RELOAD - Student Devotionals

 

Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and Iron Man were all superheroes who had special skills, powers, and abilities—and they weren’t afraid to use them.

 

Have you ever imagined what it would be like if you could move things with your mind, or have super strength or super hearing? What would you do with those powers?

 

 

Would you do good for others or would you hide it and keep it for yourself?

 

 

How would your friends and family act if they knew you had these powers?

 

 

Jesus did amazing things that shocked the world. Not everyone, however, was excited about His abilities.

 

Read John 10:31-38. What did Jesus say was the reason for performing miracles?

 

 

Why did the people need to see miracles in order to believe?

 

 

Jesus performed miracles so that people would know that He is God. But some would not believe, even though they saw them for themselves.

 

Sometimes things happen in your life that seem coincidental. Sometimes we still doubt the power and presence of God.

 

Could it be that God is performing miracles in your life and you might not even know it? Even worse, you take the credit for it?

 

 

He wants you to know that He is God and is actively performing miracles in your life. God loves you and you can trust Him.

 

Lord, help me to see that You can and do perform miracles—even in my life.

 

 

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What would you consider the greatest miracle of Jesus? Walking on water? Raising Lazarus from the dead? Calming the raging storm? There are a bunch to choose from.

 

Jesus was well known for His miracles. Some of the multitudes followed Him, not because of who He was or what He was teaching, but because they wanted to see Him do miracles. They were only following Jesus for what He could do—specifically, what He could do for them.

 

Are you any different?

 

 

Why are you following Jesus (or are you)?

 

 

Read Ephesians 2:7-9. How does God provide salvation?

 

 

The miracle of Jesus that we can all enjoy is the gift of salvation through Him. It is well summed up by the song “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin (2006, Sparrow Records). (Take a few minutes and listen to it on YouTube.)

 

In the song, the chorus describes the fact that our chains are gone and we have been set free because of what Jesus has done for us. His unending love and amazing grace provide salvation for sinners like you and me.

 

God’s message of grace is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is the same as it was for John Newton in 1807 (the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”) as it is for Chris Tomlin today.

 

Are you looking for some other miracle? What is it?

 

 

In what ways can you remind yourself that the greatest miracle ever performed was your salvation?

 

 

Grace is God giving you something you don’t deserve nor can earn on your own. That would be salvation. There is absolutely nothing you can do on your own to merit or earn salvation.

 

God, I forget that it is impossible to even make it to heaven if it wasn’t for the amazing grace of Jesus. Remind me every day, every minute. Help me to never take it for granted.

 

 

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A woman asked me for money for gas. But instead of giving her money, I gladly filled her car with some gas and stepped into the store to buy something. Upon returning to my car, I noticed she hadn’t left. As I suspected, she was lying. She quickly got in her car and drove off…to the gas station across the street.

 

How could she lie to me? What kind of person does that? What kind of example is that for the kids in her car? 

 

 

Have you been lied to before? How did it make you feel?

 

 

Read John 8:3-11. The woman in this passage deserved punishment. Instead, what did Jesus do?

 

 

I should have bought dinner for the woman and the kids and I should have told her “I know what you are telling me is not true, but I would like to buy you and your kids dinner anyway. So for this one night, please stop lying to people and go home and enjoy the time with your children.”

 

Isn’t that what Christ did for us? We feel like we need to lie and deceive to survive. But Jesus, being rich in mercy, approaches us, gives us everything we need for our life, forgives us of how we have wronged Him, and says “Go and sin no more.”

 

What it makes it tough for you to get out of your comfort zone and act more like Jesus?

 

 

That’s what Jesus did. Consider all He did for you.

 

Jesus, please make me more like You, full of mercy and grace.