Word for the day "We have a youth emergency"

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.

The dangers facing our youth today are unprecedented and we need to help them.

Are you aware that our Christian children and our teenagers populating our schools, attending our churches, and living in our homes are the targets of Satan’s strategy?

Many of our young people hear voices as if a subconscious self is talking to them. Satan seeks to destroy our families and churches by seducing our children (Generation Z, born between 1999-2015) away from their parents and from God (I Timothy 4:1).

Is every evil thought in our mind the “voice” of Satan or a demon? No, the flesh which is that part of our brain that urges us to operate independently of God and to center our interests on ourselves.

In fact, the flesh also introduces sinful thoughts and suggests evil deeds. But the social culture and the flesh are not the only culprits, even though we tend to place most of the blame on them.

We must teach our youth today how to distinguish the influences of the enemy of our soul and many times peer pressure.

The devil and “spiritual forces of wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12) are shrewdly at work introducing evil suggestions as thoughts or inner voices.

Just as we learn to deal with society and fleshly influences in our lives as adults. We must learn to distinguish Satan’s subtle, personal influence and resist him for ourselves, and we must teach our children to do the same.

But equally important we must teach our children the influence of peer pressure and toxic friendships.

Whether your child’s evil thoughts are coming from people, the flesh, or the devil, you need to help them bring “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” ( II Corinthians 10:5).

And since many times our children haven’t been taught what God’s word says about Satan’s strategies, they blame themselves, and their sense of guilt and fear of punishment further contributes to their silence.

Now that we are well into the new millennium society has begun to recognize serious concerns with issues that youth have to deal with today.

Some issues have always been there but are now coming to the eyes of the public to find solutions. Other issues are new trends as society begins to adapt to a faster pace of life.

I am always sharing and discussing ways that we can empower and affirm our youth. Today’s message is built on securing our future, and that future is our youth and children for today and tomorrow:

Single-parent homes, drug and alcohol issues, violence in schools, growing up too fast, materialism, social media, peer pressure, educational disparities, just name a few.

Point to ponder 

Our young people aren’t saying much about Satan’s seduction in their lives because most of them don’t know that he’s at the heart of it.

Satan is the great deceiver, but we have a Faithful God who will fight the battle for us in Jesus. Let’s prepare our children in this spiritual warfare journey!

Prayer: Father God, raise up a standard of truth to defeat the enemy in the lives of our children and help us teach to them to resist the enemy themselves, in Jesus' name Amen!

• Are you engaged in youth initiatives?
• Would you consider helping our leadership efforts to help our youth?
• How do you feel about our youth today?
• Do you realize our youth is in need of your help?
• What are you going to do about this youth emergency?
• Have you considered some of the youth concerns noted in the message today?
• We have to teach our children about racial concerns in our society.
• We have to teach our children the value of social skills.

Special thanks!

Pastor James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of April 2020, by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Ms. Cynthia Waiters-Artis, Ms. Annette Straker, Mr. David Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Darlene Simmons,  Ms. Mable Bazemore, Ms. Evelyn Rosado, Ms. Itholear Abbott,  Mrs. Barbara Mason,  Ms. Theresa Lewis, Ms. Ashley Baker, Ms. Judith Battle, Ms. Angela Battle, Ms. Evonne Bazemore, Ms. Chisa Tolliver, Mrs. Lola Moore, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mrs. Robin Baker, Ms. Sylvia Sumpter, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.

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