Christian Data Resources

Phil Griffin has provided the devotional thought for this week; it’s geared to teenagers but it’s good advice to adults as well. It’s entitled, “Seven Things Our Teens Need to Know.”

1. You do not have to be in a romantic relationship to enjoy your high school years. Read Romans 8:28

2. You are beautiful in a unique way, even if no one has ever told you that. Read Psalm 139:14

3. While your education is important, you are not defined by your GPA, the classes you take, where you’re going to college, or what you do after high school. Read Matthew 6:34

4. It’s okay if you don’t fit in. It’s okay if you’re not liked by other teens. No matter how much pressure you feel to fit in with a certain group or be included with certain people, standing out is not always easy, but it’s a good thing and it will make you stronger and braver than you’ve ever been. Read Romans 12:21

5. Don’t beat yourself up over the past. In Jesus, there is forgiveness for all sins no matter what has happened. Read Galatians 5:1

6. Surround yourself with wise people that are older than you and believe what you believe. Don’t ever feel like you’re in this alone, especially if you’re dealing with abuse or self-harm. God has placed people in your life to help. Read Proverbs 19:20

7. Never feel like you have to dress a certain way or act a certain way just to win the approval of someone else or a certain clique at school. As a follower of Christ, you’re not after people approval. You’re after God approval! Read Galatians 1:10

Reprinted from Imagine Church.

Is the Sky a Solid Vault?

Job 37:18 speaks of God “spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze.” Incidentally, Genesis 1:17 also refers to “the vault of the sky.” A vault can be defined as an arched structure forming a ceiling or roof over a wholly or partially enclosed construction. I believe that this is an apt description of the sky forming an arch above the earth.

Concerning being “hard as a mirror,” this passage reminds me of my first job as a software engineer, and my training in celestial mechanics. I helped program the onboard computers for the first Space Shuttle mission in 1981. My programs included flight control during all three phases of the mission: ascent (liftoff), orbit, and descent (re-entry). The re-entry into the atmosphere comes to mind here. When re-entering the atmosphere from space, the attitude and acceleration of the Shuttle must be precise; otherwise, the Shuttle could literally “bounce” off the atmosphere (or it could burn up). In this respect, this barrier between our atmosphere and space could indeed be described as being “hard as a mirror.” Perhaps the Bible was speaking of truths not discovered by science for another 4,000 years or so.

Also, by definition, the sky is indeed a vault. Genesis 1:8 says, “God called the vault ‘sky.'”