A More Spiritual Boy or Girl in 30 Days

            Our challenge tonight will be for you to become better boys and girls for Jesus in thirty days. Solomon wrote, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." (Ecclesiastes 11:9 - Ecclesiastes 12:1) The Bible clearly teaches us that serving God in the days of our youth is vitally important. If you are a young person likely your main priority is calling, texting or hanging out with your friends and having fun. Maybe school is not that important to you and neither is God. After tonight I hope that will change. Even if you are a youth you are old enough to be a responsible individual in your family and in your service to God. The world says that youth is a time when you should just do what you want to do. The world say if you want to look like a homeless, dirty bum, do it. The world says if you want to look like an ax murderer, do it. The world says if you want to look like a slut out beside the road trying to get business, do it. The world says that if alcohol and drugs makes you feel good, just do it. The Bible commands us to live a life worthy of the cause of our Lord Jesus. You cannot act one around parents and church folks and a totally different way around friends or other teens. There are many opportunities for you to be a more spiritual young person. I hope you will accept this "30 Day Youth Encouragement Challenge" to become a better boy or girl.

Day One: Begin today to read and study your Bible daily. Daily Bile study is God's way to keep us on the straight and narrow path that leads to heaven. "From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:15)

Day Two: Speak only kind, loving and respectful words to your parents for these 30 days. For these 30 days you cannot say anything negative to your parents or about your parents. You must speak kind, loving words of appreciation to them. "Let your speech be alway with grace..." (Colossians 4:6)

Day Three: Find some way to serve others. Be a blessing and an encouragement to others by rendering some service to someone each day of our challenge. "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)

Day Four: Today and for this 30 days try your best to be close to God and appreciate Him. God is a mighty God and He can meet the deepest needs of your heart. "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

Day Five: During this 30 day challenge you must carefully guard your speech. Do not use any profanity or euphemisms or tell lies. Do not use your tongue to tear others down. Thank your parents for what they do for you. Tell them that you love them. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29)

Day Six: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us learn that money and material things do not bring true happiness. Money and things never satisfy. God said that riches make themselves wings and fly away as an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:4-5) Solomon wrote, "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

Day Seven: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us be pure in the way that we live our life. Purity is a wonderful but rare quality today, especially in the days of youth. Sexual purity makes life better. "...keep thyself pure." (1 Timothy 5:22)

Day Eight: As we consider this 30 day challenge understand that sex is for marriage. It is not surprising that in a time of growing Biblical illiteracy, so few people have any idea what God thinks and says about the extremely important subject of sex. The world holds the Christian view of sex in contempt, considering it naive and repressive. God views sex as a sacred and private gift to married couples, as well as a gift each spouse gives to the other. "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4)

Day Nine: As we consider this 30 day challenge be willing to do your work. Clean your room. Help around the house with a smile on your face. Do your school work with determination. "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Ephesians 4:28)

Day Ten: During this 30 day challenge let us be willing to listen and learn. During the days of youth we are often so smart that we know everything. We know more than our parents, more than our teachers and more than any other persons in authority. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." (James 1:19)

Day Eleven: As we consider this 30 day challenge have a humble attitude. The problems of life are often not with others and with the world but with ourselves and with our ungodly attitudes. "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalms 34:18)

Day Twelve: As we consider this 30 day challenge obey your parents in the Lord. Children are instructed by God to honor their parents. This is the first of God's commandments with a promise. One way to honor parents is to obey them. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Day Thirteen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us do everything we do for the glory of God. During these 30 days you will concentrate on doing all that you do to the glory of God. Be godly and upright in all of your actions and thoughts. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Day Fourteen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us be righteous every day. You cannot give in to temptation and compromise what you believe. Young people must be people of integrity. "The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him." (Proverbs 20:7)

Day Fifteen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do your best to become more like the Master. We are accountable to God for our spiritual development. "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18)

Day Sixteen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us understand the value of wisdom. Are you a wise boy or girl? Do you open your mouth with wisdom?  Are you wise enough to know your purpose for life and the direction that you should go? "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

