Perhaps this is why in Revelation 20:4, being beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus is placed just before not worshiping the beast or his image. Blessed are those who die to their own thoughts for their works do follow them—even during the darkest of the age of moral horrors into which we are entering.

The battle today is for the mind, particularly the mind of the young. Our generation has pretty much failed the Lord. The attention of the older people is on pleasure, lust, money, interest, retirement, comfort. The true Church of today is composed of the young people and children, and their children. Our job as adults is to provide the background and experience, pay for the support of the church, and hold the kids before the Lord. If you will do this you will notice that the little ones are having remarkable spiritual experiences. The generation coming up will, I believe, give the strongest testimony of Christ to be seen on the earth.

If the children and young people are not prominent in the worship activities of your assembly you might want to bring this to the Lord in prayer. See if the Lord has something to say about the neglect of the young and very young. Don't reason it out, pray it out. If you have a row of kids in the back, bored stiff, chewing gum, reading the comics, they need to be up front taking part in the pageantry, marching, dramas, mime, and whatever else is happening. Go to the Lord about it! This is important!

We are starting to send out a team from our assembly to help others get acquainted with pageantry and the possibility of using young people and children in significant ways in the services. I am curious to see how successful we will be.

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (Psalms 8:2—NIV)

You want to have praise in your assembly? You want to silence the foe and the avenger? Then get the kids going.

When you are full of passion, intense desires, you cannot hear the Lord's voice. You can't cook potatoes over a bonfire. You have to pray and wait until these desires burn down before you can expect to hear accurately from the Lord.

Sometimes we get deceived because there is something we want so badly. We think this is God talking to us. God does not speak in raging desires. The wisdom that comes from above is quiet and peaceable.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:16,17—NIV)

It takes a period of time before our enthusiasm and self-will burn down and we are able to hear the voice of the Spirit accurately. This is not to say a young person cannot hear the voice of God. He or she certainly can.

To be continued.