Our “Millennial Generation”

(c)DaneilleGraySnowdenJune2013
 

Our “Millennial Generation”

by Daneille Gray Snowden

 

The “Millennial Generation” (under 30 yrs of age)
 is in need of  zealous prayers by you- Prayer
 Warriors!  We all can agree in our own lives

 (and even families) that on a continual basis
 we are seeing the belief system of young people
not deteriorating  but actually deteriorated! I know
 this sounds quite hopeless...but we never stop as
 parents who BELIEVE IN GOD;  having hope that
 God will rise up this generation! He is pretty good
about raising the dead! 

This generation of young adults has been lost in the
 society of religion, for many years now. We cannot go
 back, but we can start now by allowing the Holy Spirit
 to open our own spiritual eyes to this truth. Just
 because our children have attended church with us
 their entire lives, does NOT mean they have an intimate
relationship with Jesus. The HOME is the foundation
 of their lives. What is allowed, what is lived out, what
 is done and not done will be the core of any child's belief
 system. Being diligent as a parent filled with the Love and
Grace that comes from spending our own time alone with
 God is what will strengthen the spiritual chords of your
 child's foundations.  

Read what renown writer and speaker on youth
  [ Josh Mcdowell ] shares;  "While parents need to fear
what their children could be tempted to do, they need
to be more concerned with what their children are led
 to believe.  Their attitudes and actions spring from their
 value system, and their value system is based on what
they believe."

 

In my talks with many parents,

 I constantly here them express with great

 frustrations, about their youth's attitudes.

  Recall what you just read; "...attitudes

 spring from their value system." Isn't this

 where we need to begin as parents, by going

 back to what our own children value? Some

may laugh and say, "It's just a phase, I did this

 too when I was there age."  Don't disregard

 your children's attitudes, ask God to reveal

 to you what your child's value system is. I

guarantee you, He indeed will reveal some heavy

 stuff to you that will not be easy to address.

 With  husband and wives together, addressing

this carefully with your child. Have you allowed

ungodly music in your home and in your child's

 spirit? [Question the lyrics, the music videos, the

life style of the vocalists...etc.] What about television

 and movies? The reason this is difficult because

 this also glides right into our own Value Systems

 as well. But, we must ask- how much do we love

our Lord Jesus, as well as how much do we love our

 children? Sacrifice to protect our children is worth

 it...wouldn't you agree? Please parents, be careful who

your teens decide to spend a great deal of their time with.

 What is the value and belief system of these individuals?

 We all know that this stage in a persons life is the most

 formidable. Of course we do not want our children

isolated, but Godly wisdom is vital.  Lastly here, we also

 need to help our children discover a Biblical Value

System as well. Starting with much prayer.  Pray and

 meditate, the Lord will direct your steps.

 We also need to pray for the foundations to be sure

 according to the Word of God. "Most teens in evangelical

churches today say they believe in the God of the Bible,

 63 percent also believe Muslims, Buddhists, Christians,

Jews, and all other people pray to the same god, even

 though they use different names for their god.  Though

 87 percent of teens believe Jesus was a real person who

 came to earth, and 78 percent believe He was born to a

 virgin, nearly half (46 percent) believe He committed sins

and more than half (51 percent) say He died, but did not

rise from the dead."  [ Josh McDowell ]  Raising our

 children faithfully in church is vital. But, making sure

they 'know-that-they-know' what you as a Christian believe

 in is far more important. Truth is, they can know

 (in their minds) but still not have a relationship with

 Christ. KNOWING is afaith act--realizing that there is

 a God; who did send His Son to die for our sins and this

same Son rose from the dead, so all mankind (when they

accept Him to live within their hearts) may be saved. It is

 a response on what they know, see, and feel within their

 own specific life. As a parent, encourage them as as much

 as possible to pray with you, gently ask them about their

 devotion and prayer life on their own, is (as parents) a God

 given responsibility. I am sorry to say, but this has slid through

 the hearts and hands of most Christian parents. 

 Today's youth as we observe, have created their own 

religion (belief systems). Yesterday, I spent the day with

 my daughters at the city pool. I found my self observing

 the young people, hearing their conversations, seeing their

 dress & tattoos on their body and knowing some of them

 personally. My heart just broke. You see, when we are filled

 with God's Spirit; He bestows on us the vision to see people's

 hearts. It's not hard to see the emptiness, pain, anger,

 confusion; to see searching hearts. So, what are they to

 do but to tailor their own Faith/Belief system. Where they

 can feel some type of affirmant  in who they are and then

they have the release to do and say what they please. I like

what Josh McDowell said; "They are led to believe it is better

to construct a tailor-made faith that is right for them by

choosing from various concepts of God and religion. They

 are being encouraged to piece their faith together

 themselves; that way it will be right for them personally,

 and will offend no one."  [ Josh McDowell ]

This is where the danger lies, our kids are living out life

 styles that are destroying their bodies, relationships,

finances, mental health, and their souls! It is astounding

 to see kids we all love start living out opposite what we

 as parents believe in God's Word. Kids having babies,

 literally believing in Zombies and making it their own

groupie religion, addicted to video games (playing them

 all day long), alcohol is at a rise in this generation, free

 thinkers and 80% of this age group will be "disengaged"

in their Christian faith and church before they are 30.

