GYC Prayers Week 3

Today we are focusing on praying for young people. In our lives, in our church at large, and in our world.  We are praying for us. It is a broader focus than GYC, but it is just as important. For if we, the young people of this generation, do not take God at His word, we will someday be sending our children off to GYC. That is not what we want. GYC was meant for one generation I believe. The last generation. We are at the boarders of the Promised Land. Will we cross Jordan and posses it? Or will we settle for our music, our parties, our feel good sermons and devotionals?  Will we be content to be safe, secure, comfortable, and horde the message God has entrusted to us? If we do, we may not only spend the rest of our lives in wandering the wilderness, but we may miss out on Paradise all together. I do not want to do that. I have felt convicted of late about the laxness of my Christianity. "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." {Heb 12:4} How long do I want to stay here? 


A friend of mine just this last week expressed her burden for the youth of her country, Africa, and of our church as a whole. I had yet not come up with a fourth prayer focus. As I thought about what she was sharing I realized that this focus not only has weight for this years conference, but it has even greater weight on the future of GYC itself. So many of us are riding the fence. There will be at GYC those  who have not made a complete surrender of their lives to Christ. Perhaps some of us have not let go of everything. We are holding out on God. Oh friends, it's not worth it. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" {Mark 8:36} Let's give everything.


Prayer focus: Young people. Everywhere, but especially that the young people in our church will let go of everything they are holding onto and take hold of God. For those who are in the valley of decision. For those who have turned their backs. For those who do not know there is more to Christianity than what they have. For us...


Promises to claim: Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border. Jeremiah 31:16, 17


For thou [art] my hope, O Lord GOD: [thou art] my trust from my youth. Psalms 71:5


Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; Eccl 12:1


Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12


He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:7


The Lord has appointed the youth to be His helping hand.--Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 64


Many a lad of today, growing up as did Daniel in his Judean home, studying God's word and His works, and learning the lessons of faithful service, will yet stand in legislative assemblies, in halls of justice, or in royal courts, as a witness for the King of kings.--Education, p. 262.


With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Saviour might be carried to the whole world!--Education, p. 271