A Word of Calling to Youth
July 15, 2022
1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
A Word of Calling to Youth
I am raising up young people throughout the nations that will cast off oppression and the lewdness that has overshadowed them from previous generations. I am setting apart for Myself a remnant of youth from the nations that will be mighty in power, love and exploits. They will carry my life and glory in their bosoms and young and old alike will respect and honor them, for they carry my presence with them. It is not their outward appearance that will dictate who and what they are, but the release of what they carry in their spirit.
Despise not the youth, for there will be done in them in a day what many haven’t seen in many years. They will rock the nations with the praise of my Name. They will lift me up and many will be drawn to Me.
Young people arise with fullness of faith for you are the promise of tomorrow and even more I will fulfill My promise through you. I am calling out youth who throw themselves wholly upon altar and become the sweet smelling fragrance of sacrifice. These will I receive and these will I bless and they will lack for nothing. I am their provision and I am their standard. They will move through humility and it is not themselves they will exalt, but the One who lives within them. I will be greatly glorified through them.
The enemy seeks to bring the darkness of discouragement and oppression upon them. He seeks to rob the life and the seed that I want to bring through them. He seeks to rob them of their identity and their destiny. I say unto you youth, let the fullness of hope and faith arise within you. Let the Word of God be your standard and believe nothing less. For if you will stand upon My Word you will not be disappointed.
Even now I am coming with a baptism of laughter and joy to fill up My young people with such a spirit of joy and confidence. Young and old alike will be drawn to their extreme joy, peace and to the God that moves so faithfully in behalf of them. Even world leaders will look on in awe at this army of young warriors that are able to move world circumstances by their faith, prayer and godly confidence.
Look for the fire that is breaking forth, for I am about to ignite my young warriors of the Spirit and by the Spirit they will pull down spiritual strongholds and devastate the enemies camp. They will pursue darkness with their light and darkness will not be able to stand before them.
Arise My young warriors and come forth; for I am calling you to the battle and I will equip you with My armor so that you may stand strong in the day of battle and prevail against your enemies. You are My torch that will burn so brightly before the nations. Here My call to you and begin responding in your spirit. It is not by your might or power, but by Mine, saith the Lord.
Blessings,
#kent
There is Nothing You Can’t Do
January 21, 2016
2 Chronicles 34:1-7
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images. 4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7 he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.
There is Nothing You Can’t Do
It is no wonder that the apostle Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:2,”Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” God is not a respecter of persons, or age, gender, race or even challenged individuals. Here in 2 Chronicles 34 God shows how he can even take the weaknesses and immaturity of a young boy and show Himself strong and righteous. We always want to make excuses as to why we can’t do the exploits and the works of God. It is not who we are that hinders us, but our lack of faith to move out and believe God for whatever it is that He has placed upon our hearts to do.
This young boy, Josiah was different because he chose to fix his eyes upon the Lord and through the Lord’s strength and guidance, do what was right. He turned his nation back to God. He tore down and destroyed idolatry out of the land. He was a purifier and a restorer of God’s holiness. At a very young age He took the resources God had placed in his hands and he made a significant difference in his world.
What is it that may be holding us back from making a significant difference in our world? No, we may not be a king, but there are resources that God has given us and placed into our lives. The greatest resource is the Christ in us. In Philippians 4:13 Paul declares, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” It is not a question of what you can’t do, it is a question of what has God put in your heart to do? If God has commissioned you and placed His dream and vision in your heart, then all that hinders you is the faith to act upon it. It is not your might or resources, it the Christ in you that will empower you to accomplish what He has called you to do.
Take it from this little boy Josiah, nothing is impossible with God if you only believe, act and do.
Blessings,
#kent
God, I don’t Deserve You
June 17, 2015
Psalms 71:5
For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth.
God, I don’t Deserve You
Throughout the highs and lows of life, the victories and the defeats, the triumphs and the disasters the one thing that is constant is God’s love. How thankful I am that my hope and confidence is not in myself. It would be as vanity and vapor if it were. All through life the anchor has been the Lord. Even in the times I felt rejected and cast off by others and the times that I even have hated myself, I have known like David that God is my hope and my trust is in Him. As we are pressing in to know and love God more we all know that we make a lot of mistakes and miss the mark more than we would like. The good news is that while there are times we may really get down on ourselves and feel totally condemned, God loves us. He loves us through our failures as well as our successes. While He doesn’t justify or condone our sin, He can forgive us and restore us into right fellowship with Him.
God loves you. Even if you don’t know how He could, He does. No matter what falls we take in life or even if we have slipped back into sin, hope in the Lord. Continue to put your confidence in Him. He is the One that you can always trust to love you, forgive and restore you if you will put your trust always in Him. We don’t deserve His love, His forgiveness or His mercy, but they are new every morning. His arms are open to us today. Come, let us embrace Him and draw near to Him again.
