(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I want you to notice that word there. Unfain. And of course the word fain means to pretend. The word fain means to be insincere. But here we see the opposite of fain. It is an unfain faith. So it is not insincere but it is sincere. It is not pretending but it is authentic. It is genuine. And here he says when I call to remembrance Paul speaking to Timothy. He says the unfain faith that is in thee. He says which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also. And here what we find is the Apostle Paul speaking to this young man Timothy and he is talking about the fact that this young man Timothy is what we would call a second or in his case a third generation Christian. He is not someone that got saved and just started this Christian life on his own but he has this legacy of Christianity in his family. Paul talks about the faith that dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and then thy mother Eunice and he says I am persuaded that is in thee also. And here is point number one for tonight. We are talking about seven principles for young people and young people are going to have to decide you young people need to decide you must make your faith personal. You must make your faith personal. You are going to have to decide because here is what I know and I don't need to know a lot about you to know this about you if you are here on a Wednesday night at Faithful Word Baptist Church you have got somebody in your life that is trying to instill something in you. Now I am not saying that your parents are perfect I am not saying that they do everything that they are supposed to do and that they do it alright. But if they have got you here on a Wednesday night then they have got to believe something and there is some faith there that they are trying to pass down to you but here is the truth that is not enough. It is not enough for you to maybe have a grandmother that loved God and served God. It is not enough for you to have a mother or a father that loved God and served God. You are going to have to make a decision on your own to make your faith personal. Now you are there in 2 Timothy. Go with me if you would to the Old Testament books of 2 Chronicles. 2 Chronicles chapter 34. If you find the one and two books towards the beginning of the Old Testament they are all clustered together. 1 Samuel, 1 Kings 1 Chronicles. Find 2 Chronicles 34 and then do me a favor put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there because we are going to be going back and forth to that part of the Bible and I would like for you to be able to get there quickly. 2 Chronicles chapter 34. I want you to notice here in verse number 1 2 Chronicles 34 and verse number 1. We have a story of a very famous Bible character. A very famous young man. Notice when we meet him here he is just a child. 2 Chronicles 34 says this Josiah was 8 years old when he began to reign. Of course this is a king of the southern kingdom of Judah and he reigned in Jerusalem 1 in 30 years. Notice verse 2 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. I am not preaching necessarily about this tonight but I think it is interesting as you read 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles you will find that God always gives this little statement about whether or not the individual lived for God or did not live for God. That doesn't mean they were perfect, it doesn't mean they were sinless of course, but it means that they tried to walk with God. Here the Bible tells us about Josiah that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of David his father and declined, another two, the right hand north to the left. I want you to look at verse number 3. Verse number 3 says this 2 Chronicles 3 for 3 For in the eighth year of his reign just notice this little phrase. In fact if you don't mind writing in your Bible I would love for you to mark these words where the Bible says this For in the eighth year of his reign while he was yet young while he was yet young he began to seek after God, excuse me, after the God of David his father. Here the Bible tells us about Josiah that while he was yet young he began to seek after God and he began to seek after the God of David his father. This was a decision that was made in his life while he was yet young and I think that sometimes young people maybe get this idea and they might think well I'm just a young person, I'm just a child, I'm just 8 years old I'm just 12 years old I'm just 14 years old or 17 years old or whatever it might be and you might get this idea that says I can't serve God, there's nothing I can do for the Lord there's no way that God could use me maybe one day, maybe sometime in the future, but not now but listen to me, you need to understand that the Bible actually emphasizes this idea of young people serving the Lord In fact some of the greatest Bible characters throughout the entire Bible are young people that decided to serve God. You say what kind of young people? Young people like Joseph Young people like Samuel Young people like David Young people like Jonathan Young people like Naaman's little maid Young people like Joash and Josiah and Daniel and Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego and those are just the ones that I thought about that we could confirm we could actually look at a portion of scripture that tells us that they're a young person there's all sorts of other people that we think were probably young when they began to serve God but maybe we don't have a specific verse that references that but the point is this, that the Bible tells us and it shows us that it is possible for a young person to decide they're going to serve the Lord to decide that they're going to walk with God the Bible says here of Josiah while he was yet young he began to seek after God now I'm not just talking about salvation of course we hope that you're saved tonight if you're here tonight we hope you're saved if you're not saved please let us show you how you can know for sure you're on your way to heaven but we're talking about deciding what you're going to do about the faith that has been passed down to you not just salvation although we hope you'll be saved but you've got to decide what are you going to do about this King James Bible what are you going to do about soul winning and what are you going to do about these doctrines and these standards and what are you going to do about God in your life it's not enough to come from a family that brought you to church that exposed you to the gospel that got you saved praise God for that praise God for the fact that there may be people in your home that are investing in you I'm a product of a Christian home I can say like the Psalmist says in Psalm 16 6 the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places I have a goodly heritage I'm thankful for the fact that I have a heritage of parents that were saved and were independent, fundamental, soul winning Baptist and loved the Lord and raised us in a Christian home I can say like the Psalmist the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places and I'm sure that if you're here tonight and you're a young person you can say the same thing but listen to me that's not enough it's not enough for you to have been given a home that raised you in the things of