MEMORISE:
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22
READ: Proverbs 1:10-19
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
MESSAGE
In these last days, the devil is using every phony argument and deceitful practice in his arsenal to entangle the souls of the simple minded. We must therefore be on our guard and put in earnest efforts to preserve our faith and gain eternity. The devil has gone to great lengths to rebrand the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life in a most attractive package, embossed with inscriptions of prosperity all over it. This evil package is now making Christians, even ministers of the gospel, jostle for the kind of lifestyle that is clearly identifiable as worldly, carnal or sensual to those whose spiritual eyes are still open. This is why we must be equipped with the word of God more than ever before, to correctly draw the line between the things of God and worldly desires. Youths are the most affected in this regards. Many of them don’t have a firm resolve to serve God. They have many teachers from electronic and print media, some of whom are apostates, loading them with unsound doctrines that are not based on the totality of God’s word. Many young people are unwilling to surrender every aspect of their lives to God, preferring to do things their own way. The way many of them live shows that they are not subject to the Spirit of the Lord, who should have control over their lives. Such carnal hearts need to see the beauty in living a holy life and loving God genuinely.
One trick the devil is using to enslave youths today is the subtle offer of delicious gifts, appointments and promises of greatness by association rather than through hard work. In many cases, no matter how hard you try, you may not see anything wrong in such an arrangement at first. You might even think it is the result of God’s favour. Under this demonic scheme, a rich and powerful benefactor, acting under the control of demonic forces, tries to use the luxuries he or she can provide to entrap a less wealthy and vulnerable person, so as to make them feel obliged to do their bidding. However, when payback time come, many bewildered victims have been left disappointed, enslaved and hopeless, and some have even lost their lives. I warn Christian youths that those who are addicted to pleasure, having roving eyes that are always seeking enjoyment and a luxurious lifestyle, are easily sucked in and entrapped by wicked predators. The language they speak follows the pattern of their father’s in Luke 4:6-7. I pray that you will not become a victim of mean deceivers in the mighty Name of Jesus. See to it that you do not fall for any deceptive proposal of the devil. Satan does not give favours away for free. His demands are usually much greater than the initial investment, and you may lose your soul in the process. Do not be carried away by appealing offers not founded on God’s principles, because they are deceitful and poisonous food (Proverbs 23:3). Beware of hugs from bears!
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please deliver our youths from the perilous times of these last days in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 14, Ezekiel 40:44-41:11
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 10: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS.
1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
2. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
3. The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Youth should desist from a 'get rich' syndrome and follow the way of the Lord. What shall it profitability a man, who gained the whole world but looses his soul.. May God continue to guide our footsteps... Adeniyi Helen
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