Are Not God

FEBRUARY 18

MATTHEW 5:16_that they may see your good works and…

Never feel your candle is too small. Just because you do not have some kind of world-wide ministry does not lessen your ability to shine.

First off, you are not God (whew!). You do not know the beginning and the end. You do not know the fullness of God’s plan. He always works on your behalf. God’s love for you has no boundaries. He is using your light in ways you have no knowledge of, or ability to see. He is working when you are sleeping.

As long as you are not ashamed or afraid to shine,  you are doing a good work. That work is seen by people you know, and by some you may never know.

You may feel you have shed light for only a few, but upon whom have those few shined with the light they received from your candle? Are you getting the picture? You do not always have to hold on to your light. The light your candle gives off leaves you and settles on another.

Good works are living out Jesus’ teachings through the Holy Spirit’s power by loving people.

Mark 10:18, Jesus says, “… there is none good but one, that is, God.“

I am not a good person, but my transformation allows me to do good by shining the love of God and serving others.

PRAYER

Precious Jesus, Help me trust You to shine through me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ’s light is seen in love—His love can shine in me!

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A Two Way Street

FEBRUARY 17

MATTHEW 5:16_Let your light shine before men…

The saltier a disciple, the greater your love.

The greater your love, the more darkness you see.

The more darkness, the greater your desire to overcome it.

The greater your desire to overcome darkness, the more you want to shine your light.

The more your light shines, the more you desire a larger candle.

Waiting on God is never easy. He alone knows the beginning and the end. His timing is perfect. Sometimes God’s calling may seem impossible. But that’s exactly who He is: the God of the Impossible. You will never know the impossibilities God can conquer if you’ve never faced any.

As you wait, focus on the job at hand—let your light so shine before men. Your job is to shine for the people God has placed around you at home, school, work, church, organizations, and community.

Shining your light is a two way street. All those people mentioned need your light and you need theirs. There is no happenstance as to who the people are in your life. God put you together for a purpose.

When God lights your candle—let it shine!

   PRAYER

Dear God, Thank you for all the people You designed for my life. Help me grow from the light they give and help me give them light. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                    

Christ lights me from others—He lights them from me!

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The Larger Candle

FEBRUARY 16

MATTHEW 5:15_and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Jesus’ teaching on light is a high point of God’s plan. Your light is not lit just to dispel your own darkness, but possesses the power to give light to all that are in the house! God determines how far reaching the house (where you will serve God) is. Your light is set on the candlestick to achieve a God-designed purpose.

Life is like candles. A small candle works well in a small room. When you move to a larger room you need to place a larger candle on a larger candlestick. With your small candle in hand you enter the larger room, the flame of the small candle lights the wick of the larger candle. This procession continues throughout life.

The more your light is used to give love to the loveless, hope to the hopeless, and burn the cords of bondage, the larger a candle you will need. Just as you grow physically from an infant to an adult, so you grow spiritually.

It can never be overemphasized that the time tables of life belong to God. He determines when to light the larger candle.

  PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Thank you for giving me the house You want me to light. Help me find it and light it for Your glory. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                              

Christ sees my flame—He will light a larger candle!

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A Call in Your Heart

FEBRUARY 15

MATTHEW 5:15_ but on a candlestick…

The proper place for the candle to do its job is on the candlestick. One more time: the purpose of light is to dispel and overcome darkness. 

The one who lit the candle did it because there was darkness—light was needed. The one who lit the candle sets it on a candlestick. It is Jesus who says, “Ye are the light of the world.“ It is Jesus who lights your candle. The Holy Spirit has placed a call in your heart. You either accept the call to be Jesus’ light, or run from it. You’re either shining or hiding. You have the freedom to choose. 

You may believe you light your own candle by good works, or regular church attendance. Those should be the results of your shining light. If you concentrate more on being good than being in relationship with Jesus, you may shine the wrong light—for your glory.

Like light, you have a purpose. Your purpose is God’s amazing plan for your life. He created a plan for you before you were born. You were born to achieve that plan. Jesus gives you what you need to achieve your plan. Jesus calls you to fulfill it.

It is Jesus who lights your candle. It is Jesus who sets your candle on the candlestick. It is Jesus who brings the two together. 

PRAYER

Jesus Messiah, Praise You for giving me a purpose in life! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.              

Christ is a candlestick—He wants my light on it!

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Light That Gives Out

FEBRUARY 14

MATTHEW 5:15_Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel…

What is the point of lighting a candle, or lamp, or even a match, just to hide it? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose? Remember the purpose of light? It was mentioned twice in the previous devotion – to dispel and overcome darkness!

If you lit a candle and covered it with a solid bushel container, what would be the result? Once air could no longer feed the flame, the light would be snuffed out. If the container were some kind of basket which allowed air to seep through, the flame could continue to grow, possibly catching the basket on fire. Neither the snuffing nor the fire has a positive result.

In both scenarios there is potential for the light to stray from its purpose. In the case of the basket the good light can turn into a destructive fire. If you are a charismatic person, but not a salty disciple of Jesus, you can use the charm and persuasiveness of your light to lead others into various forms of bondage.

In the case of the solid container the light which was intended to do good, gives out of air and does nothing at all. If you are a politically correct Christian, who fears the love of people more than the love of God, your light gives out.

  PRAYER

Holy Jesus, Help me to keep my light shining for Your glory. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.               

Christ does not hide His light—He uses it for my good!