E is for Effort

You know I loved the sign that Lanes Chapel had up a few weeks ago. (and that is ironic because usually I make fun of there signs because they are pretty corny) This one read, "Any plan will work if you will." I love the thought behind this simple plan of action. If you are dealing with a child and don't know how to handle it, try something new. I would say exercise caution by doing some research, look up on the web answers, ask trusted friends who have children a few years older than yours, or ask your youth pastor; he may not have raised a teenager yet, but he does a lot of baby sitting with them :)

Not only can we apply this principle to raising children, but also to raising ourselves in Christ. If want to see God at work in our lives then we need to be willing to put forth some effort. How many of us search the wall for the most comfortable place to serve at VBS? Or anywhere else for that matter. We often want acknowledgment for doing a mediocre job, but with God only a full onslaught of effort will really bring the spiritual value and reward that we all are searching for.

Youthfullness

Timothy 4:12 clearly teaches us that youthfullness is not something to be thought of as a hindrance to ministry. If we search the Scriptures we will find a vast amount of evidence of young men and women serving God thru faithful actions. The men Jesus chose were younger men, evidence to support this would come from the lack of any family being mentioned by any of these men, they could simply leave what they were doing. Christ Himself was 33 when His ministry ended in earthly human form. Elisha was without a family, adn king David was merely a young boy whenever he defeated Goliath. Do not allow yourself to get caught in the very thing that you despised when you were young, rather lead your children to a strong outpouring of faithful actions. never again will they have the time they have now to serve God. So we should not get in their way and more importantly His way in their lives.