With summer break upon us Cross Street is issuing a WORD of WARNING because we love you all a bunch! Summer is upon us and it can be a great time or end up being a time of regret. It is a time where you can spend lots of time with the Lord and your spiritually strong Christian friends doing some some very fun, yet very pure things, or it can be a time of backsliding, a time of going back on your faith.
There are going to be lots of distractions and temptations on hand for everyone. Alcohol, pornography, drugs, immorality, laziness and _________ (Fill in the blank). Please scratch these things off your “wanna do” or “wanna be” list, I assure you, you will be much better off for it. Take it from me, I failed way to often and can tell you by experience that the wages of sin is always death, even as a Christian! I like spiritual life much more than spiritual death, and I believe you do too!
The devil and his minions of demons have been plotting all year how to take 
you down or to at least shipwreck your faith this summer. At the same time God has been planning how to give you an amazing summer full of encounters with Him and some awesome people. The question is what are you going to do? Are you going to make a plan to stand strong in the power of the Holy Spirit and avoid places, things and people that cause you to compromise your faith, or are you going to cave into the devils plans for you? If you give into him and/or the desires of your carnal nature, you will be giving him a good laugh, because that’s what demons do, when we fall for their tricks or get trapped in their snares of temptation. They laugh, and I don’t think any of us want to be the brunt of a demonic “high five”. Do we? Much worse than that, we don’t want to disappoint our God by blatantly disobeying Him.
you down or to at least shipwreck your faith this summer. At the same time God has been planning how to give you an amazing summer full of encounters with Him and some awesome people. The question is what are you going to do? Are you going to make a plan to stand strong in the power of the Holy Spirit and avoid places, things and people that cause you to compromise your faith, or are you going to cave into the devils plans for you? If you give into him and/or the desires of your carnal nature, you will be giving him a good laugh, because that’s what demons do, when we fall for their tricks or get trapped in their snares of temptation. They laugh, and I don’t think any of us want to be the brunt of a demonic “high five”. Do we? Much worse than that, we don’t want to disappoint our God by blatantly disobeying Him.
Some might say “Did you say we should avoid some people?” Yes I did! “Well Brian are you “judging” people?” No I am not judging people, but I am judging that certain people are going to have a terribly negative, sinful effect on you and if you have not been able to turn them around chances are they may turn you around. Don’t give up on them, that would be judging, but if they continually try to get you to “deny” your Lord and compromise your commitments, don’t hang out with them!
It is not judging them to avoid them if they are trying to get you to compromise your relationship in the Lord, Christian or not! The question is! What is more important to you, your relationship with the Lord, or your relationship with people? Don’t fall for the devil’s trick questions, that’s what they are, tricks!
I don’t want to write a book here so I will cut this short because I believe you know what I am saying. Please know if you are struggling with anything you can call any leader, at any time and we will be there for you. Some of you can talk to your parents, they will be a lot more helpful than many of you think. They have dealt with the same things in life and maybe more! If you need to talk to someone else there are some awesome women of God available for you girls who will stand with you and awesome men of God to stand with you guys. Reach out for help! It works!!
As we make decisions this summer let’s keep in mind the words of Jesus who
said in John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”
said in John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”I don’t know about you, but I have disobeyed the Lord far to many times in my life and know I don’t want to follow that lifestyle of disobedience any more. I don’t want to live a lifestyle of saying “no” to God and His commands. We are never going to be perfect, but Jesus is calling us to a lifestyle of obedience and we can all do much, much better at that. Let’s put a smile on God’s face this summer and consult Him and His Word as we make decisions and as we enjoy the beautiful days of summer!
God bless you as you seek Him and follow Him,
Brian
