How Can Teenagers Serve God?
Teenagers, your parents want the best for you. All your life they have nursed you when you were sick and worried over you when you were bad. Now, you are about to become an adult.
When you are an adult, you will be responsible for your own actions and behavior. Indecision will be one of your enemies. Anxiety, irresponsibility, indifference and selfishness will be other enemies. But look, this is nothing more than human nature at work in your members.
The good news is that Jesus Christ came to destroy the old nature in us when we put on the new nature in Christ. The method is simple. The results are astounding, because Jesus Christ and the Father never start something they don’t finish.
We could all be successful if we would just get out of our own way. Yes, we are our own worst enemy—our human nature, the fleshly nature. Read what God says our nature is in Ephesians 2:1-3; 5:5; 2 Timothy 2:26; Galatians 5:19-21 and Matthew 15:19.
How do you receive a new nature? Live to please God daily, as Jesus Christ our example lived (Luke 9:23; Matt. 10:38; 1 John 2:6). Do God’s Will, which is doing righteous deeds towards others (Matt. 5:16; 12:50; Luke 8:21; 11:28; 1 Peter 2:12). These are the same works that Jesus Christ said we would do more of than He did, for He was to be crucified at the age of 33 (John 14:12; Rev. 2:26).
Practice righteousness for God until He makes it come from your heart (1 Peter 4:12-13). As you practice righteousness, God will perfect you through mild testing or suffering (1 Peter 5:10). Normally you suffer for doing wrong, but when you suffer for doing what is right, you can receive His new nature and enter the kingdom that is within you (1 Peter 4:1; Rom. 6:11; Gal. 4:19; Luke 17:21 King James Version). You must force yourself into it and seize it for yourself (Luke 16:16; Matt. 11:12).
Soon your righteousness will exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees and you will be a happy slave to Christ (Matt. 5:20). You will be doing all your righteous works—which is God’s Will—from your heart (Eph. 6:6). Don’t delay! Be happy today (Matt. 25:33-40).