Encouragement for the Youth
Said Isaiah the Prophet, “But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”. Isaiah 40:31.
Of the many charges that church has, one of its primary call is the ministry of encouragement. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible is replete with words of affirmation for the believers. We are advised to “encourage one another and build each other up…” Too often the family of believers are quick to be judgmental, clicky, and indifferent towards each other. Even though the church has a stewardship to also spiritually guide the youth, sometimes the youth are left to believe that no matter how hard they try they cannot satisfy the standards that is set by God. ‘We’ listen to their choices of songs and say they are too repetitive to impact worship. ‘We’ look at the way they dress and say it is too casual for church. ‘We’ evaluate the way they worship and say it is too contemporary. The result is that young people begin to endeavor to please the many ‘voices’ in the church and not God. This becomes frustrating and resulted in burnouts.
The truth is, every generation has particular taste when it comes on to the elements of worship. Additionally, form one generation to another our style of dress, jargon, likes or dislikes change. It would be unprofitable to scold a generation Z youth who does not fancy using a pen and paper to write a letter but chose to use WhatsApp or Snap Chat to communicate. It was Jon Pauline who taught me one of the most powerful concept in scriptures, “God meets people where they are.” While God might choose to manifest himself though a burning bush to you, He might just choose to use a talking donkey on App to someone else. The point is profound, we are given a ministry to build up, not to tear down.
Today, I wish to encourage us as a people, —a community of faith that consist all generation, to adopt the standards of heaven. Let us embrace a mission to engage, empower, renew, and deliver youth in our contemporary times. As we worship God, my prayer is that Globally, or attitudes well be one of empowerment, renewal, thanksgiving, victory, deliverance, and praise. May the Holy Spirit influence growth in the life of every believer as well as those lives we will intentionally touched through the love of Jesus.
My fellow youth and believers, remember now, our message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is ‘messengers’, errand runners from Jesus to each other and the world (not competitors). The truth is we’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; sometimes we are confused but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we are not broken. Therefore, let us rise to complete our mission because we are “Never Defeated!”
Open your hearts, receive and give the special blessing that God has in store for you today.
May God bless you.
Larry L. Green