Addressed to the Youth  of North Main COGIC (August 13, 2000)

 

Once again, I am honored to be before you as one of God's chosen vessels. I salute you In The Name of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, I pray Our Father's choicest blessings be unto you.

For some reason, yet a mystery to me, preparation for the delivery of the message on today has brought me more travail than I ever experienced before with regards to delivering a message. As I began to reflect back on the various graduation banquets I've attended since becoming a member of North Main in 1994 I was left somewhat in awe as what to say. I was at awe because at those banquets I observed just how wonderfully God had blessed the youth of North Main COGIC.

Sitting in the pulpit from Sunday to Sunday, I observed the precision of the Drill Team, the orderly ushering of the Youth Ushers, and am so greatly inspired by the Sunshine Band. And, then there are the certificates and awards that you earn at your various institutions that just kept me wondering--what is it that the Lord would have me to say to the Youth of North Main COGIC.

Then when I think of the Summer Vacation Bible School and add being blessed to hear this anointed youth choir and musicians; it renders me some insight. Insight into just what is being said through our YPWW spokesman when he makes the statement, "You have to meet me here or beat me here". I can truly see that you are young people willing to work. And that is a wonderful statement, especially so, when it is expressed through your deeds and actions.

So, I thought perhaps I should begin by telling you a little something about myself. However the Youth Day President reminds me so very often in our Minister's Sunday School Class that it is not about me, nor about us, but is all about a man called Jesus.

Even so, If I tried to tell you about my family tree I would not be able to boast about anything. For just as Jesus had a problem with trying to substantiate His identity to the Sanhedrin Council. Had I lived in that era I would have experienced that same problem. The Sanhedrin Council more or less sat in judgment over Jesus. And to become a member of that Council one had to be able to account for at least three previous generations of his family tree.

As a little boy, I recall asking my biological father to tell me something about my grandfather. On the first occasion he replied that he was a slave. My curiosity not quite satisfied, I asked again about a year later. Expecting a long drawn out story, he simply said that he was a slave and this time dropped his head in somewhat shame. Perceiving and discerning in my spirit that there was nothing there that I could boast in, only shame and disgrace, I never asked again.

After having considered comments by Louis L'Amour, who is credited with having said, "ancestry is most important to those who have done nothing themselves". Claude McDonald, who went on to say, "You can't expect to make a place in the sun for yourself if you keep taking refuge under the family tree". I like best Abraham Lincoln's statement; "I don't know who my grandfather was. I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be."

After having that brainstorm, then I thought, knowing that some of you have children of your own. Perhaps, it might help you to mention that Sam Ewing once said, "Parents who wonder where the younger generation is going should remember where it came from." Just as parents delight in children who make them glad at their life accomplishments. Parents should live a life so that their children can be made glad and be able to delight in their parent's life style and accomplishments.

Then, I began to think again. To you who are my Sisters in the Lord, I could tell you that you don't have to give birth to all your children before you reach 20 years of age. All things being equal you can give birth to some of them while in your 20's, 30's, and 40's. But you probably know that already.

To you who are my Brethren in the Lord, I could tell you that you don't have to father all your children before you reach 20 years of age. All thing being equal you can father some of them while in your 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. But you probably know that already.

To the single (male and female) I could tell you that Leon R. Yankwich said, "There are no illegitimate children--only illegitimate parents". And if you are troubled and easily influenced as a result of peer pressure about being alone, George Washington said, "It is better to be alone, than in bad company."

I could go on to tell you that even though you try out an automobile and take it for a drive before you buy it. You need the car dealer's permission and a valid driver's license before you do. And before you take off to enjoy the rituals of holy matrimony, you should have parental permission, their blessings, and a marriage license. But you probably know that already. To live married, you need to be married.

Now unto the single again, since you probably know already, I won't tell you that Winston Churchill once asked the question, "Where does the family start?" And then he answered, "It starts with a young man falling in love with a girl. No superior alternative has yet been found."

