Tag Archive | Psalm 119:105 KJV

Young Adults/Youth, are you reading your Bibles?

Oct21
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“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Christian young adults and youth of today face a challenging present, not to mention future. To navigate their way, as a Christian, through the confusing and conflicting avenues of their culture is challenging. To travel these avenues, and remain true to their Christian faith requires a muscular faith. Understandably, the amount of stamina and strength to stand firm in the face of the enemy’s attacks must be consistently acquired. The question then is how is this accomplished?

Simply put, it is by reading their Bibes! They need to be drawn into it daily. Feeding upon the wisdom and understanding supplied by God’s Spirit. Daily nourishment directly influences the spiritual insight into how to view life and make daily choices that honor God.

For you see, contrary to what the enemy would have them believe, the Bible is more than relevant to their daily lives. It is absolutely necessary to avoid being deceived by the enemy. Knowing God’s truths about how to live life will help them avoid the pitfalls lying in wait for them, if they misstep.

Satan has played a foul trick on our young adults and youth. He manipulates them into thinking that reading their Bibles (much less prayer) isn’t all that necessary. They are unaware that Satan has a mission and by their choices they are either fulfilling his mission or making choices that will thwart his mission.

As Christian young adults and youth they must come to terms with the perils they will encounter, if they avoid reading their Bibles and spending time with God in prayer. If there is little desire to do either of these, they must be honest enough to ask themselves why that is and the courage to make the correction.

Please allow me to share a personal note on this issue:

It took a crises situation in my life to open my eyes to the fact that I wouldn’t survive without daily instruction or encouragement from God. Sometimes moment by moment. And it was caused by failing to seek God’s presence consistently. All those missteps I made, Satan took advantage of in order to dull my spiritual senses. It was the act of taking to Scripture to search for Truth thoughts to combat the lies of fiery darts that exposed Satan’s manipulation and deception.

(I have directly addressed young adults and youth in this post. Yet you and I know these truths are for all ages!)

The Season of Caretaking…

Mar8

Advancing to the season of caring for elderly parents has the potential to create a major shift in how we live and even view life. Suddenly, long anticipated plans must be reconsidered. Adjustments in the ebb and flow of daily routines must be rearranged. Physical accommodations of living space need to be appraised. Financial aspects of this arrangement require careful planning. It’s a load that at times can be overwhelming. Our enemy is ever present wielding his weapon of choice in taking advantage of the negatives of this shift to darken our outlook.

But though our focus might be tempted to see only what seems to be an ever lingering uphill climb, we can take measures that will foster a new balance. There are many helpful resources that we can draw upon to provide what is needed to care for our elderly parents. Yet, the main resource, the one true extinguisher of such darkness, is located in the Bible. It’s the map that will guide us in the choices we need to make and how to deal with the problems that arise. For instance:

When we reach the point where we don’t know where to turn, it’s the lamp that will light our way.

When the sacrifices arise that we willingly or unwillingly have to make, we need ‘how to’ advice on what that looks like.

When the logistics and the daily in’s and out’s of caretaking, begin to weigh us down we need a place to cast those burdens.

When we feel we just don’t have what it takes to handle this upheaval in our lives successfully, we need a place to turn to to regain our strength and footing.

And sometimes we just need to be reminded of who we are truly serving.

Yes, sometimes God calls us to a season of caretaking that requires a great deal of self-denial, And even in that there is a source of joy to be discovered.