Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Before Jesus left this earth, before He rose from the dead, even before He went to the cross, He made a promise to His disciples. He let them know that they would see Him again one day. We can hold on to that same promise and know that Jesus is preparing a place in His kingdom for us and more than just a place, a room. What a special thing. If you’ve never felt very special here on earth, if you’v...

CRACK! CRASH! Ivy gazed in horror at the chaos around her. Everywhere she turned, everywhere she looked, there was turmoilshe couldn’t escape it. The very earth was trembling as mountain caps collapsed and fell. Ivy clutched at her head. Peace. She needed peace. Quiet. Stillness. Where could she find that on this crumbling earth? Another earthquake shook the ground, and Ivy fell. “Everything is wr...

He never got over being excited about the resurrection of Jesus. It was the central event of his life. Nearly every minute of every day throughout the year, his enthusiasm was obvious. His name was Rev. William J. Irey. I’m very thankful he was my dad. A lot of ministers and a lot of Christian parents approach the Christian life as dull, boring, and somber. Living in their homes is a dreary, restr...

God created you and me. Even though He is divine and infinitely greater than us, He wants to accept all of us into His family. Being accepted doesn’t just give us a good feeling; acceptance is one of our deepest needs as humans. When God made the first humans, He was very pleased with us. But when humans went their own way against God, He was grieved because, in His holiness, God cannot accept sin...

I’ve been learning so much about the world. I had no idea Satan had his fingers so curled. It isn’t much like the time of my childhood, What was once sweet now reeks with wormwood. I find no rest in what I used to enjoy. The world seemed a bit brighter when I was a boy. The more I walk these streets and watch the news, The more I feel doubt about what I learn in the pews. But then I turn to You, o...

Darkness. Mena jolted awake, jumping up off the prickly grass. Where was he? Is anyone there? he called out to the emptiness. Silence responded. A memory flashed inside him, of the recent burning anger when he’d yelled, No one cares! Nothing makes a difference! It’s all a waste of time. Now he was alone. Sweat trickled down his face. “Oh Jesus, help me,” he prayed. “What’s happening? Am I in hell?...

Your classmate or coworker enters the room, cringing. Her face is flushed and her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. A group of people start smirking, nudging each other and staring at their cell phones at a video of her at a party. Although you don’t really know her, you realize she is suffering. Maybe you’re a Christian and you believe that Jesus taught us to love others and help the distressed. So...

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 their testimonies usually had epic stories of how God saved them from really hard things, like addictionwhich is AWESOME! But sometimes, I felt like my experience was small compared to theirs. For a lo...

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. Our minds are imprisoned by our own thoughts. We can’t dig our way out of our failures on our own. We can’t set ourselves free from the brokenness, sin, and lies that have invaded God’s good creation...

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 great comfort. King David, the author of this psalm, begins by stating that because God is our Shepherd, we have everything we need. When we are in difficult times or when people turn against us, we can...

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 #1: There is someone like you somewhere in the pages of Scripture. There are young and old and in between, rich and poor, male and female, folks of various nationalities. Personality types run the gamu...

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 from the dead. God’s nature is so magnificent and complex that we could not even begin to understand Him. That’s why God revealed Himself in Jesus. Human logic and reasoning are not enough to bring someo...

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 died, he left behind some debt. In those times, someone in debt often hired out themself or their sons to the creditor until the money was paid back. However, in this widow’s case, the creditor waited unti...

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? When no humans can do it What no humans would attempt You step in God Be in control, figure things out, fix things Emily Acker Do you ever find yourself feeling scared because of things you read or see in...

**Editor’s note: Today’s reading discusses suicide*** If you ever want to see God’s power and glory right by His compassion and gentleness, read 1 Kings 17-19. Elijah experienced the full gamut of God’s character in these chapters. Elijah was a prophet (someone who spoke to God’s people on His behalf) in Israel at a time when Israel was praising the false god, Baal. In chapter 18, Elijah challenge...

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 seen the actual sun for years; ash and the ubiquitous red glow of the beast choked out the beautiful golden orb. “But no longer,” I thought. I adjusted my armorthe armor He gave me from His very own arm...

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 friend who grew up without really knowing about God? The short answer is no. If you have known God for longer than someone else, you might be more knowledgeable about God. You might have advice to share, an...

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 forgives us, sinners who can’t save ourselves. He came to earth as a human and made a huge sacrifice out of love for us. He died, and then He rose again! It’s some pretty great news! But how do we tell others?...

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 example. Their names are mentioned only once in the Bible, and their actions are described in only seven verses. Yet their short story is one of immense bravery and courage. Shiphrah and Puah were midwive...

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 leaving the Garden of Eden, but it doesn’t stop there. Abraham went to live in Canaan, a land where he knew no one. Jacob took his family on the run from his own brother. The Israelites escaped Egypt and...

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 like to call the perfection cycle. Everything I did, I’d strive to do perfectly. I made sure nothing was out of place. The worst parts about this cycle are (1) you base your worth on how well you perfo...

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 mind swirled into a sea of despair, she glanced out the window, fully expecting to see the same dark fields and dying trees. But today, something was different. There riding toward her was a prince on a...

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 them in many ways. As He traveled from town to town, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God, Jesus healed many people from illness and disease. In Matthew 14, King Herod ordered the execution of...

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 themself out of your life. Maybe you have a parent who has abandoned you. Other people in your life may or may not be around as you grow older. Some of them are going to leave as they enter the next seaso...

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 move I want to be attuned I want each breath to be in you Emily Acker In Psalm 63, King David talks about earnestly seeking and longing for God, and David expresses confidence in God’s faithfulness. Tod...