1 Timothy 4:11-13 English Standard Version

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

Moving on to the youth stage of growing in Christ, let us look to these verses as an example of things that ought to be done. Youth should be encouraged to do these things in order to raise up the next generation of leaders in our churches.

This is the way that gifts can be recognized by the mature in Christ. Youth should not be encourage to name their own gifts for the immature will fancy either the glamour or shrink back behind the scenes. Both actions will lead to misidentifying the gifts that God has given. It may well be that Paul is telling Timothy in this section that he has these gifts mentioned.

Every youth leader was at one time a pupil. Talents need to be practiced to both gain confidence and proficiency. No one is a skilled orator on their first effort. Teaching can begin with children’s classes because they just graduated from that class and the lessons are still fresh in their minds. No one gets to teach the congregation without being thoroughly vetted.

Some will seek seminary school, some will operate in their gifts without a degree. Few if any will reach the level of a doctorate in theology but it they have the talent to do so, they need to be encouraged. It is a long road to follow.

I did not compare the obstacles of worldly youth with kingdom youth because for many have already had to face and overcome those obstacles before they came to Christ. Yet they continue to nag at us.

Some accept Christ at a tender age. I will not speak to things I know nothing about.

Let that sink in.

1 Corinthians 8:2 English Standard Version (ESV) If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

Picking up where we left off yesterday, we must come to an understanding of the differences between reasoning and revelation. Our whole life up until this point has consisted of being given information and using our minds to reason our truths for ourselves. There are so many different schools of thought that it should be obvious that these students of the world are drawing information and training from different disciplines.

Revelation only comes from God and transmitted to us by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. The interesting thing about spiritual revelation is that it does not come because we desire to understand. God who knows us better that we know ourselves will reveal truth as we are able to accept it. That part of this life in Christ requires a new way of thinking.

Romans 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Discernment is not a reasoning, rational thought calculated by our old school training. This new mindset seeks the will of God and not our own. It accepts truth without imposing our own desires. It does not seek the answer it wants.

As we grow in Christ our childhood might seem to be left behind as we mature but please understand what Jesus meant in Matthew 19:14, “Come to me.” We will never outgrow our need to come to Jesus. Considering ourselves to be so mature that we can walk on our own two feet places too much importance on self, and self is where selfish lives.