Fortnightly on Sabbath afternoon, the young people of our congregation get together for what we call METY - mutual encouragement time for Youth. The hope is not that we will fortnightly mutually encourage one another in the LORD, but that the more we do it 'formally' the more it will be a habit to talk to one another about the things that God is teaching us from His Word.

A couple of months ago Nathan Bingham encouraged us to send a text to each other from something we've read in our personal devotions to encourage or challenge one another.

So this morning in my personal devotions, I was very challenged, and I wanted to share it. It was too much to fit in a (or even 10) texts, so here is me sharing how I was challenged.

Although this is primarily to my peers. To young people that God loves, I hope it bring encouragement and challenge to all who read it.

I'm reading through II Chronicles, and this morning I read Chapter 10. It is about Rehoboam, Solomon's son. He had just become King in Israel, and the Israelites asked him to life the burden that Solomon had put on them. So Rehoboam sought advice which Andrew Stewart says "This was a good thing to do because no one is so wise that he or she does not need advice" (A House of Prayer, the message of II Chronicles simply explained). He asked the wise elders (called elders because of their years of accumulated experience) and they said :If you will be kind to these people and always please them and give them a favourable answer than they will happily serve you" and he asked the young men, his friends, who basically said "tell them 'you thought Dad was hard, I'll be even harder on you. Dad used whips, I'll use scorpions'"

Rehoboam took the young mens advice, and because of that, the Kingdom divided. Forever a civil war between Israel and Judah. They separated themselves from Jerusalem, and the temple, and the worship of Jehovah.

I was VERY challenged, how much more importance do I put on the advice of m friends than to the advice of those older and wiser than me, especially my parents. So often I think we as youth would rather listen to each other than out parents, so I challenge you as I hope you will challenge em to think, "I don't know everything" "I don't know what is best for my life" "My parents do love and care for me which is why they have rules and set boundaries"

In his commentary, a House of Prayer, Andrew Stewart answers the question, "how can we avoid make the same mistakes [as Rehoboam]

Firstly by taking heed to God's Word when we hear it. Read your bible every day, come to church each week with your bible, eager to follow the preachers sermon.

Secondly make our plans subject to God's overriding plans. Pray before we make plans.

Thirdly, seek out those who can give us godly advice. Do we want flattery or faithfulness from a friend Are we willing to listen to advice from older people even when they may say something we don't want to hear

Forthly, make it a priority to pursue what the LORD wants.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

So, let's give good advice to each other; let's pray with and for one another; let's talk to older and wiser people in the church when we have question about things in our lives; let's talk to our parents and take their advice, they love us, and care for us; and we owe it to them as the ones who have raised us, taught us about the bible, who live their lives sacrificing for us, let's listen to God as He speaks to us in and through His Word, our Minister, Bible school Teachers, those older wiser Godly people what have been young men and women, who have good life experience, and who live Godly lives.

Let's not fall into the same sin as Rehoboam, but rather, learn from his mistakes, and turn to God.