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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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The Whosoevers

MARCH 5

MATTHEW 5:19_but whosoever shall do…

The all-inclusive whosoever takes a turn for the better: the universal laws of right and wrong ring true for everyone—i.e., the whosoevers.

Wrong ultimately ends in some type of punishment. It may be punishment by our earthly law system, or it may be punishment by life itself. Life is governed by God and subject to His principles included in creation. Let’s look a little further.

There are wrong-doers who get by with their crime—never caught by law enforcement. But no one can run or hide from their conscience. God’s creativeness overrules anything the world creates.

We cannot escape ourselves.

Punishment by life itself—living with the agony of guilt.

The turn for the better is: doing what is right ultimately ends up with rewards. They may not always be public rewards, but God rewards life in ways no plaque, medal, or money can.

Simply to find your way to love, joy, and peace is to own more than anything money can buy.

PRAYER

Lord of Lords, I want to do what is right. I want to live out the truths You teach so I can be a salty-lit-up disciple. Thank You that You teach me how to live life through Your Word. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is love, joy, and peace—He gives those to me!

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Least

MARCH 4

MATTHEW 5:19_he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven…

The importance of the word least continues—but changes from a description of the Law to the description of a person. 

When you take into consideration all the laws, the least one is indeed—least! Yet, Jesus makes it important enough that to break the least law, and teach others to follow your lead, causes you to be least in the kingdom of heaven.

Think of this in New Testament terms to see a better view: How heartbreaking it would be if you were part of what encompasses the Bride of Christ, and called least by the Groom. You don’t want the word least to refer in any kind of way to your relationship with Jesus!

Who could keep from breaking even a small law out of so many? No one. 

There’s hope! Don’t give up!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Thank You for giving me hope. Thank You that if I follow You, I have no need to ever give up. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is my hope—I won’t give up!

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A Natural Byproduct

MARCH 3

MATTHEW 5:19_and shall teach men so…

Jesus knows to live outside of Biblical principles brings heartbreaking consequences. He wants to protect you, not punish you. The punishment comes on its own: a natural byproduct when you make decisions of right and wrong (not allow the Bible to). 

Jesus knows the world is too hard, too difficult, too deceiving, for you to take on by yourself. He gives you commandments to live by. These commandments are taught in the Old Testament by God’s chosen leaders and in the New Testament by Jesus and His disciples. Jesus knows even the least commandment is for your good. 

Jesus sees every tear you shed, hears every sigh of your heart, and knows every pain disappointments bring. He tries to save you as much pain as possible.

Suffering comes with life—period.  God’s commandments are a true safety to keep you from experiencing suffering unnecessarily. 

It is enough to bear the pain of having broken God’s commandment, but far worse is the guilt of having led others astray with you. 

PRAYER

Holy Lord, I don’t want to make my own suffering by breaking even Your least commandment. Let Your Word teach me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ knows all my pain—He wants to help me!

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Everyone Has It!

MARCH 2

MATTHEW 5:19_and shall teach men so…

Jesus teaches something worse than to break even the least commandment—teach others to do the same. You can directly teach someone, or you can teach by influence. The power of influence is tremendous—and everyone has it!

You can’t keep commandments and make wise decisions in your own strength. When it comes to sin there is a one-size-fits-all consequence—eternal separation from God.

Romans 3:23 (KJV): “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

James 2:10 (KJV): “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

God’s compassion and forgiveness make a way to fix that. Jesus!

A hypocrite is a professing Christian who lives contrary (including influence) to the principles and teachings of the Bible. In other words, to be a Christian who is void of salt and light. The hypocrite will not cause anyone to thirst for truth: salt contaminated by the lures of the world. No weary traveler will find the freedom path through the darkness of a hypocrite.

You may not believe you are accountable for your influence. If someone makes a poor decision because of your influence, it is no different from your direct teaching. Everyone is responsible for their decisions. You are also accountable for contributing influence. And this is Jesus who says there will be a consequence.

Your call to be salt and light includes your influence. Contribute a salty-lit-up influence!

To really know Jesus is to know He is not about judgment and punishment. Jesus is the very embodiment of love, mercy, and grace. But it is also Jesus who warns there are consequences in life. This is why He draws attention to the importance of living in accordance with the commandments.

Just as the laws of the land, God’s laws are for your safety and protection. 

PRAYER

Precious Jesus, I want my life to be salt and light to those thirsty and in darkness. I want this to be true in whatever You call me to do in life. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is mercy and grace—I want to live like that!

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Nothing Is Hid from God

MARCH 1

MATTHEW 5:19_of these least commandments…

To break the laws of the land carry different sentences. You expect to receive harsher punishment for murder than for misrepresenting your taxes. Both break a law and carry a punishment, but the severity of the crime equals the severity of the punishment. It is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing.

In this teaching, Jesus refers to breaking one of the least commandments. He leaves no room for a commandment to be too small to escape consequence. So if you think God won’t notice the bubble gum you slipped in your pocket and left the store without paying—think again. Remember, this teaching is part of Jesus’ verlies:perk up, listen, pay attention! The store may never notice it, but nothing is hid from God.

The Creator calls you to take notice that God’s words matter. Life is serious business. Every thought you think, every word you speak, and every action you take, is seen, heard, and known by the God of Heaven. They are also seen and heard by people all around you. They leave some kind of influence.

I Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV), “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” According to the Bible, don’t even appear to be outside of God’s commands—whether you actually break them or not.  

PRAYER

Holy and Almighty God, I don’t want to break Your commandments, neither do I want to appear as though I have. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                        

Christ teaches God’s truths—I want to keep them!