God you're going to at some point have to decide what are you going to do about Christianity what are you going to do about the Christian life you need to make your faith personal it can't just be passed down now I hope it's passed down but you need to have it passed out to you and then decide I'm going to make this thing personal I'm going to walk with God I'm going to live for God I'm going to get to know God I'm going to decide like the Bible says here about Josiah while he was yet young he began to seek the Lord go with me if you would I think you're there in 2 Chronicles still in verse 34 look down at verse number actually before you do that let me just read this verse for you you stay there in 2 Chronicles 34 here's Ecclesiastes 12.1 the Bible says this remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth and you've got to make a decision and look here's what I'm saying to all of the young people here tonight and all of the parents that are raising young people in their home we've got to help and encourage our young people to decide that they're going to make their faith personal and every young person here tonight listen to me I'd love for you to make the decision tonight you don't have to make the decision tonight but at some point between tonight and the day that you venture off into the world on your own under your own authority or under a new home you have to decide what are you going to do about God what are you going to do about Christianity what are you going to do about your faith what are you going to do about these things that have been handed out you must make number one, your faith personal but I'd like to give you a second statement and we'll try to move quickly number one, you must make your faith personal number two, what does every young person need to do number two, you must develop a daily devotional life you must develop a daily devotional life by the way that's not just for young people that's for everybody you've got to decide that you're going to develop a daily devotional life are you there in 2nd Chronicles 34? okay, we're still with Josiah we're not just going to talk about Josiah tonight but we're there with Josiah I want you to notice what the Bible highlights about this young man Josiah 2nd Chronicles 34 says this then Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, Hilkiah the priest had given me a book and I won't take the time to read the context, you can read it on your own but if you remember, Josiah has ordered to have the temple repaired and in the process of them refurbishing the temple and getting things cleaned up they actually found the book of the law of the Lord given by Moses can you imagine that? you go to the house of God and you find the book of God they found the book, look at the last part of verse 18 and Shaphan read it before the king and even though this is a real story a physical story, this literally happened I think this is an illustration of how it usually happens in the Christian life, because for those of you that were not raised in a Christian home isn't this true? You started coming to church before you started reading the Bible usually it's not the other way around in fact most people who are not consistent to church are not going to be consistent with Bible reading because usually it's when you come to the house of God then you understand and you find the importance of the word of God so they found the book and they read it before the king this is Josiah look down at verse 30 and the king went up into the house of the Lord and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites and all the people great and small and he, this is Josiah look at what it says and he, Josiah, read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord let me read it again the Bible says here that he read he read in all their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord verse 31 and the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statues with all his heart and with all his soul to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book here's what's interesting he read the book of the covenant of life and look you're going to have to make a decision that you're going to develop a daily devotional life here we have a young man a young person that got a hold of the Bible and it changed the trajectory of his life and I'm here to tell you young people that the word of God has the answers to every question of life the word of God has the answers to everything to help you and to bless you and to guide you the Bible says that it is a lamp and it guides us it's a lamp before our feet and a light unto our path and the Bible says that if you read the Bible and you apply the Bible and you learn the Bible that it will bless you and it will help you and it will prosper you and it will guide you Psalm 1 says Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the Lord thus he meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper God wants to help you God wants to guide you it doesn't mean you won't have troubles it doesn't mean you won't have battles it doesn't mean you won't have issues but God wants to help you and the way that he can help you allowing the word of God to guide you but you can't do that if you don't read it see when you read it it will renew you and it will renew your mind Paul said I beseech you therefore brother by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind you all know why we have Christians today that are conformed to the image of the world simple they are conformed to the image of the world because they are not transformed by the renewing of their mind and you young people need to make a decision that you are going to develop a daily devotional life and right now is the time for you to start gathering and making those habits and those patterns in your life well you take time to read the Bible and you take time to pray and you take time to memorize and you take time to learn the word of God and I promise you that as you learn it and as you understand it and as you apply it it will bless your life so I said number one you must make your faith personal number two you must develop a daily devotional life let me give you another example go to Genesis 39 Genesis 39 the first book in the Bible should be fairly easy to find Genesis 39 now I can look down at verse number one here we have another great example of a young person that served God with his life one of the greatest characters in all the Bible a young man by the name of Joseph now we are there in Genesis 39 but when we met Joseph in Genesis 37 he was 17 years old I think 17 years old is one of the greatest ages of all your life honestly 17 years old was when my wife got saved and 17 years old was when both her obviously getting saved and even myself really got serious about some of the things of the Lord I think that 17 is a great age you are kind of real late in those teen years but you are not an adult just yet and it is just a great time to begin to serve God we meet Joseph there at 17 years old in chapter 37 and verse 39 excuse me verse 1 the Bible says this and Joseph was brought down to Egypt and Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard and Joseph bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites which had brought him down hither you know the story he had been sold into slavery