...

  Whatever your generation, industry or level of experience, Fero advises everyone to become more knowledgeable about the different generations and how they interact at work. While intergenerational tensions continue, a little knowledge can go a long way.

 

"At any age, you should know about the psychology behind the people you're living and working with."[1]

   The bible says:

 1 Peter 5:5 You younger men, accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.”

 

The age power struggle has been going on for years. We love this term “The generation gap” but over the past the changes in life were less polarized. Today a young person no longer needs the old to provide “knowledge” since the “font of all knowledge”, our “Internet” has taken over this role.

 Everything gets checked up ( sometimes against garbage, but it still gets checked).

 The problem with internet knowledge is that it is impersonal! i.e. you cannot get to know the person and therefore trust what they say since it’s just a group of machines regurgitating what others have said.

 It is a highly useful resource, but it seems to be disconnecting younger generations from older generations in way unlike anything previously. When we add in the “newer” technologies, people become more connected on a less personal level. Texting is fun but the lack of physical contact means that the yearning for it increases to epidemic proportions and the youth react in ways towards those they do come in contact with that rises the eyebrows of the older generation.

 Notice that that friend of Jesus, Peter, reminds us Christians to accept the “authority of the elders” not the specific authority of that one old person…

 It is the cumulative wisdom built with years that can help the younger person.

 It’s a “group” lead, not one person lead. It’s a servants lead by example. One manager in business gives this advice. . .

 "You have to lead by example at any age. Do everything you'd expect your staff to do--plus a little more. You have to extend courtesy and respect and transparent communication, to get it,"^[2] says Fero.




Lead by example! So how do older Christians differ from other older people? Do they differ in such a way as to be able to guide younger people to success in their lives. Knowledge doesn’t build success strategies, wisdom does. How well can we pass wisdom on?

 Young and old should serve each other in humility! That’s what the bible says. How well do you serve youth, older person? How well do you serve the elderly, younger person?

 Start at home! Where is the respect for the other generation? DO we see it as our right to command authority? If we do we will loose that right! If it’s our right to serve in a righteous loving manner, then we will win!

 Pride is a powerful nasty and selfish attribute that nobody looks up to unless they are really lacking in wisdom. Let’s get rid of our pride and thank God for our abilities before we use them to support and love others with respect.

 Let’s go respect someone today? J

  The head of the assembly of God church says:

 "There are so many gimmicks in the body of Christ, so many charlatans that are out there in the Christian media that are basically saying 'send me $100 and watch God bless you’. This is just nonsense," he asserted.

 "If the money that has been wasted by Christians on these people who live the lifestyle of kings and queens and do little to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been spent instead on mission and on Christian higher education and upon this generation, we would be a lot further down the road than we are and these people are going to answer to God."[1]

 Though dubious in some of its reports, Wikipedia comments the following:

 In 2007, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) opened a probe into the finances of six televangelists who preach a "prosperity gospel".[2]The probe is expected to investigate reports of lavish lifestyles by televangelists including: fleets of Rolls Royces, palatial mansions, private jets and other expensive items purportedly paid for by television viewers who donate due to the ministries' encouragement of offerings. The six under investigation are:

 

• Kenneth Copeland and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas;
• Creflo Dollar and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga;
• Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas;
• Eddie L. Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga;
• Joyce Meyer and David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo; and
• Randy White and ex-wife Paula White of the multiracial Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa.[3]

  How does this tie into the message of Jesus, who never had a roof that he claimed his own, and focused on being with and helping the poor and destitute of the world?

 Matthew 8:20Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

 Jesus advice to the young man. . .

 Matthew 19:20-22 (NIVR)"I have obeyed all those commandments," the young man said. "What else do I need to do?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad. He was very rich.

 James comments as follows regarding treatment of the poor:

 James 2:5-7Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

 With this background in our bible, I find it strange that people think that Jesus taught prosperity. He does teach blessings for those who live their lives for him, but never indicates they would be material blessings.

 I guess we need to be careful of misusing our wealth! Enough to cover our old age, but God wants us to be responsible to those in need around us as well.

 Unfortunately the “tele” evangelists who chase cash have got a bad rap and it’s rubbing off on those of us who dislike them almost as much as the rest of the public. I dislike being labled with the dirt that clings to them but that itself is something we need to accept. Let’s try and not make the same mistakes! We are all sinners, but those in the public eye need to be more responsible, at least that’s what I think!

 How about praying that God will build a transparent, respectable Christian community in this modern world today?