As a result, some of the youth here today are married. So I thought perhaps you might be benefited by what Mignon McLaughlin said; "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." And go on to add, 'making marriage work is like running a farm, you have to start all over again each morning.'

Well, let's see now, maybe you probably don't know that James C. Dobson once said, "Even if marriages are made in heaven, man has to be responsible for the maintenance." You probably never thought that the most beautiful of Valentines Day card, the sweetest of candies, and the most true of loves that it took to win her hand in marriage--well, it takes all that and more if you want to keep her undivided attention. Yes, the dearest of love letters, the most softly spoken kind words, and the most humble submission that it took to get him to propose marriage--it takes all that and more to keep his undivided attention. So he breaks your heart. So she breaks your heart. Fall in love all over again with that same special one. Let your love grow, and grow, and grow, and grow! Stay married. Keep it together. If one has to sleep upstairs and the other downstairs, stay together. Rear your children in the admonishment and fear of the Lord.

To those of you who just may be divorced I could take the time and tell you about a dear friend of mine. Then you might agree how vital it is to stay together. This friend of mine was married at a young age of 19 to a young lady who was of a different denomination. However, as a result of that marriage she placed her membership with the COGIC. Unfortunately, after seven years of marriage and four children they became separated. The separation came just two years after he had become converted and called to the gospel ministry.

At the time of the separation the four children ranged in ages from six years of age to eight months. She returned to the church denomination that she held prior to marrying him. And after 26 years of separation with no hope of reconciliation he granted her a final divorce and let the unbelieving depart.

As you might suspect, their children suffered most. The oldest daughter ended up as a single parent with two sets of children (for two different fellows) for a total of four children with one of them dying in infancy.

The second oldest daughter ended up as a single parent with two sets of children and living unmarried with a third fellow.

The only son ended with up a series of arrests, drug problems, and on a four-year probation for the unlawful discharge of a firearm--drive-by-shooting, gang related.

The youngest daughter dropped out of high school at 17, married, separated, and then giving birth to a child for a second fellow and living unmarried with him.

After this devastating trauma in his life my dear friend was so heartbroken that he resolved to live the rest of his life alone. He prayed to God that he never wanted to remarry. But God had to correct him in his prayer. God allowed him to fall deeply in love with a beautifully saved young lady in the COGIC. And gave him to know that it is not the will of God for man to be alone. Gen. 2:8 ("And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.") God gave my friend to know that just as He has erased all the hurt, shame, and disgrace when He saved him from his sins. God could take away all the hurt resulting from the lost of his wife; his children and their broken lives; and allow him to fall in love all over again.

Perhaps, I could tell you that Anita Bryant went so far as to say, "If homosexuality were the normal way, God would have made Adam and Bruce." And then I could add, If lesbianism were the normal way, God would have made Eve and Eva. Even nature itself teaches that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair. And whistling girls and crowing hens never come to a good end.

But, I won't bother to tell you any of those things. Because in my spirit, I know that God is trying to tell you something. And because it is not about what I want to say unto you, it's what God wants to say unto you.

Today is Youth Day! It is another day that the Lord has made. And I shall rejoice and be glad in it.

Make haste and take up your Bibles, and join with me for the Text found at Acts 9:5-6. The Text of God's message to you on today reads:

AND HE SAID, WHO ART THOU, LORD? AND THE LORD SAID, "I AM JESUS, WHOM THOU PERSECUTEST: IT IS HARD FOR THEE TO KICK AGAINST THE PRICKS."

AND HE TREMBLING AND ASTONISHED SAID, LORD, WHAT WILT THOU HAVE ME DO? AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, "ARISE, AND GO INTO THE CITY, AND IT SHALL BE TOLD THEE WHAT THOU MUST DO."

The topic for the message is "God Is Trying To Tell You Something!" Today is your day and God wants each of you to know that:

(1) He is your Father.

(2) You are His child.

(3) He wants you to be saved.

