Stewards In Action

Teen Perspective

Several teens have agreed to publish writings from a teen's perspective about God's word as they strive to live holy in an unholy world.

Please, take time to encourage Rudy, Miss "V" and Raven as they share their perspective about living holy in an unholy world. To post your comments email kcheathem@aol.com.

We’d love to hear from you. Thank you!

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Injustice By Rudy (April 2010)

Have you ever said to yourself, “This just isn’t fair” or “Why not punish them, God”? I know I sure have, on numerous occasions. Another individual who said those things was Habakkuk. Yeah that’s right, the guy right between Nahum and Zephaniah in the Old Testament. “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you ‘Violence!’ but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in righteous, so that justice is perverted.”

Habakkuk 1:2-4 Habakkuk was angry about all of the evil doers and violence around him going unpunished. He expressed this to God, who he felt wasn’t giving them what they deserved. God was looking at His future plans, and purposes for all this evil. Habakkuk just needed to sit back and trust that God knew what He was doing. This is hard for anyone to do in certain situations, so God offers us reassurance. “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5 God let Habakkuk know that He was handling it. That He was going to do awesome things that he couldn’t even imagine.

God serves justice at the best time. Like a great lion waiting to attack, He has perfect timing. We are the impatient animals, who struggle to catch bugs. “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Habakkuk 2:2-3 God tells us just as He told Habakkuk, that judgment will fall upon the wicked. It is slow to come, but will arrive without a doubt. We have to learn to wait patiently for His end results. “You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed man’s blood, you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.”

Habakkuk 2:16-17 When the timing is just right God will remember all the evil done and they will be accounted for all their wrongs. Revenge is the Lords, and it comes on His time.

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Wake Up…by Raven (April 2010)

What people say most often is live life to the fullest what does that actually mean? Some say do all the things you want party,drink, have sex, do all the craziest things you can do. Then there are others who say spread the gospel do God's will. We think life is a big game a big game of chances, opportunities, and that's it. You have to be careful in what you do in life its not a joke. In this world you can't afford to put your self out there and hope you won't get sucked in. This life in which there is only one you can't play games and expect for things to turn out just fine. So take a moment and examine your life and what you have been doing. Have you been playing around with fire or have you actually tried and live in a way that wasn't destructive. You only get one life what will you do with that one life and those who claim they are Christians. Are you spreading the word or are you sitting there afraid if you do your friends will make fun of you or won't be your friend anymore?... Do what you can do but seriously people what are you doing are sitting in your room watching TV around the clock or do you have goals that need to be set? For adults what are you doing with your life how are you effecting others around you. Are you sitting there wasting your life by doing the same routine every day or are you stepping out and doing what God has asked? This is important people WAKE UP!!! Stop playing with the world and focus on what matters

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Girl Talk…by Ms. “V” (February 2010)

I sat around that table at Friday’s amongst six of my girlfriend’s as they talked about sex and relationships. I kept my mouth shut because that is a subject that I know little about. I am almost twenty years old and I have never had a serious relationship nor had sexual relations. My friends say that I am too good for this world because out of all my friends, and I have a lot of friends, I am the only one in the V-club. I laughed as they talked about how to train their men. They were also talking about how women should be control of their relationships and ways to gain power. I always feel left out on these conversations but I have good laughs because it’s really interesting. It seems that sex is all everyone thinks about nowadays. Two of my very closest friends sat at that table as single mothers. A short time ago, they both thought love could conquer all and that they would be with their babies’ fathers’ forever. But life didn't’t seem to work out that way. Well, when is the right time for sex? Personally, I have chosen to be abstinent and wait for my husband. Why not wait on God? Every good and perfect gift comes from God. It is possible to have a relationship without the physical portion of it. From a biblical standpoint, sex is a sacred thing shared between a man and his wife. Ok, ok so I won’t preach too much more about abstinence, but if a person chooses not to wait until marriage, the right time for sex should be when a person is prepared. Taking into consideration the consequences of your actions are very important. Babies and sexual transmitted diseases are both life-changing. When a young woman feels that she is ready to take that next step she should talk about it with either her doctor or someone else about possible birth control options and also emphasize the use of protection (young men included). All I can say is use wisdom and protect you. I’ll leave you with this question: “Why not choose abstinence?” After all…it is GOD’s WAY! From a blessed sister of the “V” Club! Oh, and by the way…”V” stands for VICTORIOUS!

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Our first writer is "Rudy". She loves the Lord and will entice you to evaluate your relationship or seek a relationship with the Lord. Thank you Rudy for sharing.

May, 2009

Becoming a Butterfly

By Rudy J.

Imagine this…..

Age five

It’s a hot summer day, you have on your favorite yellow ruffled tee, and a bold task is at hand. You carefully approach the two wheel bike. Yes, it is pretty and tempting in all its pink glory, but you know if you were to do this alone you could end up severely injured. So you stand there staring at the intimidating bike; that’s when daddy comes to save the day. Your father gently places you onto the bike and gives you effortless instructions, of course you trust him and follow his words….This is the day you learn to ride a bike.

Age ten

Standing in the corner candy store, right next to the thirty cent bubble gum. You only have ten cents, but you could easily take a piece or two. The store clerk isn’t watching, and all the other kids are doing it, so why not you? You grab a piece of gum, it feels warm and sticky in your hand. You grab three more pieces to keep your one company. As your hand lurches for the fifth piece your father walks in. You are caught red-handed. Your father demands you to apologize to the store clerk and return the gum…This is the day you are punished for stealing.

Age fifteen

They told you the party would be fun, and that there would be a lot of ‘cool’ people. So you came in a too-tight blouse and black skinny jeans (just hoping you‘d get hit on), and you’re having a worse than awful time. Aloof you stand in a corner wedged between a stereo and some drunk seniors. One of the drunken idiots stumbles your way and asks if you want some, gesturing to his half full bottle. Absently, you take the bottle from him and drink the remains of the bottle. You despise the taste and smell, but enjoy the attention you are gaining by drinking. After about five more drinks the party is over, and a guy asks if you want a ride home, you say yes. Instead of going home you spend about two hours with this guy in his car doing everything under thee sun….This is the night you learn to dodge your father.

Check out this statement: “I want to be a butterfly”, what does that mean to you? Are you thinking about beauty, bugs, or something else? Butterflies are these gorgeous creatures that have broken away from a cocoon . What is your cocoon? Drinking, smoking, drugs, sex, your boyfriend/girlfriend, stealing, partying, friends….Now look at this statement: “I want to break away from this sinful cocoon, so I may be a butterfly”, does it mean something a little different?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

As teens it is easy to stray away from God, and to become enveloped in ourselves. Doing what we please is a simple task, but what we please may not be pleasing to God. Since our purpose on Earth is to please God, we should do so to the best of our ability. But lets say you screwed up; what do you do? You repent. Don’t dodge and hide from our heavenly Father, for hiding is foolish because God sees you anyway. Ask and seek for forgiveness and you’ll receive it. Being forgiven allows you to break away from the confines of the cocoon, thus making you a butterfly.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Age sixteen

Walking along the beach hand in hand with your father the sea spray creates a light sheen on your feet. You have been forgiven, and he admits that his love for you never ceased. The sun sets and life rewinds to a little girl in a ruffled yellow tee.

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