Be a “Newshound”!

051201

03-03-02

Have you ever been caught off-guard? You may have arrived at school and not realized there was a quiz, or you may have had a flat tire and were unsure how to replace it.

A little knowledge in many situations can save you some stress. This is often accomplished through preparation. A little preparation can mean the difference between passing and failing, with possible long-term effects. For instance, not passing your final exams—especially in your senior year—can dramatically effect whether you will go to college.

Similarly, have you ever been in a situation in which you were caught not paying attention—daydreaming? Again, you may have been in school and the only repercussion was correction from your teacher. However, daydreaming while driving a car or riding a bicycle in traffic can result in a deadly crash!

No doubt, you are able to think of many other examples in which a lack of attention can result, or has resulted, in bad consequences. The list of examples greatly expands when you consider things spiritually. Knowledge, preparation and attentiveness have much farther reaching implications on the spiritual plane.

The difference between The Restored Church of God and the splinter groups is that of complete and precise knowledge. Our attention to doctrinal detail is what sets us apart.

This same principle can be applied to your life. When you pay close attention to lessons in sermons and articles, you gain knowledge and become more grounded in God’s way of life.

But there is even more at stake than learning about God’s Way. Notice: “Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). The New American Standard translation renders the first part of the verse, “But keep on the alert at all times.”

As you can see, much is attached to watching and being alert. Part of this understanding is knowing what to watch!

MTV Generation

You may be surprised of what your peers in the world are watching on television. A poll released in early 2004 by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found that young adults did not turn to the nightly news, or even to cable news, for their primary news source.

While it is not surprising that 20% cited the Internet as their primary news outlet, it is shocking that 21% cited comedy shows as their primary source. Satirical programs such as Saturday Night Live or The Daily Show are what your peers use to grasp world events! Do you find yourself part of this group?

If so, be warned. Most of the teens polled were not knowledgeable about world events. They often confused details and, in the case of the election, were unsure which delegates belonged to which party. Unable to determine the difference between fact and comedy, a 24-year-old said that The Daily Show “keeps it very truthful and straightforward.” Even the host of this program was shocked that people would use him as a real news source.

Most of your peers are ignorant of the facts of the world around them. While for them, the stakes are much lower, your grasp of world events is critical to “escaping all these things that shall come to pass” (the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord). This alone should make you feel a sense of urgency.

Make It Personal

You may already understand various aspects of prophecy, or you may be very new to the Church and just learning the truths of the Bible. Either way, you should view world events through a prophetic lens. But this does not mean that you cannot personalize it. In fact, you should!

Make world events personal. For example, study our Prophetic Conditions and Trends Reports. They will help you comprehend the prophetic implications of the growing problems mankind faces.

Being a teenager today means you are faced with challenges that generations past never experienced. Things such as secularized sex education, drug use, violence in schools, teen pregnancy, gross immorality, perverse television, rotten music, binge drinking, suicide and gangs are far more extreme today. You probably have friends, acquaintances and peers who are dealing with these and other problems.

One teen in God’s Church recently remarked how common teen pregnancy had become in her school—a school of only a few hundred students!

With that firmly in your mind, watch the news to see trends as they develop. You will find that an interesting cycle occurs: The more you follow news, the more informed you will become—the more knowledge you will gain. This, combined with prophetic understanding, will drive a deeper interest in the events around you.

And even if you are not baptized, news and world events still matter! Being informed will make you a more rounded student. When writing school papers, your increased fund of knowledge will leave you over-flowing with ideas.

Most young people today choose not to think. Stand out from your peers and demonstrate that your mind is worth expanding!

Beware of Becoming Jaded

One attitude of which you must always be aware is cynicism. The deplorable state of people, families, cities and nations can quickly cause one to develop a jaded attitude about the world. In watching the conduct of others, you may develop a kind of “they deserve it” attitude. While all sin brings penalties, we must be careful not to look down upon those in the world.

Notice to whom God grants special protection today: “Go through the midst of the city…and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezek. 9:4).