by his brothers they were envious but I want you to notice verse 2 and the Lord was with Joseph see it is possible for a young person to walk with God and to have the presence of the Lord there in their lives and you say, pastor, if you knew my life and if you knew my trauma and yet my parents had me here but if you knew how things were at home you wouldn't understand listen to me I think we could say that Joseph had a little trauma in his home he had a little trauma and he had a little trauma and he had a whole lot of problems but the Lord was with him and the Bible says look at it, look at it and the Lord was with Joseph, don't miss it and he was a prosperous man and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian and his master saw that the Lord was with him look, it is repeated again for emphasis the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand you know why God wants to prosper those that walk with him because when people can look at you and identify there is something different about that young man there is something different about that young lady they walk with God the Lord is with them the hand of God is upon them then when God prospers you all glory goes to God and here the Bible says the Lord was with him and he was a prosperous man the Bible says in verse 3 and his master saw that the Lord was with him and the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand look at verse 23, same chapter the keeper of the prison things are getting even worse for Joseph look not to anything that was under his hand look at it because the Lord was with him and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper I'm here to tell you there is no better life than the life that you live walking with God and it doesn't mean that they might not sell you into slavery and it doesn't mean that they might not lie about you and get you cast to prison it doesn't mean, I'm not preaching a prosperity gospel here I'm not saying heartaches won't come and trials won't come and troubles won't come but there is something about knowing that you are walking with God and that the Lord is with you so we see this young man Joseph but here's the real reason I want you to look at Joseph because we're looking at these seven principles for young people and these are seven principles that every young person needs to make every young person needs to make this decision you need to decide what you're going to do about your personal faith don't talk to me about your dad's faith don't talk to me about your mom's faith don't talk to me about your pastor's faith don't talk to me about your grandparents what are you going to do with the Lord Jesus Christ? you say well I got I'm saved okay, good start I mean that's good I think we can all agree with that but you know that the Christian life is more than just salvation if all you do is get saved praise God, we'll see you in heaven I guess but what about all the years between salvation and death what will you do with your faith? you must decide that you must decide to make your faith personal you must develop a daily devotional life, listen to me and this is not just for young people this is for old people young people, old people and everything in between there are two types of Christians in this life, those who read the Bible and those who don't and you will hinder your walk with God if you do not learn to develop a daily consistent routine of Bible reading and prayer and walking with God and spending time with God every day so you must develop a daily devotional life and I want to give you the third principle tonight we're talking about seven principles for young people, number one you must make your faith personal number two, you must develop a daily devotional life here's number three, you must maintain personal purity and standards you must maintain personal purity and standards I want you to notice this young man Joseph he's been sold into slavery he's down at Potiphar's house the Bible says there, if you're there in Genesis 39 look at verse 7 and it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and she said lie with me look at verse 8 mark these words in your Bible but he refused but he refused and said unto his master's wife behold my master wadeth not what is with me in the house and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand there is none greater in this house than I neither have they kept back anything from me but thee because thou art his wife how then can I do this great wickedness and then don't miss it, look at this this is what the young man who the Bible says walked with God this is what the young man who the Bible says had a walk with the Lord and the Lord was with him how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God see this is a young man who had determined to maintain personal purity and standards let me say this young people you need to decide that you're going to maintain purity with regards to the opposite sex here, this young man and by the way we've already talked about it he's that drama he's been taken from his home and he's away from mom and dad and he could have been bitter he could have been angry he could have said well maybe this is just how it should be and he could have made any excuse but the Bible says that he refused and he said, he said how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God look at verse 10 and it came to pass after she spake to Joseph day by day that he hearkened not unto her to lie by her or to be with her and it came to pass about this time that Joseph went into the house to do his business and there was none of the men of the house there within and she, look at verse 12, Genesis 3 and 9 and she caught him by his garment saying lie with me and he left his garment in her hand and fled and got him out you know what the Bible says? The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6 18 Flee fornication Flee fornication that's what Joseph did he left his garment in her hand and fled and got him out he fled, the Bible says flee fornication and he made a decision to maintain his purity the Bible says flee fornication and young people, you're going to have to make a decision that says I will maintain purity and I will maintain standards maintain purity with regards to the opposite sex now you're not there, I'm just reading this to you but let me read it to you 1 Corinthians 6 18 Flee fornication Why does God say flee fornication? Every sin that a man doeth is without the body but he that committed fornication sinneth against his own body The Bible here is telling us that sins of a sexual nature are different than other sins and other sins they're without the body but when you commit fornication you sin against your own body and I'm just here to tell you young people that you need to make a decision that you're going to maintain personal purity and standards specifically with regards to the opposite sex and here's here's why I think you should now I think you should just because the Bible says you should but remember God does not just tell us to do things just because he wants to mess with us now if God tells us to do things we should obey without question but everything that God tells us to do there's a reason for it, he wants to bless us he wants to help us my wife and I started Verity Baptist Church a little bit less than 14 years ago