You Give Them Something to Eat!

Sometimes we feel as if we don't have the resources or abilities to impact and reach our world for Christ. I was reminded of this today as a small group of teenagers came to church after school to spend their afternoon preparing through prayer, devotions, drama and worship practice to minister to their friends and peers the unchanging truths about God's Word.
The disciples where challenged by Jesus to gives the great crowd that had followed them in Matthew Ch 14 something to eat. With little money, no store in sight and only a few small loaves of bread and a few fish, Jesus gave them what seemed like and insane command. "You give them something to eat"! I think Jesus is still saying this to his church today! Most people in the U.S may not need a physical meal but their is a spiritual hunger in everyone! I think Jesus might just be saying its time his people gave those who are hurting and dying without Christ in their lives the bread of life, the bread that came down from heaven. Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word comes from the mouth of God. Oh God break us like the loaves and fish and use a small group of teenagers, a few youth leaders to multiply your word to the masses of people!

Our youth vs our culture

Recently I have been reading some interesting books dealing with the topic of raising up young people to love God in a culture that promotes the complete opposite message of what we teach in the church. In our church we minister to a significant number or teenagers and kids who do not come from church families. It is very difficult for us to try to shape their moral values and world view when we have maybe 2 hours a week to influence their lives, compared to the many hours a week they are being influenced by their peers in school, tv, video games and family members who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I love seeing these young people give their lives to Jesus but it seems like we face such a uphill battle trying train them to live lifestyles that are set apart and dedicated to God. I am reminded of the disciples question to Jesus about who could be saved if rich people could not be saved.(Matthew 19:26) His answer was that with man this is impossible but with God nothing is impossible! This battle is completely impossible for us to do on our own! We are dependent upon Jesus to show up and change a young person's heart! God I pray that you will get a hold of our young generation, I pray you will capture their hearts so that they will follow you all the days of their lives!