Difficult teens?

Our third school was different than all the rest. It was a very large school, but we spoke only to the middle school children. When we arrived and walked up to the school, there were many students who laughed at us. They were not being mean, I think they were really just excited, but it made the boys very uneasy. As we entered the room and they quieted the kids down, I could tell they were going to be somewhat rowdy. After all, they are teenagers! There were kids outside every window and a crowd outside the door. The room inside was packed. As I looked around the room, I prayed to God, “Lord, please give me something that will speak to their hearts.” “Go to the Word,” came His quick reply. I opened my Bible and there was the Book of Revelation with Chapter 1 verse 2 underlined. I understood what He was telling me. This would be a different talk. I told Rev. Wisdom I planned to do something a little different and asked his approval. He nodded in agreement. I had already asked all three boys if they wanted to share the meaning of the colors and all three did not. It was not an easy audience and they knew it.

I read the scripture out loud. “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

I then asked who could tell me what Book of the Bible it was from. I explained there was a prize for the one who could answer correctly. “Matthew, Acts, 1 Corinthians, Psalms”...they guessed and guessed but no one was correct. I prayed for God to give someone the answer. A young girl about half way back raised her hand and said, Revelation. I handed her a 1 Cedi bill and the whole room exploded. It took a few minutes to calm them down. I explained that the lesson I wanted them to get was that reading and knowing the Word of God PAYS in many ways. I had their attention. I knew the Spirit of God was on me and I just started talking. The audience sat perfectly still and very quiet. Their ears were open and I knew God was planting many seeds in their hearts. The more I talked, the more God seemed to tell me what to say. He was talking to a group of teenagers who were facing the temptations of life. He knew where they were and spoke directly into their lives. I knew this message was specifically for them. God was speaking to them and I believe they knew it too. We gave them an opportunity to ask Jesus in their heart. Sister Florence took over and prayed in Ewe with them. I prayed over them before we left.
There have been days as we have traveled that I have wished for home or doubted we should have left and then there are days like this when I know we are being used by God in ways we will not understand this side of eternity.

Please pray for these teenagers. Pray for teenagers all over the world. God knows what they are going through and is ready to carry them through in His truth.