 |
| Add caption |
THE CHRISTIAN YOUTH IN A CHANGING WORLD
(I John
2:15-17; Isaiah 3:16-26; II Kings 9:30-33; I Tim 2:9; Exodus 12:37-38)
“Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the
flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he
that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:15-17) - (KJV).
INTRODUCTION
We are
living in a turbulent generation. This generation is sick, rotten and stinking
because the church herself is not well and sound. Everything is falling apart
very rapidly. Today, sin is so cheap and very free. Negligence and toying with
eternal things have become the hallmark of this generation of youths.
We live in
the age of it doesn’t matter, God understands and everybody does it. Now, it is very difficult for someone
to know who a true Christian is. Everybody rattles in tongues. To
live a holy life as a Christian youth is an old school. The hands of so
many Christians are stained with sin and yet they still step on God’s altar to
sing. What a sacrilege! Many are sinking in the mire of sin when they
ought to be walking triumphantly. The glory of the Lord is rarely seen in the
lives of many youths in Gofamint. What is the story with you? Where is your
crown? Where is your glory? What is your pride? Where is your beauty?
Some have
sold their integrity, identity, glory and
crown because of ordinary red pottage (Genesis 25:29-34), the mundane things of the world. Some are enigmatic and
chameleonic in behaviours and characters. The garments of many are burnt and they are
naked spiritually. Some are lukewarm while some are already cold.
God’s
programme for this jet age will finally be brought to an end. Where are you on
the map of eternity? On the side of God or you are just deceiving yourself? The
biography of your life is boldly written in the palms of the Almighty God. Stop
patching your faith because accountability is inevitable. God cannot be
deceived. You can only deceive yourself. Whatever God decides to do, nobody
changes His plan. Do not be a candidate of hell fire. Don’t build your life on deceit!
We need to
read the obituaries to remind ourselves how short our time here is. The wise
youth thinks ahead. The foolish youth acts as if there were no eternal
tomorrow. It has been well said that: “He
is no fool who gives away what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”.
The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it. A man’s
life does not consist in the abundance of what he possesses (Luke 12:15).
1. THE UNCHANGING GOD IN A CHANGING WORLD
(Proverbs 24:21-22; Malachi 3:6; Proverbs
6:27-29; Isaiah 40:8)
“My son (daughter), fear thou the LORD and
the king: and meddle not with them that
are given to change: for their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who
knoweth the ruin of them both” (Proverbs 24:21-22).
“I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).
“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of God shall stand for
ever” (Isaiah 40:8).
“Show me
the man who, because he claims to love his children, leaves them without
instructions; and I will show you the children who are heading to ruin”.
God’s love for man was therefore made manifest in the laws and statues He gave
to man so that he will not harm himself nor hurt another. Man’s love for God is equally hinged on his
implicit obedience to His laws and commandments.
Today, even
so-called Christians are relating to God with devilish parameters. In return
for the love that God lavishes on them, they reciprocate disobedience and worse
than that, conspiracy and treachery. Most of the conventional practices in the
world today are contrary to the direct command of God.
If a lawyer has helped you to conceal a
crime you really committed so that you escaped the long arm of the human laws, know that your case is still pending in the
court of heaven. Bible says “Some
men’s sins are open before hand, going before to judgement” while “some men they follow after (I Timothy
5:24).
The world is in a constant state of flux. There is
nothing new under the sun to really captivate a believer (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10). This old world is recycling and repackaging
its elements.
As a Christian youth, your life must be
directed by God. You should shun whatever that can mar your Christian life. If
truly you have heaven in focus, flee all those things that can make you loose
your eternal reward.
In a vision
that was given to the daughter of Mrs. A.C. Vailes (San Francisco,
California, on October 12, 1923) says: “I stood and looked on all the girls of
the Bible School filed in one by one. When Jesus saw us, there was neither a
smile nor a move on His face. After a short while … came twenty-one girls, all
powdered and painted with bobbed hair, very short skirts, and transparent silk
stockings. They all stood before the judge’s seat. Jesus looked and said: “With
your powder and paint and exposure of your flesh, you have dragged me to hell!
