Joseph Caldwell
By Joseph Caldwell
Youth Pastor in Philadelphia
Confederate flag. Same sex unions. Abortions. How many more things are plastered all over the news and our Facebook news feeds right now?
I do not write a message to millennials as some older sage dispersing my wisdom onto a younger, more naive generation. I am a millennial myself who is terrified by what I see. And, I’m not talking about the things mentioned above.
I’m talking about our lack of Christ being displayed in our lives. This world is corrupt but it is not something that happened overnight. This corruption happened thousands of years ago in the Garden of Eden when we rebelled against God and we are continuing to do the same today. The world is good about distracting the people of God with issues when the real issue is that this world is fallen and is in desperate need of a Savior, a Savior that we claim to have yet so often bottle up and keep hidden.
We allow our carnal nature to permeate our spiritual life. We get incredibly defensive when people attack our views. Why are we so surprised when the world disagrees with our stance on the Word of God?
Scripture reminds us, “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you” (John 15:18-19 HCSB).
We should be doing all we can to study Scripture, to learn from the wisdom of our parents’ and grandparents’ generation concerning the things of God.
Did they do everything right? Of course not, but what have we done to prove we are any better? I became a father recently and have gained so much more respect for my parents and grandparents.
I see the struggles it takes to raise a child although I still have a lot of learning to do. God has entrusted a precious gift to me. I pray every night that God reveals Himself even more to my son than me. I know my son will face a world that is hard, very hard. My prayer is that I set the example and continue with the legacy that my father has instilled in me so that he sees the importance to stand on the firm foundation that Jesus Christ is our Cornerstone! The issues will never cease, the complete disregard of the Holy Scriptures will never stop, but there is hope — “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 HCSB).
There is hope in our Lord. A problem with some Bible readers today is that we do not see Jesus as Lord.
Millennials, we must abandon our self-centered lives and run to Him. There will always be trials we face. There will always be struggles coming our way. This world is not easy. The Christian life is not easy but Jesus has given us a promise that will more than suffice — “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world” (John 16:33 HCSB).
So no matter what the trials, remember, Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my banner!
Let’s stop standing up on our own volition and start falling on our knees. Let’s be His people and let God be God!
“And My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14 HCSB).
