Pulse Youth Ministry

06/23/2026

06/23/2026

Day 174

“And I give Myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.” ~ John 17:19

Leading up to His betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion is this prayer. Coming on the heels of the Last Supper, it shows the heart of the Father and the Son for mankind!

And just to make sure the reader understood this, Jesus explains in verse 20 that He was praying for all believers! It is His desire that we all should be holy! That’s a heavy word and carries with it a lot of meaning!

“To set apart” is its actual meaning. The KJV uses the word “sanctify.” It means to be set apart, cleansed, and washed to be used for the glory of God! It’s not an analogy, it’s not fancy religion talk (which is what it is unfortunately becoming today) but rather a request from the Son to the Father for you and me!

Salvation is a moment. It is when we realize deep within that we are lost in sin and ruined by it. The moment that we understand we need a Savior, forgiveness, a covering over our sins because the wages of sin is death! It’s the surrender to Jesus knowing that the gift of God is forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus’ name!

This is not what Jesus is praying for as He is praying for those who have already “believed.” Rather, His prayer is for holiness. He didn’t just sacrifice His life to save us…He gave His life to change us, to sanctify us, and make us holy! While this begins in a moment, it unfolds over a lifetime!

1 Peter tells us, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

Let the Holy Spirit do His work in you today! As He works to set you apart, sanctify you, cleanse you, and make you a vessel to be used for the glory of God, let Him have His way! Take heed to what the Spirit says and let God bless your whole person, body, soul, and spirit!

“Father, I yield my life to You! Make me holy even as You are holy! “I want to be a vessel that You can use!” For Your glory! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!!”

06/22/2026

Reminder! Pulse will meet this Sunday evening at 6pm!! Food, Fun and of course worship! Middle School, High School and College/Career are welcome! Mark your calendars!!

06/22/2026

Day 173

“This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.” ~ Titus 1:2

Paul is writing this letter to a young man whom he led to the Lord. He is encouraging him in his faith and in ministry. The phrase emphasized is the parenthetical statement “who does not lie!”

Sometime we come to treat God and His promises like we would the promises of man. Two ways this seems to bear out. One is that it’s man-made so it’s probably not true, exaggerated, or made to just comfort me.

We must not forget what we know about this! Numbers 23:19 reminds us, “God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?”

So why sometimes do we feel as though He isn’t doing what He said He would do? Secondly, James 4 tells us that we don’t have because we don’t ask or we ask “amiss.” We ask for the wrong reasons and wrong motives! We ask for things that are outside the will of God or contrary to His character!

Faith matters but it only takes a mustard seed size to move mountains! Motive, however, makes the difference. A lot of times we pray for things that if He fulfilled them God would be working outside of who He is! (Amiss)

I heard a song the other day that was a mom praying about her son that was killed in Vietnam. She prayed to see him one more time but admitted that would be cruel because he is in a better place. She then asked that the boy be told that he is more than just a name on a wall. Sometimes the hard thing is the most powerful thing!

Whatever it is you are praying for…DON’T STOP PRAYING!! Gods ways are not ours, His timing is not ours, but He is PERFECT in all He does and He loves you Perfectly! Don’t lose faith! Just Trust and Obey!!

“Father, help me pray according to Your will! Help me to never lose hope, never lose faith, and never stop trusting You! Above all else, You are my heart’s desire! I love You Lord! In Jesus Name! Amen!!”

06/21/2026

Day 172

“After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You.”
~ John 17:1

The longest prayer recorded in scripture ever made by Jesus is John 17. It comes at the end of the Last Supper and just before the Garden. It is the last time He prays with His disciples.

While on the earth, even though He was 100% God, He lived as fully man! He lived, not by His divine power but by the power of the Holy Spirit! As an example for each of us!

He lived as a role model, a guide for us on “How to live for the Father” even though He holds a place in the Godhead. His prayer here is an example of service, devotion, priority, and worship!

He is saying, “Father, in everything that’s about to happen, the desire of my heart is not to be noticed or to be glorified, but to bring You all the glory and honor!”

Calvary was coming! The betrayal, the arrest, the abandonment, the abuse, the mocking, spitting, and jeering! The humiliation, the nails, the cross: all of this stands before Him, glaring at Him! He knows it’s coming!!

He also knows that what is about to happen is going to tear the veil of the temple from top to bottom and open the door so that “whosoever will” may come before God and be saved! And yet the desire of His earthly heart and the example He gives us is the pursuit of bringing God glory!

Jesus was living as our example, that even when we make the biggest sacrifice we can, our goal, our purpose, our focus should be nothing more than to bring and give God ALL THE GLORY!!

“Father, help me today in everything I do, to bring You all the glory! All the honor! And all the praise! You alone are worthy, oh Lord!! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!!”

06/20/2026

You never know which church service will change your life…but it will never be the one you didn’t go to! Join us tomorrow at 10am! We would love for you to join us! Come as you are!!

06/20/2026

Day 171

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testing we do, yet He did not sin.” ~ Hebrews 4:15

As I read and prayed over this passage of scripture, what came to mind was that we have a Savior who “gets us.”

