Life is hard enough today without any help from anyone. But, God promises to be with us every day. As Christians, we should help others bear the burdens that have been placed on them by life’s circumstances. Not just because it is the right thing to do but because we would want help whenever we become burdened with a load that is too much to bear alone.
Dear Teenage Youth Leaders,
First and foremost, it is of my greatest priority to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for assigning me the role as a messenger of the Good News as explicitly communicated in the Scriptures, boldly preached by men and women across this land we called Earth. I would like to thank author Tracy Eldridge for presenting me the privilege to humbly and passionately contribute to this site as a writer dedicated to exemplified the love of Jesus Christ, and to be a role model of a God-honoring soldier who has devoted her time to engage in the lifelong battle against Satan.
Serving as Vice President of a student-led Christian organization that is highly unpopular has been very tedious. Since the coronavirus pandemic started, we have seen a sharp decline in attendees, and things have gotten worse ever since the Former President (who graduated with the Class of 2021) left. We have started collaborating with a Christian Fellowship Organization in Northwestern University (which the Former President is involved in) to implement new strategies to run the club for next school year.
My concern for writing this message is not to address the recent changes. I sincerely am in for a change every now and then, in light of the challenges we are still facing while adjusting to the post-quarantine world. However, what I am truly against is the tendency for us to see church or the solemn occasion of preaching, ministering, and meditating on the Word of God as a time to be entertained or simply “lighten up the mood”.
The truth is: The message is not always going to be comfortable nor convenient for you to hear. With this in mind, I wholeheartedly admire your curiosity and your desire to figure out why God exists, and whether science and other trends contradict the faith. Personally, I have little knowledge about evolution, although I did learn about it in my biology class freshman year. Based on some of the theoretical principles in this merely scientific concept, I do see various contradictions between that spoken of in terms of the creation narrative mentioned in Genesis 1.
It’s easy to listen to someone telling you that God is love, God is faithful, and God will take care of you and give you strength to endure trials. However, it is not easy to be told that you have a sin nature, and that the world that many so adore for its vain pleasures — is the very place where sin is ever-present, accepted, and celebrated by many. Among one of the most challenging and uncomfortable topics our teenagers do not like to hear is the issue of morality and the existence of Satan. It is not easy to write about, let alone speak of, such hard truths, let alone on a presentation or a blog post. In a climate where our disciplinary system encourages and fosters an environment of immorality and compromise, such messages must be preached as it is: and not watered down to satisfy an audience or gain numbers or popularity.
It is beyond sad that my generation has become so accustomed to the habit of attending a “church” presentation where the Word of God is being taught to receive donuts rather than the sweet taste of divine revelation and wisdom that will assist them down the road, for the sake of “recruitting new members”. It’s time to stop viewing this as an opportunity to be spectators sitting back and pretending that such occasion is like watching a comedy show from MTV. I encourage anyone who is leading a club to go beyond the “god is love” mantra, and preaching against immorality. It’s time to show our younger generation that there is a sacred obligation that is beyond the realm of fitting in with the group and delighting in the world. It’s time for parents to stand up and tell their children who Satan is, and teach them how to daily fullfill and persevere in our sacred duty to be devoted ambassadors of the light to a dark, wicked society.
Now is not the time to mingle around and just simmly “energize the room”. Now is the time that young leaders of Christian organizations in the corridors of public and private schools across America to rise above the status quo and be courageous in fostering and maintaining a climate of Godliness and demonstrate an attitude of determination to overcome every Strongman, every obstacle, every tragedy, and every influence that will hinder us from walking as a victorious and free people: released from Satan’s prison of iniquity! All because of the blood of the lamb of God that was shed on that cross.
Sister in ⠠⠡⠗⠊⠌⠂
M.A
if they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee. 2 Chronicles 6:38-39 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/2ch.6.38-39.KJV
This prayer was given by Solomon when he was dedicating it for the people and as God’s house in Jerusalem. I pray that you might read the rest of the chapter so you can know what an awesome God we serve.