One that loves and meets needs first, thinks that funding and politics is less important than helping those that are hurting!

That’s the type of Christianity I subscribe to!   

 

 Try figuring out which city the FIFA world cup or the OLYMPICS will be held in 40 years time!
Difficult isn’t it!
Try 690 to 730 years from now!

How successful do you think you will be?

 There’s this guy Micah and he fortold where the jewish “Messiah” would arrive on Earth accurately 690 to 730years before it happened!



Incredible isn’t it! Here’s what he said

 The Lord says, 
   "Bethlehem, you might not be 
      an important town in the nation of Judah. 
   But out of you will come 
      a ruler over Israel for me. 
   His family line goes back 
      to the early years of your nation. 
   It goes all the way back 
      to days of long ago." 

      Bethlehem was also called Ephrathah.[1]
 
Yeh! He foretold Bethlehem way ahead of time. It is recorded as actually happening in the 1^st century A.D. (about 80 to 90 years after the birth) as follows:

 Luke 2:1-7 NIRV

 “In those days, Caesar Augustus made a law. It required that a list be made of everyone in the whole Roman world. It was the first time a list was made of the people while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be listed.
 So Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is where Bethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family line of David. 5 He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expecting a baby.

  While Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for the child to be born. She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger.”

It’s also recorded in another book. . .

 
Matthew 2:1-6
 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea. This happened while Herod was king of Judea.
   After Jesus' birth, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, "Where is the child who has been born to be king of the Jews? When we were in the east, we saw his star. Now we have come to worship him."

 Amazing isn’t it?

Where will the FIFA world cup be held in 2050?

Any ideas? Probability of guessing this correct? Can you see how amazing this prophecy was?

 God is alive and well and living right here in Christian lives!

Free help for living with vitality available to everyone who believes Jesus is God, who gets baptized and who decides to live a life of purpose with Holy Spirit leading them!!!

 Even more amazing right?

I just heard on the radio that the oral contraceptive pill is 43years old today!

 

What has this done for us? It promised sex without responsibility and issued in the “free love” era. Has it improved our world?

 Most people would, I think agree that contraceptives were a good step forward to enable family planning. Young parents could wait before having children and so (at least theoretically) could prepare the environment and finances for a time when they could have their bundle of joy.

 It is strange to me that this seems to make no difference to the happiness of parents. The divorce rates seem to have increased and there are more split families than ever. More children are hurt every day than ever before. Strange!

 The last 43 years have seen a lot of change. A more recent aspect that can be supported due to the contraception capabilities is the “friends with benefits”. For those of the older generation who don’t know what that means, it is what previous was termed the “fling”, but differs in that it is a casual sexual relationship between friends with no expectation of romantic involvement. The friendship is supposed to continue unaffected.

 Hmmm! I guess I’m crazy but is that not a simple recipe for someone to “accidentally” want more and get hurt?

 Sex is that need that psychologists tell us is a basic need of humans. It sure drives up the movie ratings and fills the bank accounts of the porn industry doesn’t it.

 The interesting thing is to consider what makes for the “top of charts” sexual experience.

 We know there are many types of sex. That rushed quickie, the planned romantic night with a blind date that is more anxiety and hiding oneself emotionally than enjoyment, the drunk sex, the angry sex, the couldn’t care really but it seems like a good thing sex. Then there’s the kinky, I can’t seem to get excited(I don’t like to think I am inadequate but actually I am) so I have to find some weird way to encourage my lust type of sex.
 
 Young people who have never had sex, have exposure to the most hideous forms of sex through the internet, and it’s hardly likely they form good sexual ideas from that! There’s the manipulative sex where I give sex to get. The purchased sex from prostitutes!

 But the best sex, even according to psychologists (at least when I studied it at university) is between two consenting adults (my belief is one male and one female, but now days that is argued), who are in a long term relationship excluding others, where they feel completely safe to expose their innermost emotions and needs, where they love each other deeply, and where they take time to pleasure each before reaching a climatic mutual orgasm, and where they are happy to wake up with and live with the person the next day.

 Sex for guys is apparently more about the act, but for the woman is apparently about the romance. Millions of dollars spent on romantic novels that give a completely weird interpretation to relationships that no man could possibly live up to, but which triggers emotional highs for woman and show that romance is a real mover for the ladies.

 Yet sex, and even romance, without deep trust and commitment can be very damaging when one or other parties finds out the trust and commitment is not reciprocated, or has been betrayed.

