Thursday, April 27, 2006

A lesson from a 16 year old


Josue David is the teenager in shorts toward the right of this picture, who lives in Valencia, Venezuela. At the time this was taken he was 14 but has now progressed to that difficult age of 16. He wants to do what all his friends from school are doing, even though he knows some of it is wrong. Internet cafes are in every neighborhood in Venezuela so most teenagers spend an hour or more each evening chatting or IM'ing their friends. Recently he came up with a lesson he wanted sent to all his schoolmates, which I have translated below. It's one of those moments when as a parent you can say, "I need to hear things like this" and know that all of your labors, arguments, and fights have not been in vain.

"knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;" (2 Pet. 3:3-14)

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you right with God?
2. Do you believe you would go to heaven or to hell?
3. Where would you like to go?

Remember that according to Matt. 25:26 the unrighteous will go to hell and the just or obedient to Jesus Christ to life eternal. "And these will go into eternal torment and the just to eternal life."

If you want to be with God this is what you need to do:

1. Believe in Jesus as the Son of God. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all who believe on Him, should not be lost, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

2. Repent of your sins "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them,"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:36-38)

3. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Son of God "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said,"If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said,"I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:35-38).

4. Be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit "let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

5. Once you have done this you must continue in grace until you die or He comes. You must study the Word of God daily and obey Him faithfully. "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39) "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

If you want to be with Satan do the following:
Fornicate, drink, lie, disobey, steal, kill, use bad language and do all that is not good.

Conclusion:

Remember that there is a hell where all sinners will go. You have been told the steps you need to take to go to heaven. What are you waiting for, today is all you have? Who knows if tomorrow you will not be here and will be lost in hell, "whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Maybe you will not listen to my voice, but I have fulfilled my work--the rest I leave to you.

What more can I add to that?????

Tol

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Nice colors. Keep up the good work. thnx!
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Anonymous said...

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