Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens Keys for Kids Ministries

READ: ROMANS 8; 1 PETER 2:9-10



My hands shook with my effort not to take The List out of my pocket. You can’t control me, I whispered through gritted teeth. I just wanted to walk into this building full of, I imagined, lovely people and be okay. Two steps from the door, my fingers curled around The List. I tried to squeeze my eyes shut as I felt myself unfold the paper. There, scrawled across the top was the word condemned. I jammed the paper into my pocket, turned around, and walked away.



The following day, I was looking forward to the moment that could change the trajectory of my future. I had prepared myself and worked hard. I sat in a chair, waiting for them to call my name. Instead, I felt the call of The List. I gripped the seat tight, willing myself not to listen. Once again, I opened it to see the next word penned below the first: rejected. I made my way down the hall, away from possibility, not even turning back when I heard them call my name.



Looking in the mirror that night, I thought I glimpsed a spark of new. Was it in my eyes? Could I be the person I wanted to be? Did the corners of my mouth turn up slightly more than usual? I felt a strange twitch on my lips, a desire to smile. But the desire fled when I watched my hand draw out The List once more. I don’t know why I had this compulsion to read it when I already knew by heart what I would see: stagnant.



I sank to the floor, overcome by defeat and sorrow. The List lay beside me, mocking—wait! The words that I had read so many times were crossed out with bold, red slashes. I gripped The List and felt my heart leap as I read new words written over the old. Instead of condemned I read approved, in place of rejected was chosen, over stagnant was alive.



Finally, I understood. The List would no longer control me with its lies. I could live in the freedom of who I was always meant to be, and no one could take it away. • Savannah Coleman



• Like The List in today’s allegorical story, we all have voices in our heads, but what God says about us should trump anything our minds or other people say. When you become a follower of Christ, you are given a new identity. He takes all the sin and shame. By the blood of Jesus shed for you, you are no longer condemned, but forgiven (Romans 8:1; 1 John 2:12). You are no longer rejected, but a chosen, fully loved child of God (Romans 8:15; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 3:1). What are some practical ways you could spend time listening to what God says about you this week? Remember, we hear God’s voice through His Word, His people, and His Spirit. (If you’ve never put your trust in Jesus and want to know more, see our "Know Jesus" page.)



• Satan likes to try to remind us of who we were before we met Jesus. He accuses and causes worries, fears, and anxiety to fill our minds. And even if Satan is not directly responsible for the voices in our heads, he is a primary source of them. The other source is the law, or God’s commands, which God gave us to show us our need for Jesus. Yet, Satan uses the law to accuse us. The law’s accusatory nature should lead us to Christ, but it often becomes the means by which we are continually enslaved by fear and anxiety. But the truth is this: in Christ, we are new creations—everything that was old has been transformed (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21). Although we will still struggle with sin and negative thoughts, we now have the power of God to choose righteousness and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:

READ: 2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17; HEBREWS 4:12



When you do the same thing over and over again, it’s easy to get tired of it. This can even be true of reading the Bible. If you’ve ever had your Bible reading routine feel like something you’re just trying to get through and you’ve longed for it to be something more—longed to learn more and get more out of it—you can find a way to make things different. You can try new things so that your Bible reading routine helps you feel more connected to God and helps you grow in your faith.



First, you can start by asking God for direction. Spend time with Him in prayer, asking what He wants your Bible reading routine to look like right now. Ask Him where He wants you to be reading. Ask Him how He wants you to be studying. Ask Him to remind you of how He is with you as you read. Remember, the time you spend reading the Bible can be something you do together with Him, deeply in-tuned to Him. As you pray, you may not get any specific answers about where and how to do your reading, and that’s okay—the point is to spend intentional time seeking God as you read His Word. He may be guiding you in ways you don’t even realize yet.



If you’ve been studying your Bible alone, you could find someone to read it with you—maybe a friend, mentor, church member, or small group. You might even see if a sibling is interested in sitting down with you each day and letting you read to them. Then, discuss what you’re reading with the person or people you choose to study with.



If you’ve never tried journaling about what you’re reading in the Bible before, why not get out a paper and pen and give it a try? Write about what you’re learning, what questions you have, connections to your life, prayers, and whatever else God lays on your heart.



The Bible is worth studying because it’s God’s Word—and it tells us the truth about Jesus’s death and resurrection. It reveals His great love for us. So, if you feel that something in your Bible routine is lacking, ask God to help you find a way to change things up. • Emily Acker



• Have you tried out any Bible-reading routines? What did you like or dislike about them?



• Which of the suggestions above are you curious about? Do any other ideas come to mind?



• God delights in helping us find ways to spend time with Him and grow in our relationship with Him. How could you set aside time this week to be in His Word?



But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 (NLT) 

READ: PSALM 13:1-6



How long, God? Why is it taking forever for things to get better? Why can’t my life turn around and be all that I hoped for? Why do you feel so far from me? How long, God, is it going to feel like this? How long can I survive like this?



You may have had thoughts like these at times, and they are similar to the thoughts of David when he wrote Psalm 13. In this psalm, David asks God if He will forget him forever. That’s the way he’s feeling as he writes—forgotten and abandoned. He is sorrowful and wrestling with difficult thoughts.



That might be just the way you feel sometimes. You might feel alone. You might worry about a hundred things at once. Your life might feel messy, and you might feel like God is far from you. But the truth is, God is so very near. He loves us so much that Jesus died and rose again to make the way for us to be with Him always. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can know that, even in our worst moments, Jesus is right there with us. He weeps with us and offers hope, comfort, and strength. And one day, He will make all wrongs right. When we rest in these truths, it can help us remember that God is trustworthy. He loves us, and He never leaves us.