 Guys say it’s just the sex they are after when playing the macho game, but if that’s the case they either like dominating females or they are shallow because sex without a deep relationship lacks vitality and doesn’t meet our truest needs.

 Girls may think it’s romance, but actually at the end of the day it’s about being able to depend on a guy who will be there for you and who you can trust not to betray you when you most need them.

 The divorce rate shows that despite our contraceptive pill, our relationship evaluation skills stink now days!

We damage kids by separating them from loving parents and forcing them to choose. We show the kids that sex is more important than solidarity and family values. Betrayed by life, many get cynical and set out to take wherever they can. Since the best sex is when we give, they cheat themselves even further and end up lonely, and potentially unhappy even while in a relationship.

 I suggest that today’s announcement of a new pill that works up to 5 days after intercourse is simply legalizing the killing of a developing embryo.  Now we can add guilt to the list of freedoms we have chosen! Of course we will not agree it influences us at all, but when our first baby is born we will think of all the others we flushed!


 I guess God has it right all along!. True love comes from deep commitment to the other. It is responsible, unconditional and selfless not selfish. It is best inside a legal agreement called marriage, because God knows we all need that encouragement to stay together for our kids and that storms brew and then blow over provided we stay out on the water and away from the rocks!

 That simple Song of Solomon describes romance in the biblical form. Taking time to get to know others is important. Sex takes part of an hour, but the person is with you the rest of the time. Maybe having common beliefs, goals and aspirations is more important than the act. After all we all know that we were created with the correct anatomy, but we are not so sure about the correct relationship.

 Those of us that are happily married, help me pray for those that need help and that God’s grace will keep us that way! If not, I pray you will immerse yourself in the truest love and in so doing find your true love.

 Where there have been mistakes, there is forgiveness, it’s difficult to face God but it’s there.

 Maybe we can learn that having the ability to avoid responsibility decreases our enjoyment of our sexual relationships! 

 Maybe God’s way IS the best way? Now that is something to think about!

 

 ...
 Have you ever wondered which hurts the most: saying something and wishing you had not, or saying nothing, and wishing you had?
  -          Unknown
 

How many times do we find ourselves having started out into a discussion of conversation with the best of intentions and then when the time comes for that critical statement we just fail miserably?

 The reason is generally how we approach the entry into the conversation and our attitudes to ourselves. If we really think about it, it’s the context we find ourselves in. That conversation is not in a vacuum but is part of our attitude towards the other person, ourselves and the overflow of the days events and emotions. The conversation context is influenced by so much.

 To lessen these “wishing I had” type experiences I have found that if I go into the discussion with an attitude of respect for myself and the other person, not willing to damage either of our reputations in any way (mine or the other person’s), and with kindness as my intent, it is far easier to pull out the right words at the right time.

 We have to be willing to speak!

Being shy is not seeing our true value in God’s eyes. We are important and God loves us dearly. He values us as much as any person on planet earth. If he values us all this way we need to value ourselves in the same way. That way we can walk with rock stars or Hollywood actors, or with the presidents of the country and not feel either inferior or superior.

We are valuable to this world, but uniquely so. This doesn’t make us beter or worse than others, just crucial to perform our specific purpose.

 This means when others complement us unexpectedly we, knowing our true value, can graciously say that we are “thankful for the praise and it’s so good of them to have said that, but that if they see a specific strength, it’s one that others have spent a lot of time helping us develop”.

That way we acknowledge we have the strength without putting the other person down and we also focus the thanks where it is most likely due. None of us do what we do without the input of others to develop ourselves do we? 

Caring for others is a release enabling us to feel good and accomplished! Sometimes we say this is what causes us to screw up as well. Is this then perhaps a case of us putting to much emphsis on the other person attributes without seeing them like us, as God’s people trying our best not to screw up wherever possible?

 Another time we sometimes tend to respond incorrectly is when we meet the “I’m the best in the World!” type of person.
 
These types spend so much time telling everyone how good they are that it’s pretty obvious they have a problem. I used to get upset with these people, particularly because they tend to abuse others if they go to far in this direction.

I have learned to pray for them and ask God to give me compassion for them.

Instead of attacking the already damaged ego, I look for ways of telling them what I do appreciate, and jnever comment of the poorer aspects. Then, as I get to known them better, I ask them why they said “…” to the other person, and if they are trying to help that person.

If they say the other person is not worth helping, I ask if they could have got to where they are if others hadn't helped them. Often this can cause a rethink and this is what I pray for! Sometimes it doesn’t, but well we can’t win everything can we? It’s really not all up to us is it? 