In this Text we find Brother Saul. He had attained the highest of degrees. A zealous lawyer and believing in his heart that he was doing the right thing by arresting and persecuting the Disciples of Christ. But Jesus had to arrest Saul on the Road to Damascus. There are so many of us today, graduate salutatorian, valedictorian, go on earn our Bachelor's, Master's and Doctor's Degrees with our cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude honors attached. However, like Saul, we run the wrong way with the football while listening to the praises of men. And we can't hear what God is trying to tell us.

Let us not be blinded and uplifted in foolish pride by our accomplishments. Whatever honors achieved, in truth, we are not the first. Nor will we be the last. We are not alpha and omega. Jesus is the first and the last, alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.

Don't use God's blessings to set up a dynasty for your well being. Don't use the gift God gave you to put other less fortunate people in a bind and in a life of servitude where they can never go beyond looking up to you and unto you for a favor. Don't twist God's Word and the God's Law to persecute and imprison others physically and spiritually.

Continue on Young People Willing Workers; work out your soul salvation with fear and trembling. (Hebrews 12:2) "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." For when you do things contrary to God's word you crucify Christ afresh.

God is your Father. You are God's child. (2 Cor. 6:17-18) "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

God wants you to be saved. (St. John 3:16-17) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved."

Bring your A's; bring your F's. Bring your life's successes; bring your life's failures. Let God govern your romances, let God govern your marriages. Bring your broken hearts; bring your shattered dreams. So you fathered or gave birth to a child out of wedlock. So your beautiful wedding day turned into a nightmare in the courtroom. Bring your cross and redeem it for a golden crown.

God has no respect of person. Yet, God does have respect of gender.

(Jeremiah 30:6) "Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child?"

(Matt. 1:23) "Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interrupted is, God with us.

(Luke 1:28, 30-31) "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus."

(Luke 1:35) "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

(Hebrews 1:1-2) "God who at sundry times and in divers manner spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he had appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds."

Today is your day. There is a word from the Lord. Come, and let me be your father, saith the Lord God. Come, and be my Son. Come, and be my Daughter, saith the Lord God. Come, and be saved, saith the Lord. God is trying to tell you something.

I close with two sentiments for your souls that were shared with me by friends. And now I share them with you. The first is entitled:

"PRAYERS CAN'T BE ANSWERED UNLESS THEY ARE PRAYED"

A life without purpose is barren indeed.

There can't be a harvest unless you plant seeds.

There can't be attainment unless there's a goal.

And man's but a robot unless there's a soul.

If we send no ships out, no ships will come in.

And unless there's a contest, nobody can win.

For games can't be won unless they are played,

And Prayers can't be answered unless they are prayed!

So, whatever is wrong with your life today.

You'll find a solution if you kneel down and pray.

Not just for pleasure, enjoyment and health,

Not just for honors and prestige and wealth.

But pray for a purpose to make life worth living.

And pray for the joy of unselfish giving.

For great is your gladness and rich is your reward,

When you make your life's purpose the choice of the Lord.

 

The second is entitled:

"THE U IN JESUS"

Before U were though of or time had begun

God even stuck U in the name of His Son

And each time U pray you'll see that it's true

You can't spell Jesus and not include U!

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name

For U, He was born that is why He came

And His great love for U is the reason He died

It even takes U to spell crucified!

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand

He rose from the dead, with U in His plan

The stones split away, the gold trumpet blew

And this word resurrection, is spelled with a U!

When Jesus left earth at His upward ascension

He felt there was one thing He just had to mention

"Go into the world and tell them it's true

That I love them all just like I love U!"

So many great people are spelled with a U

Don't they have a right to know Jesus too?

It all depends now on what U will do

He'd like them to know but it all starts with YOU!!!

 

Finally, my brethren and my sisters, what I say unto one, I say unto all.

Come! Let God be Our Father.

God Bless the Youth of North Main COGIC.

Come! Let us be God's Sons and Daughters.

God Bless the Youth Day of North Main COGIC.

Come! Let us be saved.

And, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

 

AMEN