| Summer Love A Message from Pastor Jonathan Gray - Youth Ministries Hey family! It’s summertime and love is in the air…..Have mercy on us Lord. There is just something about the warm weather and the rage of hormones that makes our beloved teen agers less than sensible when it comes to the opposite sex. Suddenly everyone has to be with someone. Being alone is just……it’s just too hard (Insert sarcastic smile here). Since our kids have become the love zombies of Prince William County I have spent some time on the subjects of dating and handling the opposite sex – especially the physical aspects of handling the opposite sex. Ohhh yeahhhh. I wanted to share with you what I shared with them. Hopefully and prayerfully it can help guide you through the hormonal typhoon that is adolescent love. Let’s be real about this. When teens think they are “in love”, it's natural for them to want to express “their love” in physical ways. We have made it clear that God wants them to remain sexually pure—in both actions and thoughts. Sometimes it's a tough balance, but showing love for another and remaining pure is possible. Here are the values we challenged them to embrace: 1. Keep innocent expressions special. Rather than making the innocent expressions a mere prelude to the "heavier stuff," make the most of them. Let holding hands mean something. Express tenderness by simply putting your arms around each other. Make sure a kiss communicates true feeling and isn't just the first step to further physical involvement. 2. Pace your passion. Every marathon runner knows that you don't use up your energy at the beginning of the race; you need to use it carefully so you'll have enough to finish strong. Pacing your passion means that you realize you're trying to remain pure all the way to your wedding day. It's OK to express your love in little ways, but don't start messing with the activities leading to sex. To get real practical, avoid French kissing and petting— anything that is sure to ignite the fires of passion. 3. Don't feed your fantasies. It's normal to think about sex sometimes. In fact, with the way advertising and Hollywood exploit sex, it would be impossible not to think about it. So choose your entertainment carefully. Certain songs, books, television shows, movies and websites only turn up the pressure. Feeding your thought life with junk only makes it harder to remain pure in your actions. 4. Remember whose property you're touching. You do not own the person you're dating. That person belongs to God. Imagine there's a sign on everyone you date that reads: property of Jesus. And don't forget: your body belongs to God too. 5. Make a promise to God. And daily renew your commitment. Decide where you're going to draw the line, and tell God that with his help, you are not going to cross that line until marriage. 6. Talk to God as you prepare to date. Before a date, it's normal to spend a lot of time getting ready. After all, you want to look your best. But you also want to make sure you're spiritually prepared. So spend at least as much time in prayer as you do in front of a mirror. As it says in Proverbs 3:6: "Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths" (NLT). 7. Agree on your standards. Before sex becomes an issue in the relationship, talk about your standards with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Don't dwell only on the negative—what you won't do. Hebrews 10:24 tells us to "encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds" (NLT). Discuss ways your friendship can help each of you become a better person. 8. Don't always go it alone. Sure, you want to be alone with your date; that's only normal. Yet too much time alone can lead you to do things you'll regret later. Your relationship will be a lot healthier if you spend time with each other's families and friends. 9. Put real love first. Genuine love always respects the other person. It never says, "If you love me, you'll …" Real love says instead, "Since I care about you so much, I will respect you, treat you with kindness, and never ask you to do something you know or feel is wrong." 10. Declare a new beginning. If you think you've already given away too much, don't give up. The beauty of Christianity is that sins are forgiven and erased (1 John 1:9). You can start over today. |
| LET'S TALK ABOUT DISCOURAGEMENT. When we are hurting—when we are lonely, afraid, in pain or overwhelmed by circumstances beyond our control—we can quickly turn aside from our true Source of peace and victory. Instead, we may look to human ways and resources. How tragic! We all know God is still on His throne waiting for us to call on Him. And we know the answer to all to all our needs is to be found in God alone and being shut in with Hm. We even admit to our spiritual friends, “I know I need to pray. I know God has the answer. I know I need to cry it all out in His presence.” It is discouragement of the worst kind to give into fear and despair while ignoring the Majesty and Faithfulness of our loving Father. God said to Israel, “I have talked with you from heaven…In all places where I record My name I will come unto you, and I will bless you” (Exodus 20:22, 24). But Israel answered. “God has forgotten to be merciful” (Psalm 10:11). “Zion said, the Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me” (Isaiah 49:10:11). Are you a discouraged Christian? You are if you ignore the Lord’s majestic promises and doubt that He means what He says. He promised, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet will I not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you upon the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.” (Isaiah 49:15-16). You will be downcast if you go on carrying unnecessary burdens of guilt, fear, loneliness, anxiety and turmoil. Have you refused to rest on the Lord’s great and precious promises? God is not mocking His children when He promises, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8”28). He is not lying when He promises, “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry…The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:15, 17). Let us not become impatient and act according to our feelings. When we get into trouble and cry out to God for mercy and help, all of heaven goes into motion on our behalf. Should the Lord let us see into the spiritual world to behold the good things He is preparing for those who call on Him and trust Him, it would be an incredible sight for our eyes. All around us the world is breaking down. But we see Jesus! We see Him in all our present trials. We see Him standing with us in our pain, our suffering, our crisis, all things. Most of all, we see Jesus getting all things ready for His coming. HALLELUJAH! Listen to this most beautiful prayer the Lord taught King David to pray: A Psalm of David The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:1-6 (NASB95) Be blessed today with the Word of the Lord; His promises are everlasting to all of His children. I do believe this: that there is nothing more pleasing to our Lord, than for His children to believe in His promises, so that we can be His light in the world drawing all who will believe in Him to have the gift of LIFE! |
