Quote:
Originally Posted by Sept5SavedTeen
And I find it interesting that what Sis. Lisa wrote bothered you so much.
-Bro. Alex
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It is interesting...how my short post has ruffled some feathers. I've been there in that place, there is a reason.
As for me, whenever offense if given, or anyone made to feel uncomfortable, we are in the wrong. I choose to look through the eyes of love and see things for how they are. I can't continue as things have been in our past.
I read back over my post to make sure I didn't post anything offensively... I don't feel I did, I am entitled to my opinion, because I truly grieved for days after leaving that conference.
I was especially saddened because one of the girls I have become very attached to. She is my daughter's best friend and from a fine catholic family. She stays with us often and we had tried for years to get her to come to church with us, she never would. We would talk to her about the experience we have... but I think between her parents and how she was raised, there has been a fear. I was so happy her parents let her stay the weekend with us and go to the conf. Like I said, it really bothered me when she whispered to me at one point saying she wished she had worn dressier clothes... I stepped back to see what she was seeing... I was already unhappy over the seating situation.
Over the last several years, many teens over the years have come to church with us and received the Holy Ghost.... my girls are very open about their faith and witness to others. They are known by their faith although they haven't dressed "pentecostal" now for at least 3 years... They have been known to stand singing praise and worship songs in harmony in front of the school... drawing a crowd... they have been known for what is on the inside.
They had 4 girls from school receive the Holy Ghost last summer... my girls got to talking to some girls late one July night... there was a youth camp going on, so every body met back at my house.... i piled them all in and we headed for camp.... they were hungry for God... I can't even remember the age group of the youth camp... we walked straight down to the front and they received the Holy Ghost in worship service... every youth official in the service asking me where they were from??
I don't claim to have all the answers for today, but I know that God is not in all the fashion and stuff that goes on in the majority of our youth functions. We really, really need to wake up and realize that we have absolutely nothing in common with the youth of today and kids have enough to face without wading through such differences to even feel a part of what we have. I have seen too much in our youth services and it wouldn't even be edifying to post it... teens know today when something is real.... they see through stuff... why would they want to join something that involves clothes and other hang ups? Why do we have to make God a part of it all?
So much of it is just having a form of godliness.... it is this scripture that keeps rolling over and over in my head...
2 Timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
I don't care if people choose to dress up for church, if that is what you are comfortable with... but I've been raising teens in this current faith and it isn't just about dressing up.... it is all about the "right" clothes and hair do's, it is a culture all of its own, and I do not believe God is in it.
I spent time in prayer early this morning travailing before God...I want to see change, in me, in my family... a true revival...one of my daughters came into my room and laid herself across me praying, weeping before the Lord... I don't have perfect kids, they all have their failures... maybe more than some...but I try to create a love for God and his Spirit in them... even though sometimes I feel like it is a losing battle trying to keep my own girls straight... I have spent much time fasting and praying over this stuff...so I have to go with how I am led of the Spirit.
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