Lord, please help me teach!

Lord, please help me teach the children and young people that YOU have entrusted to me. Help me show them that they can’t get to heaven holding onto someone else’s shirt tail! Romans: 6:23; for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 14:6; Jesus said* to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. How many times have you sat in Church and the message the Pastor brings just seems to hammer your toes. Your heart fills with conviction; you are convinced you need to make a change. Now God says we are to deal with your own heart, but you know there are those around that didn’t share the same conviction. It’s innocent enough; you just gaze over the congregation as they are getting up to walk out and silently ask in your head, “hey brother did you get as much out of that message as I just did today”? I am a fortunate man; my adult children come to Church unsolicited just about every Sunday. I walk out of Church each week spiritually proud that my kids were all there. However; I worry about them and most of the youth of this age, then on the way home my heart gets tugged at. Do you think these folks got as much out of that message as I did? Did Christ prick their conscience to the point that they felt uncomfortable, or decided this was an aspect of their walk they needed to have the Lord fix? I really don’t think so. You see, it is this humble layman’s opinion that many of today’s professing young Christians don’t reflect the change. They still participate in the same activities their unsaved friends do. I constantly watch to see if they are keeping good Christian friends to hold their feet to the fire, but sadly more times than not, this is not the case. Oh they keep from cussing in our presence but I know that at times, causes them to stretch their vocabulary abilities when frustrated. They are caught up in pursuing the American Dream, and don’t have time for God outside of Sunday morning service. I mean come on Mr. Sunday School Teacher, this is America we are all Christian right? Yeah, sure; but tell me what that really means? You can’t tag along to heaven on the shirt tails of your Great Grand-parents, your Grand-parents or even your parents. Showing up for Sunday School and Morning service will not keep you from the gates of hell. In fact showing up for all the services each week brings you no promise of Heaven – none. Confession of your own sin, acceptance of His Mercy, His Salvation, His Grace and then HIS WAY! Why does the energy and enthusiasm of their youth sometimes blind teens and young people today of God’s commandments. Christ said “if you love me, you will keep my commandments”, why is that such a hard thing to grab in our youth? Christ said “I Am The Way”; Dad’s not the way, Mom’s not the way, you need to work your faith out on your own – THRU CHRIST! It’s not easy to hear, but our precious Heavenly Father is a jealous God, and He wants your love un-begrudgingly and unconditionally. While we can’t know the heart Christ told us we would know our true brothers and sister in Christ through watching them grow and bear fruit.

Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Satan is a tricky old devil; he knows how to keep the minds of uncommitted Christians tied up with activity, and all those wonderful toys that end up being idols we place before our commitment to Christ. When we do that not only is our view of God clouded, our fellowship in the Holy Spirit begins to suffer because we purge Him by filling our hearts with other things. So young people listen, focus narrowly on Jesus Christ, and live your Christian lives as He showed us and told us to. There is no other way to heaven. Dear Lord, help maturing Christians to remember to lift today’s youth up to You in prayer. Please Dear Father, help us come up along side of those that call you Father, let us offer them encouragement and support. Touch their hearts and tweak their conscience father and let them not be ashamed, in Christ’s name, Amen