[Barna Group] They also will disengage more so from

their godly family (parents) and bind to those who are

 'like-minded'. All viewing their parents, and the church

 from their childhood as a nice but fruitless entity. 

 Newsweek reporter John Leland discovered, “Even

 more than their baby-boomer parents,'youth' often pick

 and choose what works for them. … As they sample from

 various faiths, students have become more accepting of

 each other’s beliefs, even when those beliefs are stringent." 

Initially they believe truth is not true for them until they

 choose to believe it!

What is our HOPE in all of this? The answer is WHO ARE

 HOPE IS IN! Glory to God, Jesus still reigns! His Power,

 His Grace, His love and His Promises still flow

 continuously.  He has given us the opportunity to

seek His Face. He is not shaken, nor is He surprised ... but

He does really care! He wants us as mothers to hear His

 Voice, be pliable in His Hands so He in turn can use us

 to affect our children and pierce the darkness that has invaded

 their lives. Fast and pray, pray through till the peace of God

has filled your hearts with that affirming knowledge that

 'All is Well'! 

Pray for God to send you, and others to our children and

all young people to live out and speak out the Love of Jesus.

 Pray that there are easy accessible opportunities for young

people to attend rally's,  concerts, revivals that are geared

 for their age group but speak the untainted true Word of

 God. Today is the day of salvation. Hold true my sister...

God will penetrate the heart of your son and daughter.

 Stand still and see the true salvation of God!

Deuteronomy 19:15 "by the mouth of two or three
 witnesses every word may be established."

Psalms 112:1,2  "Blessed is the man that fears
 the Lord, that delights greatly in His
 commandments. His seed shall be mightily
 upon the earth the generation of the upright
 shall be blessed." 

Is 54:13,14   "All your children shall be taught by the
 Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.In

righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far
 from oppression, for you shall not fear,

and from terror, for it shall not come near you."



BLOOMIN GARDEN

BLOOMIN GARDEN



Genesis 2:15 "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

 

Gardens that bear fruit; will enhance life to all those that partake!

We just returned from a mini vacation; thus we had gobs of catching up to do in our garden. With this recession that this world is presently in, millions of gardens are popping up all around.
Our family has been gardening for many years now. There have been seasons of plenty and seasons of 'famine'. During the later we found it quite disheartening not finding fruit / vegetables on the those lovely green plants. Reasons vary; pests, disease, drought, over watered, imbalanced soil, not enough nutrients in addition-in our case this year, 'theft' is added on to the list.

 

 

Last year, we were so excited we had an abundant of luscious plants flourishing all over our garden.    Yet, to our misfortune we had to accept defeat to yet another season of famine once again.

As I was working hard yesterday in my garden, with all three of my children; a feeling of strong determination arose once again, I heard myself say; "This garden is going to give me vegetables this year, no matter how hard I have work! [With a growl included!]Laying in bed, aching with sore muscles-the Lord showed me a picture of my lovely green garden. He then compared it to my children, and so many children all around. As those bright green plants that appear so beautiful, strong and healthy grow, so do our kids, they LOOK really good! We raise them to be SMART and PRETTY; not surrounded by weeds-just standing tall and appealing.

Yet, where is the fruit which is the purpose of the (plant) child in the first place? What good is it to be just a plant without the fruit? Song of Solomon 5:1 "I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." Wow! As parents, we are garden keepers. We do ALL we can to be assured that our 'fruits from God' will be prosperous for the His Kingdom. After they are grown, it is between the (plant) person and God if there will be good fruit.
So, what can we do then as parents or even as stewards for our own garden to be assured there will be fruit?

Answers are always obvious, God makes it quite clear in His Word-yet we still don't see it being applied to the majority of spiritual gardens all around. Yesterday, I noted that I just saw a couple blooms on my tomato plants. It has been raining quite a bit in Illinois, thus the SUN has not been able to shine through the clouds onto my plants.

• "Green plants get their energy from sunlight.
• Green plants convert sunlight energy into food energy through photosynthesis
• Most field crops yield well with increased sun light. "[http://www.icrisat.org/vasat/learning_resources/weather/html/m4l3/resources/2203.html]

Mark 10:14 "He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." It is VITAL that not only do we water our children with our love, feed them with God's Word, till up the weeds with discipline and work, but take them into the Presence of the SON ...to bask in His Presence daily. Not rush it, teach them to wait and dwell there. Walking in the Spirit, flowing doing His work.
The result; a life for us as well as for them to be able to give to others. Nothing like a good garden tomato, and the vitamins a body receives as it is eaten. When our children are around our own family, neighbors, friends, church brothers and sisters and the lost of the world--what will they get to partake from your children's lives?
From your lives? Is there fruit now? Do you see the blooms growing? If not, let that be a SIGN for you as a parent (or I am writing to one who is applying this to their own heart), STOP now; re evaluate your gardening experience. Line out your lives according to the Master Gardener...(in His Word) and take time DAILY to bask in His Presence! See the fruit grow!

It will be worth all the hard, diligent work in the end!