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So how is your youth leader doing? Is he or she the kind of person that never stuffs up? Do they seem to have it all sorted out? Or maybe you think they are the opposite and they just wind you up. Maybe they are forever on your case, telling you to be quiet and having a go at the simplest of things, just because you’re having a laugh. Seems to me, that if you think that your youth leader is either of those things, then you may have missed judged them. Being a leader is not easy. Whether it’s the leader of a Church, school, college, family or youth group, leadership is hard, and it’s not meant to be. Paul lists the qualities required from a leader in 1 Timothy 3 and they are not easy to reach qualities. Your youth leader probably doesn’t get a tick in every box, but then again do you? If you think your youth leader is so Holy that they must have Jesus mobile number, then the truth is, they are probably struggling with something that you don’t know about. If you think your youth leader is the pits, then they are probably better than you realise, but how would you know that, if you don’t look beyond the leader telling you to be quiet. Maybe this week you should take some time to encourage your youth leader. A card, an email, a text, a high five, can all go a long way to encouraging your youth leader to tick a few more boxes in Pauls list of what a leader should be.

1 Timothy, Author - Max Cross | No Comments »

What’s on your mind? Are exams looming. Do your friends seem to be moody with you all the time? Do you not have any friends? There are so many things that we can worry about. It’s doesn’t change any when you get older either. There was an old song with the line “don’t worry, be happy” in it. It always seemed a bit sickly and unreal to me, until tonight. I’ve just spent a great hour or so, with a mate just chilling here at my place. My mate said the coolest thing ever. He said that he had just decided to stop worrying about stuff and leave it to God. How cools that, he has just decided to get on with life and rely on God. Not only that, God has started responding and things have started changing for the better. Brilliant, how great is that? But this isn’t by accident, because my mate also lives his life like Paul is suggesting here in 1 Timothy. He prays about everything, and I mean everything. He prays just like Paul says. He Prays every way he knows how, for everyone he knows. He prays walking down the street, he prays on his bed, he prays before he meets someone for coffee. My mate even prays silently when he’s talking to me sometimes, I can see it in his eyes. So when he says that he has decided not to worry, it’s not some airy fairy, unreal, Pollyanna type attitude. He has decided not to worry, because he knows that he prays to a great big God, who can answer his prayers and put right the things he is worried about. Now that’s a worry free prayer filled life. That’s living life to the full.

1 Timothy, Author - Max Cross | No Comments »

Do you have friends that claim to be Christians and yet don’t act that way at college or school? Maybe you know people who grew up with you in your church and yet recently they have said that God is a lie? I bet this never happens to other people, I bet no-one else has friends that walk away from Jesus, I bet no one else has friends that say they are Christians and yet drink too much and sleep around. Well if you really bet that, then I’ll take that bet. Oops, maybe I shouldn’t encourage gambling, but you get the gist of what I am saying. Here we have Paul, the ultimate guy who walked around building churches and telling people about Jesus and yet even he had friends who turned away from God. He says it right at the very end. He says “Jesus came for all of us but not everyone sticks around, even my two mates have given up on God.” Now if it happens to the great Paul, we can be sure it will happen to us. So if it has happened to you, it’s not your fault. You are not responsible for other people’s actions, your responsibility is to pray for them and then leave it to God. Because, when it comes down to it, Jesus came for all of us, but it is up to each person to make their own choice.

1 Timothy, Author - Max Cross | No Comments »

Paul is writing to Timothy who is not only a close friend but also a student of Pauls. What does he do, before he gets down to the nitty gritty of his letter? He encourages Timothy. He is straight in there. “Hey Tim, I know it’s hard and I know I put you in a tough place, but you doing a great job and you are there to stay.” So let me start this new book with the same message to you. I know its hard being a young Christian. I know that sometimes you have to make decisions that go against what everyone else is doing. I know that you get ripped into by those around you sometimes. I know that even if it’s not true you feel that everyone is laughing at you. I know all of this, but I also know that you are in the right place. You may not be physically in the right place, but if you are following Jesus then just like Timothy you are doing a great job. Just like our man Tim you should feel the love that Gods sends to you, because God smiles when he sees his children doing what they know is right. One day God will say to you “Well done, my good and faithful servant” but today let me have the privilege of saying, well done, you are Gods good and faithful servant.

1 Timothy, Author - Max Cross | No Comments »