T'S and CURSES

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I was sipping coffee in Columbus with a good friend/colleague this past week.  We were talking about, what else, “recovery”.  She is a powerful voice on the West Side, a tough area.  She even used the phrase, “recovery desert” to describe her sphere of influence and neighborhood.

And as the conversations often go, we were talking about the folks that we see and help starting to skew a little “younger”.  In other words, those we are helping and ministering to are becoming addicted earlier and quicker. 

This isn’t good.

Not at all.

But as we continued, something else that has been a topic of recent discussions with many of my Pastor peers across the state surfaced. 

Not only are we seeing earlier addictive challenges, but we are also encountering young people who have little to no knowledge of what “church” is, who Jesus is, and why a relationship with the LORD is even necessary. 

And then my dear friend from the WEST SIDE dropped two absolute bombs on me.  She said it is not only those who are suffering in the disease of addiction that are a concern, but their children as well.  I knew that already, but then she dropped the first bomb.

Her congregation does a once-a-month bible school and during one of her teachings with the children of “the neighborhood” one of the young folks asked, “What is the T for?”  Puzzled, my friend asked, “The T?”.  And the young one replied, “Yeah you guys have that T on the wall what does it mean?”

The T you likely have surmised was THE CROSS.

Wow. 

Or you should say WOW.

Here was a young one with no concept of the CROSS. None.

But the wows didn’t stop there. No, as one of her team was teaching, she used the words, “Jesus Christ”.  Not unusual at a Bible school, right?  And one of the little fellas raised his hand and said, “Teacher why are you cussing? Isn’t Jesus Christ a swear word?”

WOW.

Friends we are losing at least one if not two generations right before our eyes.  The basics that we were taught and taken for granted are no longer part of the family fabric. In fact, I heard T.D. Jakes comment recently that millennials and now apparently their children are either not receiving or rejecting the traditions and confines of “religion” and as a result, the fundamentals and the basics are being eroded as evidenced by these two examples.

Friends, we are in precarious times.

The question is, who is ready to step up and step in? 

We must give GOD a chance at the children or the cause of righteousness is going to be defeated. But if we will save the child, we will surely save the world. - Clovis G. Chappell

So today, I would ask you to lift my WEST SIDE team in prayer.  

I would encourage you to seek GOD for ways you to pour into those young adults and children around you.

Summer time is coming.  

Can you help with a VBS?  Perhaps volunteer at a camp?  Perhaps help a current effort?  Is it time to maybe advance the lunch time conversation with that younger colleague past the weather and politics?

 

Remember:

2 Timothy 3:16 (LB)

The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.

And it is our job to share it! 

And if we do, we can turn “T’s into CROSSES” and “curse words” into hope and blessing! 

The question is, “will we?”

Have a blessed weekend.

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE