Youth Anchor Guide

“Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith and in purity. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Tim. 4:12,16.

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life, put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.” Prov. 4:23-27.

My fellow youth, it is now when we have power, energy, that we are able to preach the gospel, and accomplish everything which needs to be done in the ministry. God is lacking people who have power enough to campaign for the soon coming of the Saviour. Why? Because the youth are very busy with the pleasures of this world. They forget that they were bought with a high price, the blood of the only Son of the Most High. They are all enveloped in darkness. But God is calling His honest youths to come out of the darkness. Rev. 18:4.

There are some youth who are very busy with today’s pleasures of this soon-perishing world. When they fall sick, without any work, it is now when they come and say, “I am a repentant sinner.” Repentance out of fear is not acceptable to God. God doesn’t want rejects. He wants you now when you can work, when you are still strong.
It is the privilege of parents to take their children with them to the gates of the city of God, saying, “I have tried to instruct my children to love the Lord, to do His will, and to glorify Him.” To such the gate will be thrown open, and parents and children will enter in. But all cannot enter. Some are left outside with their children, whose characters have not been transformed by submission to the will of God. A hand is raised, and the words are spoken, “You have neglected home duties. You have failed to do the work that would have fitted the soul for a home in heaven. You cannot enter.” The gates are closed to the children because they have not learned to do the will of God, and to parents because they have neglected the responsibilities resting upon them.

Light has been shining from the word of God and the testimonies of His spirit, so that none need err in regard to their duty. God requires parents to bring up their children to know Him and to respect His claims; they are to train their little ones, as the younger members of the Lord’s family to have beautiful characters and lovely tempers, that they may be fitted to shine in the heavenly courts. By neglecting their duty and indulging their children in wrong, parents close to them the gates of the city of God.

These facts must be pressed home upon parents; they must arouse and take up their long neglected work.

Importance of the Home School

Upon all parents there rests the obligation of giving physical, mental and spiritual instruction. It should be the object of every parent to secure to his child a well-balanced, symmetrical character. This is a work of no small magnitude and importance, a work requiring earnest thought and prayer no less than patient, persevering effort. A right foundation must be laid, a framework, strong and firm, erected; and then day by day the work of building, polishing, perfecting must go forward.” CG, p. 17. Prov. 22:6.

I cannot promote the studying of novels of this world, because their influence is not good for our spiritual life. Let us study the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. To those who do not believe in the Spirit of Prophecy, here is a certain fact: A certain pastor lived somewhere in the town of Ephesus. Now, this pastor was transferred to go to Pergamos. His fellow believers in Ephasus loved him so much that they didn’t want him to go. He said, “No, someone will come and replace me.” The people asked, “How will we know that someone has really replaced you? What will verify that he is the one?” Then the pastor said, “Bring me a stone.” He then broke that stone and took one half. He left the other half with the people. When leaving, he said, “If any one will bring a half of the stone which will fit this half which I will leave with you, know that he is the one that has replaced me.” So the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy fits together without a gap or a corner. Rev. 19:10. Isa. 8:20.

the Bible as your Textbook

The lessons of the Bible have a moral and religious influence on the character, as they are brought into the practical life. A noble, all-around manhood does not come by chance. It is the result of the molding process of character building in the early youth and a practice of the law of God in the home. God will bless the faithful efforts of all who teach their children as He has directed.

“The children in every family are to be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Evil propensities are to be controlled, evil tempers subdued; and the children are to be instructed that they are the Lord’s property, bought with His own precious blood, and that they cannot live a life of pleasure and vanity, have their own will and carry out their own ideas, and yet be numbered among the children of God. The children are to be instructed with kindness and patience… Let the parents teach them of the love of God in such a way that it will be a pleasant theme in the family circle, and let the church take upon them the responsibility of feeding the lambs as well as the sheep of the flock.” CG, p. 41, 42. Josh. 1:8.

Jesus Our Pattern

“Wonderful in its significance is the brief record of His early life: ‘The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him.’ In the sunlight of his Father’s countenance, Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:52. His mind was active and penetrating with a thoughtfulness and wisdom beyond His years. Yet His character was beautiful in its symmetry. The power of mind and body developed gradually, in keeping with the laws of childhood.” DA, p. 68.

“Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus did. As we try to become acquainted with our heavenly Father through His word, angels will draw near, our minds will be strengthened, our character will be elevated and refined. We shall become more like our Saviour. And as we behold the beautiful and grand in nature, our affections go out after God. While the spirit is awed, the soul is invigorated by coming in contact with the infinite through His works. Communion with God through prayer develops the mental and moral faculties and the spiritual power strengthens as we cultivate thoughts upon spiritual things.” DA, p. 70, 71.

Best Education & Its Purpose

The youth should be educated by precept and example that they are to be agents for God, messengers of mercy, ready for every good word and work, that they are to be blessings to those who are ready to perish. We are in great need of educated ability, and the talents entrusted to our youth should be consecrated to the service of God, and employed in His work. There should be men and women who are qualified to work in the churches and to train our young people for special lines of work, that souls may be brought to Jesus. Youths should be not after the order of worldly seminaries and colleges. They are to be altogether of a higher order, where no phase of infidelity shall be originated or countenanced. The students are to be educated in practical Christianity and the Bible must be regarded as the highest, the most important textbook. Josh. 1:8. FE 231.

What Shall We Play?

Some of our youth are in government schools, mission schools, etc., where there are a lot of games which are contrary to our faith. Now we want them to defend their faith. They have a lot of trials to undergo, but God wants them to be as faithful as a needle in a compass to the pole where defending the law of God is concerned. Youths, wherever you are, stand firm on the platform of the Decalogue as did Shadrack and his companions in the plain of Dura.

Substitute the innocent for the sinful – There are amusements, such as dancing, card playing, chess, checkers, etc., which we cannot approve of because heaven condemns them. These amusements open the door for great evil. They are not beneficial in their tendency, but have an exciting influence, producing in some minds a passion for those plays which leads to gambling and dissipation. All such plays should be condemned by Christians and something perfectly harmless should be substituted in their place.

While we restrain our children from worldly pleasures that have a tendency to corrupt and mislead, we ought to provide them innocent recreation to lead them in pleasant paths where there is no danger. No child of God need have a sad or mournful experience. Divine commands, divine promises, show that this is so – wisdom’s ways “are the ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace.” AD, p. 498. Deut. 6:5.

Dressing

The Blessing of Proper Dress

In dress, as in all things, it is our privilege to honour our Creator. He desires our clothing to be not only neat and healthful, but appropriate and becoming.

I want to inform my fellow youths field-wide, instruction from God. There is a problem in dressing. In our denomination we don’t allow see-throughs, mini skirts, or dresses with slits and anything else that is in contrast to our fundamental beliefs and principals of our faith. 1 Tim. 2:9.

The dress and its arrangement upon the person is generally found to be the index of the man or woman.
We judge a person’s character by the style of dress worn. A modest, godly woman will dress modestly. A refined taste, a cultivated mind, will be revealed in the choice of simple, appropriate attire. The one who is simple and unpretending in her dress and in her manners shows that she understands that a true woman is characterized by moral worth. How charming, how interesting is simplicity in dress, which in comeliness can be compared with the flowers of the field. CG, p. 413, 414.

Danger in Love of Dress

The love of dress endangers the morals and makes a woman the opposite of a Christian lady, characterized by modesty and sobriety. Showy, extravagant dress too often encourages lust in the heart of the wearer and awakens base passions in the heart of the beholder. God sees that the ruin of the character is frequently preceded by the indulgence of pride and vanity in dress. He sees that the costly apparel stifles the desire to do good.” CG, p. 416. 1 Pet. 3:3, 4.

The Only Dress Admitted into Heaven

There is a dress which every child and youth may innocently seek to obtain. It is the righteousness of the saints, if they will only be as willing and persevering in obtaining this as they are in fashioning their garments after the standard of worldly society. They will very soon be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and their names will not be blotted out of the book of life. Mothers as well as youth and children, need to pray the prayer in Ps. 51:10. CG, p. 418. Rev. 22:14.

May God bless the reader of these lessons and add to him spiritual knowledge.
Amen

Stephen Mainza, S.E. Zambia, Kabwe