Hey Everyone, Lyndsay here. Just read through these, take a minute of your time to think about it, reflect on it. If you take time to do this each day, let me know if you feel anything different next weekend. Maybe more peaceful, relaxed, closer to God, whatever it may be, I’d love to hear about it 🙂
Have a great week!
Prayer
Devotions For Students
Lesson 2: Get Some Confidence
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DAY 1
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ⎯ John 14:27
When have you felt the most at peace with someone?
It seems that for most of our lives we are always living in some form of tension with people. Whether it’s with our friends or our parents it takes a lot of work to keep things from spinning into conflict. But every now and then things seem to be great, and we are confident in our friendships. We are at peace.
Think about how great it is when we are truly at peace with someone in our lives. Instead of being an anomaly, this should be our rhythm with God.
Read John 14:25-29.The Holy Spirit is a gift! Throughout this passage Jesus teaches His disciples that soon He would be gone, but in His place would be the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this passage the Holy Spirit is called a Counselor, Advocate, Comforter, or Helper, depending on your translation. These are all words that paint a fuller picture for the Greek word parakletos.
God desires intimacy and care with His people. And the Holy Spirit is the gift that allows that to happen.
Think About This . . .
- What do these words, Counselor, Advocate, Comforter, and Helper say about who the Holy Spirit is?
- How can you live into the peace that God gives us through the gift of the Holy Spirit?
- Spend a few minutes sharing your heart with God through prayer.
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DAY 2
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.” ¾ 1 Timothy 2:5,6
God is Holy and we are sinful, and therefore separated from Him. Jesus mediates our relationship, meaning that He is the go-between for God and us. He plays this role because He covered our sin with His sacrifice on the cross.
Today, take advantage of this access to God by asking God to forgive whatever sins are being a barrier between you and God. Do more than talk. Listen to what God might be saying to you.
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DAY 3
Read this quote and think about it today:
“You must not lose confidence in God because you lost confidence in your [friends, parents, or pastor]. If our confidence in God had to depend upon our confidence in any human person, we would be on shifting sand.”
– Francis Schaeffer
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DAY 4
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you . . .” ¾ Psalm 63:1
Few people were as intimate with God as was King David. In Acts 13:22 the Scriptures affirm that David was a man after God’s own heart. David was not perfect. In fact he was far from it. But David was someone who boldly entered the presence of God and laid down his entire life. He celebrated, wept, screamed. Whatever was on his heart and wherever he was in his life, he was honest before God. David recognized God’s place of holiness and authority, and recognized his place under that.
But what is even more amazing is that David also understood that God was not just a God of holiness and authority, but a God of love and mercy who desired intimacy. In the Psalms we see this heart over and over again.
Read Psalm 63. In this psalm we see David’s love towards God. You get the idea that David is not simply a religious man, but a man who has confidence in God. He has experienced God’s faithfulness and goodness. He does not pray out of duty, but out of love.
Think about whom you spend time thinking of? David had that passion and intimacy with God. This doesn’t just happen. Like all relationships, it takes time and hard work.
Think About This . . .
- How can you seek God today?
- Reflect on this last week, month, and year and think of all the ways God has cared for you and come through for you?
- In response to this, how can you, like David in vs. 8, “follow close behind God, having his strong right hand hold you securely?
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DAY 5
We have spent this entire week striving to go boldly into the presence of God and to be more intimate in our prayer life. This has been made possible through the mediating work of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For this last day of devotions, there is no direction other than leaning into the Holy Spirit and attempting to hear what He might be saying to you. Simply ask the Holy Spirit, Counselor, Helper, Advocate to speak.
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