Our attitude toward the deceived people should be that of “sighing” and “crying.” We have been given special knowledge unknown to humanity, and therefore we have a special responsibility.

Jesus Christ’s words regarding this special knowledge help define our duty: “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48). The more you know, the more God requires from you.

This verse could be taken another way: To whom much is offered, much is required. Remember that God has offered you a position of rulership in the world tomorrow. If you are younger and are not yet baptized, this is to be a physical position of helping to teach those who will have come through the Great Tribulation. If there is time for you to be baptized, this is to be a position of power as a God-being in the kingdom of God. (Of course, even those who are not baptized will be given an opportunity to be part of the God Family.)

Your primary job will be to help people. Are you beginning to see why God expects us to “sigh” and “cry” for the sins of a deceived world? We are in training to replace this dying world. By watching world news events, understanding humanity’s mistakes and learning how God will solve the problems, you will become a more effective leader.

Tools to Use

But how do you watch world events? What tools can you utilize to most effectively and efficiently keep on top of national and world news?

There are many options in traditional and digital media. Perhaps your parents subscribe to news magazines. Typically, those such as Newsweek or Time contain shorter stories explaining various news events. Though they do not usually contain breaking news, their large staffs allow them to investigate stories and provide details not available when the story first broke.

For more up-to-the-minute stories and events, the daily newspaper is another avenue. Usually produced each day, newspapers are able to publish short articles and news reports covering a wide range of topics.

Of course, the most effective news source today is the Internet. It allows you to visit thousands of newspapers, news wire services, magazines, blogs, etc., in a relatively short amount of time. (See the inset for a list of websites to get you started on becoming a newshound.)

However, do not allow this to become your only news source. The fast-paced nature of the worldwide web means that many stories do not carry the same depth as their offline counterparts.

Another thing to consider is editorial bias; always keep this in mind. Remember, the world knows nothing about God’s way of solving problems. News stories often contain an author’s bias or ideology (consciously or unconsciously), and many times reveal the writer’s political leanings. Certain newspapers and magazines publish stories that follow their editorial opinions—effectively filtering the news.

This is why having only one source for your news is never wise. Read different magazines and newspapers. Visit a variety of news websites. This will help you gain a bigger picture of world events and allow you to filter out bias.

Why It Matters

You saw at the outset that protection is directly tied to watching world events. And because God has given you special knowledge, He expects more from you. He wants you to grow in knowledge and become a more effective person so that you can, in turn, be a leader in the world tomorrow.

By keeping abreast of national and international events, you will never be left unprepared or caught off-guard. In fact, by studying, God will bless you with even more knowledge and understanding. You will be able to answer questions about your beliefs and never feel concern regarding the timing of prophetic events.

This peace of mind will be evident to those around you. They will see the joy that radiates from knowing the “happy ending” to the tragedies occurring today. This knowledge allows you to share joy with others.

When you are talking with other teens in God’s Church, make an effort to discuss world events and how they fit into prophecy and the Bible. You will be amazed at the deep conversations such topics can generate.

However, watching is not the only condition for receiving God’s protection. Recall Luke 21:36, and notice the second condition: “But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength…” (NASB).

Not only must you “be alert,” but you must also pray. Praying is inseparably tied to understanding events. Notice: “For God gives to a man that is good in His sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy” (Ecc. 2:26). You must ask God for wisdom and understanding. (You may wish to read our article “The Keys to Dynamic Prayer” to learn more about effective prayer.)

God’s answers to your prayers will give you strength through difficult times.

Then, by doing your part—watching and being alert—you will be prepared for the prophetic “rollercoaster ride” that will strike the world. You will feel joy and excitement because of the wonderful, happy ending that will shortly follow!

RELATED LITERATURE

• The Keys to Dynamic Prayer

Also in this issue…

• Hobbies! (Also known as “Cures”)
• How Do You Handle Setbacks?
• What is True Manhood?
• Who Do You Dress To Please?