I am privileged to be able to minister to the most amazing youth in the Latrobe-Greensburg area but it is not always easy. No matter where you go, what generation you came from, you always will hear things like…
"What do these kids have to worry about?"
"Kids these days, they have it so easy!"
"Well when I was a kid I had to ________!"
I am here to tell you that being a teenager in today’s world is not so easy. So often I hear someone say, "If I had that when I was kid…" Everyday there are technological advances and new gadgets are created to make our lives easier but yet each year teen suicide is rising. If teens have it so easy then why are the suicide rates rising? In fact I believe these technological "advances" can add stress, anxiety and depression that lead to suicide.
For example the computer, it is the biggest technological tool young people use but it can add stress, anxiety and depression. We live in world that believes you have to achieve and strive for perfection but that is just impossible. Now do not get me wrong trying to be the best at what you do is not a bad thing, unless it takes over your life. In our school system we put so much pressure on the students to achieve and I have heard parents say their kids, "How could you be getting that grade, if I had the internet when I was kid, well I would have had straight A’s."
Another way a computer can add stress, anxiety and depression to our youth is the media that is displayed on it. I receive friend request from porn websites constantly on Myspace and each one of them has a very attractive female as their photo. In other ways I will see advertisements that have sculpted guys selling their product. There is so much pressure on our youth to look a certain way and it is just getting worse.
To make things clear I am not saying the computers are evil or the devil or anything ignorant like that, yet I am just recognizing how the devil can use them against us. Honestly I do not know where this blog came from. I came on to blog about healing but this came out…I guess that will be used for another day.
I would like to leave you with one last point. Two thirds of all teens suffering from depression, the leading cause of suicide among teens, NEVER SEEK TREATMENT! That sounds absurd, if someone was hurting bad enough to kill themselves why would they not say something? Maybe it is because you told them they had it so easy. How long will we close our eyes to the youth?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
1 is greater than 141
I just got done watching a Christian T.V. show. The format of the show was like many others; there was a panel of five experts. The topic which they were discussing was the rapture and I was intrigued because I do not know as much as I should on the topic. So I watch and they began to read an article from another Christian who disagreed with their theology.
I tuned in to this program to learn more about the rapture but it turned into a "Christian Slam Fest." The panel started to label the author and what was wrong in his article. One expert went as far to say that the reason why this author and others like him did not teach his type of theology was because they "could not understand it." Another said "I believe we will all be in heaven one day (talking about Christians, regardless of what type of Christianity you believe in)…but some of us will have our theology corrected."
Mean while I am sitting couch in shock. How often do we do this? In some degrees we are right and in the same way we are all wrong. No one knows how everything works and I am certainly not claiming to know it all either. I know when I stand before God in judgment he will tell me I blew many times but why are arguing with each other?
What good will that do?
How many people were saved because of your beliefs?
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph. 4:1-6)
We all have a piece to the puzzle but if we keep on arguing among each other we are just going backwards. There are 141 different Christian churches, by my count and each one has a different view on theology. Honestly if we keep fighting each other where are we going to get?
But what if we worked together? What if a Catholic Church and Baptist church worked together to feed the hungry? What if a Methodist and Lutheran church worked together to bring the gospel to needy people? How many people would be saved then?
What if we put are petty differences aside and became Christians and identified with Christ beliefs rather than our own personal beliefs? It is simple math but 1 is greater than 141!
I tuned in to this program to learn more about the rapture but it turned into a "Christian Slam Fest." The panel started to label the author and what was wrong in his article. One expert went as far to say that the reason why this author and others like him did not teach his type of theology was because they "could not understand it." Another said "I believe we will all be in heaven one day (talking about Christians, regardless of what type of Christianity you believe in)…but some of us will have our theology corrected."
Mean while I am sitting couch in shock. How often do we do this? In some degrees we are right and in the same way we are all wrong. No one knows how everything works and I am certainly not claiming to know it all either. I know when I stand before God in judgment he will tell me I blew many times but why are arguing with each other?
What good will that do?
How many people were saved because of your beliefs?
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph. 4:1-6)
We all have a piece to the puzzle but if we keep on arguing among each other we are just going backwards. There are 141 different Christian churches, by my count and each one has a different view on theology. Honestly if we keep fighting each other where are we going to get?
But what if we worked together? What if a Catholic Church and Baptist church worked together to feed the hungry? What if a Methodist and Lutheran church worked together to bring the gospel to needy people? How many people would be saved then?
What if we put are petty differences aside and became Christians and identified with Christ beliefs rather than our own personal beliefs? It is simple math but 1 is greater than 141!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Bad Week
I have had a poop week and it is not over…
Sunday my Girlfriend broke up with me…
Monday I slept all day…
Tuesday bombed a BIO II test and answered a question with "because we would have giant cows…"
Wednesday I pulled my groin, realized I have the rock-down funk and fought with my dad for 3 hours…
…but if you would refer to my first line the week is not over! I realized something today when my dad told me that there are only so many hours in a week. You see my dad feels that I am not making enough money and I should work more hours and spend less at Church. He is right, there are only so many hours in a week and I am too focused on work! I need to relax…I am tired of being so tensed and pissed! I need to focus on what matters to me the most…God, my Family and my friends...you guys!
