Teens are the same all over the world

     Something unexpected happened at the conference on Friday.  A tent full of teenagers showed up! We were not expecting them because we thought they would be in school. However, there they were! So Will asked me to teach them for the afternoon on Friday, February 7th.

     I must confess that at first I was really in a quandary of what to do, or what to say for that matter. I did not come prepared to teach young people, I came prepared to teach women! But there they were like baby birds, with their mouths open ready to be fed.  

     I started by asking them why they were there. What did you come to learn? What would you want to talk about?  I found out that day that teenagers are the same all over the world. They wanted to talk about sex, temptation, and how can a young person stay pure. I found out that day that they, like teenagers in America have problems with Internet pornography and it was a real eye opener for me. I did not realize that they had that much access to computers or the Internet for them to have that problem, but they do.

So... God filled my mouth is the only way that I can explain it.  I talked to them about David asking the same exact question as they did, In Psalm 119: 9-16:

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.  With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.  I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.  I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.  I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."

     I told them that their mind was like a well, what you put into it, you draw from. If you meditate on the scriptures you can draw from them in times of temptations. Also, the Scripture "I will set no unclean thing before my eyes." Psalm 101:3. We talked about the fact that our minds are recording everything we look at. Once we view it, we cannot erase it. So be careful what you allow yourself to see.

      Another great Scripture to quote is: II Timothy 2:22 " Flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness..."  Also, another wonderful verse for temptation is: I Corinthians 10:13, " No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."  Look for the way of escape that the Lord provides for us, because God's Word promises us that He has provided one.

     They left for the day and Will and I agreed if they came back on the next day, Saturday, I would teach them again. So that evening I prepared by looking through my notebook and finding that I had actually brought my lesson that I taught from the "I Can Fly" school last year. Praise God! Carrie also gave me her lesson on the "Armor of God" from Ephe

sians.

     The next day, not only did they all return, but brought other teens with them! So for the morning session we talked about putting on the whole armor of God from Ephesians 6:11-17. I explained to them that this would also be a very useful tool in overcoming temptations. We used a poster that I let them fill in with their own languages, words for each piece of armor. I tried to pronounce their words and that's when the laughter would erupt. Once again showing how similar teenagers are all over the world!  Then I taught the lesson I brought from the "I Can Fly" school on "Making Wise Decisions". That covered the morning session.

     The entire afternoon session I spent teaching "The Prodigal Son".. Who Jesus was talking to (The Pharisees and who they are), Then the Prodigal, The "Prodigal brother who stayed home" and then about "The Loving Father", or "The God who runs". 

     I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this! I hoped the youth received as much from it as I did. What I received from it was the blessing of being totally and completely used by God. Because I wasn't prepared to teach this group, God took over. That's the best, and only way I can describe it. When you make yourself available to be used by God, He works in and through you. He brought things to my mind to answer each question and also what to teach. He spoke through me during this whole time and that is a wonderful feeling. 

     I am always amazed that God wants to use me at all. If we just make ourselves available, He will put us in situations where we can be used of Him and then... just watch out... He shows up... and shows off!!

 My interpreter, Dorcas