Some people say teens had never had it so easy as they have it today. But I beg to differ. I believe that teens today are having the most incredibly difficult time navigating the world and life – even if they know nothing about the struggle over heir souls. Teenagers are bombarded on all fronts by falsehoods, deceptions, snares of all kinds and temptations the like of which people in the past never had to deal with. And teens today are going merrily on imagining in their small minds that somehow they have it good and the people of the past had it bad.
There of course is some truth to this in terms of creature comforts. But the spiritual reality is completely different. It was hard enough in the 1970s and 80s growing as a teen, with porn everywhere you looked even in those days, but it’s now become worse – as if that was possible. The temptations are so numerous it’s a wonder any young Christians still attend church, and their pastors are so frightened of the world and dare not teach the truth of the gospel to young teenagers because they know they will not be able to cope with the harsh reality and leave the congregation – which will deplete coffers. Very few Christian pastors, teachers or modern church leaders have the guts to actually tell the truth to teens today, and seem to be concentrating more on self-help, all kinds of nonsense that has nothing to do with real Christianity, or the sufferings we were guaranteed by Christ, or the real servitude and really caring for one’s neighbours, the old, in-firmed or those who can’t defend themselves.
Today teens are taught that Christianity is about having a good time, a concert at church with banging rock music, and the prosperity Gospel everywhere deceiving everyone left right and centre. The Oprah movement has taught children that by saying a few magic words God will pop out of a bottle like a genie and deliver them from all their problems and make them prosperous and rich and happy – with 1 foot in the world and 1 foot in church. Well unfortunately this is not possible. The pastors today need to teach the children the truth – that is that God will spew out lukewarm Christians and that persecution will come to all that are really seeking God. We should not seek persecution as that would be foolish but the fact is – if you are not persecuted in some way, you are living by the world’s standards – its that simple.
