Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: COLOSSIANS 3:16; HEBREWS 10:23-25; REVELATION 4:1-11 The more I study worship, the more frustrated I get with how we do or don’t do it in our churches today. From coffee snobs to music snobs, we all know “that guy.” Well, I think I may have become “that guy” when it comes to finding a church I like. I recently moved back home to the United States from Canada, and I’m trying to find “the righ...

READ: LAMENTATIONS 3:21-26; 2 TIMOTHY 2:8-13 Baking treats for my family is one way I show love. Years ago, I learned to make brownies from scratch. But one day, something that wasn’t on the ingredients list found its way into the brownies. One family member, Dane, took his first warm, chewy bite—but was dismayed to find a sliver of paper in it. Apparently, I hadn’t removed the entire wrapper from...

READ: ROMANS 12; 1 PETER 2:9-12 Have you ever felt like you had to try hard to get people to like you? School, church, homeschool co-op, work—anywhere you go there are expectations to act a certain way, say certain things, do this, and definitely don’t do that! You might feel like you have to guard yourself to make sure no one sees who you really are—because they might not like that person. Lookin...

READ: PSALMS 63:6-8; 119:103-105; MATTHEW 11:28-30 There are times when I have a few free moments, and I reach for my phone. My finger automatically taps on a social media app, a good place to go when I just want to browse for a little while, see some content quick, and move on. The types of things I see on social media, though, can cause me stress or make me feel down. I wish I was quicker to ope...

READ: JOHN 14:6; ROMANS 3:21-26; EPHESIANS 2:8-9; HEBREWS 7:25 I looked up at the enormous shimmering gates guarding a city of wonders: streets lined with mansions, rivers of crystal water, and a peaceful people ruled by a just and powerful king. But no person entered the rich kingdom without first earning their spot, and there was only one way to do it. I gripped the rough, wooden bow and took my...

READ: JOHN 13:1-17, 33-35; 15:5 Have you ever done something good…because an adult told you to, or because you wanted to be a “good person,” or because it seemed like the “right” thing to do? Was your heart in the right place? As humans, we’ve all done good things for the wrong reasons. But Jesus makes it pretty clear that following Him means servanthood—the first will be last, and the last will b...

READ: MATTHEW 5:14-16; JOHN 13:12-17, 34-35; 1 JOHN 4:19 Recently, some friends and I gathered to pray in someone’s living room for a specific need. It was evening, and the room was lit with warm lamplight. As we were finishing praying for the night, it occurred to me that, from outside, people passing by would see a glowing yellow light coming from the windows. And it reminded me of something Jes...

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; JOHN 14:26-27; PHILIPPIANS 4:4-13 Relax your shoulders. Take a deep breath, and let out the tension you’ve been holding. Feel any better? God calls Himself our Comforter. In John 14:26, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit Paraklētos, which can be translated helper, advocate, counselor—or comforter. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 1:3, Paul praises God the Father as “the God of all comf...

READ: JOHN 1:1-4, 9-14; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-5; HEBREWS 4:14-16 Have you been rejected by your family? Jesus can relate. His own brothers didn’t believe in Him (John 7:5). Have you been rejected by your friends? One of Jesus’s best friends denied that he even knew Him three times (John 18:13-27). Do you feel alone in your hometown? Jesus was driven out of His (Luke 4:14-30). Have you been kind to som...

READ: ACTS 8:26-35 William Tyndale was publicly executed in 1536 in Belgium for translating the Bible from its original languages into English. When the King James Version was published in 1611, it was made up mostly of Tyndale’s translation—the translation he was executed for writing. For over 300 years, the King James Version served English speakers well. Many people still love its beautiful poe...

READ: DEUTERONOMY 6:1-9; ROMANS 12:1-2; 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-13, 19; 3:16 Originally, the Bible was written in three languages: most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, parts of Daniel and Ezra were written in Aramaic, and the New Testament was written in Greek. While Jesus was on earth, He most likely spoke Aramaic. The English language only began to form around 450 years after Christ’s ascensio...

READ: GENESIS 12:1-8; ROMANS 8:28-39 “But I don’t want to go.” For months I begged Mom. I didn’t want to leave our home to move to a new state hundreds of miles away. I didn’t want to say goodbye to friends and neighbors I had known forever. I didn’t want to start all over again, especially in the middle of the school year. “Why can’t I stay here?” But I knew why. Cancer. We had lived in Florida m...

READ: MATTHEW 11:27-30; JOHN 1:14; 5:19-20; HEBREWS 1:1-12 Have you ever celebrated the Day of the Epiphany? While most North Americans celebrate December 25 as the big gift-giving day of the season, other cultures celebrate January 6 as the day for presents and other surprises. On January 6, the Day of the Epiphany, many people traditionally remember the day when the Magi brought gifts to young J...

