The decisions that are made as a teen while in junior or senior high school are setting up the foundation upon which the entirety of their life will be built. The decisions that are made at this time in life will have long term effects for either the good or bad. For example. How many people do you know that woke up at 40 or 50 years of age having never smoked a cigarette and decide that they want to start chain smoking today? On the flip side. How many people have woken up in the morning at 40 or 50 and wish that they had never started smoking because they are now a chain smoker who can not kick the habit? Considder the drug addict or alcoholic. Often times these addictions started in the teen age years while in junior or senior high school. Sure there are exceptions but I am guessing that most of these issues got its root in that time frame.
Why do we make the decisions we make? Often we have not yet drawn the line in the sand. We have not determined where we stand on an issue, and have not established scripture in our hearts pertaining to that issue. Proverbs 7:2-3 says
"Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart."
Psalm 119:15 says
"I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways."
80% plus Christian students are lost and fall from following God in the transition between high school and college. This is in part because they do not have the Word of God written on their heart and have not established the lines that they will not cross. Often the last thing to be established in a Christians walk with God is a quiet time, a time spent in the word and talking with God. This is especially true in the youth. The enemy knows that this is a vulnerable time and attacks at will on the youth in many of life's binding situations.
My challenge is this. If you fall into the junior/senior high school age group then please begin to spend time with the Lord every day. Spend time in the word and talking with your Lord and Savior. If you have never developed this kind of time with God then start simple. Start with 5 min. a day and work up from there. Make sure to be consistent with this and you might be surprised at some of the things that might begin to happen. If you are the parent of one of these teens or know of someone in this age range then please pray. This current generation is tired of every day religion but in throwing out the religion they have also thrown out a daily walk with God. Please pray for them and offer them the love of Christ not the religious demands of man.