Go, meet them”.
The immodest dressings that have been judged already
is what the women of 21st Century is
embracing with jaw-breaking passion – sleeveless, one-shoulder, off-shoulder,
spaghetti blouses coupled with transparent, tight-fitting skirts. This is
really sad! “Go and meet the men you
dragged to hell”. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ name (amen).
By all
indications, this present age is winding down. The bible foretells many signs
that would culminate in the close of the age. Today, more than ever in history,
we can see most aspects of the signs Jesus Christ gave this our present world.
There are
many Judas
Iscariots in the church today more than Simon Peter. There are
lots of Ananias and Sapphira (couple) in the church more than Priscilla and Aquila (couple). Many Jezebels are in the church today
more than Deborah. We have myriads of Cain in the church more than Abel. Where are we on the map of
eternity? Remember, the day of accountability is imminent.
Television
is being used today for purposes quite different from what it was originally
dedicated for. And now, not only impudent and worthless things are pushed out
of the tube, but detrimental and dangerous shows that could dry the Christian’s
heart and chill his love for God and eventually damn his soul in hell. Many youths are introduced to the world of
deceit, indecency, immorality, crime, sexual perversions, violence and many
other vices right in their sitting room or bedroom as they constantly glue to
the TV and browse in the internet.
Research
had earlier shown that the average youth spend more than six hours everyday
glued to the television set. The
television has replaced the Bible and prayer in many homes. Its
influence like wild thorns has choked the life of God out of many Christian
hearts. Youths waste enormous time and
mental energy watching digital videos (DVDs) or playing violent, even bloody
and demonic computer games.
Take a
visit to any internet shop (cybercafé, as
they are called) and observe how youths flock in to spend hours, even whole
nights browsing forbidden sites on the internet. In the process, they are
tempted with and exposed to inappropriate materials. They are hooked on online
discussions regarding companionship,
relationships, sexual activity, abundance of pornography and erotica on the internet. Not all that glitters is gold.
Our children will not see anything wrong in indecent
dressing, immoral acts, dubious scenes, insubordinations, foul language,
idolatrous practices and demonstrations. The youths of today
find it difficult to obey II Timothy 2:22
that admonishes us to “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow
righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a
pure heart”.
Bible tells us unequivocally
in Genesis 24:16 that: “And the damsel
was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the
well, and filled her pitcher, and came up”. Do you have this type of
testimony as a youth sister? Have you not been reflowed by unscrupulous boys?
2. THE
PROMOTION OF COURAGEOUS UNCOMPROMISING YOUTHS
(Psalm 144:12)
“That our sons
may be as plants grown up in their youth;
that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a
palace” (Psalm 144:12)
–KJV.
The desire, the dream and the prayer of the king of Israel for the children and youths in the land
of Israel are recorded in
the verse quoted above. That should be the prayer of every godly parent for his
or her children.
Verse 12
quoted above should be the heart yearning of every godly and God-fearing parents.
Your past and present knowledge as youths should be able to build up your
future. There is no reason why any youth would remain a mediocre. As a youth, you still have a good body; you
have much strength, charming beauty and a good brain. Experts tell us that an
average individual does not use even one tenth of his brain in his life time,
yet we have men who got to the top. So, they say that if any man would use,
at most, one quarter of his possibilities of his brain, he would grow greater
than any scientist that had ever lived. God has given you teachers who are
interested in you and wants you to excel in life.
3. THE
PREPARATION OF COURAGEOUS UNCOMPROMISING YOUTHS
(Genesis 39:7-8; Ruth 115-18; I Samuel
24:2-6; Job 2:9-10; Jeremiah 35:6).
Knowing how, why, when, where and to whom to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
is the beginning of success. And the correct use of these words demands
learning and courage. A good Christian should be able to effectively make use
of these guidelines for a successful Christian life in the world.
