The Azle Youth
Service
The youth
service last Thursday night in Azle was an awesome one. We had a great turnout,
and I know for a fact that we had a very successful night in terms of running
the service. The singers- Chasity, Alaina, Natalie, Elizabeth, and Nathaniel
did an awesome job! The music- Jonathan on the drums, Alaina, Elizabeth, and
Nathaniel on the piano sounded amazing the ENTIRE
night! Dillion, Jonathan and myself (Bradley) did a great job speaking in front
of the full crowd!
You could
really feel the presence of God in that service. I know for a fact that God was
in every part of that service, giving us strength and urging us to do our best
and worship Him with all of our hearts. That service wasn’t just a “Let’s let
the youth run it just so they can” service. I believe that that opportunity was
from God for all of us to get experience doing things that we will be doing
later on in life in ministry. I am EXTREMELY
thankful that God put this in Bro. Crawford’s heart to let us do this.
Don’t take it lightly that we got to run the service. Think of it as God
allowing you to “practice” or get experience working in ministry. As Bro.
Crawford said “We all have to start somewhere”: he was exactly right. You can’t
just jump into doing big things in ministry. That service was a chance for all
of us to get to work in ministry, and we should all be grateful that we got the
chance to do so- no matter how little you think your part was. I believe that
that service was a building block in God’s will for all of our lives- meaning
that He is taking us to higher and higher places not only in life, but in
ministry also. That was the will of God for us to run the service that Thursday
night; it couldn’t have gone that well without it being His will.
I am really
glad that most of our youth could make it! Not only were we getting practice in
ministry, but we were helping build up another youth group. The fact that it
was their FIRST youth service and it
went THAT WELL- that’s a blessing in
itself. I believe that God has big things in store for Azle; not just for the
adults, but the youth and children also. We were doing the work of God that
night! Most of the kid’s there at the service had only been there a couple
times, or it was their first time there! It makes you feel pretty good that you
not only got to perform the will of God in your life, but you got to reach lost
souls while doing it! I loved the fact that we got to talk to the kids after
the service to get to know them; it not only reminds me of blessed I am to be
there but it shows me how effectively we can reach people at such a young age. If
you didn’t do anything, please jump in and help any way that you feel like you
need to! Seek the will of God and then do it!
Don’t slow
down your pace in doing the work of God. Remember to pray for God’s will to be
done no matter what. Again, don’t forsake God or put Him second to other
things. Sure, you might want to work for God and do His will, but as long as
you are chasing things of the world for the wrong reasons (a certain car to
look cool) you are going to slow yourself down. It’s like every time you put
God second or forget your real purpose in life, you put a ball and chain around
your ankle while trying to run a marathon for God. First of all, your not only
hurting yourself, but your forsaking God and it’s like your telling God “Your
not important as this”. Back to the ball and chain- while your trying to run
and make it look like you “have it all together” you end up embarrassing yourself
and showing people that you don’t want to- or can’t, depending on what else you
love in life- do the work of God and succeed. Just imagine someone with only
one ball and chain on them and trying to run- or even walk. It looks like one
leg works, and the other is a stick. Chasing after things and putting God
second in life is a HUGE handicap!
Are you really going to forfeit God’s calling, will, and blessings on your life
just so you can have a bunch of things that don’t last? If you chase things
that are empty and don’t matter, THAT’S
WHAT YOUR LIFE WILL BECOME. I’ve seen it happen! Live a life that is
devoted to God and that people will remember when you leave this earth!
Just a side
note- don’t think that you are too young to do ANYTHING that God has set upon your heart to do. I think youth as a
whole struggle with this question: “Am I old enough to do this?” Its like we’ve
been always restricted before from things in life since we were young kids like
riding a bike, staying home alone, getting a job, and driving, just by our age.
When it comes to the Kingdom of God, age doesn’t matter at all! Look, here’s
some proof!
Jeremiah
1:4-8
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I
knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”
7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”
When your in the will of God, YOU CAN’T LOSE NO MATTER WHAT! Look
at David! Was he used of God? When? When he was 40 years old? No! He was in his
youth! He slayed a GIANT IN HIS YOUTH! It was because his life
was devoted and revolved around ONE thing:
GOD AND GOD ALONE! God already has
your life planned out. All you have to do is to seek His will and DO IT.
Jeremiah 29: 10-14
10 “For thus
says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you,
and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11For I know the
plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[b] and not for
evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then
you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you
seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found
by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations
and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into
exile.
Just ask God for His
will to be done, for He knows what
happened, what’s happening, and what’s going to happen! When God is the center
of your life, His will blooms like a flower and He shows you how your life will
unfold and grow. Don’t put things before God. That’s the enemy trying to poison
your life and make it not only worthless, but grow farther and farther away from
God and His will, which will lead only to destruction
The service in Azle was
amazing! I think Bro. and Sis. Crawford want to have another youth service
soon, so be ready and get comfortable doing the will of God!
By Bradley Reid