Josh McDowell's Youth DevotionsSample

A TRUE MEASURE. Can you imagine what the world would be like if there were no standard units of measurement? If what I called "one inch," you called "two inches"? If my "pound" was your "ounce"? If a "mile" to one person was a "hop, skip, or a jump" to another? So many things in life would be difficult, if not impossible, to do. How could you build a house? How could you weigh food at the store? How could you know how far it was from your house to your aunt Esmerelda's, and how could you know how long it would take you to get there? Without a set standard to measure these things, life would be full of confusion. It's kind of the same with our spiritual lives. When the time comes to make a decision, what's your "standard of measure"? Do you go by the decisions your friends make? Following the crowd may be the popular thing to do, but it isn't always smart. Do you go by a "feeling" you have inside you that tells you what's OK to do and what's not? The problem with following your feelings is that feelings can change from one minute to the next. What may seem like the right thing to do today can seem like the wrong thing to do tomorrow. Or do you turn to the only true measure there is-God and his Word? God is unchanging, and so is his Word; so you can be sure that you're doing what's right. And you can be sure that it will not only be right that day but also the next and the next and the well, you get the idea. When you measure your decisions and your actions against God and his Word, you can be sure that your decisions are good and your actions are right. REFLECT: Take a few minutes to really think about what your life would be like if there were no standard units of measurement. How would that affect your use of time? your use of money? the clothes you buy and wear? other things? Which of the following standards do you sometimes use to decide whether an action or attitude is right or wrong? What my parents say What I "feel" is right What my culture says What my friends say What my horoscope says What the law says What my church says What I've been taught What God says Which of the above do you intend to use from now on? ACT: Tape a ruler or a tape measure to your bedroom door or mirror today to remind you to measure your actions against God and what he says, instead of using some other standard. PRAY: "God, you are the standard I choose to live by."