You may be wondering, "If God already knows everything, why should I pray about it?" Yes, it's true that God already knows about everything we could possibly need or ask for, but that's no reason not to talk to Him about it. Here's the thing, God wants to talk to you and hear from you (Philippians 4:6-7), and prayer is one of the best ways to stay

Earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, wildfires... Natural disasters can be frightening and devastating for those impacted. Horrific pictures and videos of families who have lost their homes and belongings, or worse, have suffered injury, death, or missing loved ones fill us with dread. We often question where

No Christmas pageant is complete without the three wise men bringing their gifts to Jesus. But why did they bring these costly gifts? Gold is understandable, but frankincense and myrrh? What in the world are those for? While the Bible doesn't specifically tell us their significance, there are some cultural traditions surrounding these items that ca

Have you noticed how the Bible is kind of a very large book? Not only are there a lot of pages, but those pages often have tiny print and feel really thin, like tissue paper. The Bible is a collection of literary works written by God (2 Timothy 3:16) through about forty different people over the span of 1,500 years. Take a moment to think about how

Questions about porn addiction and masturbation are two of our top most submitted questions at 412teens. If you haven't read our article on why lust is a sin (Matthew 5:28; 1 John 2:16), then now might be a good time to do that: What does the Bible say about lust? Pornography of all kinds is rampant on the internet and so easy to access, which make

If you're feeling like you're somehow not good enough for God, I am so sorry that you are feeling this way. Let me first encourage you that you are not alone in feeling like you're not good enough. Many people, of ALL ages, struggle with this feeling. It is hard to see any good in ourselves sometimes, especially because we know who we really are de

First things first, we can't stress enough that making a choice like suicide is absolutely wrong. The Bible tells us that murder is sin (Exodus 20:13), that includes murdering yourself. Suicide does not "fix" the problems of life; in fact, it creates countless new problems for everybody impacted by the death of the one who dies by suicide. (And don

The "least of these" is a phrase that often comes to peoples' minds when they think of those in society who are suffering from impoverishment, struggling with low-income, or lacking basic needs for life. But is this passage talking about anyone who is in dire straits or specifically believers who are in need? Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 25

CW: Suicide, Mental Health Disorders, Depression According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), suicide rates have jumped 28% between 1999 and 2016. But for many of us, we don't need a statistic to tell us how bad the suicide epidemic is. We've lost friends or family to suicide or have had close experiences with someone we love st

This question of self-care is one that I have actually been working on this year personally. In my circle of friends, I’m usually the Giver. I'm the one many have learned to lean on and the one who encourages everyone when they’re going through hard times. I’m the one who takes people in and invites a friend over for ice cream and zombie movies if

Jesus was known to the people of His day as a teacher who healed people (Matthew 4:24). Several times, He healed on the Sabbath day:Simon Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31)a man with a withered hand (Mark 3:1-6)a man born blind (John 9:1-16)a crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17)a man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)a demon-possessed man (Mark 1:21-28)a lame m

Many believers have struggled with finding God and felt abandoned by Him at some point in their lives. I know I have. What should we do when we can't feel God? When He seems to be quiet, does that mean He's abandoned us? Psalm 83:1 expresses the heart of someone desperate to find God: "O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still."

One might say the beginning of faith is first believing that God exists (Hebrews 11:1). Though, when we look at the incredible world around us—from the life of microscopic single-celled organisms to the incredibly complex biological processes of reproduction to the delicate atmospheric balance which makes life on Earth possible—the fact of God's ex

If this is the question you're asking right now, can we just give you a giant virtual hug, right now? We know a hug won't really cure or solve anything, but we want you to know that we DO care. Yes, somebody cares!We are so sorry you're feeling this way. There are so many things that could have led to you to this point, as well as many emotions you

Every birth story is amazing, but none compares to Jesus’s birth—His was truly a miracle! A miracle is a unique and rare act of God that is different from the normal course of events; that’s what makes a miracle recognizable as a sure sign from God. And the miracle of Jesus being born from a virgin mother is traceable all the way back to Old Testam

Have you heard the expression: "All is fair in love and war"? It's a phrase that refers to a situation in which people don't follow the normal societal rules of behavior but rather use any means possible to achieve their goal—even things that are normally considered UNfair. For example, choosing to cheat on a test because you haven't aced one yet

The spiritual gift of leadership is one of the many gifts given by the Holy Spirit to certain followers of Christ. The gift of leadership is referenced in two Bible passages: Romans 12:8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. In both passages, the gift of leadership is used in the context of leading the local church with persistent care, wisdom, and dedication.

God loves us all and desires for us to talk to Him in prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Prayer is a privilege (Deuteronomy 4:7); who else gets to talk to the Creator of the universe? God will answer all prayer from His people,

The last piece of armor listed in the "armor of God" passage (Ephesians 6:10-20) is the sword of the Spirit, which represents the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The Holy Spirit uses the power of the "sword of the Spirit" to first bring people to salvation (Romans 10:17) and then to give them strength and protection in their battle against the spirit

Many, many people wonder why God didn’t create humans so that we couldn’t sin against Him. Since He’s perfect, why couldn’t He make US perfect? Why did He make people who hurt each other, make mistakes, and choose not to believe in Him? Why create people who might not go to heaven? Those are fair questions, and they’re important. How we handle them