Most of the Christian world waits for this holiday all year, but what does it mean to you? For some, it means lots of presents and all sorts of getting together with family. For others, it is just another holiday and for some, it is just another day on the calendar. We celebrate the birth of Jesus at this time of year but Jewish historians place His birth during the Feast of Tabernacles during September/October. Truly it doesn’t matter when you celebrate our Savior’s birth as long as you know Him as your Savior.
The Son of God was the first gift given to all of us and all we have to do is accept it when we know that we truly need it. God calls us by His Holy Spirit to convict us that we can’t get to heaven without faith in Jesus and we should accept the gift given by His grace. It is a gift given to you by the Creator of everything. Isn’t He more important than your Mom or even Santa Clause?
The gift that Jesus gave to us is more valuable than all of the money in the whole world so shouldn’t we treasure it above everything else? I do.
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: And he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:28 KJV https://bible.com/verse-of-the-day/pro.17.28/74705
In the past year or so I think we have all felt a little broken in some way. Some, I think, more than others. Especially the doctors and nurses who are on the front lines of treating this disease that doesn’t seem to yield to a vaccine. It just keeps mutating and changing and no one knows whether the shots will work against this one or that one and if it does work…for how long? Then, after all of this, there are the everyday diseases that take our loved ones and the criminals and others who shoot people for no real reason. The brokenness of our world and our lives, to one extent or another, just seems to keep expanding from one day to the next with no ending in sight.
Where do we find solace? Can we find help in our lives that will bring some closure to this broken feeling that we have? Yes! By giving your heart to Jesus and following Him for the rest of your time on Earth you can have hope and a future regardless of what may be going on around you or in your life right now.
The news and the media that we get our news from are no help these days. Sometimes we hear good news and sometimes it is not such good news. Our families are beset with cancers and other diseases. Our children are being rebellious at times and even our job is not helping much with prices going up at the grocery store and the gas station. We look around and even on Friday, we may feel better because the weekend is here but then Monday comes and we have to endure it again.
This time that we are living in has been prophesied in the Bible. If you go to church or if you are curious, check it out in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Jesus tells us that all sorts of problems will be happening just before the end of the age (the church age). We are living in that period of time right now and whether we choose to believe it or not won’t change that fact. All of the prophecies in the Bible have come true except for the Tribulation and the Rapture (taking away) of the church. The Rapture will happen first and when that day comes many will be blessed but there will be many more that will be left to live through the Tribulation period of seven years.
I pray that anyone who reads this will seek to find a Bible-teaching church and make sure of your salvation. Read the books of John and Acts and Romans. Pray that God will touch your heart and draw you to become a follower of Jesus. The problems and the diseases that are being reported today are just the beginning. It will get much worse during the Tribulation so make sure that your soul and your heart belongs to Jesus Christ before that day comes.
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. Job 19:25-27 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/job.19.25-27.KJV
If you are a Christian, help others to come to know Him as well. Others need His blessings as well.
In the poem, “Footprints in the sand”, the man who had the dream noticed that at some of the most trying moments in his life there were only one set of footprints. The Lord told him that during those times He carried him through them. He was never alone.
For a married couple who is totally committed to each other and to the Lord as well, there would be three sets of footprints during their life together. During the hard times in their lives, the Lord would not carry both of them but their footprints would be closer together as they walked along. When their lives approached the end of their life together the Lord would carry them both through these really tough times. God doesn’t leave us in rough times only to show up during the best times, He is there all of the time.
Life today is tough and it seems to be getting tougher as time moves on but, as Christian believers, we are never alone. Jesus is there, the Holy Spirit is in our heart and God is always accessible to us by prayer. While we may feel alone at times, seek comfort in knowing that Jesus is always close to us. He is as close as a prayer and closer than a friend or a brother.
Why am I writing this today? Because life is hard and it is harder when we try to live through our troubles alone. Some of us aren’t made to go through life as a married couple but some of us are and we are more relaxed and able to cope with the good times and the bad when we have someone to share both of them with. The good times will be better when shared and the bad times won’t feel so bad because you are able to bear each other’s burdens.
This is how I see married life because God gives each of us a partner to live life through as a couple because, just as a rope, when there is more than one person/strand put together the bond is harder to break. Make sure of your bond as it is between three persons, Jesus, your spouse, and you.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Luke 10:21-24 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.10.21-24.KJV
The Living Message of Christ 