That’s what David does in Psalm 13. In the end, he remembers that God has been good to him. He might have felt abandoned for a time, but he knows that God is always good. David even says that he will sing praise to the Lord.



When we struggle, we can cry out and ask God how long we’re going to feel that way. We can tell Him how abandoned and forgotten we feel. We can process all our messy feelings with Him. As we do this, the Holy Spirit helps us remember how good God is and rest in the truth that He is with us. He has always loved us, and always will. • Bethany Acker



• When we read lament psalms like Psalm 13, it can be tempting to skip right down to the “good part” in verses 5-6. We might want to skip over our feelings of hurt, sorrow, and frustration. But that’s not what God wants for us. He is not afraid of our feelings. Instead of skipping these uncomfortable emotions, He invites us to process them with Him, even if that means telling Him how angry we are at Him. Are there any uncomfortable feelings you need to process with God right now? He invites us to come to Him in prayer and be honest with Him so He can bring healing to our hearts.



But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5 (NIV) 

READ: GENESIS 28:15; DEUTERONOMY 31:1-13; PROVERBS 3:26



Have you ever read Deuteronomy 31:8? It says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” The book of Deuteronomy consists of messages that Moses gave the Israelites about the future. At the time, God had already parted the Red Sea and delivered the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, and now they were wandering in the wilderness, waiting for God to bring them into the Promised Land. Moses wanted to encourage the people to trust God, and he also instructed them in how to act righteously—how to live according to God’s good ways.



When Moses was nearing the end of his life, he spoke the words of Deuteronomy 31:8 to Joshua, right before Joshua would lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Moses wanted to offer his successor the peace of knowing that God was preparing the way ahead of him, that God would be with him, and that he didn’t need to fear any evil.



For me, reading this verse reminds me that my Father has my future in His hands, and I don’t need to be afraid of what is to come. I don’t need to try to take control or plan things out by myself—He already sits upon the throne.



Though this world may crumble around us, we don’t need to get discouraged, because God is good and His promise is secure. Jesus is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), and He went before us, living the righteous life we never could, making the way for us to be saved from the wilderness of sin and enter the abundance of God’s kingdom. He died, was buried, rose from the grave, and is coming back again to raise all His people from the dead to live with Him forever in restored creation. And even now, He promises to be with us, always (Matthew 28:20).



When I first read Deuteronomy 31:8, I immediately felt at peace. The promise that God will never leave us and that He will always be with us is such a comfort. It teaches me to quiet any worries I have and to never lose hope. Our God goes before us. • Molly McTernan



• What kinds of things have made you feel afraid or discouraged lately? It’s not wrong to feel this way, and in fact, God invites us to be totally honest about this. How could remembering that God is with us and goes before us make it easier to bring all our concerns to Him in prayer?



• In addition to talking to God, who are trusted Christians you can talk to when you feel worried?



“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)  

READ: PSALMS 19:1-4; 148:1-14; ISAIAH 55:12
A silver moon, a single star, shining in the morning dark. Waves are gently rolling in, riding on the restless wind. Sleek and smooth, sands lie fresh, washed by the ocean’s salty breath. Daybreak beams soft and bright, rejoicing in the coming light! So may we, with hope revived— praise Him with the morning tide.
Today’s poem was inspired by a moment when I sensed creation joyously reflecting God’s glory and beauty. The Bible shows us that all creation praises God as Creator. Psalm 148 says this includes the heavenly host, things on earth, in the ocean—even the sun, wind, and rain. And, last but not least, it includes people. • G. Kam Congleton
• Can you think of a time when you experienced a moment of wonder at God’s creation? As you read today’s Scriptures, consider taking some time to ponder the ways God may be revealing Himself to you— whether it be through creation, His Word, or specific people or circumstances. Then, maybe sing a favorite song of praise, or write down a simple prayer or poem to help you celebrate that moment in praise to Jesus. (Luke 19:37-40; Colossians 1:15-23)
Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Psalm 148:3 (NIV) 

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:20, 35-38, 42-44, 54-57



Have you ever read verses in the Bible that talk about how we’ll be raised from the dead like Jesus was? It’s one thing to picture Jesus being raised from the dead after only three days, but it can be harder to imagine how bodies that have been dead a long time could ever be alive again.



But maybe a metaphor for resurrection would help. Have you ever seen marigold seeds? They are thin, long, dry seeds that are white on one end and black on the other. They look nothing like a marigold flower. But, when we bury the seeds in the ground, eventually these tiny, unremarkable seeds grow into vibrant flowers bursting with orange and yellow petals.



God can take those shriveled seeds and bring them to life. And He promises to do the same for Christians. In fact, the Bible actually compares our coming resurrection to what happens when seeds grow into plants. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes, “It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength” (verses 42-43).



Even though our bodies die, death is no match for Jesus—He conquered sin and death by giving up His own life for us on the cross. He will resurrect our bodies one day, and when He does, our bodies will be even better than before. No matter what happens to us on earth, we have the hope of resurrection.



So, next time you see a pot full of magnificent flowers, think of the dry, shriveled little seeds they came from. Our amazing God made those flowers grow, and He promises to do the same for us. • A. W. Smith



• Raising dead bodies is no greater problem for God than turning seeds into plants. In other words, it’s no problem for Him at all. Jesus rose from the dead, and He’ll raise believers too. He’ll give His children bodies that are even more wonderful than those we had before. It’s amazing to think about! How could knowing that Jesus has power even over death affect the way we view death? (Romans 8:38-39)



Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54 (NLT)