Examples of some youths during their youthful
days:
i.
Joseph had a good knowledge
of the usage of these words.
“And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast
her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, lie with me. But he refused” (Genesis
39:7-8).
Joseph knew the right use of the word ‘No’. He even knew for how long he was
to use the word. “And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he
hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her” (verse 10).
ii.
Ruth is another character
who knew how to say ‘No’.
“And she (Naomi) said, behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said,
intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee …whither
thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall
be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will
I be buried” (Ruth 1:15-18). Ruth loved and respected her mother-in-law. She
obeyed and appreciated her. Now, Naomi, pulling a test of perseverance to her,
told her to go back to the worship of strange gods but fortunately Ruth knew
when and how to say ‘No’.
iii.
David, the psalmist who was
promoted in the Bible knew the right use of ‘No’.
“… and the men of David said unto him, behold the day of which the LORD
said unto thee, behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand … then David
arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass
afterward, that David’s heart smote him … and he said unto his men, The LORD
forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to
stretch forth mine hand against him” (I Sam 24:2-6).
Saul was seeking the life of David, chasing
after him with soldiers. David had been destined for the throne, for promotion.
But King Saul didn’t want him to get to the throne. Therefore, he wanted him
dead by all means. But while he was pursuing David, the king fell asleep in a
cave. David’s men persuaded him to kill the king, as that would mean the
shortest cut to the throne. But David refused. David said ‘No’. When eventually king Saul himself got to know that David said
‘No’ to killing him, he said “…Now,
behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of
Israel shall be established in thine hand (verse 20).
iv.
Job is also schooled in the
art of rightly saying ‘No’.
“Then said his wife unto him, dost thou still retain thine integrity?
Curse God, and die…He said unto her, thou speakest as one the foolish women
speaketh, what? In all this did not job sin with his lips” (Job 2:9-10).
Job displayed unalloyed loyalty and
unstained commitment to God. He never allowed his purity to be dented or
stained, not even by his wife. He said ‘No’
to all the things that can mar his relationship with God infinite. Can you do like Job? Do you still maintain
your integrity as a virgin? Has the pollution of the world marred you Christian
life? Think on these things.
v.
Nehemiah is also in the list
of achievers par excellence to say ‘No’
“And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so I cannot come down: why should the
work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? (Nehemiah 6:3).
Here, there were detractors, Shambalat and
Tobiah, trying to disrupt Nehemiah’s mission of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem which had
collapsed for more than a century. They were trying to tell him that the task
is impossible and useless. When he said ‘No’
to them, they did not relent but neither did Nehemiah yield until he had
accomplished his task.
“So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul,
in fifty and two days” (verse 15). Likewise,
students who take their studies serious, without yielding to the lure of
endless browsing, soccer and other games, are sure to excel.
vi.
The sons of Rechab also knew
what to say ‘No’ to.
The sons of Rechab also knew
what to say ‘No’ to. In spite of
Prophet Jeremiah’s persuasion, they said, “…we will drink no wine …” (Jeremiah 35:6). The Rechabites had been
instructed by their parents and they obeyed to the letter. How many of our youths
today do listen to instructions from their parents, most especially godly
parents? That is why majority of them are not making it physically and
spiritually. If you are in that category, you need to turn a new leaf and learn
from the Rechabites.
It is
always good to obey godly instructions. Instructions help and also lead us to
the right path in life. Bible tells us that “If
ye are willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19).
CONCLUSION
God has given us a long rope to pull. Nobody
violates God’s order and goes scot-free. He punishes whoever that kicks against
His commandments. Obey Him and it shall be well with your souls.
You are a
gem of purpose to make both common and capital impact. You were created with
great things to become a living asset to your generation. There are untold and
untapped wealth within you that you are expected to use to make significant
contribution.
The good
vision you have for your life should not be truncated by your negative attitude
towards your creator. You need to be zealous and serious in serving the Lord
without any reservation.
May the
Lord help you to make your journey to heaven in Jesus’ name (amen).