So often we have heard it said that we shouldn’t judge others until we have walked a mile in their shoes. Even in the well-known movie, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee makes this statement: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

This is the kind of Savior we have! He could have judged us in our sins and still be righteous, holy, and loving! However, He chose to live as a man! To walk a mile or two in our shoes! In doing so, He faced the very temptations we did!

He knows what it means to be exhausted, misunderstood, hated, betrayed, and tempted to respond to it. He was accused wrongly, judged unfairly, punished harshly, and crucified all for loving you and me!

He gets injustice! He gets unfairness! He gets our struggles with sin! HE GETS US! And yet, He still loves us!! While He faced all that and did not sin, He knows that we have “missed the mark,” more times than we can count! Yet, He still loves us!

We all have “junk” and “stuff” that we are dealing with! Some of it we have brought on ourselves through poor decisions and other things simply because we live in a sin-cursed world! Whatever the case may be, we have a Savior who gets us! Understands us! And loves us all the more!

“Father! I thank You that You sent Your Son, not only to die for me and take my place, but also to understand me, and have compassion and empathy toward me! I love You Lord! With all my heart! In Jesus’ Name!! Amen!!”

06/19/2026

Day 170

“You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all those people standing here, so they will believe You sent me.” ~ John 11:42

Yesterday the devotion was on the previous verse and knowing that God hears our every cry! But this verse that follows shows the purpose of the prayer. “So they will believe You sent me!”

As a Christian, we have no doubt that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One! We have no doubt that He was sent to us by the Father that we might be forgiven our sins! And praise God for that!!

On another note, God not only sent Jesus, but He sends us as well! John 20:21 tells us, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you!” God has sent you to your family, your job, your friends, that “random” encounter! God is sending you to each person to share the love and light of God!

Paul tells us in 2 Cor 5:20 that we are Christ’s ambassadors! He is sending you, me, the church to go out and spread the gospel! Not only us, but He has sent the church and placed it in the community it is in to share the love of God there!

You may feel like your life doesn’t have purpose or meaning. First and foremost, God loves you and sent Jesus to pay the price for your sins! It’s a free gift and all you need to do is accept it!

Second, He is sending you with the greatest purpose of all! To carry the message that God so loved the world that He gave! It’s your purpose so share Him like you mean it!!

“Father, I thank you to know that no matter what, I can find peace and purpose in the truth that wherever I am, you have sent me as your representative to tell others of your love! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!!!”

06/18/2026

Day 169

“So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank You for hearing me.”
~ John 11:41

The account of Lazarus being raised from the dead is well known to those in the church. I used to be able to say generally most new it, but that was back in the day when Grandma took the grandkids to VBS when Mom and Dad didn’t see the “importance.”

Before getting into the awesome power displayed in the raising of Lazarus, we see this prayer Jesus prayed. The stone is rolled away, but He has not called Lazarus out yet…and still His prayer, though simple, is profound!

“Father, thank You for hearing me!” Our God is not only good at fixing, raising, calming, bringing, and taking away! He also is an amazing listener! Jesus says in this prayer that he is speaking like this so we will know!” Know, among other things, GOD HEARS US!

Sometimes we feel like Lazarus! Dead! Dead tired, dead in our ruts and routines, dead in our relationships, dead in confusion over life! Even as a Christian, there are times where we feel down, discouraged, and just plain stuck!

We need to know that God listens to us! Call upon Him! Let Him know your frustrations, disappointments, discouragements, setbacks, confusions, and questions! He is the best therapist you will ever meet!! This is the story in the psalms! Whether venting, praising, or praying, God hears us and is listening!

Not sure where you are in your walk with God today, but if you are carrying around some “dead” weight, take a moment and talk with God! Sounds simple, but the powerful part is He is listening to every word and working on your behalf!!

“Father, I am so thankful and grateful that You hear me! Even in the midst of my sin, I cried out to You, and You heard me! Help me never forget to bring everything I am before You every day! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!!”

06/17/2026

Day 168

“I entrust my spirit into Your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for You are a faithful God.” ~ Psalm 31:5

David pens this psalm while in the wilderness and caves running from King Saul. He knows God has anointed him as King! He knows God has “removed” Saul from being king. He knows that God has warned not to harm his anointed ones. He knows all this and so, while everything seems “backwards” from what he knows, he prays this prayer! “God, I trust You!”

There are 7,487 promises in the Bible that God has made to man! 7,487! That’s a lot! While we may not be able to name all of them, God can! And, in spite of what we see, He is at work to fulfill them, every one!!

This verse should sound familiar. Look at it again…it is what Jesus prays on the cross in Luke 23:46. When you think about its origin and its purpose when David penned it, it makes perfect sense.

Jesus, being crucified, is saying: “I know You have sent me, I know You will raise me! I know I Am the Lamb of God and it’s because of this that in spite of my current situation, I entrust my spirit into Your hands!!”

No matter what’s going on in your life, you can trust God with every bit of it!! He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you! Plans for life and life more abundant! Forgiveness, restoration, anointing, purpose, and power! All waiting for you!

Be willing to let go and entrust God! Commit all to Him as He has committed all to You!

“Father, I thank You that I am what You say I am! I have what You say I have and I will do what You say I will do! I entrust my all into Your masterful hands! In Jesus Name! Amen!!”