BOOK 1 DAY 0 1-10
Introduction
This devotional booklet aims to guide teenagers in understanding the importance of cultivating good character, as emphasised in the Bible, for a purposeful and fulfilling life.
We will delve into two key virtues – obedience and reverence as mentioned in Deuteronomy 6:1-9 and Ephesians 4:1-4 – essential aspects of being a Christ-follower. Each devotional will explore the journeys of various individuals including contemporary people and Bible characters, in their obedience and reverence towards God and the authorities.
Following this, the Bible passage reflections will encourage you to apply these teachings to your daily life. Should you feel the need to converse with God, our prayer section provides prayers for your use, and offers space for personal or group prayers if you’re doing this with a group.
Join us in this life-changing exploration of character development and spiritual growth.
DAY01 Choose Life
Today’s Bible Reading
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
19b Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20a and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.
- Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a
What is God’s plan for my life? The question haunted me when I was growing up. What if I couldn’t find it? What if I didn’t recognise it? God’s plan seemed like a needle in a haystack. Hidden. Disguised by lookalikes. Outnumbered by fakes.
But my view of God’s plan and purpose was wrong because my view of God was wrong. God takes no pleasure in seeing us lost, wandering or searching. He wants us to know His plan. He makes it clear and He makes it simple. He doesn’t even make it multiple-choice. He gives just two choices: “life and prosperity” or “death and destruction” (Deuteronomy 30:15). In case the best choice isn’t obvious, He even says which one to choose: “choose life” (v.19). To choose life is to choose God Himself and obey the Bible.
When Moses spoke to the Israelites for the last time, he pleaded with them to make the right choice by “obey[ing] carefully all the words of this law... [because] They are not just idle words for you—they are your life” (32:4647). God’s plan for us is life with Him. His words are life. And Jesus is the Word. God may not give step-by-step instructions for every decision, but He gave us a perfect example to follow—Jesus. The right choice may not be easy, but when He is our guide and living for Him is our goal, God will give us the wisdom to make good life choices.
By Julie Ackerman Link
Questions:
1. What were the two options that Moses laid before the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 30:15, 16-18, 19)?
2. Why are the two options divided in that way? For example, why couldn’t the Israelites choose other gods and still have life, prosperity, and blessing (Deuteronomy 30:16, 20)?
3. Have you made the choice to believe in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and to follow Him? If you have, share with the group how you came to know Him and choose Him. If you have not, share what is holding you back from making that choice. (Or, if you are doing this challenge as an individual, reflect on the question and jot down your answer in the space provided.)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we know that true wisdom comes from leaning on You. Help us to trust in You and to listen to Your plan given in Your life-giving words in the Bible. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY02 Like Jesus
Today’s Bible Reading
1 John 2:5-11
Whoever claims to live in [Jesus] must live as Jesus did. - 1 John 2:6
During a family church service the speaker talked about the first of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3) She suggested some ways for the children to keep this command. She said, “Nothing should come before God—not sweets, not schoolwork, not video games.” She told them that putting God first meant that time with Him reading the Bible and praying should come before anything else.
An older kid in the group spoke up with a thought-provoking question. She asked if being a Christian was about keeping rules, or if instead God wanted to be involved in all areas of our life.
Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing the Bible as a list of rules. Certainly obeying God (John 14:21) and spending time with Him is important, but not because we need to be rule-keepers. Jesus and the Father had a loving relationship. When we have a relationship with God, we want to spend time with Him and obey Him so we can become more like Jesus. John said, “He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6, NKJV). He’s the example we can follow.
When we want to understand how to love, or how to be humble, or how to have faith, or even how to set our priorities, we can look at Jesus and follow His example.
By Ames Chen
Questions:
1. List down the opposite pairs that you can find in this passage (1 John 2:8-11).
2. Is John writing a new command or an old command to his readers (1 John 2:7-8)? Explain your answer.
3. Think of someone in your squad, your company, or in your sphere of acquaintance whom you dislike, or even hate. How can you obey (1 John 2:9-11), and love this person instead so that you will be living in light and not in darkness?
Prayer:
Father, as I look ahead to another day, I want to be led by Your Spirit. Give understanding in my priorities, but most of all sensitivity to live like Jesus did— filled with Your love and power. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY03 Listening to God
Today’s Bible Reading
Genesis 3:8-19
The Lord God called . . . “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9
My young son loves to hear my voice, except when I call his name loudly and sternly, followed by the question, “Where are you?” When I do that, I am usually calling for him because he has been into some mischief and is trying to hide from me. I want my son to listen to my voice because I’m concerned about his well-being and d o not want him to get hurt.
