Become blameless and pure!

Hello all my readers!

I visited a church with my family yesterday morning which I really liked. It was so nice to see like minded families and youth. I saw about 10 teens who all acted modest. None of them were messing around with each other like the average teens these days. I have walked into a church a few weeks ago where I was literally in shock! I never saw youth act that way in church. Now, I have seen teens and preteens act immodestly outside of church in the world, but I'm talking about church. That one church I attended was very nice, but when I walked to the youth department, I was shocked at how these young teens were acting. So foolishly and trying to get each other's attention. My own soul was hurt, I can't even believe how God must be hurting from these young teenagers.

Church is not a place to get entertainment, as so many want it. These young kids were wanting enjoyment for themselves and were not serious about worshipping Christ. I can figure out people pretty well, and once the service was over, they were out of the door straight to their 'buddies' or finding a way to do some inappropriate playing with the other gender. This was very sad to see. What if you have an unbeliever walking into church that morning, wanting to find something he/she has been lacking for years. If they walk into church and see the way these people act, they will think, "What, these are Christians, this is church? But they are acting just like the average!" Teenagers have a big impact on many people. What I mean by this is...many people see us as weird, disrespectful, embarrassed by their own family, wanting to be with friends only, immature, and you name it. The average person in this world sees teenagers as a red flag, "OH NO! Teens, destruction! DISASTER!"

I have been questioned about my faith this past weekend while visiting with two young girls, (13, and 16). The 16 yr. old asked me what my religion is. So, I told her that I'm a christian. Then she went on and said, "OK, I see, so you do the whole nine yards and everything?" Then I went on and said, "What are the whole nine yards?" "Oh, you know, pray before each meal, read your bible every morning and pray, pray at night and so on." I was like, "Oh, of course, that's what I love to do!" Then she pointed to my skirt, "That too, you just wear skirts?" "Oh yes, I do!" "Hm, you are interesting!" She went on with saying that just because I believe in God and that I have my religion it won't stop her from hanging around me, she said, "You have your belief, and I have mine!" She said, "If I could pick my religion I'd be a Buddhist!" I simply came back with, "Why?" She then answered, "Because, they are all about life, and they see nature from a different perspective, and you get to live!" I wanted to say more, but sadly the conversation had to end like that because I had to leave. I wanted to say, "We are not here on this earth to live and have fun, we are here to live our lives for Christ, to live and die for him." I know I will have another opportunity, because I see these girls weekly. I pray that God will bring me the moment when I can witness, and that I can be a light. I just thought it was so interesting that they noticed I was different. I have only been together with them two times!

Anyways, I kind of got off my main subject here. I am pointing more to the teens of our world, and the ones compared to the church. Many of these youth in the youth groups are just like the teens in our world. Yes, I do believe you have some serious kids who are set apart and wanting to live for Christ, but then you have some who are just at church because dad and mom make them go, or because they might have 'fun' there. A lot of churches make that mistake with adding too many activities for the young teens. They just go to have FUN! I know that the teens of this world, the ones who don't have a relationship with Christ and don't go to church talk about guys, and girls, and music and so on. However, if you go into the youth at many churches you have that same talk. I am in utter shock when I hear it. I don't expect that. When I walked into the youth department of this one church I went to a few weeks ago, I heard and saw these kids, sorry to say, flirt and talk about things one shouldn't say. I felt as if I was in a park with kids who don't know Christ. This is just so sad to see and hear. Shouldn't we strive to be set apart, to be different. It can be very easy to fall into the same attitude a lot of these teens are in. Just as talking about boys and girls. You know, the usual thing, "So, do you like a guy or a girl?" That question was brought up to me this past weekend. I was stunned, I immediately said, "No, you are wrong, we shouldn't be talking of things like this!" I changed the subject. I find it very senseless to talk of things like this. My mouth knows better, my heart is too ashamed.

I know I have said a lot, but the main thing that needs to be said is, BE SET APART FROM THIS WORLD. You may be one of those who don't go to a family integrated church, and you may have the whole nine yards of youth group, Sunday school etc., if so, don't fall into the trap if there are young people talking about immoral things, stand up and say no, and walk away. I was very impressed when I went to this church this past Sunday how this young kids acted with each other. You didn't see the usual game with the other gender, and the teasing, and all that stuff. It was nice to see others striving to be different, to became blameless and pure children of God!

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Philippians 2:15