The At Risk Generation

THE AT RISK GENERATION. PLEASURE SEEKERS

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

TEXT:

Philippians 3: 19 WHOSE END IS DESTRUCTION, WHOSE god IS THEIR BELLY,

AND WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME, WHO MIND EARTHLY THINGS.

Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,

THAN TO ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF SIN FOR A SEASON.

1 Timothy 5:6 But she that liveth IN PLEASURE is DEAD while she lived.

2 Timothy 3:4 ... LOVERS OF PLEASURES, MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD;

1. WE ARE A LOTTERY GENERATION, WE WANT TO HAVE PLEASURE! WE LOVE TO GAMBLE,

EVEN KNOWING THE ODDS ARE GREATLY AGAINST US.

This lottery mentality spills into the church. We are not afraid of the hazards and pitfalls that have

doomed other generations. We are insured. Our banks are insured. But what about our souls?

When my youngest son was little, he would sing,

BLESSED INSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE, O, WHAT A FORETASTE OF GLORY DIVINE.

We are living in a generation that is so focused on the temporal, that we seldom think of the eternal.

We see the bumper sticker, HE WHO HAS THE BIGGEST TOYS WINS. We measure success by material

accumulation. One of the major goals sought after is pleasure. Seems all our efforts hinge on FUN

and pleasure. Yet we must do more than love pleasure, we must LOVE GOD!

1 Timothy 5:6 But she that liveth IN PLEASURE is DEAD while she lived.

2 Timothy 3 is a special chapter, from verse 1 to verse 8 is recorded a quick powerful lesson on the

conditions and wickedness of the last days.

Paul warns that that there will grow a spirit of a pleasure hungry society.

2 Timothy 3:4 --- LOVERS OF PLEASURES MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD.

2. PREACH US HAPPY!

Years ago I was in a service, the young Preacher patted the back of the old Preacher as he was

approaching the pulpit to preach. The young man gave the old Preacher some advice... He chided the

old man ... "PREACH US HAPPY, TONIGHT!"

With a tear running down the old Preacher’s face, he turned to the young man, and replied,

" I hear the cry of the crowd to preach us happy, but the Heart of God is tears for the lost and dying.

They are headed toward Hell, while the Christians seek PLEASURE and Gospel Entertainment to

MAKE us laugh, MAKE US HAPPY! ?"

Wow, what a powerful message the old man relayed to the young man.

3. WE TRY TO COMPETE WITH TV PLEASURE.

We build great stadiums that will never pay for themselves, tax money will carry the load for

several generations. The television and Hollywood have been leading and molding the minds of

the people, NOT THE CHURCH. Hidden agendas, commercials and TV shows tell us how to live.

Programs slowly teach acceptance and compromise.

Too long we have heard the cry for entertainment leading the way of our youth.

The enemy is diverting the attention of people and the church to trivial pursuits.

We love comedians and performers to ease our conscience. While the enemy distracts and diverts our

attention, we lose focus on the eternal. This TV SPIRIT that is dictating to the peoples’ pleasure

has even reached the religious crowd.

4. GOSPEL TV IS GROWING INTO A GREGARIOUS, CANNIBALISTIC, SELF PLEASURING CROWD that

loves the applause and popularity of the world. They dance and show the flesh to reach the lost?

They are boasters and often work against the local church! We can send our money, stay at home, and

forget the lost? The church and Gospel must reach beyond pleasure and our comfort zones.

It is hard for the real, local church to amuse the crowd, and cause our worship to always pass professionally

and pleasantly. We forget real people with real problems.

5. We have a "WINE AND DINE AND WHINE ATTITUDE" THRIVING WITHIN THE CAMP.

We have not focused upon the cross and missions.

We are a generation that spends more on pet food and pet care and cable bills/satelite bills than on missions,

and a humanity headed toward HELL!

We pay God’s MONEY for the PREMIUM CHANNELS THAT SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED BY CHRISTIANS, and we

are growing as never before a Generation at Risk, thrill me, pleasure as a god generation?

6. WE WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL TO HAVE FUN. OUR SCHOOLS HAVE BECOME A WAR ZONE.

In the 50’s the number one problem at school was chewing gum, today sin lurks in the hallways of our schools.

Drug abuse will kill many of our youth. In many school systems control is gained by fighting and gangs at war

on our own soil. Our youth are at risk, guns and knifes are a too common occurrence, where learning should be