Authentic Faith - Week 3, Day 1

Day 1: It's a Jungle Out There (Living by Faith)

When I was a little kid, I loved to read books. Clifford the Dog, Flat Stanley, the list goes on. One of my favorite book series was "Curious George." In each book, Curious George got himself into more trouble. The titles of the books went something like this: "Curious George Goes to the Zoo" or "Curious George Goes to the Mall." The books were and still are bestsellers, and they were some of my favorites. 

The poor little monkey was constantly in danger. In one book, Curious George went back to the jungle he was from. On page 12, George is surrounded by lions and tigers and bears and other horrible things. He's up in a tree, and everything is closing in for the kill. George's situation looks hopeless. Suddenly his best friend, called "the man with the yellow hat," comes out with a rifle and blows everybody's brains out. There is blood, guts, and gore everywhere, even explosions. It was incredible. Well, I might be exaggerating a little bit. The man with the yellow hat shot the gun, and all the animals were scared away, but I like my ending a lot better. 

Like Curious George, the world we live in is a lot like a jungle. Pressures, problems, and crises come and go every day, and if we're not careful, we might find ourselves up in a tree with no apparent way out. I'm here to tell you that there is a way to live safely in today's jungle. 

You may ask, how?
Good question. My answer? By doing two things every day. 

One, read your Bible, and two, pray. 

You have no idea how much power and control are at your fingertips when you read the Bible or sincerely talk to God. You are probably the kind of student who does your quiet time faithfully every day, or you wouldn't be reading this book right now. But to be honest, guys and gals, in the world we live in today, you need to be reading the Bible a lot more than just the "Time Out" section you find at the end of each quiet time. That section is like a spiritual snack, satisfying yet not filling. You might want to start reading a chapter of the Bible each day. I suggest you start with the book of Luke. 

It's tough being a teenager in today's jungle. It's tough! But God has left you the tools and the strength to survive. Reading your Bible and praying is better than having a man with a yellow hat to watch out for you. 

One more thing before I go. When you become a Christian, God puts within you His Holy Spirit. It's all the power you need if you use it. In today's "Time Out" section, find out more about this Holy Spirit. Well, what are you waiting for? 

Time Out:

Read John 16:5-16 and answer the following questions.

1. What does the Holy Spirit do?

2. What is another name for the Holy Spirit? It starts with a "C."

3. I Corinthians 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" Where does the Holy Spirit live?

4. When you asked Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior, God placed His presence, His Spirit, inside of you. Wherever you go, God is with you to help you overcome whatever it may be that you will face each day. Amazing!