here in September we'll be celebrating 14 years of ministry and in the last 14 years of ministry you know what I've learned about marriage I've done a lot of marriage counseling my wife has helped with marriage counseling I've talked to husbands she's talked to wives I've at times talked to husbands and wives as they've had issues in marriage I'm sure like most pastors do and what I've learned about marriage problems is that there's really not that many marriage problems you know what I mean? like there's not that many marriage like you say what's a marriage problem like he keeps forgetting to put the seat down that's a marriage problem you know whether you squeeze the toothpaste you know from the front or from the back whether you roll it that's a marriage problem the clothes don't make it exactly into the damn you know the place where the dirty clothes that's a marriage problem but you know what I've learned? I've learned that there's really not a lot of marriage problems but you know what there is a lot of? there's a lot of single people problems there's a lot of single people baggage there's a lot of single people there's a lot of single people trauma there's a lot of single people habits there's a lot of single people addictions there's a lot of single people sin that they then carry into their marriage and most of the so called marriage problems I'm sure there are maybe some marriage problems I don't mean to make it light but most of the so called marriage problems are not marriage problems at all they're single people problems that they brought into their marriage there's scars and trauma and regret that they brought into their marriage addictions they brought into their marriage habits they brought into their marriage philosophies they brought into their marriage attitudes they brought into their marriage ways of thinking they brought into their marriage and it causes problems in their marriage and young people nobody here is telling you that we don't want you to enjoy the relationship that God has ordained to be in joy between two married members of the opposite sex but what we're telling you is that if you wait till marriage then you can enjoy it without the drama without the trauma without the regrets without the scars without all the shame and without all those things that come into marriages and destroy marriages and hinder marriages and I'm just telling you young people right now if you decide to maintain personal purity like Joseph he fled flee fornication your married version of you will thank you for it your future spouse will thank you for it and you've got to decide you've got to decide am I going to do what everybody else is doing? am I going to do what the devil is trying to advocate everybody else do? am I going to go down the road of what everybody else is doing? am I going to do that? or are you going to make a decision to maintain personal purity and standards not when you're married start now before you're married start now I'm here to tell you you've got to decide to have purity with regards to the opposite sex but let me say this as well go to Daniel if you would, Daniel chapter 1 if you start at the end of the Old Testament you've got the major prophets there Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations Ezekiel, Daniel Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel I don't know if you've noticed this but with each one of these seven principles I'm trying to highlight a different young person in the Bible so you young people just know this I'm not teaching you a principle, one of these seven principles and giving you an old person as an example I'm teaching you these seven principles and giving you a young person in the Bible as each of these examples we've seen Josiah, we've seen Joseph now let's look at Daniel Daniel is one of the greatest characters in the Bible and obviously we follow him through into old age but he began at a very young age Daniel chapter 1 and verse 8 the Bible says this but Daniel purpose in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king's meat nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself the Bible says that Daniel purpose in his heart that he would not defile himself and young people you need to decide to maintain purity with regards to the opposite sex but let me say this, you need to decide to maintain standards with regards to oppressing sin you need to decide like Daniel you must purpose in your heart that you would not defile yourself with alcohol that you will not defile yourself with marijuana that you will not defile yourself with drugs that you will not defile yourself with pornography that you will not defile yourself with any of these things because again, listen to me look I've been doing this 14 years I've had a lot of conversations and obviously I would never give details of individuals but I'm telling you, I know what I'm talking about and here's what I know I'm not going to say 100% I don't know that it's 100% but here's what I know 99% of people who struggle with drugs and alcohol and some sort of addiction in their lives that they struggle with for the rest of their lives it began in their youth they were exposed to it in their youth in their youth when you pastor for 14 years and you need to help a 40 year old man quit some addiction it usually began not when he was 40 but when he was 14 now there may be an exception I'm not saying there's not an exception maybe there's somebody out there who just became some sort of an addict of something you know, as an old person but by and large, it begins in your youth I'm not going to offend you, I'm really not the reason that this often happens is because you're still developing your mind's still developing even in these young ages and it can be a little misleading because you look at a teenager and their bodies look big and strong and healthy and tall and they look mature but you've not yet fully matured in your brain and this is why young people can be even more susceptible to these types of things than even an older person again, I'm not saying that older people should be drinking or smoking or whatever but what I'm saying to you is that why does mom have so many rules why does dad have so many rules why can't pastor just get off my back why do they have all these standards and all these rules listen to me we're just trying, I actually have this agenda that if we can just keep you safe from 13 to 19 years old if you can make it to 19 years old never have drank alcohol never have tried drugs never have done any of those things it's very possible that you just won't that you'll grow up and mature enough to realize hey that was stupid, I'm glad I never did that and by the way churches are filled with 30 year olds that finally one day woke up and said this is stupid why have I wasted the last 20 years of my life 15 years of my life 18 years of my life and you can bypass all of that you can bypass all of that but young people you're going to have to make a decision to maintain personal purity and standards you're going to have to decide and don't you say that's what old people do Joseph wasn't old Daniel wasn't old and he purpose in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat you can make the decision you must make the decision to maintain personal purity let me give you the next one go to 2 Samuel