# What Are You Living For? INSPIRATIONS FOR YOUTH Language: en Author: by Chris Miller Dundee, OH Original issue: The Heartbeat of the Remnant, Winter 2020, Number 4 Source pages: 28–29 Read article: Original PDF: Winter\-2020\-Remnant\-1\.pdf [The Heartbeat of the Remnant, Winter 2020]() Picture yourself on a hot, humid, sunny day hiking back to a remote village in the mountains of Haiti\. You are there to share the gospel with the many hurting and dying souls who need to hear about Jesus\. As you are nearing the end of your journey, the terrain is very hilly and rough\. You are almost ready to stop for a rest when somehow you trip over a rock\. In the process of falling and trying to not get hurt, your precious jug of water opens and spills onto the dry, dusty ground\. I want to liken our lives to that jug of water\. What kind of water comes spilling out when somebody knocks us over? How about when we’re having a really busy day and someone pulls out in front of us as we’re driving to our next destination, what’s our reaction? How about our co\-workers, can they feel God’s love, peace, and joy flowing from our life in such a way that it draws them to Him? Or what about when we’re in town shopping, are we encouraging others with our smile, and being friendly to the man at the gas station? I’m not saying this to put anyone on a guilt trip but rather encourage our thoughts down those lines\. Paul says, *Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an **example** of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity –1 Timothy 4:12\.* Let’s take a closer look at this verse\. It starts out with, *Let no man despise thy youth\.* How should we view our youth—our teenage years? Some view this as a time to live life to the fullest, to have a party, and to do whatever they want\. This path leads to much sin, foolishness, immorality, and more\. I think we should view the time of our youth as a huge opportunity to do all we can do, and to be all we can be, for Jesus\! Something that the world does not often see is a spirit\-filled young person who is passionate about serving God, someone who is not afraid to be different than the world\. A young person who is living a pure, holy, upright life is so unusual in today’s world, that this type of youth should really stand out to those around them\. So, my question is, are we living up to that? Are we loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or are we only doing just enough so that we can get by? For example, it is easy for an employer to tell if one of his employees is putting his heart into his work, or not, by how well he does his job, by how he relates to others, and by his attitude\. In the same way, I believe the world can tell very quickly if we are serious about serving God and following His principles, or if we are only doing what we are doing because the church ‘requires’ it, while our heart is far from it…\. Going on into that verse it says, *But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity\.* It makes me think of a man in my life who I really appreciate\. He has a zeal for God and a burden for the lost that is refreshing and inspiring…\. So, what kind of example are you and I leaving for our younger siblings, our friends, our co\-workers, and whoever else it might be that our life comes in contact with? We **are** having an impact on those around us\! Is that impact positive or negative? You may feel like you’re young and not able to do big things for God, but I would encourage you that God has a plan for each one of us\. If we have a broken will, a yielded heart, and a willing spirit He will use us—maybe in ways we never thought or dreamed of\. ![An open Bible resting on a table]() But first, we must learn to be faithful in the small things in life\. What about our thought life? You may say, “Nobody will ever know what goes through my mind\.” But God knows all the thoughts and intents of our heart which is why He wants us to continually be *Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; –2 Corinthians 10:5\.* In this day and age that we live in, Satan is doing his best to discourage, distract, and derail as many people as he possibly can\. All he wants you to do is cool off just a little in your love and zeal for God\. What is that thing in your life that is shifting your focus off of God? Let’s take some time to ponder that question\. Because too often it is something that happens so slowly that we ourselves don’t even realize it\. What is it that Satan is trying to use to get our minds off God? Maybe it’s bad music or maybe it’s being under a wrong influence\. Whatever it is, we each have a tendency towards something\. Let’s each allow God’s Spirit to honestly search our heart; because, unless we are serious about our walk with God, we will become lukewarm…\. *So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth –Revelation 3:16\.* This makes it pretty clear that God wants people who are on fire for Him and who are sold out for Jesus\! What must you and I do in order to remain faithful? I believe that at the core of it all there needs to be a deep personal relationship with God…\. So how do I get to that point? In response to that question, I would like to ask another, how did we get to know our best friend? Did it happen overnight that suddenly, we just had a best friend, or did our relationship develop over time as we spent lots of time together, sharing struggles, goals, dreams, and many other things? I believe that spending time with God is the only way we can ever expect to learn to be totally dependent on Him\. He wants us to surrender every area of our life to Him so He can use us as a vessel ‘fit for the Master’s use’\. We may need to sacrifice other things in our life in order to make this happen\. I have found that no matter what, I make time for the things that I really want to do\. So then it comes down to what my priorities are…\. In conclusion, I would like to bring us back to my title, “What Are You Living For?” I want to encourage all of us to be 100% sold out for Jesus and to be willing to do whatever it takes to keep a vibrant relationship with Him so that we can fulfill Jesus’ teaching in Matthew… *Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men\. Ye are the light of the world\. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid –Matthew 5:13\-14\.* ## Magazine citation - [An open Bible resting on a table](): unsplash\.com