Time Out (by Jerry Schmoyer)

There are all kinds of great resources available for those working with youth. There’s hardly enough time in a day to check them all out and keep up with what is new. The tools available to us are virtually unlimited. Yet we must remember they are just that – tools. There is one that stands head and shoulders above all the others, one that guarantees God’s power to flow when it is used, one that promises results and assures success. Yet sometimes we get so busy with all the fancy, tricky, flashy stuff that’s available that we neglect focusing on this most effective resource: the Word of God. It alone can touch a heart (Hebrews 4:12). It alone defeats sin, temptation and the enemy himself. It alone brings light into darkness, joy into sorrow and hope into despair. Fancy packaging can be okay, just as long as the message is clearly communicated. Do you want your youth to grow? Feed them the Word. Make sure they get good, healthy doses of God’s Word. It’ll do what none of the programs or curriculum alone can do.

Scripture
Ephesians 6:17, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Matthew 4:1-4, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”” (cf v 5-10)

John 21:15-17, “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’ The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”

Reflect

• Have you drifted a bit from focusing on teaching the Bible to programs and gimmicks that are okay but lack the nourishment only the Bible can bring?
• Are you nourishing yourself daily on God’s Word?
• What can you do to focus more clearly on God’s Word with your youth?
• Take some time right now to open your Bible and read, letting God feed your soul by His Spirit.

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Jerry Schmoyer has been a minister in Pennsylvania for over 25 years and has worked with teenagers for 14 years now, ever since I became one myself. He authors the weekly Time Out series here at Life in Student Ministry in hopes to spiritually refresh your soul as you continually pour so much of yourself into students. God bless!