|
| Exhort the young men...pastors this means you! |
|
| |
| Pastor Adam here from Peru. I want to let you know something that caused my heart to burn with indignation. This evening I opened up facebook and saw the picture of a young man who I used to know really well. He actually was part of the youth group I helped with at church, I lived with he and his family for an entire year, and he had come with me to Peru on two mission trips. He was like a brother to me, although a few years younger. I noticed from his pictures that he just celebrated his 25th birthday. My heart was saddened to see this once on fire for God young man in risque pictures with young women, drinking beer, and associating with people who are obviously not godly. In these pictures I saw the heart of a generation. He once served God and had a heart for others. Now I see him wrapped up in a world that won't let go, blinded by the guise of good times that will soon come to a bitter end. Can he not hear the Spirit calling him? I began to think about all the youth or young people in so many churches across America right now. Many of them are much like my friend. In fact, the majority of them could not be distinguished from the world. There is a story in the Old testament about a man named Jehu. He called for an assembly of all the Baal worshippers in the temple and gave each of them a special tunic to distinguish them. Then he told all the people "Make sure that there are not any worshippers of Jehovah among you". When it was determined that there were not any, he ordered all the worshippers of Baal to be killed (2 Kings 10:18-28). The Lord wants to separate all those that are his, and is withholding his hand so that those who are true worshippers can "come out from among them". But I dare say that many that are in the temple (the place of worship, or the modern church) will be taken with the judgement of the wicked. My heart was grieved for the condition of this generation. But my heart was burdened and made heavy when I realized that pastors carry the greater blame for the present condition of the youth. These youth have no guidelines, no goals, no dreams, no vision. Just an easy-going care-free escape from reality mentality. The bible commands men of God to EXHORT the young men to be sober minded (Titus 2:6). That means we are to preach a holy life style, purity, self control. Not the watered-down make you feel good garbage that is so popular these days. Get up in their business pastor! Tell them they will go to hell if they keep partying and having sex! My God, stop worrying about having the biggest church in town or offending people. Don't worry if your sermons go over 30 minutes of if you can't use the projector like you wanted to! If we as men of God don't take responsibility for the spiritual condition of this generation, God will demand their blood at our hands! Open your eyes pastor. The heart of God is for the fathers to turn back to the children. It's time to stop messing with politics and things that God never called you to. Start being a father to the flock. Paul said you may have ten thousand instructors in Christ but few fathers. This generation lacks the guidance and discipline that only a father can instill. Ask God to place that fathers heart within you. Our job is to prepare soldiers for the battle, ones that can fight the good fight of faith. Things in this world are going to get progressively worse and the young christians need to be prepared for it. As it is, the slightest bit of heat will cause them to wither. Take a close look at your flock man of God. How many could endure persecution? Most are ready to leave the church when the gas prices go up. Want to know why? Watered down preaching that tickles the ear but never pricks the heart. Shame on us. A general never tells soldiers going into battle that things will be easy. He tells them the truth. Many will die. Some will never come home. The battle will be tough, but their dedication and service will secure freedom for generations to come. Men of God, rise to your calling and prepare this generation! Forget about the methods of growing your church, preaching to be popular, how to raise bigger offerings or build bigger buildings! Stop using the web to promote you and begin to promote HIM! Tell this generation the truth, that they are just a breath away from an encounter with God Almighty, and that what they do and say and believe now will affect them and others for eternity! (Ecclesiastes 11:9) I pray that this stirs you, provokes thinking, and even makes you mad. The true fathers will hear and will rise to the challenge, pleasing King Jesus above all the rest. Bless you, Pastor Adam |
|
| To add a comment to "Exhort the young men...pastors this means you!" |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| July 20, 2009 |
 |
|
|
 [star!] |
Amen Pastor Adam! I've recently seen the youth leaders of a church walk into the church without a Bible and totally unprepared yet they were supposed to preach that day. There is an expression that says that there are no bad students, only bad teachers. A disciple is a reflection of the person that is discipling him. The commitment of the teacher will reflect on those that they are teaching. Starting from the pulpit to the pew the church in general needs an overhaul. |
|
|
| July 20, 2009 |
|
|
|
| Amen Prophet Jay! Those of like spirits hear what the Lord is saying to the church. Bless you! Keep the faith. |
|
|
| July 20, 2009 |
|
|
|
| Amen, Pastor Adam. I'm totally behind your exhortation to the pastors who lead the flock but your words can also be for the men and women of God to be there to guide, pray for and encourage the young people. I am simply shocked at so many Christian young people today and how little grounding some of them have in the Word. Today for example, I can go to church and see tatooed young people proudly baring their skin to reveal the tatoos, and scantily clad women baring bellies and more than that. I know there are some who are recent converts or perhaps not yet converted so I am not talking about them but about people who have been Christian for some time and feel it is okay to be like the world. Woe to all of us who do not tell them otherwise. |
|
|
| July 20, 2009 |
|
|
|
| [star!] |
Praise G-d for your burden for the youth.
I must ask one question. Where are the parents of these children? Seems to me that parents need to be disciplined themselves, so that they in turn can discipline their children according to scripture. However, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to do what is necessary for complete change of hearts.
Shalom to you Pastor Adam |
|
|
| July 20, 2009 |
|
|
|
| [star!] |
Perhaps it is the responsibility for all Christians to do this that have the opportunity to do so, but especially for those isn spiritual positions to do it...
4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Thanks for this powerful reminder...
Blessings In Him... :o)
Herman |
|
|
| July 20, 2009 |
|
|
|
| [star!] |
Marcia in many cases the parents are being taught that this is o-kay, thay have this typical teenager syndrom that is being spread through out the churches, that the word of God is not that serious and children, teens and young adults don't have to live such a serious life in Christ, and the enemy has beaten them down so bad and they have no support of other adults on fire for God that they just slowly sink into what the norm is for typical, undelivered, people who meet at the church for activities and they call the drinking, drugs and elicit sex, fellowship.
Fishers of Men i too share your passion for young people on fire or God and have had to deal with some things because i taught what thus sairth the Lord and pray that these children would come into the full knowledge of thier worth in Christ and i agree with Evangelist T, many pastors don't have a heart for young people so it is up to those God has given a burden for young people to do the work.
Have you tried to contact the young man, sometimes all it takes is someone to re-light the fire.
Be Blessed |
|
|
Follow this blog
