Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Growing up, I didn’t like the word “testimony.” In Christian circles, this word is often used when people tell others about what God has done in their lives. It seemed to me like the people who told …

As humans, we hate the idea of being trapped. We crave freedom because God created us to be free. Yet, we often feel trapped in our broken lives. We are held back by fear, anxiety, doubt, and regrets…

There are many sad things in this world: death, sickness, and isolation, to name a few. We can all get overwhelmed by this sadness from time to time. When that happens, Psalm 23 can be a source of gr…

I have three observations about the people (and there are lots of them!) who we can read about in the Bible. In a span of over two thousand years, there are hundreds of people mentioned. Observation…

The power of the gospel, as Paul explains in a letter to the Christians in Corinth, comes not from eloquent reasoning or polished argumentation but from Jesus’s death on the cross and resurrection fr…

Have you heard the expression “have faith”? What does it mean to have faith? One biblical example is a woman whose name we never hear. She is simply called the widow of a prophet. When her husband d…

Who is really in control? Is it me? The voices on the TV? Who has things figured out? Is it a professor? A well-trained scholar? Who will fix things? Is it a political leader? A much-loved ruler? W…

Ash rained from the sky like a grim snow, the crimson lands desolate. A permanent red haze stained the horizon, darker than the sunrise. I could only guess it was time for the sun to rise. I hadn’t s…

If one person has known God for a long time, does that make them somehow superior to someone who has just met God? Does the fact that one grew up in a Christian home make them any better than a frien…

Part of being a Christian is sharing the gospel with others. Many of us are familiar with Matthew 28:18-20, which some call “the great commission.” We know the good news: that Jesus saves and forgiv…

The Bible says to be “strong and courageous” many times. In the NIV translation, there are at least ten verses with this phrase. But what does it mean to be courageous? Shiphrah and Puah give us an …

The Bible is filled with stories of individuals and groups who were displaced, either because they chose or were forced to live somewhere other than their original home. It began with Adam and Eve le…

One thing I wish I knew earlier in my teen years is that what I do will never be perfect. I am imperfect and sinful, and I need Jesus in my life! A few years ago, I was stuck in a cycle, something I…

The princess sat alone in her tower. There was nothing to hope for anymore, nothing to look forward to. Just day after day of loneliness and longing, serving the dragon who held her captive. As her m…

Jesus reveals God’s great compassion for us. As God in the flesh, Jesus had a special connection with the people He met. He truly cared for them and was interested in their problems, and He helped th…

As humans living in a broken world, there are times when someone we love stops being part of our lives. You might be in a dating relationship, only to break up and have your significant other cut the…

I close my eyes and I pray Lord, fill my thoughts today When I open my eyes again Don’t let me turn away Don’t let me ignore you As I move forward with my day I want to be consumed Each moment as I…

The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, can seem brutal, as if God has lost all his patience and love for Israel. Yet this book is very important, as it would be the last direct words the Israel…

What makes you angry? Lots of things make me angry. Sometimes, I don’t even know why I feel angry, and I try to figure it out. Other times, I do know why, but I don’t think my anger is justified. Eit…