​It's Great To Wait
by Toni Smothers


Puberty can begin, with hormones raging full force, as young as preteen. Did you know that there are 6th grade, 12 year old children, who are sexually active? And, 60%  of teens have had sex, 25% have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and 20% of the girls have unintentionally become pregnant before the age of 18?      Why?

Sex saturates the music media, while prime-time television  boasts blatant sexual content. Peer pressure also exhorts a very strong influence to experiment with sex. Teens think that digital and oral sex are  not 'real sex' and so they can’t get a STD doing it. Then there’s alcohol and  drugs that are almost always readily available at parties, which ends up in non-characteristic choices, as well as date-rape. Alcohol and drugs can give kids more courage and in some instances can make them so incapacitated that they become unaware of their actions.

The cliche is often, “If you love me, you’ll have sex with me.” Ah, but where’s the romance? Time spent  together getting to know each other is crucial to developing honest affection. Love is long and deep and wide - It can’t be imitated with lust's gratification. Relationships take time to nurture and develop.Quickie sex only leads to guilt and broken hearts. Respecting and knowing your partner, comparing and committing your goals and dreams to each other, is the way true love grows into maturity. And the Bible tells us that sex has no place outside of marriage.

So, in our current environment, how do teens keep their  faith and lives uncontaminated? It’s not as if you can hide under a rock until the right person appears upon your path, like a leaf casually falls from a tree branch.  Every day, some outside influence tries to make us think that casual sex is okay and children having babies and STDs are run of the mill,  Besides, there's always good old denial: “It couldn't happen to me.” But, reality dictates that there are no such exemptions - We truly do reap what we sow.

Psalm 119:1-3 reads: “Happy are people of  integrity, who follow the law of the Lord. Happy are those who obey his decrees and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths.” Easier said than done, right? But, God wants only the best for His children and He wants you to remain pure. Remember, God’s Word is the only sure guide for living a pure life. The 9th verse of Psalm 119 both asks and answers a relevant question. “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying God’s word and following His rules.” … Is it easy? No way - Is it right? Absolutely!

Our culture is drowning in a sea of depravity. Everywhere we look, we repeatedly face temptation to lead sinful lives. What can a young person do in these terribly confusing times? Well first, know that  you are not alone – You can seek out counsel from the Holy Spirit and other believers. These resources can lead you to the strength within you that is more  dynamic than any tempting influences outside of yourself. Spend time seeking and nourishing that God given  strength. Ask for wisdom. Read the Bible and do what it says.


Most people, young or old, resist rules because we think  they will restrict us from doing what we want. At first glance, then, it may  seem strange to hear the psalmist talk about rejoicing while following God’s laws. But God’s laws were given to free us from doing what might cripple us and keep  us from being our best. God’s guidelines help us follow the path He has set for us and avoid those paths that lead to terrible consequences like STDs, a crisis pregnancy, a  devastating abortion and/or all of the above! Check out 2 Samuel 13:14-22 for a nice example of desolation as a consequence to impure relations. 

Keep that precious gift of your virginity for the most wonderful person yet to come, your future spouse. But, if you've made sinful mistakes, if you've already been sexually active, turn back to your loving, heavenly Father and pour out your heart to Him.  Ask Him for His never ending mercy. Make a decision today that you will reclaim yourself for your spouse - Abstain from casual sex from now on. 
 
May God bless your choices and your heart. Stay pure -  It’s great to wait!

Love Your Neighbor as Your Self

Mark 12:30-31 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

The religious leaders were trying to trip Jesus up by asking Him which was the greatest commandment and Jesus nailed it spot on when He said that we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, might, mind, and soul.  But we are also to love our neighbors.  Who are our neighbors?  In the Parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus showed that all men and women are our neighbors and so we should love them as well, even if they were a “Samaritan” to us.  Part of this command is not obeyed by many good Christians…the part where we are to love ourselves as our neighbors.  When we hate ourselves and are extremely hard on ourselves, we are breaking this commandment where we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Love Is Unselfish

First Corinthians 12:4-8 “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

First Corinthians chapter 13 may be the greatest chapter on love in all the Bible and love is displayed here by many tangible evidences.  It is patient; with people and circumstances.  It is kind; to people and animals.  It doesn’t brag; about self but brags about others and glorifies God and gives Him the credit.  It isn’t arrogant; lording over people your position, power, or knowledge.  It isn’t rude; but polite and displays manners and proper etiquette.  It doesn’t insist on its own way; but give precedence and priorities to others, even if it has to compromise.  It isn’t irritable; it is not easily provoked to anger by people or circumstances.  It isn’t resentful; it rejoices when others succeed, even at their own expense.  It doesn’t rejoice in wrongdoing; it never delights in other people’s sins…instead, it rejoices in the truth of the Bible, it bears all thing (all means all), believes all things (gives people the benefit of the doubt), hopes all things (hopes for the best for all concerned) and endures all (all, like being used, abused, persecuted and so on).   These things are love.

1) 
The most important commandment. “A lawyer asked him a question, testing him: ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment?’ And he said to him,… ‘Love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these'”
(Mark 12:28-31).

2) The new commandment. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-36).

4)
 The “Beatitudes”. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when you are insulted and persecuted and said evil against falsely on account of me, rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great…” 
(Matthew 5:3-12).

5) 
On caring for the needy. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). And: “Come, …take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… whenever you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me” (Matthew 25:34-40).

6)
 On non-violence. “You have heard that is was said: ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also…You have heard that it was said ‘Love you neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be children of your Father in heaven…” (Matthew 5:38,39, 43-45). When Peter tried to save Jesus from arrest, by wielding a sword, Jesus rebuked him and said: “all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Jesus himself showed the way. As he was being executed, as he hung from the cross, he prayed to God: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”       (Luke 23:34).