Blessings,
#kent
A Moving Story in the Life of John the Apostle
April 30, 2014
A Moving Story in the Life of John the Apostle
NPNF2-01. Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine
Narrative Concerning John the Apostle.
Chapter XXII
I “Listen to a tale, which is not a mere tale, but a narrative749749 μῦθον οὐ μῦθον, ἀλλὰ ὄντα λόγον. Clement in these words asserts the truth of the story which he relates. We cannot regard it as very strongly corroborated, for no one else records it, and yet we can hardly doubt that Clement gives it in good faith. It may have been an invention of some early Christian, but it is so fully in accord with what we know of John’s character that there exists no reason for refusing to believe that at least a groundwork of truth underlies it, even though the story may have gained in the telling of it. It is certainly beautiful, and fully worthy of the “beloved disciple.” concerning John the apostle, which has been handed down and treasured up in memory. For when, after the tyrant’s death, he returned from the isle of Patmos to Ephesus, he went away upon their invitation to the neighboring territories of the Gentiles, to appoint bishops in some places, in other places to set in order whole churches, elsewhere to choose to the ministry some one.
7. When he had come to one of the cities not far away (the name of which is given by some), According to Stroth the Chronicon Paschale gives Smyrna as the name of this city, and it has been suggested that Clement withholds the name in order to spare the reputation of Polycarp, who, according to tradition, was appointed bishop of that city by John.), and had consoled the brethren in other matters, he finally turned to the bishop that had been appointed, and seeing a youth of powerful physique, of pleasing appearance, and of ardent temperament, he said, ‘This one I commit to thee in all earnestness in the presence of the Church and with Christ as witness.’ And when the bishop had accepted the charge and had promised all, he repeated the same injunction with an appeal to the same witnesses, and then departed for Ephesus.9. But some youths of his own age, idle and dissolute, and accustomed to evil practices, corrupted him when he was thus prematurely freed from restraint. At first they enticed him by costly entertainments; then, when they went forth at night for robbery, they took him with them, and finally they demanded that he should unite with them in some greater crime. 10. He gradually became accustomed to such practices, and on account of the positiveness of his character,756756 Literally, “greatness of his nature” (μέγεθος φύσεως). leaving the right path, and taking the bit in his teeth like a hard-mouthed and powerful horse, he rushed the more violently down into the depths. 11. And finally despairing of salvation in God, he no longer meditated what was insignificant, but having committed some great crime, since he was now lost once for all, he expected to suffer a like fate with the rest. Taking them, therefore, and forming a band of robbers, he became a bold bandit-chief, the most violent, most bloody, most cruel of them all. 12. Time passed, and some necessity having arisen, they sent for John. But he, when he had set in order the other matters on account of which he had come, said, ‘Come, O bishop, restore us the deposit which both I and Christ committed to thee, the church, over which thou presidest, being witness.’ 13. But the bishop was at first confounded, thinking that he was falsely charged in regard to money which he had not received, and he could neither believe the accusation respecting what he had not, nor could he disbelieve John. But when he said, ‘I demand the young man and the soul of the brother,’ the old man, groaning deeply and at the same time bursting into tears, said, ‘He is dead.’ ‘How and what kind of death?’ ‘He is dead to God,’ he said; ‘for he turned wicked and abandoned, and at last a robber. And now, instead of the church, he haunts the mountain with a band like himself.’ 14. But the Apostle rent his clothes, and beating his head with great lamentation, he said, ‘A fine guard I left for a brother’s soul! But let a horse be brought me, and let some one show me the way.’ He rode away from the church just as he was, and coming to the place, he was taken prisoner by the robbers’ outpost. 15. He, however, neither fled nor made entreaty, but cried out, ‘For this did I come; lead me to your captain.’ 16. The latter, meanwhile, was waiting, armed as he was. But when he recognized John approaching, he turned in shame to flee. 17. But John, forgetting his age, pursued him with all his might, crying out, ‘Why, my son, dost thou flee from me, thine own father, unarmed, aged? Pity me, my son; fear not; thou hast still hope of life. I will give account to Christ for thee. If need be, I will willingly endure thy death as the Lord suffered death for us. For thee will I give up my life. Stand, believe; Christ hath sent me.’ 18. And he, when he heard, first stopped and looked down; then he threw away his arms, and then trembled and wept bitterly. And when the old man approached, he embraced him, making confession with lamentations as he was able, baptizing himself a second time with tears, and concealing only his right hand. 19. But John, pledging himself, and assuring him on oath that he would find forgiveness with the Saviour, besought him, fell upon his knees, kissed his right hand itself as if now purified by repentance, and led him back to the church. And making intercession for him with copious prayers, and struggling together with him in continual fastings, and subduing his mind by various utterances, he did not depart, as they say, until he had restored him to the church, furnishing a great example of true repentance and a great proof of regeneration, a trophy of a visible resurrection.”
Blessings,
#kent