READ: GENESIS 1:26-27; 3:1-11; 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20; GALATIANS 2:20 I’m fat. My skin is broken out. My nose is too big. I’m ugly. Thoughts like these have haunted me most of my life, particularly during my teenage years. I often wondered what was wrong with me. Why couldn’t I look different? Sometimes, just looking in a mirror made me want to cry. My weight bothered me most, so I tried anything t...

READ: JOHN 16:33; ACTS 16:16-25; ROMANS 8:28-39; HEBREWS 12:1-3 So cold. Such nasty weather. The wind is terrible. The voice in my head was full of complaints. I was ready to get inside and tell everyone just how miserable I had felt on my morning walk. I can’t do this. I frowned. How was I even going to make it inside? It was too cold. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head: I needed to change m...

READ: PSALM 34:17-22 I wasn’t hiding I’ve always been here All of this time There is no need to fear I wouldn’t leave you This is not the end Broken as it is Your heart, I will mend I am always good I have good plans for you My gentle hand will guide In all that you do I am your Father You can come to me Always, in any moment I will give you peace • Bethany Acker • Can you think of a time you felt...

READ: MARK 10:17-22; LUKE 15:11-24; JOHN 13:1-5 Duke Zeroth pounded on the cell door, then slid to the floor. Every gold piece, mansion, animal, field, and even his wardrobe—gone to pay debts. And still he owed more. Zeroth clutched his head. Surely he couldn’t have invested everything in that partnership with Lord Drune—the traitor! Even now, Drune was duping a new victim. Zeroth crawled onto a p...

READ: PHILIPPIANS 3:1-11 Have you ever read Philippians 3:1-11? Paul says some pretty surprising stuff in this passage. He talks about all the good things he did—studying God’s Word, living a holy life, and obeying God’s good law—and he calls it all garbage, rubbish, or dung. We might look at passages like this and wonder, “Why on earth would Paul say that?” By this point in his life, Paul had lea...

READ: 2 CHRONICLES 34:29-33; ACTS 19:18-20; ROMANS 12:1-2; HEBREWS 12:1-3 “King Josiah!” Shaphan called out as he burst into the palace. “We found this book in the temple.” The king said, “Read it to me.” When the scribe did, Josiah tore his robes and wept. Shaphan read the Book of the Law, the story of God’s love for His people and the rules He gave to sustain His covenant with them. Josiah recog...

READ: 1 KINGS 19:3-8; MATTHEW 9:20-22; REVELATION 21:4 Pain and illness are terrible results of the Fall, which is when sin and death entered the world. Whenever we or someone we know is affected by an illness, God wants us to pray for healing in faith that He will heal all believers in one of three ways: natural healing, supernatural healing, or ultimate healing when Jesus comes back. Jesus, who...

READ: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18; 1 TIMOTHY 2:1; JAMES 5:13-18 You’re halfway through the story, and the heroes are stuck. Nothing is working, and the enemies are closing in. You don’t see any way of escape. But, somehow, things turn out okay. Maybe a sudden turn of events changes everything. Maybe they knew something you didn’t. Or maybe they had a secret weapon, more powerful than you or their enem...

READ: MATTHEW 28:16-20; ROMANS 10:14-15; 1 PETER 3:15-16 In the Bible, Jesus commissioned His disciples to tell people about Him. As Christians, that is our commission too. And, personally, it’s one area I’ve struggled with. You see, I’m not an extrovert. In fact, there have been times when I’ve wondered if my voice is actually being heard at all. I’ve never imagined myself as the outspoken Peter...

READ: JOHN 1:12; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17; GALATIANS 2:20; 1 PETER 2:9 What am I? I thought as I stared down at my hand, now covered in words written in permanent ink. Cruel words, words that had been carved into my heart for years, now written all over my hands—they stabbed me, again and again, like knives in my heart. This can’t be who I am. I thought desperately. Lazy, slow, fat, short, stupid, weak…...

READ: MATTHEW 18:15, 21-35; COLOSSIANS 3:13 Have you been hurt by something someone said to you lately? Maybe you were left wondering how they could have been so insensitive. In my own life, I recently experienced a family tragedy. To make matters worse, one of my relatives said something unkind to me. I thought about how I should react. Should I just get angry and bitter? The verse Matthew 18:15...

READ: MATTHEW 2:1-12; LUKE 2:8-20 On the night Jesus was born, there was a lot of celebrating going on! And those celebrations continue on to this day—all around the world. In the USA, where I live, our Christmas celebrations center around putting up a Christmas tree and a nativity scene. On the actual day, we have a big meal and exchange presents. In Norway, they start celebrating on Christmas Ev...