Adam and Eve were used to hearing God’s voice in the garden. However, after they disobeyed Him by eating the forbidden fruit, they hid from Him when they heard Him calling, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). They didn’t want to face God because they knew they had done something wrong— something He had told them not to do (v. 11).
When God called for Adam and Eve and found them in the garden, His words did include correction and consequence (vv. 13–19). But God also showed them kindness and gave them hope for mankind in the promise of the Savior (v. 15).
God doesn’t have to look for us. He knows where we are and what we are trying to hide. But as a loving Father, He wants to speak to our hearts and bring us forgiveness and restoration. He longs for us to hear His voice—and to listen.
By Keila Ochoa
Questions:
1. Did God know where Adam was? Why did He ask Adam, “Where are you” (Genesis 3:9)?
2. Can you list out one point of judgment and one point of grace in God’s words to Adam, Eve, and the snake (Genesis 3:14-19)?
3. Are you trying to hide from God like Adam did after disobeying Him? Perhaps you are not hiding your whole self, but are there parts of your heart or your life that you feel are dirty, wrong, and you are ashamed and want to exclude God from them? Write them down below.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for Your love and care. Thank You for sending Your Son, our Savior, to fulfill Your promise of forgiveness and restoration. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY04 Seeing Well
Today’s Bible Reading
John 15:12-17
You are my friends if you do what I command.- John 15:14
Raleigh looks like a powerful dog—he is large and muscular and has a thick coat of fur. And he weighs over 100 pounds! Despite his appearance, Raleigh connects well with people. His owner takes him to nursing homes and hospitals to bring people a smile.
Once, a four-year-old girl spotted Raleigh across a room. She wanted to pet him, but was afraid to get close. Eventually, her curiosity overcame her sense of caution and she spent several minutes talking to him and petting him. She discovered that he is a gentle creature, even though he is powerful.
The combination of these qualities reminds me of what we read about Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus was approachable—He welcomed little children (Matthew 19:13–15). He was kind to an adulterous woman in a desperate situation (John 8:1–11). Compassion motivated Him to teach crowds (Mark 6:34). At the same time, Jesus’s power was astounding. Heads turned and jaws dropped as He subdued demons, calmed violent storms, and resurrected dead people! (Mark 1:21–34; 4:35–41; John 11).
The way we see Jesus determines how we relate to Him. If we focus only on His power, we may treat Him with the detached worship we’d give a comic book superhero. Yet, if we overemphasize His kindness, we risk treating Him too casually. The truth is that Jesus is both at once—great enough to deserve our obedience yet humble enough to call us friends.
By Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Questions:
1. In this passage, list minimum two roles that Jesus plays in our lives and the actions He takes in those roles (John 15:12-17)?
2. Earlier, in the introductory activity, we rated expressions of love from the greatest to the least. According to Jesus, what is the greatest possible expression of love (John 15:13)?
3. How can we receive Jesus’ great love for us?
4. What are some practical ways we can obey Jesus’ commission to bear “fruit that will last” (John 15:16)?
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for the privilege of knowing You. I acknowledge Your gentle power. I worship You as the Son of God—full of grace and glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY05 Unlock The Chain
Today’s Bible Reading
John 14:15-24
If you love me, keep my commands. - John 15:14
Jesus made it clear to His friends that He is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He is the only way to the Father, and our trust and commitment to Him should lead to love and obedience in our lives—and we know we can live in Jesus’ home in heaven after we die.
Christina, a Bible student, wrote this: “Jesus died for everyone, even the most desperate sinner. The worst criminal who comes to Him in faith, God will accept.
“For a very long time, Jesus had been knocking at my door. Figuratively speaking, the door to my heart was open. I was a Christian. But I kept the safety chain in place. I would not turn my life over to Him.”
Christina knew this was not right, and she felt that God was telling her to make a change. “I knelt before Him and opened the door as wide as I could.” She took off the safety chain.
Committed followers of Jesus will do what He commands—without safety chains or a ‘Plan B’. No dark little corners of our lives all for ourselves.
If, like Christina, you’ve been holding back from giving your life to God, it’s time to unhook that safety chain. Let go of those fears. Throw open the doors of your life, and experience the happiness and satisfaction of belonging to Jesus every moment of every day.
