An Article and Poem by Kristine Perez
The following article was written and submitted by the person whose name appears below. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent the views of Teen Mania Ministries. Any facts and supporting research mentioned in the article have not been verified by Teen Mania Ministries.
IT’S TIME
by Kristine Perez
God is standing up. There’s urgency inside of him as he beckons his remnant to come near. His arm sweeps across the blackened sky motioning for those who are his very own to come close.
Do you hear the call? It’s going out with great magnitude and power but few have heard. “Why aren’t they coming? Where are my chosen ones? Time is growing short and I need them to run to me! I have called them for such a time as this.”
Right now in teenage America and around the world there is an enemy that has crept into our lives. It’s a beast that will destroy us at our very core and some of us don’t even realize it is there. This enemy is complacency.
Its thick dark clouds have invaded our lives. We are comfortable. We are rich. We have everything we need; ipods, clothes, friends, money, food, TV and computers. The list is endless.
With our lips we claim we love God but the spiritual thermometer of our life is reading lukewarm. Our passion and fire have slowly faded just as the morning sun slowly turns into night. Our fire has diminished and a tiny burning ember can barely be seen. We are spiritually dying and way down deep we know it’s true.
What’s going on? What is preventing us from stopping and calling out to God?
We’re too comfortable. It feels too good to be where we are. We don’t need God because we’re not sick, poor or facing a crisis and so we have stopped passionately calling on his name.
Deuteronomy 8:11-13, 19 warns us of such a time. “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees…For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in…and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful…If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshipping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed.” NLT
It is easy to get lured into complacency. It happens slowly and before we know it we don’t talk to God anymore and we don’t even remember where our Bibles are. Our beliefs and attitudes begin to change and we fill our lives with everything contrary to the God we once loved and served so faithfully. Our dreams die and our souls desperately need a drink of the water of life.
If we were only to look back we’d see that it all began with just a tiny seed of complacency. Maybe we skipped a quiet time or started a relationship with someone we shouldn’t have. Possibly it was something we watched on TV or a website we visited. And now that seed has germinated, put down cancerous roots and is choking the life out of us. We are looking around seeing sin and decay in our lives thinking, “How did I get here? I thought I’d never be doing this again.”
We slowly give sin the perfect conditions for growth. It happens so slowly we don’t even notice it sneaking into our lives, and then our complacency results in corruption. This is exactly what God warned us about.
It is time for a generation to stand up and be done with complacency and sin. It is time to recklessly forsake our ways and with absolute abandon take up our cross and follow Jesus. The only unfaithfulness displayed in our life should be our unfaithfulness to sin.
This is your generation and your call has gone out. Your time is now. Hebrews 12:1-2 says “…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus…”
Have you taken your eyes off Jesus? It’s easy to do. But if we are going to live above sin then we have to be committed to hold firmly to God’s ways. We have to get back up after we’ve stumbled and continue striving to live a life of devotion unto Him.
Even when it seems impossible we must persevere and keep our feet on the pathway that God is on. If God has asked us to live a life of holiness then he will give us the strength to do it. Allow your past mistakes and shortcomings to push you into a life of fire and devotion like you have never known.
There is a call going out to the young people in this generation to stand up and run to the throne of God. His heart is burning and he is waiting for those who have been trapped in complacency and sin to lay down their lives once and for all, to take up the call and live relentlessly for Him.
IT’S TIME
A poem by Kristine Perez
There is urgency in the air and as the world sleeps a call goes out. A dark and stormy night settles in and a subtle wind begins to blow. A strong arm sweeps across the sky beckoning those who are his own to draw near. But will they hear? He rises to his feet with a heart beating and spirit burning. His call moves onward over cities, towns, valleys and fields. It travels over mountains and beyond seas. It moves upon every tribe, nation, desert and generation. He stands before his throne and waits. His heart beats stronger. This world cannot wait any longer. Why can’t they hear?
Beckoning with urgency, my call sweeps through the night; For a movement of my warriors to stand their ground and fight.
I'm waiting for my remnant to heed unto my voice;
And bring their hearts unto my throne and finally make a choice.
Who'll take on true surrender? Who'll finally give in?
Who'll make this proclamation, "I will leave my life of sin”.
Hasten! I have called you! I have spoken to your heart; You have a destination, and it's time for you to start.
My child leave complacency and run toward your crown; Turn aside from ties that bind, it's time to lay them down.
Determine in your heart that there is no more giving in; Stand up soldier once again and fight this fight to win!
Gather all the strength you have and take me by the hand; Respond unto my calling mighty remnant in the land.
Forget the road behind you. No longer are you bound;
The battle cry is sounding and it's time to stand your ground!
Defeat is not your ending. Your tears, they now must end; For though a man may stumble he will rise up once again.
I've armored you with power for I've given you my sword; Your battle ends in victory when you're fighting for the Lord.
I will be beside you. I will help you carry on. My heart will beat like thunder when I see you marching strong.
The enemy will flee from you in seven different ways;
My word will never fail you and my strength will fill your days.
Serve me mighty army. Serve me standing tall;
The Lord your God is waiting. It is time to give your all.
About The Author
As a teenager Kristine Perez began sensing God’s calling on her life to awaken the world around her to understand that God has a purpose for each one of us. Her heart's desire is that God would captivate us and that we would live passionate lives of relentless devotion for him.
Her style is unique as she combines gifts of encouragement and teaching with her creative writings to capture and stir hearts, inspiring others to pursue God’s purposes with all their strength.
Kristine is a Certified Life Coach and is currently attending Christian Leadership University. Married since 1998, Kristine and her husband Josh live in Naples, Florida. Together they oversee the same youth group in which they met at the age of 14.
Visit Kristine's website at:
http://www.fireanddevotion.com/
Kristine Perez and her husband Josh
