YAB Connection

More YAB members answer the question: What is your favorite Bible story—and why?

Kaitlyn: I especially like the story of Mary. It tells me that no matter how many times I sin Jesus is willing to forgive me and help me to do what is right.

DahEu: I am named after Daniel, so naturally I draw the stories about him close to my heart. I especially find it encouraging that he purposed in his heart from the very beginning that he would only follow God’s will for his life, and he never wavered!

Josué: I have so many favorite Bible stories, but among the top picks would have to be David and Goliath. God used one willing young man to do a job that not even the king of Israel dared to do. David’s unswerving faith in God during the whole story is a real challenge to me, and the final defeat of the giant is a monument to the fact that with God nothing is impossible! Therefore, the giants in our own lives will come tumbling down in God’s name!

Harmony: I love the story of Job. Even when faced with unimaginable trials and adversity, he never let go of his hold on God. I want to have a faith like that!

Matthew: My favorite Bible story is the story of Jesus’ life because of the way He showed us how to live like Him. His example shows me His character of love.

YAB Connection

YAB Members, How can you honor God in your daily life?

Sasha W: I honor God when I stand up for what I believe, do my best to be respectful and kind, and when I obey Him. I honor God when I reflect who Jesus is.

Nicole P: I can honor God in my daily life by living in a way that would please Him and by sacrificing my own desires to do His will.

Nathan B: I can honor God in my everyday life by taking care of my body and helping others.

Kaitlin A: One of the ways I honor God is by taking time for Him in the morning and asking Him what He would have me do throughout the day. Each decision I make in a day either honors or dishonors God, and it’s important to have His counsel.

Kaitlyn B: One of the ways I can honor God in my daily life is through obedience. In this way I show Him and others that I love Him.

Caleb B: I can honor God in my daily life by seeking to live a life that reflects God’s character.

Harmony M: I can honor God in my daily life by choosing to serve Him faithfully, even if those around me do not. When I really love God, I will be willing to sacrifice everything in life to be right with Him. He is all that really matters!

Manish R: I don’t need to offer a great, costly sacrifice to honor my God. I can honor God in my daily life by doing things that Jesus wants me to do, like obeying and helping my parents, speaking courteously and politely to everyone, and trying my best to share Jesus with others.

Becky S: I can honor God in my life by doing the best I can at everything I do.

Josué V: I can honor God in my daily life by extending help when I see a need, forgiving those who hurt me, and keeping in mind that anything that I see, hear, or do is being watched by my heavenly Father.

YAB Connection

YAB members, why should anyone want to be humble and meek?

Robby S: The Christian wants to be humble because he loves Jesus and wants to be like Him. Jesus humbled Himself to be like us, and continued on that path even to death on the cross. Can we persist in pride when God Himself is humble?

Lilienne S: God can use those who are humble and meek to do great things for His Kingdom. It is harder for God to use those who are prideful and self-exalted because they don’t let Him have every bit of their hearts.

Brandon P: Jesus is humble and meek—so if I want to be like Him I must follow His example.

Olivia A: It may not seem nice to be humble, but when I see Christ’s life I want to be exactly like Him. When Christ, the King of everything, is so humble, who am I not to be meek and humble too?

Josué V: Jesus showed us through His own example that meekness is the best form of greatness.

Lucinda E: Humility and meekness are character qualities that Jesus wants us to have. Examples are scattered all throughout the Bible.

Manish R: Being humble and meek is a great way to bring souls to Christ.

Jasmine P: I want to be humble and meek so that others can see Christ’s character lived out in the life of one of His followers.

Do you have a question for the YAB to answer? If so, leave a comment below!

The Law Condensed

by Lilienne, teenage Morning Manna member

This morning, I was studying Matthew 22:36–40.

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Using Strong's Concordance, I looked up what the words meant in the original language. When I replaced key words with their meanings, I came up with this paraphrase:

"Master, which is the exceeding great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt agape (which means unselfish love) the Lord thy God with all thy thoughts and feelings, with all thy vitality (actions?), and with all thy deep thoughts. This is the chief and exceeding great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt agape anyone you come in contact with as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the old testament law."

Wow! So basically the law means, "Love God & love your neighbor," which then can be condensed into one word: Love.  

Do we love God that much? Do we put others before ourselves that much?

It's the one chief and exceeding great commandment!

Dissatisfied Robin

by Danielle Gerber

Thump . . . thump . . . thump.

Like an alarm clock, the rhythmic thud roused me in the early morning. What could it be? As I rubbed my eyes, I remembered: that stubborn robin was at it again!

Springtime had brought the flowers and songbirds back—and among them a certain strong-willed robin. He had been perching outside my window on the edge of the grapevines growing up the fence, watching for rival robins. Catching a reflection of himself in my window, the robin flew toward it and rammed into the glass over and over again. Of course, no matter how hard he tried, he never could get that other bird to go away.

Look on the Inside

by Gabrielle Rich

Sometimes old sayings remind us of important truths—adages like “looks can deceive,” and “be nice to others no matter how they look, sound, or smell.” We all know that in order to be like Jesus, we have to look on the inside and not judge by appearances—and yet many people do just the opposite. When I was about eight years old, something happened that really helped me understand why it’s so important to look past the externals.

A week after Christmas, my mom and I went to the grocery store. For some reason, it seemed that every place we went in the store, I saw an old man with a cane. The man had a big, prominent wart, and I thought he looked very strange. I hoped I wouldn’t have to talk to him! I went through the whole store thinking about the funny man and hiding behind my mom so I wouldn’t have to look at him.