My most recent blog article was written for parents, which totally left out the next generation. In light of that, I want to share some thoughts that I spoke to our youth group recently in preparation for the summer.
Life is passing us by quickly. I can't believe my oldest son is 10 years old, which means I have been a parent for 10 years. Time is moving too fast. Because of this fact, we need to take advantage of our days. Summer break is a great time for students to unwind from a school year, get a job, take vacations or just enjoy a different change of pace. However, all too often, and this happened to me one summer when I was in school, we get to the end of the summer and we wonder, what did I accomplish that was worthwhile?
As we consider taking advantage of our summer and not just doing a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants summer and wonder what you're doing that's worth while, let me challenge you. Jesus wants to be a part of your summer break and He will help you make your summer a success. I want to share with you 5 different areas of your life where you can invite Jesus into your summer to make the summer of 2013 the best ever.
First of all, spend time in the word and in prayer. Psalm 119:9 says, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to God’s word." Mark 1:35 says, "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus went out to pray." Prayer and Scripture study will ignite your passion for Jesus. You can’t have a strong walk with Jesus if you’re not spending time with Him in prayer and digging into His Word. When you spend time with Him and experience His presence, He will anoint you with power. Imagine if every Christian teen were to spend a half hour each day in prayer and Scripture study this summer? Imagine how on fire you would be next school year? Your town would change. Your schools would be changed!
Secondly, obey and respect your parents. Ephesians 6:1 says, "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and your mother -- which is the first commandment with a promise." Obey your parents. It’s pretty clear. When your parents tell you to do something, you should do it right away. Too many children wait until their parents are to the point of nagging them before obedience happens. Obedience is a right away deal! Now, I realize this is difficult for some of you because your parents are not walking with the Lord. God still calls you to obey them. If your parents aren't walking with the Lord, you should make that a priority in prayer and watch God work. As you obey your parents, the home can be a training ground for you in preparation for being an adult. No matter where you end up in life, you will always have authority over you. Learn these lessons now.
Thirdly, build relationships with Christians. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Bad company corrupts good character." I have heard so many youth over the years tell me, Fred, "I can spend time with my non-Christian friends and it won't affect me." You will become like the people who you spend the most time with. If you spend time with Jesus, you will become like Jesus. If you spend time with your parents, you will be like your parents. If you spend time with Christian friends, you will be like them. If you spend time with non-Christian friends, you may have good intentions, but you will become like them. You will be forced to compromise your beliefs for them. Christian friends will build you up. Christian friends will help you stay accountable in your walk with God. Get plugged into a youth group and ask God mend your hearts together. You may be thinking, why doesn't he challenge me to build relationships with pre-Christians? It is important to do so if you intend to share the gospel, but all too often we build friendships for the wrong reasons and we get pulled away from Christ.
The fourth area is to avoid the devils traps. The beginning of Colossians 3 in summary says, "Put to death all immorality. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." God calls us to a standard of purity. Anything short of that is immorality. With that in mind, the enemy will tempt you to immorality. What are some of these traps? Sleeping with your significant other. Watching Rated R movies. Looking at porn. Playing video games or listening to music that is not appropriate. Let me challenge you to avoid situations where you will be forced to make a decision to sin or not. If you’re at a friend’s house who isn't a Christian and his/her parents aren't at home and there’s beer in the fridge or there’s a rated R movie in the DVD player or they have the Playboy channel: run from it! 2 Timothy 2:22 says, "Flee the evil desires of youth." Stay strong in the face of temptation. Don’t put yourself in a situation to compromise.
Lastly, look for opportunity for service. Ephesians 6:7 says, "Serve wholeheartedly as if serving the Lord, not men." Jesus was a great example of this. He was a servant. He came not to be served but to serve. When was the last time you did something for someone and didn't expect anything in return? Your town needs more kindness. Could you imagine what your town would be like if a group of youth decided they were not going to just cruise through the summer thinking about themselves, but instead they intentionally looked for opportunities to serve those in need? Wow, that would be the best! Kindness becomes prideful if the service is done to boost one’s ego rather than to give God the glory. Open your eyes to the needs around you and seek to meet those needs with the strength God provides. There are many widows and single mom's in your town who could use some help with various jobs around the house.
In conclusion, friends, I want to see you have the best summer ever. The only way that’s going to happen is if you seek to honor God. If Jesus has center stage in your life, then your summer will be the best ever. If you put yourself on center stage this summer, chances are you’ll get to the end of your summer and think, wow what did I do? Live for Christ and you’ll have the best summer ever! Your legacy is not only determined by what you do as you get old but also by whom you are when you're young.
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