HELPING YOUTH OF TODAY GAIN TRUE KNOWLEDGE
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The Solution
Brother Mark: Growing up in this day and age is different than before. The younger generation can choose to do many things with their time while growing up. The challenge that the youth have now though, is figuring out which option to choose from since there [are] so many things that are competing for their attention.
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Brother Mark Vasquez
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Mark Vasquez: What’s the solution in this case? Let’s see what some people think.
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Brother Mark: What do you think the younger generation should spend more of their time doing now?
Interviewee 1: Playing outside and not being so dependent on computer games.
Interviewee 2: People need to spend more time interacting with each other and doing normal social things, social interactions.
Interviewee 3: Get out and do things out in nature more, more hiking and just seeing God’s creation.
Interviewee 4: I think the younger generation should spend most of their time at least trying to find yourself to know what you want to do in life. And also just to be positive. Have fun but within your means.
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Brother Mark: It’s interesting to hear what people think the youth should spend most of their time doing these days. But what if we turned that question around? If people could go back in time and relive their own youth, what would they have redone and spent most of their time doing?
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Brother Mark: If you could go back in time and relive your younger years, what would you spend more of your time doing?
Interviewee 2: Just doing what I love. Now, I find out that I just don’t have time to do the things I really enjoy.
Interviewee 5: Studying and hanging out with my grandparents.
Interviewee 3: I would’ve spent a lot more time playing instruments and learning how to play piano and guitar. That sort of thing. I wish I would’ve started that at a younger age.
Interviewee 6: I would’ve probably made more of a commitment to what I wanted to do initially. So I could have more time to be better at what I want to do now.
Interviewee 4: If I could go back to my younger years, I think I would spend most of my time trying to prepare myself for the future. Which is getting scholarships, preparing myself education-wise, study more and also financially, to learn how to budget well.
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Brother Mark: Inasmuch as some may want to change what they focused their attention on before, the best thing that we can do now is influence the youth to pick the right solution when it comes to the challenge of ‘what to do with their time.’
What’s the solution? What should the youth spend most of their time doing now? Let’s read it here in the Bible in Proverbs, we’ll read 4:7. This is what the Bible gives us as advice:
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
[Proverbs 4:7 New King James Version]
Brother Mark: What should the youth spend most of their time doing? Getting wisdom. The Bible reminded us that wisdom is the principal thing, so we should get it. How can the youth get wisdom today? By learning and studying. The natural reaction of others, after hearing this, may be that school is what they should focus themselves on now. Is school the only place where teaching and learning is done though?
What else is taught, and where is this taught, that youth should devote themselves in? Let’s read that here in Deuteronomy. We’ll read 11:18 down to 19. It says this:
So keep these commandments carefully in mind. Tie them to your hand to remind you to obey them, and tie them to your forehead between your eyes! Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are sitting at home, when you are out walking, at bedtime and before breakfast!
[Deuteronomy 11:18-19 Living Bible]
Brother Mark: What is the wisdom that is taught that the youth should spend their time focusing on? The Bible said, “keep these commandments carefully in mind…Teach them to your children. Talk about them.”
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Brother Mark Vasquez
Minister of the Gospel
Brother Mark: Whose commandments are being referred to here that the youth should learn? The commandments of God. Spiritual learning is of utmost importance.
What should be seen in the youth then? Going to school, learning more about God, and studying hard in these things.
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Brother Mark: It might be tempting for those who are younger to only want to spend time playing games, or spend most of their time with friends, but getting wisdom is the best thing to do in one’s youth.
Why should the youth study hard though? How does the Bible describe wisdom? Let’s read that in Ecclesiastes. We’ll read it in 7 and then the verse is 11:
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.
[Ecclesiastes 7:11 New International Version]
Brother Mark: How does the Bible describe wisdom? We should study hard, because wisdom is a good thing and is beneficial to us. Why is wisdom a good thing? Let’s continue reading in Ecclesiastes 7. This time we’ll read 12 and 19:
For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, But the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it. Wisdom strengthens the wise More than ten rulers of the city.
