Show Your Friends Jesus

A teenager is not an enemy of parents, but a potential friend who is designed by God to become such in the times of the concluding events of sinful earth's history. We read the very last verses of the Old Testament from Malachi 4:5-6: "See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction."

I believe that the material you are now reading is the fulfillment of this promise for the last days, which the Bible describes thus: "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Which of the above verses is being fulfilled in your family? As a rule, until 11-12 years old children have a compliant character, and parents hold power over their children, thinking that this will continue forever. But the child grows, and at some point he understands that he is no longer a child, and he wants to be more adult, responsible, independent and no longer return to childhood. And this is the most normal desire at this age, but parents are not ready for such a turn of events and they want to continue managing their children.

Unfortunately, the world offers its own model of transition to adulthood: Drink like adults; smoke like adults; enjoy yourself like adults and don't think about consequences. The enemy of the soul has blinded the minds of teenagers, luring naive and curious souls into his nets, and parents lose control over their children and don't know what to do.

It's also important to notice that our world "...has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird..." (Revelation 18:2). We are dealing not only with sinful people, but also wage war with the world of spirits who have influence on both parents and their children.

It would be naive to suppose that human strength and knowledge will be sufficient to keep a growing child away from all kinds of dangers and make him a worthy person among the raging stream of evil. The enemy of the soul has one goal—to keep human consciousness from faith in Christ. And what this person will be like no longer matters to Satan, but for entertainment he brings down on young people's lives all kinds of temptations and enticements and desires to deprive them of life as early as possible or spoil it forever.

How can parents resist all this evil and influence? Only through personal faith in Christ and their love in every matter. Jesus desires that father and mother reflect His image in their thoughts, feelings, and deeds. That they pray for their children and be friends to them. There is no greater blessing for children than having believing parents who are also friends to their children and love each other from a pure heart.

Being a friend to your teenager means understanding what is happening in the growing body and mind; it means accepting any changes in influence and education and adapting to them; it means always being nearby; it means understanding his needs and desires; it means not judging but helping; it means treating him as Christ treats you.

Jesus desires that we in our life show Christ to all our neighbors through all our behavior. That our spirit be filled with God's Spirit, that our motives be moved by Christ's love, our words carry God's light and give others hope for a better life.

Showing your children Christ is not very difficult when He lives in your heart and has close communion with you. But it's worth always remembering that loving a teenager and being his friend is a choice of parents that they can make every morning of a new day and during every difficult trial that may come from where it wasn't expected.

Jesus likes to manifest himself in works of love, happiness, and friendliness. He transmits this spirit through us to other people and has a beneficial influence on the hearts of those whom we decided to love.

If you don't have this love, then it can be acquired from Him who offers it in the form of gold refined by fire from Revelation 3:18. By becoming friends with your children and dealing with them in love and friendship, you show them the true image of Christ, and they too will want to be in union with such a beautiful Heavenly Friend.

Jesus is always near, He knows how to listen without interrupting, He doesn't argue but doesn't change truth for the sake of peace, He will always help when asked about it, He cares for our needs and protects us from evil without violating the right to our choice. He loves at all times and quickly appears in times of misfortune. He is honest and open in His friendship, constant and caring, gentle in attitude and firm in principles. He contains in Himself the full completeness of what every thirsting human soul needs. And all these qualities of His soul He desires to develop in His children. It won't be difficult for us to treat our teenagers as Jesus treats us, if we understand this and see it from relationships with Him. To treat others as Jesus treats you—this is a Biblical principle.

It's such happiness—to share Jesus and His love with your children, to make someone happy and bring to Christ those whom He brings to you.

In Christ's statement: "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline" from Revelation 3:19, the word "love" sounds in the original as "phileo," which means friend's love. He is not just a Loving Creator, but also a Loving Friend to everyone who believes in Him and has close relationships with Him, keeping everything that He advises and commands us.

Do you want to see in your family the fulfillment of the prophecy from Malachi 4:5-6? Then become friends with your children and show them Jesus through your attitude.

Don't be afraid that you won't be understood or accepted at first. In some cases this is a long process. Your love and friendship are needed by your children at any age. Be constant in love and friendship, as God is constant in the gift of sun and rain, and you will have success.

We are given a commandment that we, believing in Christ, should witness about Him to all nations. And the very first nation that should hear, see, and touch this message is our children. Don't forget also that you and your spouse are also someone's children, and your hearts should be turned to your fathers, as the Lord commanded.

Only a loving friend whose heart is constantly nourished from Heavenly sources and who constantly seeks new ways for all his neighbors to be happy can correctly show children Christ.

If your parents didn't give you such an example, and your spouse has the image of another master, then you still be a friend and represent to your children Him who gave His life for you. The Lord knows the time for each of them to save them too, and will actively use you for victory over all selfishness.

Parents' prayers for their children always stand in priority, and the Lord accomplishes much in teenagers' lives at their parents' requests. And how joyful it will be to say to God: "Here am I and my children whom You entrusted to me!"

1. Please read John 15:15; Philippians 2:5; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Proverbs 4:1-2; Matthew 18:12-14; Isaiah 8:18; 38:19; 54:13; Hebrews 2:13; Ephesians 4:15; Romans 12:10; Acts 2:17, in light of this lesson.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your memory?

3. What was revealed to you in this chapter?

4. Why is a teenager often perceived as an "enemy" of parents, and how to change this perspective?

5. How to distinguish a teenager's healthy striving for independence from the influence of worldly values?

6. How can parents reflect Christ's image in everyday interactions with children?

7. What does "turning the hearts of fathers to children and hearts of children to fathers" mean in the context of the last time?

8. What qualities of Jesus' friendship should be an example for parents in relationships with teenagers?

9. How to find balance between firmness in principles and gentleness in relationships, as Christ does?

10. Why is it important that parents not only talk about Christ, but also show Him through their behavior?

11. Why is it important to respect a teenager's choice, even when it seems wrong?

12. Why is it important for parents to acknowledge their mistakes before children?

13. Why is it important for parents to renew their decision to be friends with their children every day?

14. What does it mean to say at the end of life: "Here am I and my children," and what is the spiritual value of this statement?