By David C. Egner
Questions:
1. What “If you… then you…” statements do you find in this passage (John 14:15, 21, 23)? Write down a minimum of two.
2. List down three things this passage tells you about the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-20). What is the connection between the Holy Spirit and loving or obeying Jesus?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you love Jesus? On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you obey His commands to love one another (John 13:34-35), forgive one another (Matthew 18:21-22), and even love your enemies and pray for them (Matthew 5:44-45)? How can you increase these numbers?
Prayer:
Jesus, please help there to be more of You and less of me every day! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY06 Positive Repetition
Today’s Bible Reading
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him. - Deuteronomy 30:16
A journalist had a quirky habit of not using blue pens. So when his colleague asked him if he needed anything from the store, he asked for some pens. “But not blue pens,” he said. “I don’t want blue pens. I don’t like blue. Blue is too heavy. So please purchase 12 ballpoint pens for me—anything but blue!” The next day his colleague passed him the pens—and they were all blue. When asked to explain, he said, “You kept saying ‘blue, blue.’ That’s the word that left the deepest impression!” The journalist’s use of repetition had an effect, but not the one he desired.
Moses, the lawgiver of Israel, also used repetition in his requests to his people. More than 30 times he urged his people to remain true to the law of their God. Yet the result was the opposite of what he asked for. He told them that obedience would lead them to life and prosperity, but disobedience would lead to destruction (Deuteronomy 30:15-18).
When we love God, we want to walk in His ways not because we fear the consequences but because it is our joy to please the One we love. That’s a good word to remember.
By Poh Fang Chia
Questions:
1. What is Moses’ main point in Deuteronomy 30:11-14? How does he use repetition to put his point across?
2. What is Moses’ main point in Deuteronomy 30:15-20? How does he use repetition to put his point across?
3. The Hebrews had good reasons to love and obey God. He had saved them from slavery in Egypt with mighty and terrible plagues (Deuteronomy 29:2-3), and led them and provided for them through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 29:5). What about you? What are your reasons for loving and obeying God?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, as we read Your inspired story, may Your Spirit be our teacher. Help us to walk the path of obedience as we hear the voice of Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY07 Driven by God
Today’s Bible Reading
1 Kings 8:54-63
May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him.- 1 Kings 8:58
A few months ago I received an email inviting me to join a community of “driven people.” I decided to look up the word driven, and I learned that a driven person is someone highly motivated to succeed and who will work hard to achieve his goals.
Is it good to be a driven person? There is a test that never fails: “Do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Many times we do things for selfglory. After the flood in Noah’s day, a group of people decided to build a tower in order to “make a name” for themselves (Genesis 11:4). They wanted to be famous and avoid being scattered all over the world. Because they were not doing it for God’s glory, though, they were erroneously driven.
In contrast, when King Solomon dedicated the ark of the covenant and the newly constructed temple, he said, “I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:20). Then he prayed, “May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands” (v. 58).
When our greatest desire is to bring glory to God and walk in obedience, we become driven people who seek to love and serve Jesus in the power of the Spirit. Let our prayer echo Solomon’s. May our “hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands” (v. 61).
By Keila Ochoa
Questions:
1. What are the things which Solomon desires for the people of Israel in this blessing? Write down three or more of them below.
2. From the above, what do you think drove Solomon to build the Temple?
3. What are the motivations which drive you to do and achieve things in your life? Which of these would you say is your chief or main driving force? What would change if you chose instead to be driven by God?
Prayer:
Father, give me the desire to obey You and do everything for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY08 Plod On!
Today’s Bible Reading
Judges 6:7-16
“Am I not sending you?” - Judges 6:14
God loves to use people the world might overlook. William Carey was raised in a tiny village in the 1700s and had little formal education. He had limited success in his chosen trade and lived in poverty. But God gave him a passion for sharing the good news and called him to be a missionary. Carey learned Greek, Hebrew, and Latin and eventually translated the first New Testament into the Bengali language. Today he is regarded as a “father of modern missions,” but in a letter to his nephew he offered this humble assessment of his abilities: “I can plod. I can persevere.”
When God calls us to a task, He also gives us strength to accomplish it regardless of our limitations. In Judges 6:12 the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” The angel then told him to rescue Israel from the Midianites who were raiding their towns and crops. But Gideon, who hadn’t earned the title of “mighty warrior,” humbly responded, “How can I save Israel? . . . I am the least in my family” (v. 15). Still, God used Gideon to set His people free.
The key to Gideon’s success was in the words, “the Lord is with you” (v. 12). As we humbly walk with our Savior and rely on His strength, He will empower us to accomplish what’s only possible through Him.