 My last resort is to remember God see’s us in life fulfilling a shepherds role in life with the wounded ego’s of others as the sheep. This is particularly true in a church setting. Then I remember the words…

 1 Peter 5:2 Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.

 It’s not for us that we do and speak, but for God!

If that’s our motivation, it’s easier to find the right words isn’t it?

FILLING THE GAP,
a message to those of us who are older to get help for those that are younger!

 

Excerpts from a testimony about some parents from the internet

 

“At this point, I can honestly say I don't love them anymore. I used to. I used to love them and wonder why they didn't love me like other parents loved their children. I used to think they were just so horrible because of me, that my very presence caused them to behave like that. They told me they hated me and then they told me they loved me. They told me it was my fault they were unhappy. I used to want to die just so everyone would be happy again.

 

My mother abused me verbally, emotionally and physically from when I was 7 until I left home for good at 19. She would slap me, hit me, kick me, pull my hair, grab my ears and pull, throw things at me, hit me with things, and once she threatened to kill me with a kitchen knife. She told me she wanted to kill me, and that if I was gone everything would be better. She always called me names. Even when I was too young too really understand what they meant. She told me I was a selfish *****, that I was stupid, ugly, fat, smug, evil, a sl*t, that I would be hated by everyone who met me because I was so awful and stupid….”

 

“…Dad was verbally abusive and neglectful mostly. I mean, he hit me sometimes, but not as often as my mum. Usually for small silly reasons like my mum did, like I walked in fornt of the TV when his football team was losing. His words were the most hurtful thing about him, just like with mum. I'd rather a bruise or a welt any time, rather than the words. He told me I was useless, that I made him sick, that I wasn't as good as his other daughters, that I was fat and ugly and untalented, that I had to validate my existance to his daughters. He never says he loves me when his daughters are around. Back then he knew that his side of the family treated me like dirt (still do). He knew his grandchildren bullied me and called me names and hurt me and called me their 'slave'. He knew his daughters were nasty to me, that they either ignored me or made fun of me in front of other people. He knew they called me fat and stupid to my face. It's been that way since I was born. They didn't like the fact that my dad married someone else, other than their own mother, they
hate my mother and so they hate me too.”

 

Then think how this person reacts when Jesus says we must pray

 
" 'Our Father in heaven,   
may your name be honored. 

If you were that person how would you respond?

 

• INCOMPREHENSIBLE!

 

• REVULSION!

 

• HATE!

 

• I COULDN’T CARE!

 

These are often a result of a person thinking of their Father. How can we blame people for drawing back in horror at being asked to consider God as a Father

 

Here are some things that get connected to the word Father in the world at large:

“he beats us to a pulp”

“he’s drunk again”

“he uses us as cheap slaves”

“he is stressed all the time but never talks about it, just takes it out on me”

“he’s never here”

“he never says thank-you or sorry!”

“he sleeps, eats, drinks and watches TV but doesn’t even talk to me”

“he gets angry at me even thought I’ve done nothing wrong”

“he physically and mentally abuses her, and then tells me to call her “Mom!”

“he tells me not to swear at him but swears at me and others all the time”

“he tells me that using drugs is wrong, before he goes out and gets drunk!”

“he hates me, but thinks his kid’s are gods”

“he abuses me sexually and mom knows it but does nothing because she is scared of him”

“he means nothing to me anymore!”

 

Perhaps the perspective of this pain can best summarized in these words from a young person

“I hate my Father, help! please!”

 

Can you hear the pain in this call for help? No-one wants to hate their father or have their father hate them. No one wants to hate their parents!

 No one wants to hate God either! 

Why do I bring this up? I do it because…of transference! As people we transfer our emotions onto others so easily. We don’t want young people incorrectly transferring these horrible emotions onto our pure, loving God, do we?

 

We as Christians HAVE AN OBLIGATION! 

 

• We understand our true Father’s love (or should).
• We have the ability to show the value of true transparent and real love to others.
• We do know we are not better than any other person because we also do some stupid, selfish, ignorant and nasty things, but we know we are forgiven and loved and can be transparent and honestly reflect Jesus as best as we can to those around us

They desperately need to know this!

   

Perhaps you are thinking this doesn’t apply to me! I grew up in a home where love was shown correctly. If that’s the case you are blessed and you need to bless others…

 

So many young people need “spiritual” Fathers, Mothers, Grandparents, brothers and sisters!

