Being raised in Pentecost is a blessing. I have a rich Pentecostal heritage that dates several generations back (on my Dad's side).. And to be honest, it was like I had the Truth laying on a silver platter right in front of me at the dinner table. I didn't really work for it, which is where other teens who were raised in it stop. We weren't the ones getting our hands dirty trying to find the Truth.
We know the doctrine (One God, Holy Ghost, Baptism) and we know the standards but it's almost like a, "Daddy makes me dress this way. Mommy makes me go to church." We didn't/don't have the desire to live for God with all we have because we were forced into it and didn't WANT it for ourselves.
*The first generation of Pentecostals in your family WANTED to be in church.*
We need to have the revelation that we can't rely on our parent's salvation, or our grandparents, or our great-great grandparent's. There ARE things we have to get on our own. Like holiness, prayer, and a knowledge of His Word.
When (those of us who were raised in the church) we were born, we came straight into this. It was instilled in us that girls couldn't cut their hair, that boys wore pants and girls wore skirts, and that we needed the Holy Ghost and to get baptized in Jesus name. However, growing up, I didn't know WHY we did all this. I didn't understand the reasoning behind the standards or why we needed the Holy Ghost (for awhile, I couldn't quote Acts 2:38).
If we WANT to know why, we WILL ask questions, but the complete desire to live for God didn't happen until I began to understand what Pentecost really was. I did everything in obedience (what was preached to me) but the understanding didn't come for a long time. When I began to read the Bible and actually listen the preaching, I got it! :) Pastor Clark, who has been my Pastor for 3 years, not only taught standards but explained WHY we needed them. I understood! When he would preach/teach about something I didn't know, it's like something *clicked* in my brain. 2 puzzle pieces came together. :)
If you've been raised in church, like I have, we need to know God (and everything else that comes with Him) for ourself. We need to study the Word and listen to preaching in order for us to understand all that we've been raised up in.
We know the doctrine (One God, Holy Ghost, Baptism) and we know the standards but it's almost like a, "Daddy makes me dress this way. Mommy makes me go to church." We didn't/don't have the desire to live for God with all we have because we were forced into it and didn't WANT it for ourselves.
*The first generation of Pentecostals in your family WANTED to be in church.*
We need to have the revelation that we can't rely on our parent's salvation, or our grandparents, or our great-great grandparent's. There ARE things we have to get on our own. Like holiness, prayer, and a knowledge of His Word.
When (those of us who were raised in the church) we were born, we came straight into this. It was instilled in us that girls couldn't cut their hair, that boys wore pants and girls wore skirts, and that we needed the Holy Ghost and to get baptized in Jesus name. However, growing up, I didn't know WHY we did all this. I didn't understand the reasoning behind the standards or why we needed the Holy Ghost (for awhile, I couldn't quote Acts 2:38).
If we WANT to know why, we WILL ask questions, but the complete desire to live for God didn't happen until I began to understand what Pentecost really was. I did everything in obedience (what was preached to me) but the understanding didn't come for a long time. When I began to read the Bible and actually listen the preaching, I got it! :) Pastor Clark, who has been my Pastor for 3 years, not only taught standards but explained WHY we needed them. I understood! When he would preach/teach about something I didn't know, it's like something *clicked* in my brain. 2 puzzle pieces came together. :)
If you've been raised in church, like I have, we need to know God (and everything else that comes with Him) for ourself. We need to study the Word and listen to preaching in order for us to understand all that we've been raised up in.
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