chapter 13 I think you're there in 2 Chronicles if you go backwards you have 1 Chronicles 2 Kings, 1 Kings, 2 Samuel 2 Samuel chapter 13 and by the way if you are an old person it's doing those stupid things knock it off, stop it, get the help you need it's stupid we're talking about principles for young people number one, make your faith personal number two, develop a daily devotional life number three, maintain personal purity standards and standards, number four you must have sharpening friendships you must have sharpening friendships 2 Samuel 13 and verse 1 2 Samuel 13 and verse 1 the Bible says this, and it came to pass after this here's a story for you I won't go through the whole thing but I want you to see it that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar Tamar and Amnon the son of David excuse me, Tamar and Amnon the son of David loved her and I won't go into all the details but Tamar is the half sister of Amnon full sister of Absalom and the Bible says that Amnon the son of David loved her, loved Tamar, verse 2 and Amnon was vexed the word vexed means he was irritated, distressed annoyed, he was vexed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar and she was a virgin and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her what that phrase means that he thought it hard to do anything to her is that though he had a wicked desire though he had a wicked thing that he wanted to do he was not prepared to act on it in fact, he was not going to act on it he wanted to but he thought it hard the Bible says he thought it hard, the Bible says to do anything to her now if that's where the story ended period, we'd be like okay, well, we dodged the bullet there praise the Lord and hopefully this young person matures and realizes that that's stupidity but that's not where the story ends because in 2 Samuel 13 and verse 3 the Bible says this but Amnon had a friend but Amnon had a friend but Amnon had a friend you ought to mark that in your Bible but Amnon had a friend in fact, you young people I think tattoos are stupid I think tattoos are ugly I think tattoos are something that young people get because they're not mature enough to realize that one day that cool tattoo on that nice you know, tight skin of yours is going to not look like that in a few decades and all of a sudden that beautiful butterfly is going to look like a pterodactyl and all those cool things you know, we're going to look at you and be like what is wrong with you but but if you want to get a tattoo and if you're just hell-bent on getting a tattoo hell-bent on getting a tattoo and you want you know, for whatever it's worth I think tattoos are bad and I'm joking I don't think anybody should get a tattoo but if you're going to get a tattoo you know, I'll give you a tattoo I'll tattoo this on your forehead but Amnon had a friend because if you're going to get a tattoo maybe you should at least get a tattoo that can be helpful to you and to realize this here's statement number four you must have sharpening friendships because your friends your friends your friends will have an influence on your life but Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimei David's brother Jonadab was a very subtle man look down at verse 11 just for sake of time the Bible says in verse 11 and when she had brought them unto him to eat because of Amnon because of Jonadab and Amnon and that friendship they devised a plan and the Bible says there in verse 11 he took hold of her and said unto her come lie with me my sister come lie with me for no such thing ought to be done in Israel do not thou this folly look at verse 14 howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice but being stronger than she forced her and lay with her and the story ends with Amnon dead at the hands of Absalom his brother for forcing and raping his sister Tamar and his so-called friend Jonadab accusing him to David and ratting him out and by the way after he finally has this physical relationship he was so in love the Bible says that he was vexed he was in love and then the Bible says he hated her and the hate wherewith he hated her was stronger than the love that he loved her how can that be? it is because the physical relationship is not meant to be experienced outside of marriage and when it is, you know what it brings? is guilt and shame now he looks at this young lady who he thought he loved now he hates her the entire trajectory of this young man changed because of this Amnon had a friend Amnon had a friend you know what the Bible says? the Bible says in Proverbs 27-17 iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friends listen young people, you need to make a decision that you are going to have sharpening friendships that you are going to have friends that make you better that you are going to have friends that encourage you that sharpen you that help make you better show me your friends and I will show you your future your friends will determine the quality of your life your friends will determine the direction of your life your friends are going to have an impact on your life so you better decide to have some good friends do not Amnon do not allow a Jonadab to influence you down the wrong path and by the way don't be a Jonadab don't be the rotten apple that is making the entire cart go corrupt you need to decide look, you need to decide because your friends will influence you you will be the sum total of your friendships and if your friends are a bunch of losers if your friends are a bunch of drug addicts if your friends are a bunch of fornicators if your friends are a bunch of freaks that is what you will be and it will ruin your life and you will wake up if you are really saved, if you are actually saved if you are actually saved if you are actually saved don't forget that you have a heavenly father whom the Lord loveth, he chaseneth and scourges every son whom he receiveth the Bible says if you be without chastisement then you are a bastard not a son so one day you are going to wake up and realize I have wasted my life or you can listen to a sermon like this and get some good friends get some friends that influence you in the right direction I am just saying young people, you do what you want I am just trying to help you and you need to decide that you are going to make your faith personal that you are going to develop a daily devotional life that you are going to maintain personal purity and standards and that you are going to have sharpening friends go to 2 Chronicles 24 2 Chronicles 24 2 Chronicles 24 let me give you number 5 I have to move quickly here is number 5 if you happen to be taking notes you must submit to God and to God given authority you must submit to God and to God given authority you know what the Bible says? well let me just give you the story 2 Chronicles 24 look at verse 1 notice what the Bible says Joash, remember I am giving you all these examples from young people in the Bible Joash was 7 years old when he began to reign and he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem his mother's name also was Zeba of Beersheba and Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest now I don't have time to develop the story you can read it on your own but Joash, his dad is dead his family is dead his siblings have all died he has actually been kept in hiding by this