Has anyone wondered why many of the youth groups in the church are having so many problems? The youth are less godly, more accepting of worldly standards and unteachable than ever before in the organized church.
Perhaps it is because the Scriptures about leadership are being ignored.
The criteria for a leader in the church is clearly stated in Titus.
Titus 1:6-9 "If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it."
Notice that these leaders were men and not women.
These men were not young men but in fact, they had grown children who were faithful to God. It is wrong to have "youth leaders" who are as young or nearly as young as the people they are suppose to be ministering to.
1 Timothy 3:6 "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."
The concept of "youth groups" or "worship leaders" who tend to be young people, is not a Scriptural standard. The only worship leader mentioned in the Word of God, is the Holy Spirit, he lives in all believers and needs no help from inexperienced and worldly young people who love to get in front and show off.
If we do things as the Word of God commands, we will have no need of "youth leaders" or "worship leaders."
The Holy Spirit is the leader of worship and the older gentlemen and ladies are the leaders of the youth, older men teaching young men and older women teaching young women.
We do not automatically discount a young man leading in the church entirely, however, he will be sold out to Christ desiring for the Bible to be his guide in all things and under the mentorship of the older believers.
He will have already been witnessing his faith somewhere in his sphere of influence, while studying the Word himself diligently.
A young on fire believing man will have no need nor desire of "fun programs" to draw in the youth, he will depend entirely on the Holy Spirit to draw those who want to hear, rather than tricking them into coming by cleaver programs, that tend to water down the gospel and divert the attention of the youth from holiness.
Modern marketing techniques have destroyed worship, making the gathering nothing more than a social club where everyone will be comfortable.
The best way to win someone to the Lord is to make them uncomfortable, by showing them their sin and the need to trust Christ to save them. Any other human method will only inoculate those who come, making the true gospel of repentance less desirable when they do finally hear it. Mankind will take the most traveled and happiest route if they are given the choice.
The only remedy for the modern church gathering if for those that attend to repent of their worldly leanings, get back to the Word for the purpose of obey it and much prayer for those who would be in opposition.
The best thing for the organized apostate church now would be for those who are attending to make the choice to follow Christ or to leave. Those who remain will be the faithful ones who desire holiness and true worship through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Israel Still Belong To God
If God were finished with Israel , why would He return there to Jerusalem. He said:
Acts 1:9-11 "9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
Matthew 24:30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Romans 11:1-5
Israel’s Rejection Not Total
11: I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,
3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?
4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Many in Israel have rejected Christ, but there is a remnant there that are born again and they will be the nation of Israel in the end times that bring the gospel to the rest of the world at that time. Two thirds of Israel will be removed leaving one third that will be the nation of Israel spoken of at the end of all things.
Romans 11:7-16
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”
9 And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches."
Acts 1:9-11 "9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
Matthew 24:30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Romans 11:1-5
Israel’s Rejection Not Total
11: I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,
3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?
4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Many in Israel have rejected Christ, but there is a remnant there that are born again and they will be the nation of Israel in the end times that bring the gospel to the rest of the world at that time. Two thirds of Israel will be removed leaving one third that will be the nation of Israel spoken of at the end of all things.
Romans 11:7-16
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”
9 And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches."
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