The week is not over and I ask who wants to do something? Is anybody up for hockey on Saturday morning (groin pending)? My church is having a giant nerf gun war and it would make
my week if you would come!
Sunday my Girlfriend broke up with me…
Monday I slept all day…
Tuesday bombed a BIO II test and answered a question with "because we would have giant cows…"
Wednesday I pulled my groin, realized I have the rock-down funk and fought with my dad for 3 hours…
…but if you would refer to my first line the week is not over! I realized something today when my dad told me that there are only so many hours in a week. You see my dad feels that I am not making enough money and I should work more hours and spend less at Church. He is right, there are only so many hours in a week and I am too focused on work! I need to relax…I am tired of being so tensed and pissed! I need to focus on what matters to me the most…God, my Family and my friends...you guys!
The week is not over and I ask who wants to do something? Is anybody up for hockey on Saturday morning (groin pending)? My church is having a giant nerf gun war and it would make
my week if you would come!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
I believe in Satan
I believe in Satan. That's right that "big red dude with the horns", the Devil, el Diablo, the "Anti-Christ", "Son of Sam", Lucifer, that moronic punk (Yeah PM!!!)…whatever you want to call him, I believe in him. Although a lot of my fellow Christians do not feel the same way about him.
Did he say he believes in Satan??? He is going to be a pastor…shouldn't he believe in God? As most of gasp for air let me explain what I believe about him…
I believe he is…
Evil…
Wicked...
and not a nice person.
I believe he is the reason for so much of our…
Suffering…
Pain...
Loss …
And Emptiness.
I believe that he can be seen vividly in our
Depression…
Drug use…
Alcohol abuse…
And Adultery.
I believe Satan knows me well, not like God but enough to know what gets at me.
He knows I can be easily stressed out.
He knows I can be easily angered at work.
He knows that alcoholism and drug abuse runs in my family.
And He knows that I love God.
And that drives him crazy. He hates that I love God. Every morning I wake up and get out of
bed and he draws a bull's eye on my back. He wants to drive me away from God and into sin.
Like this one time my friend who found out that I was planning on becoming a pastor asked me if
I felt divine intervention. I thought for a second and smiled and said yeah but not as much as satanic intervention. He had no idea what to say…a want-to-be pastor has satanic intervention?
I do…every day. It is called temptation and we all are tempted.
When you want to look at some girls thong that is stinking out, that's satanic intervention.
When you want to get drunk, that's satanic intervention.
When you want to hit someone, that's satanic intervention.
The list could go on and on but as Christians what we need to realize is that the devil is so real.
He is as real as you and me and God and Jesus. But what can we do???
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 peter 5:8-9)
1. Be self-controlled and alert. Believe in Satan, he is real and he wants to destroy you.
2. Resist him, Standing firm in the faith…
a. Pray…a lot!
b. Read the bible.
3. Your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. If you are a Christian you should be there for your brother in Christ. You should be there for everybody…
So game on Satan!!!
Did he say he believes in Satan??? He is going to be a pastor…shouldn't he believe in God? As most of gasp for air let me explain what I believe about him…
I believe he is…
Evil…
Wicked...
and not a nice person.
I believe he is the reason for so much of our…
Suffering…
Pain...
Loss …
And Emptiness.
I believe that he can be seen vividly in our
Depression…
Drug use…
Alcohol abuse…
And Adultery.
I believe Satan knows me well, not like God but enough to know what gets at me.
He knows I can be easily stressed out.
He knows I can be easily angered at work.
He knows that alcoholism and drug abuse runs in my family.
And He knows that I love God.
And that drives him crazy. He hates that I love God. Every morning I wake up and get out of
bed and he draws a bull's eye on my back. He wants to drive me away from God and into sin.
Like this one time my friend who found out that I was planning on becoming a pastor asked me if
I felt divine intervention. I thought for a second and smiled and said yeah but not as much as satanic intervention. He had no idea what to say…a want-to-be pastor has satanic intervention?
I do…every day. It is called temptation and we all are tempted.
When you want to look at some girls thong that is stinking out, that's satanic intervention.
When you want to get drunk, that's satanic intervention.
When you want to hit someone, that's satanic intervention.
The list could go on and on but as Christians what we need to realize is that the devil is so real.
He is as real as you and me and God and Jesus. But what can we do???
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 peter 5:8-9)
1. Be self-controlled and alert. Believe in Satan, he is real and he wants to destroy you.
2. Resist him, Standing firm in the faith…
a. Pray…a lot!
b. Read the bible.
3. Your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. If you are a Christian you should be there for your brother in Christ. You should be there for everybody…
So game on Satan!!!
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