Day Seventeen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us make someone's world better by giving them a sincere compliment. We all crave appreciation. We want to know that we are valued and loved. Tell your parents something that you appreciate about them. "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." (Romans 14:19)

Day Eighteen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us learn the attitude of submission. Bring your attitudes into obedience to God’s Word. A good attitude is a matter of faith, disregarding your feelings, with a determination to embrace God’s outlook and disposition. "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well." (1 Peter 2:13-14)

Day Nineteen: As we consider this 30 day challenge let us choose our companions wisely. If I do not know you but I know your friends then I know you. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20)

Day Twenty: During our 30 day challenge attend all the services of the church with a joyful attitude. Christians must never willfully miss the assemblies of the church. The willful sin of forsaking the assembly is to treat Jesus like dirt, to treat His precious blood as common blood and it is to insult the Holy Spirit of God. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (guilty of willfully forsaking the assembly.) (Hebrews 10:31) Our attitude should be, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psalms 122:1)

Day Twenty-one: As we live this 30 day challenge let us remember that we are allowed to decide which path we walk in. We remember that God created us to have a free will. Adam and Eve were not mindless robots. It was out of their free will that they choose to disobey God and allow sin to permeate the earth. We being the offspring of Adam, we too have the freedom to make our own choices. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Day Twenty-two: As we live this 30 day challenge let us avoid all criticism or harsh words to our brothers or sisters. Criticism leaves scars; but encouragement can bring healing. Do your best not to hurt your brothers or sisters with your words. "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12)

Day Twenty-three: As we live this 30 day challenge let us do all we can to promote an atmosphere of peace. Let us do all that we can to promote an atmosphere of peace at home, at school or wherever we are. Be calm, patient and loving. "Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalms 34:14)

Day Twenty-four: As we live this 30 day challenge let us grow in every aspect of life. The important thing is to keep growing in Christ and obeying the word of God. Jesus led a balanced life. He grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." (Luke 2:52)

Day Twenty-five: As we live this 30 day challenge let us learn how to be a success in life. Joshua was one of God's great men. In very simple terms God explained to him how to be successful. "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8)

Day Twenty-six: As we accept our 30 day challenge we must put God first in everything. Everything we think, do or say must be seen from an eternal perspective. Determine today that God will be first every day of your life. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

Day Twenty-seven: As we accept our 30 day challenge we must learn to give. Let us learn to give lovingly and sacrificially like God gave. We must learn to be content with less and we must learn the joy of stewardship. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:8-10)

Day Twenty-eight: As we accept our 30 day challenge we must learn to stay away from sin. We must avoid the temptation of pornography, sexual temptations, and the urge to lie and cheat. The best way to avoid sin is to stay far away from it. "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished." (Proverbs 27:12)

Day Twenty-nine: During our 30 day challenge try to help your friends go to heaven. The gospel is good news and good news is for sharing. Others need the gospel so let us share it with them. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2)

Day Thirty: As we accept the 30 day challenge to being a better boy or girl let us learn that we are responsible and accountable for our actions. We are accountable to God for our thoughts, our words and our actions. Judgment day is coming. "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity." (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10)

Summary thought questions. Be Honest.

1. Do you really want to go to heaven? (Matthew 25:46)

2. Are you sure right now that you would go to heaven? (Matthew 7:21)

3. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God? (John 6:69)

4. Have you repented of all of your sins? (Luke 13:3-5)

5. Have you confessed Jesus as Lord and Christ? (Romans 10:9-10)

6. Have you been baptized for the remission of sins? (Acts 2:38)

7. Have you been living the Christian life sense you obeyed the gospel? (Galatians 4:19)

8. Do you attend all the services of the church faithfully? (Hebrews 10:23-31)

9. Do you study your Bible as you know you should? (2 Timothy 2:15)

10. If you died right now would you go to heaven? (Philippians 1:21)

Do the hard thing, Be different!  Let's Go To Heaven Together!