 

Let us investigate some young people attitudes towards Christians and why they have them.

 

Let’s look at what our Lord Jesus says about it and what we can do about it.

 

Get ready to have facts upset your comfort level because the facts aren’t pretty!

 

Fortunately the love of God is incredibly powerful and can easily correct incorrect perceptions and heal broken hearts, if we let Holy Spirit work in us.

 If we let Holy Spirit work in us!

 

Wrong attitudes to Holy Spirit…

 

Lying	We must not lie to Holy Spirit, remember what happened to Ananias (Acts 5)!
Resisting	We must not resist holy Spirit! (Acts 7:51)

 

Our decisions and will are sufficient to stop Holy Spirit working correctly. Let’s pray that we don’t do this! Sometimes it takes courage to open ourselves to Holy Spirit, particularly if we have been hurt and abused by others.

 

My prayer is that we would all have sufficient courage to face truth!

 

There are many perceptions young people have towards Christianity as outsiders of the church. I will only address a few today!

 

If you are a young person perhaps you can learn the older people are unaware of the painful inadequacies in our churches and in love help them understand how they can help.

 

If you are older, perhaps you could open yourself in love to help the younger people who desperately need our help!

 

The first perception of the younger generations is that we are “hypocritical”.

 

 Notice that in addressing the “father” earlier that hypocrisy was key in the criticism’s leveled at the bad Dad.

 

Young people are very relationship based.

 

They are far more sophisticated at discerning relationships that the older generations were at their age.

 

 Young people are hyperlinked in their relationships. They have continual input from many different people at all levels of life almost 24 hours a day. All these demand emotional investment so young people learn to discern valuable from superficial relationships very quickly!

 

Two faced or double standards are easily identified. Unfortunately young people do not care as much about this as older generations do. This means they believe we all put on masks to protect our images at all costs.

 

They believe many Christians do exactly this! Are they right?

 

How many of you sit in church telling young people that you have it all worked out and everything is okay? If we do this we are lying and we are not being true spiritual parents to our youth. Let’s be transparent! We don’t have it all worked out!

 

The bible says so! It says

 

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.!”[1]

  

GRACE IS everyone’s right! How much grace do we show to others?

 

• Youth, how much grace do you show to the older generation?

 

• Elders, how much grace do you show to the young?

 

STEROTYPES! We so love them don’t we! The youth hates stereotypes but do it themselves as well!

 

Here are a few words that will show some superficial differences between young and old:

 

• Nose rings! Tattoos! Jeans! Rock music!

 

• Suit! Tie! Jacket! Hat! Dress! Gloves! Flowers! Hymns!

 

Tell me these words didn’t evoke stereotypical thoughts in our heads. It’s so wrong!

 

Let’s be honest, we are all so visually impacted that we all add all sorts of pre-understandings to everything we see. We have to be careful! Let people who are not Christians stereotype but let’s agree not too!

 

What is horrible in a Christian is that we allow these stereotypes to influence us to fail to see the stereotyped person for who they really are!

 

They are someone Jesus loved so much he DIED for them! UNCONDITIONALLY! And INDIVIDUALLY! Specifically them!

 

We didn’t have to change one thing ourselves did we?  Jesus loved us despite ALL our failings! And BEFORE we loved him! If we want to be a spiritual grandparent, parent or sibling we have to love others unconditionally, BEFORE THEY LOVE JESUS, THE CHURCH, CHRISTIANITY OR US!

 

That means we forgive them for everything before they even ask us too! That’s the Christian way!
 None of us fit into a stereotype and it is insulting to say we do!
 

Let’s drop stereotyping and treat everyone as individuals?

 

Another perception of outsider youth is that we are the collectors of “salvation scalps”!

 

It is so wrong to think young people don’t know the Christian message! Yet we keep blasting the same message at them. Let’s move on folk! Most of them have heard it (if inadequately) many times before they reach thirteen. The problem is they don’t believe it because they don’t believe Christians care for them and they don’t believe Christians make a difference because

 

• Statistically most Christians are no different from outsiders!

• There is no substantial evidence of a different lifestyle or something that is significantly different! [Statistically proven]

 

Christianity seems to outsiders to be commonplace and boring! They see it as manipulation and indoctrination. Many teens hate church because of having to attend it and finding it unhelpful. When they can choose to, they often leave! Why?

 

Because the church they attend is not relevant! It feeds out platitudes and makes little difference!

 

 It is not being what Jesus wants it to be. Because JESUS is RELEVANT and many young people say they accept Jesus but not the church Christians! I don’t think they know what they are saying but I hear and understand their hearts!