[Ecclesiastes 7:12 & 19 New King James Version]
Brother Mark: Why is wisdom a good thing? It is a defense. The Bible told us, “Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city.” For us to have a strong future, we need wisdom. That’s why it’s best to spend one’s youth getting wisdom. We need to be careful though. Like anything strong, we should be sure it’s used for good. With that power, we should never allow that it be used for evil.
When would wisdom become evil? Let’s read that in Jeremiah. We’ll read 9, 23 down to 24. When is wisdom evil in the sight of God?
The Lord says, “The wise should not boast of their wisdom, nor the strong of their strength, nor the rich of their wealth. If any want to boast, they should boast that they know and understand me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right. These are the things that please me. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
[Jeremiah 9:23-24 Good News Translation]
Brother Mark: When would wisdom become evil? When we rely solely on the wisdom we’ve retained, also in our own abilities. If we’ve acquired much knowledge or wisdom in this life, we shouldn’t be too proud about it. If there’s something or anything that we should be proud about, what should it be? The Bible reminds us that we should boast that we know and understand God.
There are times that others become so proud of a new skill and talent that they have that they spend a lot of their energy sharing it with others. Some start websites, blogs and video channels to share their talents and skills with the world.
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Do you have any questions that need a solution?
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Brother Mark: What we should first be ready to share though is that we know who God is.
A lot of our younger friends watching this are probably already on the right track. They’re going to school and even planning and pursuing higher education. That’s a good plan. But when you go to college, there will be a lot of advice you get concerning what you need to do as a college student. Don’t forget God’s instruction for you as well.
What’s God’s advice for all youth, even those who are pursuing a higher education? We’ll read that in II Timothy. We’ll read 2 and the verse is 22. This is what God’s advice is for those:
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
[II Timothy 2:22 New International Version]
Brother Mark: What is God’s advice for all youth, even those who are going to college and pursuing a higher education? To flee the evil desires of youth. Why do college students need to remember that? There’s a possibility that you may make friends that are part of organizations that will encourage you to do things that aren’t always the right thing to do.
Some of those clubs and organizations may even surround you with people who insist you to join them in doing things against God’s will. What’s the solution if you ever find yourself surrounded by these kinds of people? We should flee, escape. Who should you look for in those situations? Look for God. The Bible reminded us, “pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace along with those who call on the Lord.” It’s not evil to learn. We just need to make sure we don’t fall into sin while we gain knowledge.
For all the youth who are watching this, there are many things in life that all of us will come to learn that will not only make us more wise. All of us gain understanding that will make us more confident to survive in different situations.
But no matter how much knowledge and understanding we may get, who is the One we should trust and rely on? Proverbs 3:1, and we’ll read 5-6:
My son, do not forget my law. But let your heart keep my commands; Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
[Proverbs 3:1, 5-6 New King James Version]
Brother Mark: Who is the One that we should trust in, even if we gain a lot of wisdom in this life? We should trust in the Lord. Did you notice what we should be careful not to do? We shouldn’t lean on or trust in our own understanding. It’s true, we’ll learn many things that will make us confident to face many situations in life. But we should never let that be a reason to stop trusting in the Lord or to stop asking Him to direct us in life.
God will bring us many places and give us many experiences as well. But wherever God directs our life, and whatever knowledge that we achieve in this world, what should we use our wisdom and understanding for? In I Corinthians 15:58, this is what’s written:
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
[I Corinthians 15:58 New International Version]
Brother Mark: What should we use our wisdom and understanding for? We should always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
To all our young friends joining us today, wondering what you should spend the best years of your life doing, we hope today you realize what the solution is. The youth should spend their time learning and gaining wisdom. Learn as much as you can in school. Get wisdom with the experiences that God gives us in life. The solution is to make sure that we learn more about God every day and that all knowledge we gain in this world should be used for His work.
Thank you for joining us today on The Solution. We’ll see you next time.
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