priest Jehoiada and Jehoiada is like his dad it is his God given authority he is under the authority of Jehoiada and the Bible says that that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest now let me just begin by saying that is a good thing that is a positive statement you know young people you need to decide that you are going to submit to your God given authority and I thank God that Joash did God has placed individuals that are your God given authority and by the way this is just for young people it is for everybody if you are a young person living at home your God given authority are your parents but you know husbands that go to work in the sphere of work their God given authority is their boss church members that go to church within the scope of church obviously we understand that we do not lord over God's heritage but within the scope of church your God given authority is your pastor why the Bible says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls God must give account that they may do it with joy not with grief for that is unprofitable for you God doesn't ask you to do anything that is not meant to help you so in the scope of young people hey young people your job is to submit to your God given authority here is what the Bible says Ephesians chapter 6 you have to turn around and just read this it says children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right the Bible says that children ought to obey their parents in the Lord children ought to obey their parents in the Lord now here is what is interesting to me here we have two verses that have to do with God given authority but my opinion is that these two verses actually deal with two different seasons of that authority in verse 1 it says children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right I believe that that is talking to young people children who are under the authority of their parents living at home under the roof of their parents they are to obey your parents in the Lord for this is right but then in verse 2 it says honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise I believe that verse 2 applies to children who are no longer under the authority of their parents and not living under the roof of their parents does God expect you to obey your mom and dad once you get married and establish your own home obey your parents in the Lord for this is right children obey your parents in the Lord that is talking about when you are living under the roof of your parents but you know that once you leave the home there is still a command to honor your parents now there is lots that can be said about that I am not going to take the time to develop that in fact I believe that a lot of that has to do with taking care of your parents financially in their older age but obviously honor has to do with respecting your parents giving them respect giving them honor now you say well why should I care about that well I mean just because you are a good normal person you should care about that but if that is not the case let me give you a selfish reason why you should care about that look at verse 2 honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise now it is not the first commandment of the ten commandments it is actually the fifth commandment but it is the first commandment that has a promise associated to it because remember God does not ask you to do anything that won't prosper you God does not ask you to do anything that won't help you and God says honor your parents you say why and he says here is why verse 3 that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth do you know that there is a blessing associated with obeying your parents if you live under their authority and honoring your parents when you don't and God says that it may be God says I will bless you I will bless you that it may be well with thee he says and that thou mayest live long on the earth now please don't misunderstand what I am about to say because what I am about to say could be it is a whole sermon and I hope you are mature enough to get what I am saying you and I we are going to die whenever God decides to and as it is appointed unto men who wants to die but after this is judgment and I think that we should eat healthy and exercise and all those things I think that is good obviously you reap what you sow if you just smoke your whole life and then you get lung cancer sorry I am not picking on you but that shouldn't be a surprise but you know what God says God says that if you obey your parents and you honor your parents he says there is a promise associated that it will be well with thee and that thou mayest live long on the earth and I don't know what that necessarily entails but I will tell you this I want that so therefore I honor my parents so therefore I honor my parents Pastor Jimenez you are 30 I don't know how old I am 38 years old you are a pastor of a church you still honor your parents yeah my parents go to my church and I do my best to honor to respect them to make them proud to make them happy part of that is just because I love them most of that is because I love them but part of it but part of it has a little selfish reason in there that I want it to be well with me I want God to bless me and to let me live long on the earth if it's his will and here is what I would be afraid of I would be afraid of that if you are a nightmare to your parents at home young people and you are rebelling and disobeying and being a rebellious brat I would be afraid that the opposite of that blessing is also true I would also be afraid that you reap what you sow and one day you are going to have a brat at home and here is all I am saying I am just saying that you should honor your God given authority and by the way that is true of anyone man you go to work you say my boss is incompetent he is an idiot he doesn't know what he is doing well then why are you working for him? but if you are working for him the good and the gentle also to the forward you just submit to your God given authority you just, ladies you say my husband is an idiot and why did you marry him? you know why you married him? just to the young people because there was probably a mom and a dad and a pastor saying don't do it don't marry him he is an idiot he is a loser and you didn't listen that's I got a lot of those stories too but here is what I am telling you our job is just to submit to our God given authority obviously if your God given authority asks you to sin then we obey God rather than men you don't just you submit within the realms of you don't sin against God obviously the Bible teaches these concepts but young people you need to decide to submit to your God given authority now good on Joash Joash did that but you know that that statement 2nd Corinthians 24 though there is a positive element and Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiadah his priest that's a good thing you know it's actually a negative statement and here is why it's a negative because he only did right in the sight of the Lord all of the days of Jehoiadah the priest here is how 2nd King says it 2nd King says this and Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days were in Jehoiadah the priest instructed him but here is the thing look at verse 17 2nd Chronicles 24 verse 17 now after the death of Jehoiadah came princess of