 

 How does Christianity cause us to live differently to the guys next door?

 In what way do we significantly do something different to everyone in the community for the community without looking for a reward!

How sacrificial are our lives? Most of us don’t understand the word sacrificial!

 

 What we want is “souls” for Jesus! What Jesus wants is disciples!

 

He wants to heal the hurts! Not put a band-aid them, and then beat them up with a hammer!

 

Our enthusiasm for building up lives and developing our young people (and perhaps our older people) is far less than this push for evangelism that permeates our lives. This sickens the outsiders, because they don’t see why we do it, and they don’t see any value in it as shown by our lives!

 

Let’s just review the Great Commission and actually read the words:

 

Then Jesus came to them. He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end."

 

What is a disciple? It’s one who acknowledges who Jesus is, but it is more isn’t it?

 

You have to follow and mould yourself in the image of the master to be a disciple.

 

We don’t talk of disciples of teachers at school nowadays do we?

 

 No! It requires self discipline to be a disciple, and most young people could never become so self disciplined as to be a disciple of a teacher at school. A disciple not only learns what is taught, but how it is taught, and how to live like the teacher!

 

Are we disciples of Jesus and do we disciple others? Or do we look for a cheap conversion prayer and feel we have done ‘our job”?  I hope it’s not the latter!

 

Similarly we need to be disciples if we are to disciple!  We need to exercise self discipline! This means we must do things that are right even though it is difficult for us, it takes us out our comfort zone, and it is sacrificial!

 

Are we true disciples?

 

Can we lead by example and not words? Have we the compassion, love and self discipline of a true disciple? Are we right enough with God that others looking at us will see Jesus? That’s the Christian way!

 “Our Father in heaven”

 

If we are to show our young people what those words mean . . . we have a lot to do!

 

We have to be disciples who are not hypocritical and reflect true spiritual leadership.

 

We need to reflect

 

• Love unconditionally!
• Love sacrificially!
• Love continually!
• Love transparently!
• Love passionately!
• Love by serving others!
• Love intelligently not mindlessly!
• Love by investing our time and resources!
• Love by listening!
• Love with compassion!
• Love with creativity and vitality!

 

In this way they can start to understand who Our Father is and we know that once they start to understand this that they will love the same way.

 

Maybe we can recover the lost love for them. Maybe they can get them to understand God loves them very, very much! Maybe they will get it because we finally get it too!

 

So what can we do?

 

Know this

• Young adults having relationships with important adults that support them in their lives are more likely to have successful life outcomes.
• Just one genuinely caring adult can make a huge difference in a young persons live.
• Young people are protected by the presence and involvement of caring and supportive adults.
• The presence of high quality relationships with peers and adults is associated with psychological health, improved academic performance and success in relationships as adults. (Child Trends Research Brief: “Helping Teens Develop Healthy Social Skills and Relationships: What the Research Shows about Navigating Adolescence”, Elizabeth Hair et. al, July 2002.

So le’ts take time to do this for each other (youth to elders, elders to youth, Christian to outsider)

•  
  1. Ask people about their day or week and LISTEN
  2. Offer to pray for specific things, do it, and FOLLOW UP
  3. LOOK FOR and discuss what type of things we might have in common
  4. Let’s GET TO KNOW each others names
  5. LOOK FOR THE OTHER person and pray for them when they don’t appear as expected (find out why)
  6. See if we can ASSIST each other
  7. Try WORKING SIDE BY SIDE on something
  8. Let’s organize to HAVE FUN together, laugh together
  9. SHOW we care—smile, develop real affection, forgive!
  10. Look for and COMMENT ON THE OTHERS STRENGTH, ignore their weaknesses
  11. Do HAVE HIGH AND REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS for their growth and betterment
  12. Demonstrate your trust—by MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE (don’t go blab to others)
  13. Don’t give COMPLIMENT unless it is sincere and then say it with conviction
  14. How about asking them to EDUCATE you about something
  15. Talk positively and LISTEN WITHOUT JUDGEMENT
  16. ENCOURAGE others to participate in activities for our community and each other
  17. REMAIN CALM/PATIENT when the other person is angry or upset
  18. COMFORT/CONSOLE the youth when hurt/upset or disappointed[2]

 

 

But most of all, let’s

 

Ask Holy Spirit move our spirit to love others deeply and sincerely without prejudice.

 

After all Jesus does all this for us doesn’t he?