Every Christian Teenager Should Know…
1. Get plugged into a local church body
One of the most crucially important things for a Christian to do is get plugged into a church. We live in a day in age where people think that they can just watch church on their laptop, and that counts as being a church body member. The Lord calls us to not only attend church but be active body members. Each person in a church can contribute in one way or another. God gives us all special gifts that help shape the church into a whole functioning entity.
It’s easy to get behind and not attend church services. As a teenager, it’s important to go to church because it is a place that will build you up, and hold you accountable when you are doing something wrong. Getting involved with your church’s youth group, or a small group at your church is also very important. You will make like minded friends who will hold you to a higher standard than non-Christian friends. They will challenge you in new ways, and help you in your walk with God.
2. Develop a personal relationship with God
Developing a personal relationship with God is one of the most beautiful parts of being a Christian. If you want to develop a personal relationship with God, but do not know how to, ask your youth pastor, or someone close to you that has a firm relationship with Christ.
You can grow in your relationship with God, just as you would with a human being, by spending time with him. The more you spend in the Bible reading, or praying to God, the more you will understand Him, and want to know more about him. The relationship you have with God is the most important relationship you will ever have in your life, so you might as well start getting to know Him now!
3. Obey God first
The Bible teaches us that the greatest commandment is to love God first, and then to love others. When you learn to love God, you will learn to also obey him. Think about it, the more you love a person, the more you want to make them happy. How do you make a person happy? By doing what they believe to be is right, then you are obeying them. If you truly love God, then you will want yearn to obey him, and please him in all that you do.
Sometimes we might find it hard to obey God, because we feel as if we know better than Him. The things on earth are temporary, only he is eternal. He knows that there are many tempting things on earth, but he knows that they will only satisfy temporarily. He is the only one who can satisfy eternally.
4. Obey your parents
One of the ten commandments God gave the Israelites was to obey their parents. Sometimes you might find this hard to follow because your parents might get on your nerves easily. You must remember that your parents have been given the most important job, to bring you up in the ways of the Lord. Colossians 3:20 states, “Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”
God specifically tells us in the Bible to obey our parents because it is pleasing to him. If we are to obey God and honor his ways then we must also obey our parents. Proverbs 19:26 tells us that, “He who assaults his father and drives his mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son.” God tells us throughout the Bible how disobeying your father and mother is a shameful act. Those that disobey their parents are sinning against God. Think about it, God placed it as one of the ten commandments, it obviously is a big deal to him.
5. Obey authority figures
When you’re a teenager, it’s cool to rebel against authority. A teenager tends to feel like it is his duty to be different, or to stand up against those in charge. The Bible actually speaks on the wrongness of this, and how you should obey those that are in charge.
Romans 13:1 states, “All of you must obey those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God.” The Bible instructs us to obey those that rule over us because they were chosen by God. To disobey them is to disobey God. Whether it is your mother and father, or a teacher at school, you should obey their rules. God will ultimately hold them accountable for the way they governed, but for now, you must just follow what they say.
7. Don’t stress about the future
One thing that I find to very common amongst young people is the problem of stress. From the time kids are in middle school to the time they get to college, they face an overwhelming amount of stress that comes from all facets of their life. Whether they are student athletes who want to get good grades, or art students that constantly feel like their work is under-appreciated, students are stress ridden.
Philippians 4:4-6 states, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” He wants us to find peace in Him, to not stress, and leave our burdens for him. He tells us not to be anxious about anything, that with prayer we should bring these things forth to God. Give your worries, anxieties, stresses to him. He cares for you.
8. Get a job
This might sound silly to you, but getting a job is an important thing for a teenager. I got my first job when I was fifteen working at a pottery shop, and I learned many valuable lessons in my time there. Not only did I learn the true definition of responsibility, but I learned how to talk to people around me about God, when I didn’t expect it. I learned that God places us in specific scenarios with specific people so that we can tell them about Jesus. It taught me to never take people for granted, which is something all teenagers should learn.
9. Tell others about Jesus
As it was stated in the previous bullet, it is important to not hide your faith from others, and especially as a teenager. My pastor at church this past Sunday gave a great analogy about evangelism. He said, “If your friend was standing in the middle of the train tracks, and there was a train coming, but you had time to push them out of the way, would you do it?” The point is, you know the impending death that all people face, you can see that train coming. But the thing is, we will never know when the train will hit. It is sad, but life is fleeting. It is important to tell others about Jesus, so they do not miss out on the gift of eternal salvation.
