(Sept. 1998)
Now that school has started, you're busy again. You've got class work, jobs, extra curricular activities, church, reading these newsletters, etc., let alone just basic living to do. Your generation is busier than any previous teen generation with more to do and more offered than ever before.
With all that activity, there's hardly time to eat. I heard it stated that on the average, teens no longer know how to properly use knives and forks, because they are constantly grabbing sandwiches, fast food, chips and junk for their meals. Very few sit down to a civilized meal with their families anymore. If that's the case with you and your family---you're too busy! But, that's another subject!
You are at a time when you need to rely on God more than ever before. Do you remember that joke people would play by standing behind you and telling you to fall back and they would catch you? You had to really trust them, didn't you? Sometimes those jerks would back up and let you fall. God will never do that. He will always catch you IF you trust Him. If you are truly leaning on Him you will not be able to stand without His help. You will become so reliant on His help that you will be aware that you really need Him for everything. I'm so dependent on God now that I know that apart from Him, I can do nothing, (John 15:5). I wake up every morning and surrender myself to God and ask Him to help me with everything I do. That way everything I do will work out for the best, (Ps. 1:3). Not only do I ask Him to help me with big things, but I ask Him to help me with little things like fixing my hair, making dinner, etc. This may seem silly, but I've done it both ways: on my own and with God's help. Letting God help you is much better! He loves this when we humble ourselves and get rid of the pride that causes us to think we should do things without His help, (Ps. 25:9). Religion, (ways or rules that bind you from operating in a relationship with Jesus), and pride will tell you that you shouldn't bother God with all that stuff.
(Click
here 
to see what religion does to people!)
Whether you are really busy or not, God wants to help you. If you are born again, Jesus is your best friend. What are friends for? God wants us to rely on Him to help us with everything, not just the big things, (Phil. 4:6). We are to be one with Him and trust Him to assist us with all things. The Bible tells us that those who believe God will be saved, (not just believe in Him-the devil believes in Him and he sure isn't going to heaven!) That word "believe" means "trust in, adhere to, and rely on." God says you are blessed if you let Him help you, (Ps. 146:5).
Do
you want to do well in school this year; have a winning football season;
have the right kind of friends and be the right friend; have your family
become all that God said it can be; learn more about God? Just ask Him
and He will help you.
LET GO OF THE PAIN
In last month's newsletter we discussed honoring our parents, by respecting them, considering them valuable, etc. But some of you have parents who have left you either through divorce or death. Both are extremely painful. Both create anger, resentment, unforgiveness, grief and sorrow. Does this change God's command to you to honor them? No, it doesn't. Well!!! That's not fair, you might be thinking. This command is right for you so you can live a good long life. God is trying to correct what damage has been done to you by His blessing on your life, (Eph.6:1-3). If you will forgive them, you will be forgiven, if not then you block all power of forgiveness in your own life, (Matt. 6:14-15). Picture yourself handing the anger, resentment, grief, etc. to Jesus and let Him heal your heart. This is called casting your care on Him, because He cares for you, (1 Pet. 5:7). You weren't made to be burdened with all that stress. That's why when people carry that in their heart and mind, it destroys them physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. God is trying to spare you from that destruction, because He is strong enough to handle it.
Give God time to heal you. He is still healing me from pain in many areas. I understand how you who have divorced parents feel because my parents divorced. I hated being put in the middle of them because I loved them both. Parents should never use their children to cause harm to the other spouse because it's the children who end up the most hurt. If they are doing this to you, tell them how you feel and ask them to please stop. Tell them you love them both and you are not siding with one or the other. Their marriage, although it affects you, is your parents' problem. You did nothing to cause the problems they experienced. I also have experienced grief that about killed me. My daddy died at a time in my life when I had lost everything. I lost my job, my health, my friends, and suffered a broken neck; then he died. He was the one person who always believed and supported me no matter what. I was so angry at everyone for what all had been taken from me and then at Daddy because I felt he didn't try hard enough to live. I suffered in such a way I can not express to you as he died with me by his bedside. After all this, plus more I won't mention now, God, in His gentle love has replaced all that anger with love for the very people I hated.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we are not wrestling against people. What we are dealing with is the evil powers that are in this world sent to torment us. They put thoughts in peoples' minds which people then speak out, resulting in hurting us. They put impressions in their minds causing them to act out sometimes hideous things like sexual abuse. Most people are not aware of the truth about satanic forces being all around us, and because of their ignorance, (no knowledge), on this subject they and people they love are harmed, (Hos. 4:6). This does not mean you are possessed by a demon or are an evil person. It's a fact that demonic forces are all around us trying to influence us to do or say the wrong thing. That's why Jesus and His Word tell us many times over to take authority over them in His name and get them to leave us alone. If you will get angry with those forces and tell them they must leave you and your family alone and not be bitter with the person whom they are using to hurt you, you will be blessed. Just speak out loud:
"In Jesus Name, I bind all evil trying to influence me or my family in any way and command you to leave."
Then loose the power of God in your life by saying:
"I declare we are now free from those controlling powers. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Father, please send forth Your angels to protect and minister to us." (Matt. 16:19, Heb. 1:14).
Be sure to use Jesus' Name because it's by His authority they leave, not by yours alone. This is called binding and loosing.
Hurting people, hurt people. They don't mean to, it just happens. That's what has been put in them so that's what comes out. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that by the whippings Jesus took on His back we are now healed, that He was pierced so that we can have peace. He took on all the terrible things that are meant to destroy us and paid the price for it with His own life so we could now call on Him and be set free whenever those things try to destroy us. There are some of you with deep wounds over the loss of someone dear to you. You need to give that pain to Jesus right now. He will take it and turn your sorrow into joy, (Isa. 61:3).
My prayer for you is that you will allow Jesus to search your heart for what needs to go and that you will surrender it all to Him. Go somewhere by yourself where you and Jesus can be alone. Let Him minister to you. If you feel great sobs welling up, let it flow. There is healing in those tears. Feel His sweet presence with you, as He wraps His arms around you, and as you spend time with Him in this moment of healing. Then, let Him move you on to a new place in Him. If those hurtful thoughts return, say out loud:
"God, I thank You that You already took this. Your love and peace is in its place."
Guard your heart. Stay away from music, TV, movies, friends or family that keep reinforcing the pain by talking about the same things as what you just got delivered from. They may mean well, but if you keep going over and over it, it can sink back in your heart. You are delivered from it so focus on the good you just received from God. This is a daily choice. Choose life!