By James Banks
Questions:
1. What was incongruous about Gideon’s actions in Judges 6:11? Why was he doing that?
2. What was incongruous about the words of the Angel of the LORD (or sometimes known as “the LORD” to Gideon in Judges 6:12? Why did God speak that way to Gideon?
3. How did Gideon respond to God’s call for him to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression (Judges 6:15)? What is God calling you to do, and how will you respond to His call?
Prayer:
Thank You for empowering me, my Savior and my strength! Please help me to follow You closely. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY09
What We Want to Hear
Today’s Bible Reading
2 Chronicles 18:5-27
I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad.- 2 Chronicles 18:7
As human beings, we are prone to seek out information that supports the opinions we hold. Research shows that we’re actually twice as likely to look for information that supports our position. When we’re deeply committed to our own way of thinking, we avoid having that thinking challenged by opposing positions.
Such was the case in King Ahab’s rule over Israel. When he and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, discussed whether to go to war against Ramoth Gilead, Ahab gathered 400 prophets—men he’d appointed to that role himself and would therefore tell him what he wanted to hear—to help them decide. Each replied he should go, saying “God will give it into the king’s hand” (2 Chronicles 18:5). Jehoshaphat asked whether there was a prophet who had been chosen by God through whom they could inquire of the Lord. Ahab responded reluctantly because God’s prophet, Micaiah, “never prophesies anything good about [him], but always bad” (v. 7) Indeed, Micaiah indicated they wouldn’t be victorious, and the people would be “scattered on the hills” (v. 16).
In reading their story, I see how I too tend to avoid wise advice if it isn’t what I want to hear. In Ahab’s case, the result of listening to his “yes men”—400 prophets—was disastrous (v. 34). May we be willing to seek and listen to the voice of truth, God’s words in the Bible, even when it contradicts our personal preferences.
By Kirsten Holmberg
Questions:
1. Why did King Jehoshaphat ask, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can enquire of?” (2 Chronicles 18:6)?
2. What was the difference between what the 400 prophets of Ahab said (2 Chronicles 18:5, 10-11, 23) and what Micaiah the prophet of Yahweh said (2 Chronicles 18:1314, 16, 18-22, 24, 27)?
3. Look over the past seven days of devotions that we’ve been doing together. What has God been saying to you? List down below, one thing that sounds like good news to you, and one thing that sounds like bad news to you. Will you respond to God’s Word like King Jehoshaphat or like King Ahab?
Prayer:
Lord, help me to seek and heed Your counsel even when it’s against my desires or popular thought. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAY10 The Slippery Slope of Success
Today’s Bible Reading
1 Samuel 15:10-23
Although you were once small in your own eyes.... The Lord anointed you king over Israel.- 1 Samuel 15: 17
Someone once made this wise comment: “You’ve made it as soon as you become uninterested in money, fame and getting rewarded.” Unfortunately, just the opposite often happens when something we have done is noticed and praised. We can quickly become proud and feel important.
Just before Saul was made king of Israel, he saw himself as a member of an unimportant family in the smallest tribe of Israel (1 Samuel 9:21). Within a few years, however, he had started to think he was a big deal and made up his own rules for how he should live (15:11-12).
The prophet Samuel stood up to Saul for his disobedience to God by reminding him, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel.” (v.17).
Self-importance is the first step down the slippery slope of what we call ‘success’. It begins when we take credit for things God has done and twist the Bible’s words to suit ourselves. True success is staying on God’s path by obeying Him and giving Him praise, instead of wanting it for ourselves.
By David McCasland
Questions:
1. What can you learn about king Saul’s actions and his character (the kind of person he was) in today’s reading (1 Samuel 15:11, 12, 13, 15, 20-21)? Write down at least two actions and what they reveal about his character.
2. What did Samuel say to King Saul, and why did he say that (1 Samuel 15:14, 17-19, 22-34)? List down at least two things he told King Saul and his possible reasons for saying them.
3. How does the world define success? From today’s reading, how does God define success?
Which definition will you use to measure your own life and achievements?
Prayer:
Help me, God, not to be proud when things go well, but to thank You and keep relying on You for everything. Thank You that everything good comes from You, and that You are always with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Acknowledgments
This book is a collaboration between Our Daily Bread Ministries Malaysia and The Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia.
Editorial: Celine Heo, Kiew Sieh Jin & Lim Wan Phing
Graphic Designer: Samuel Goh
Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
© 2024 Our Daily Bread Ministries® odb.org • malaysia@odb.org