A Service I Am Proud Of...

     Well, I have to say that I was pretty excited to preach last Wednesday to my youth and young adults so that I could write about point number 2 on How To Keep What God Gives… (It is going to be good!). However, due to some weird thing going on with my right foot I was unable to walk and even standing was extremely painful. So with that I must say how amazingly blessed I am to be a youth pastor with such amazing young people that have such a huge passion for the things of God. My thought was, I could teach my next point sitting on a stool but how boring would that be? Right? I know that would drive me crazy having to listen to some “old” guy preaching while sitting! Lol. So I was able to call one on my interns that has had a word on his heart to preach for some time now. I knew that this would be his first time preaching and didn’t have time to even go over his notes with him, but figured that anything would better for these youth than hearing me teach from a stool.

      Now to boast about my intern for  sec. His name is Sean Gleason. I believe that he is 19 years old. A young man that is passionate about living out his God purpose here on earth, good looking and single!! ;0) Make sure to follow him on Facebook! Sean grew up with parents that decided to give him and his brother up at a young age. One day they just didn’t want them anymore. So Sean and his brother were raised by his grandparents. After hearing his testimony in detail the other night. It is just so evident on how good our God is. Sean grew up feeling not wanted, not good enough and always trying to seek the approval of whoever would give it. He had major anger problems and dealt strongly with the thoughts of suicide on a consistent basis. Sean had an identity crisis!

      As I was sitting there listening to Sean share, it made me think how being given away from people that are supposed to protect him the most, what a hole that would leave in someone’s soul. How would have I reacted? Wow! How many other young people are dealing with these same issues? Those who have been given away and those who still live in the same house as their parents but they are not really there emotionally, protecting there precious children. To busy with work or their own selfish endeavors…

       Anyway. Sean was not just telling a cute lil story here. He was preaching with passion, of who he was before meeting his true father. His creator. The God who knew him before forming him in his earthly mothers womb. Jeremiah 1:1-5. The God who created him with such a great purpose. A purpose greater than the crap life threw at him to get him to loose his true identity… He shared his struggle through life trying to find his worth and who he was.

     After 15 min of painting a picture to everyone about his life he switched gears and shared how through finding God and making Him the top priority in his life, he found more that just peace and comfort from God, but his identity! He continued to go through scripture to scripture and what he had to do, to find his true self… in Christ. These are the points that he gave.

1. You have to renew your mind through the Word of God.

·      Romans 12:2

·      Romans 8:1

·      Galatians 2:20

·      Gen. 1:27

·      1 Tim. 2:29

2. Meditate on the Word of God.

·   Joshua 1:8

o   Make sure not to get weirded out by “mediation”. It simply means to be thinking and reminding yourself of a topic or thing. I meditate on His word all day long. I meditate the best while shopping! :0)

3. Speak life into death.

·      Judges 6

o   Gideon was spoken into! God spoke “Mighty man of valor” to a scared little wimp hiding in a wine press! Even though Gideon’s emotions were telling him he was the weakest of them all and to freak out, he stood on the words of God!

o   Continue to speak the life of Gods word into your life not matter what your emotions are screaming at you.

4. Meditate on the promises of the God.

·      When you are constantly thinking about all God had done for you… If you see it already or not, it makes all the stuff that would normally look like huge problems seem so small and weak in comparison.

     After Sean was done preaching his message, that I was truly amazed and so proud of what an awesome job he did, I felt lead to close the night by having the youth who deal with identity issues raise their hands. I was amazed at the amount of hands that went up. I didn’t do a prayer line or alter call because I don’t think that would have really made a difference. I simply reminded them that God has done what He can do. He has spoken. It is written, and if they truly want to find their identity they need to do and apply what God spoke through Sean, and that would be points #1-4 to their lives. In doing those simple 4 things anyone can find their true identity!

     So with all that I will conclude today’s thoughts, I just want to say how blessed I am to have a calling that allows me to see the transforming power of God work in so many amazing young people that are around me. Young people that look up to me as their pastor and spiritual leader. To be able to witness over the last year and a half this timid, lost young man find himself in Christ, get up for his first time and preach a home run that spoke to the hearts of everyone in the room… I am honored and would not trade it for the world. 

     Last Wednesday's service was not one that was planed, by me at least. It didn't go like I had envisioned it to go the whole week prior. But I can say it was a service that I am proud of. :0)