the hope of a lost generation

After being with teens last weekend, reading some headlines and then catching a young girl's (from youth group) myspace page- it makes it very easy to want to hide away in my home with my kids and attempt to create a bubble against this depraved culture we live in. The task of making Jesus' name heard in a planet of darkness seems too hard. Just too crazy overwhelming. My hope shrinks a little. I feel like James and John when they asked Jesus if they should just call fire out of heaven on the Samaritan village (Luke 9:54).

But that is not my calling, that is not our calling. The Body of Christ is called to 'buck up'. Strap on the armor of God and go out 'as sheep among wolves' (Matt. 10:16). Did you catch that? We are actually SUPPOSED to be like sheep among wolves. Wow.

I believe God's justice will overcome. That He will prevail. I believe there will be a great turning to the Lord but sometimes I just don't see any way possible that is going to happen. My only hope comes when I begin to ask God for Him to move in power. I'm not talking about simple things (like alleged healed headaches)- though I believe it's all part of the package. I'm talking about serious supernatural power.

This world craves the supernatural - really. Why the fascination with Harry Potter...or Lord of the Rings...or even Spiderman. The human nature wants to know there is something beyond this dimension. They want to believe that the human race isn't the end all to life.

Personally, I'm asking God to use me with words of knowledge in my everyday life. I'm asking for the day when he will give me a picture of what's going on in "Starbuck's girl's" life. And then help me to tell her what God just showed me and love on her. THAT will create a draw to Jesus. It's like, "Wow, this God loves me that much? To tell YOU to come tell me that He sees me?" That is supernatural. I mean really, is it normal to see other people's life in your mind's eye? No, it's not normal but it's impressive. It makes an impact on people. It arouses their heart to love.

I believe if we can be a demonstration of God's power (in lots of ways) to this generation that they will be woo'd to Jesus. If HE be lifted up - men will be drawn to Him. I cry out for this day. I'm living in an 'Upper Room'. Not physically. But in my spirit. A state of 'Upper Room' crying out to have the power of God imparted to me in an Acts 2 kind of way. It's the hope of a lost generation.