Judah here is your bad friends and made obeisance to the king this is Joash then the king hearkened unto them and they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served groves and idols and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for their trespass yet he sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the Lord and they testified against them but they would not give ear you know the problem with Joash the problem with Joash he did not submit to his God given authority the problem was that when his God given authority died and they were no longer on the scene he did not transition his submission from his God given authority to his ultimate authority which is God himself see our job mom and dad is not to have our children submit to us for the sake of submitting to us is for us to teach them to submit to us as their God given authority that they might one day transition that submission from us to God so when I was a kid I went to church because my parents made me I lived in the kind of home and I'm thankful for it where we went to church Sunday morning, Sunday night Wednesday night, no questions asked we went soul winning every week I never got up on a Sunday and said I wonder what we're doing today exactly what we were doing when I was a kid we played little league my parents allowed us to play little league I played baseball they had in those days I don't know how it is now they had games on Saturdays and they had games on Wednesdays and it was just a known thing the games started at 4pm on Wednesday games started at 5pm on Wednesday we could play right until about 6.40 and then we were packing up our stuff you say why? you say why? because we're going to church because we're going to seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and God doesn't ask you to seek God first without promising you a blessing seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you but you know one day I got married and I left the home and I was no longer under the authority of my parents and nobody got me up on a Sunday morning and said go to church but I got up on a Sunday morning and my wife and I got up on a Sunday morning and we went to church even though nobody was telling us to because we transitioned our authority from our parents to God and young people young people you need to make a decision that says yes while I'm at home living at home I'll submit to my God given authority but don't miss the fact that you should then transition that authority your ultimate authority transition that submission to your ultimate authority which is God himself which is God the problem with Joash is that when Jehoiada died he went off the rails and young people you must decide that you will submit to God and your God given authority you'll submit to the God given authority and you'll submit to God as your ultimate authority I've got to hurry, I've got two more let's do them quickly, go to 2 Kings chapter 5 we're talking about 7 principles for young people number 1, you must make your faith personal number 2, you must develop a daily devotional life number 3, you must maintain personal purity and standards number 4, you must have sharpening friendships number 5, you must submit to God and your God given authority, here's number 6 you must serve God and serve others you must serve God and serve others 2 Kings chapter 5 and verse 1 let's just read it quickly the Bible says here's this little maid, we don't know her name we don't know how old she was, we just know she was a little maid I take that to assume maybe she was a young lady, I don't know maybe she was a midget, I don't know but she was a little maid and she waited on Naaman's wife and she said unto her mistress would God my Lord were the prophet were with the prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of the leprosy and one went in and told his Lord saying thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel I want you to notice this little maid she was taken captive by Naaman taken captive by Naaman but notice she was neither bitter at God nor Naaman she submitted to her God given authority which was Naaman and she served him she served God and she served others and here's the thing young people and I hope it's okay I've already been preaching for an hour and I'm just going to go a little longer I hope that's okay you've had Pastor Shelley and Pastor Thompson so somebody has to preach longer so just give me a few minutes but the thing with teens you know you young people you are in a transitional phase transitional phase of life where you're not a child you're not a child but you're not quite an adult yet you're just kind of in between you're in this transitional phase to adulthood now here's what I want you to understand you need to transition out of selfishness because when you're a baby life is all about you isn't that true? babies don't care they don't care how long you've slept they don't care mom, if you've had lunch yet if you've had lunch yet, they don't care they want what they want and literally when you're a baby your life revolves around you but you know when you're a toddler when you're a toddler life is still pretty much about you, isn't it? but it's a little less than when you were a baby I mean a little less but it's a little less when you're a toddler but it's still pretty much about you it's about fun and then when you're a young child life is still a lot about you and fun but it's less, isn't it true? that it's less than when you were a toddler and it's less than when you were a baby and when you're an older child you know, now you're 9, 10 11 years old now things really start picking up because now you can vacuum and do the dishes and life is becoming less and less about you definitely less and less than when you were a toddler and when you were a baby well listen to me do you know that true significance is found in serving others and the people the adults that live their lives to serve God and to serve others are the happiest, most content people in this world it's the truth and what you need to be doing as a young person is deciding that you're going to transition out of selfishness into serving God and serving others find somewhere to serve find something to do say well I don't know what to do you can go soul winning I don't know what to do you can find something to serve something to do some place to help this little maid was working and serving and when she could she served God and she served her master Naaman young people you must decide you must decide that you're not going to be a 30 year old that lives his life like a 3 year old selfish and all about himself and right now is the time to begin to transition you know what would shock your parents you want to shock your parents take the trash out without being asked to help your younger siblings without being asked to by the way, you know people often they like to complain I wish I had more freedom, I wish I had more responsibility you start doing some things like that you'll be surprised how much your parents will start giving you some freedom and some responsibility because the less you act like a baby the less you need to be treated like a baby and look this is just reality of life so you must serve God and serve others let me give you the last one, we'll finish up go back to Daniel chapter 1 if you want