Society says as young people we are lazy, naive, rebellious, and followers not leaders. The world does not expect much from us as young people and that has transferred over to the church. We are told we need to follow other's examples not be the examples. The bible has very different things to say, and I'm hoping as a young christian myself at 22 years old I can help other young Christians strive to be leaders not followers, to be servants not those who are served, to find worth in God's eyes not the world's eyes. 1 Timothy 4: 12 says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
About me: My name is Caleb I am 22 years old and I recently graduated from Pepperdine University. I am not a young person who has been rejected by society so I am lashing out, quite the opposite. I found myself in college to be a part of the world, I drank, I partied, I went on spring break trips to Mexico, I was in a fraternity, I even modeled professionally in LA for a while. What I realized is that some where along the way I had succumbed to the World's expectations of what a college student should be and put God on the back burner. My mind set was that I had time to be a good Christian and an example when I was older, I realize now that there's no better time to serve God and be an example then the now. I have rededicated my life to Christ and helping young people do the same. I am a pseudo college intern at my church and can't wait to see the way God will challenge me.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
This is love
I was reading Romans 12 and came across this and immediately thought that I want to read this to my wife on our wedding day with my vows, this is the love I want.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
“If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great.” John Piper
We have tried so long to satisfy ourselves with the immediate little pleasures of the world, we get used to it and almost think we can be fully satisfied by it, but we can’t it always leaves an emptiness like when you have a snack when you need a meal. The only thing that can fully satisfy our desires and our needs is the manifestation of the glory of God, the only one who can fully satisfy us is God.
Sometimes I will read a passage in 2 or 3 translations to see how it hits me differently each time, this passage I think I read in 4 or 5 translations. It is such a powerful passage I love what it was titled in the message translation “Don’t run from suffering” and how it reads.
This is Jesus talking to his disciples
“Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels.”
Never be ashamed of Christ and the message of the cross, embrace the suffering that comes with being a Christian. Loving Christ should be like being in love with another, you’re so captivated by them and having them in your life you can’t shut up about them. All you want to do is brag about them to others, you would sacrifice anything for them in a heart beat, it is something that becomes instinct with the ones you love. Why should it be any different with our love for Christ?
Questions? Topics? etc
Any questions or topics that have been on your minds that maybe you want me to address? Or something awesome that has happened to you this week a way God has blessed you that you would like to share?
“There are at least four longings that gnaw at us with a desperate constancy. The Hunger for truth, as lies proliferate. The hunger for love, as we see hate ruling the day. The hunger for justice, as we see injustice mocking the law. The hunger for forgiveness, when we ourselves fail and stumble. These four stirrings grip the soul. As I see it, there is only one place in the world where these four hungers converge. That is at the cross.”
Questions/Topics
WHAT’S ON YOUR MINDS? Any Questions or Topics you would like me to address? I will answer them all on Friday my day off!
Questions/topics
I meant to do this once a week but due to my crazy schedule I have neglected it for a couple weeks. But since I have the day off, anything you want me to address?
ANy questions, topics anything at all let me know and I’ll be happy to answer or try to anyways.
Valentine’s Day
In light of Valentine’s day I have a challenge for you all. Instead of moping around in your singleness or dwelling on it, like society tends to make us do on this day, spend this Valentine’s day differently. I challenge you to spend the day bringing glory to God. Here are some possibilities I have thought of; spend your day helping someone who needs it, spend all day in the word, spend the day fasting and praying thanking God for everything he has given you, encourage people with text messages, letters, etc, or try this one. Spend your day thinking of God’s purpose for you and thanking him for being single. For working in his time and not ours, and most of all think of how you are going to trust in his purpose for you above all. It’s days like Valentine’s day we think we need to have someone to be happy or to be complete and the fact is we don’t, we are complete with God alone. Think about these things and spend this day honoring God our one true Love.
Idk I guess. I think it kinda motivates me because there are so many lost souls that we can reach on here. If everyone were for God and Jesus then our faith would be easy and Christianity would be easy, Jesus says bless you when people persecute you for my name sake. Just try to remember that this is a mission field, we are a light to the world and we need to show people that this is truth, that JESUS is truth. That he didn’t just die to die, but lived to die, for an undeserving people because of an unfathomable love. WHY? I don’t know I’m still trying to figure it out ha, but we can show those people that and try to love on em despite not having or expecting reciprocation!
Dating’s blame game
The problem sometimes with young Christians when it comes to dating and well a lot of things is we blame society. Christian women say I dress this way because society says that it is pretty or attractive. Christian men say I date girls who dress this way because society has trained me to find that attractive. Then both Christian men and women blame the other for their low standards and for lowering their own standards to be attractive to the opposite sex. It’s an ongoing blame game and endless circle of basically making excuses for why we follow the world’s version of dating. Then it occurred to me, there seems to be a common theme for all this. We are putting too much emphasis and care in making ourselves attractive for each other and not enough emphasis or care in making ourselves attractive for God. If we make ourselves attractive for God then there is no blaming society, because God doesn’t revolve around what society thinks is attractive. So this what I suggest, focus on becoming as beautiful as you can in God’s eyes and then you will attract a REAL Christian man or woman who will be attracted to you first and foremost because of your soul.