Daniel chapter 1 we're going to go to Daniel and we'll go to Joshua and then we'll finish up, Daniel chapter 1 we're talking about 7 principles for young people number 1, you must make your faith personal number 2, you must develop a daily devotional life number 3, you must maintain personal purity and standards number 4, you must have sharpening friendships number 5, you must submit to God and to your God given authority number 6, you must serve God and serve others here's number 7 you must learn to take the high road you must learn to take the high road you say what do you mean by that? well look at Daniel chapter 1 remember Daniel and his friends in verse 18 the Bible says now at the end of the days this is 3 years that the king had said he should bring them in then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar and the king communed with them and among them all was found none like among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah therefore stood they before the king and in all matters of wisdom and understanding the king inquired of them notice what the Bible says here he found them 10 times better 10 times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm and Daniel continued even into the first year of king Cyrus I want you to notice here that when Nebuchadnezzar brought all these young people together he realized that there were these 4 young people that stood out he said these young people are better than everyone else they are not like everyone else they are not common, they are not mediocre they are not average and then he says they are not 1 times better they are not 2 times better they are 10 times better how does that happen? you must decide young people that you are going to take the high road see, often times the question that young people like to ask is this, well what's wrong with it? don't do that well what's wrong with that? don't go there, well what's wrong with that? don't hang out with those people what's wrong with it? but that's the wrong question now a better question would be what's right with it? but even that's not the best question see, instead of trying to decide between right and wrong why not decide between right and best? you know what the Bible says? the Bible says, see then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools everyone else is dressing like fools everyone else is drinking like fools everyone else is smoking like fools everyone else is listening to fools music everyone else is fornicating like fools not as fools, but as wise hey, instead of asking the question what's wrong with it? why not ask the question what's the best choice? what's the wise choice? what's the choice that would make others look at you and say they're not just better, they're 10 times better 10 times better! or would we look at you and say, you're like everyone else a fool like everyone else young people, you need to make the decision that you're going to take the high road go to Joshua chapter 2, we'll be done I apologize for taking as long as I did Joshua chapter 2 and here's what I'm saying to you young people if you make your faith personal if you develop daily devotional life if you maintain personal purity and standards if you have sharpening friendships if you submit to God and to your God-given authority if you serve God and serve others you will be on the high road the world will look at you and say something different about that one something different about that one you know why God, you know what's interesting to me? you know what's interesting to me? is that in the Bible, all the young people highlighted in the Bible all got promoted in the world Joseph became second to the king of Egypt most powerful man on earth Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Esther, David all the young people that served God prospered, you know why God prospered them? for his glory what if we just go out and make a lot of money and be successful by the world's standards but if you look like the world act like the world blend in with the world how does God get the glory? you ought to be ten times better you ought to take the high road Joshua chapter 2, look at verse 7 we'll look at verse 7 and verse 10 we'll be done and the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua that was their God given authority and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel and here's what we're trying to avoid listen to me young people you listen to a sermon like this you listen to your parents you know that all they're trying to help you avoid is regrets all they're trying to help you avoid is scars all they're trying to help you avoid all they're trying to help you avoid is trauma and drama that will haunt you for the rest of your life you know what we're trying to avoid is this, verse 10 and also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers and there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord nor yet the works which he had done for Israel let it never be said a faithful word Baptist church let it never be said a verity Baptist church let it never be said of your home and of my home that there arose a generation which knew not the Lord you know what we want? we want David's that will fight the Lord's battles we want Daniel's that will stand alone Joseph's that will live for God Josiah's that will seek God and walk with God but we can't force it you've got to decide let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer Heavenly Father Lord the Bible says that the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and Lord I pray that you would use your word tonight to pierce the hearts of the Lord to pierce the hearts of young people sitting in this room parents sitting in this room young people and parents that might listen to this sermon on the internet in the future Lord I pray that you would help us to raise a generation that would serve you love you walk with you and honor you with their lives Lord help us to help them in any way we can in the matchless name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray Amen Amen let's take our song books together go to hymn 401 hymn number 401 401 set my soul on fire we'll sing it out on that first verse together 401 set my soul on fire Lord for thy holy words sing it out now set my soul on fire Lord for thy holy word burn in deep within me let your voice be heard millions grow in darkness in this day and hour I will be your witness will be with thy power set my soul on fire Lord set my soul on fire make my life a witness of my saving God millions grow in darkness waiting for thy word set my soul on fire Lord set my soul on fire set my soul on fire Lord for the lost and saved give to me a passion as I seek to win help me not to falter never let me fail will be with thy spirit let thy will prevail set my soul on fire Lord set my soul on fire make my life a witness of my saving God millions grow in darkness waiting for thy word set my soul on fire Lord set my soul on fire set my soul on fire Lord live my daily life far too long I've wondered in this day of strife nothing else will matter but to live for me I will be your fitness as you live in me set my soul on fire Lord set my soul on fire make my life a witness of my saving God millions grow in darkness waiting for thy word set my soul on fire Lord set my soul on fire Thank you for watching!