There is a spiritual Truth that has recently become obvious in my mind, heart and soul. As a Baby Boomer, I am aware of just how blessed I've been to live in the years that have encompassed my life. As a child in Post-WWII America, I received the benefits of the boom in prosperity that our nation enjoyed. Children had care-free lives, playing outside, with no fear of abduction or harm. My parents were able to buy a home and help all five of their children go to college through hard work, supplemented by guaranteed student loans (which we all paid back in full). I saw the birth of the Civil Rights Movement, which sought to bring justice and equality to all Americans. I witnessed the bold vision of President Kennedy to conquer Space, which inspired the generations that came after him to dream of new frontiers. I saw the beginning of a change in our family dynamics, as The Pill and the Feminist Movement redefined the roles of women in our society. I have seen the first computers go online and the explosion of technology invade every aspect of our lives ... for both good and bad. I have seen changes in our education system; our energy consumption; the rise in violence, perversion, cancer, viruses, hate, and risk of nuclear war. I daresay that the extent [and range] of change just during the span of my lifetime has been greater than perhaps any other generation.
I can look back and see the phases [and stages] of change, and it now seems so massive, that I wonder how long we can sustain a cohesiveness as a nation and people. While WWII brought the American people together in unity, the Vietnam War divided us in ways that we have yet to recover from. The fight for Civil Rights for our Black citizens was marred by horrendous evil towards individuals that believed God's human rights belong to all men, no matter their skin color. Within a matter of five years [during my childhood and teen years], I was witness to three assassinations of political and social leaders. I have seen the attempts to destroy the Holiness and existence of God, including His covenant of marriage, the sanctity and sacredness of life in the womb, and the very identity that He created in each of us.
And yet, I still call myself blessed because I know who I am in Him. You see, I've often thought of human existence since the foundation of this world like a cosmic chess board. With every move that God made to make Himself known, the Devil moved his chess piece to block it. It began in the Garden of Eden; and continued in the angelic rebellion in Heaven, leading to the Genesis 6 abomination; through the Exodus and history of God's chosen people [to share His Goodness and Mercy with the world]; to the birth of our Savior, and His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection; to the continued wars throughout Daniel's prophesied Empires [always between God's Kingdom and satan's kingdom]; to this age where we wait for our Redeemer's glorious return ... it's all led us to this moment in God's prophetic plan.
So, why does this post point to an obligation to Gen Z and Gen Alpha? These two latest generation designations (that cover those born in 1997 until now) are the people most affected by the inventions of the personal computer, the internet, and artificial intelligence -- all of which are convenient tools for the Devil to oppose, and interfere with, a personal relationship with our Creator, Jesus Christ. I had the advantage of people in my life who taught me about the Bible and who Jesus was, and why He was important to my life. Gen Z and Gen Alpha were born at least 35 years after the Bible and prayer were removed from the classroom, so their chances of being brought up in a family influenced by Godly principles is less.
Then there's the reality that the advancement of technology has been so fast [and extreme], that young adults and children are being introduced to personal computer robots [such as ChatGPT] at a very young age. These conversation platforms are capable of developing belief systems for them to follow. And believe me, they do not point these young people to God. In fact, they can become "substitute gods". In fact, OpenAi.com describes a newer version of its Chatbot [or "robot capable of discussion"], called GPT-5.1 as "smarter, more conversational, warmer, capable of more advanced reasoning, and faster and easier to understand." Sounds a lot like the tempting snake in the Garden, to me.
So, I'm really discerning that we Baby Boomers may be the last generation to try and steer Gen Z and Gen Alpha away from the pitfalls of technology and Satan's desperate attempt to make one final chess move to secure his kingdom among humanity. You see, I also believe Jesus is very close to announcing His arrival with a trumpet blast from Heaven! I see this because, recently, I have been experiencing more phone calls, texts, and requests to talk with these younger generations because they are responding to Jesus's invitation and discerning that something's wrong in the world, but they have no reference points. Any news they receive is usually internet-generated and/or manipulated by those creating the platforms.
And I will also say that Charlie Kirk's tragic death has stirred something in these young people. God is using Charlie's faith to ignite a hunger in these two latest generations for more of Jesus. But sadly, I am recognizing that their Biblical knowledge is sadly lacking. And, even more discouraging is my understanding that the Church has not fulfilled their calling to educate the masses in the knowledge of Christ. It takes an incredible amount of time and commitment to study the Word, if you truly wish to know Jesus. I'm happy to hear that there is a revival of interest in Jesus among the young, but it's going to take us older Believers getting involved and mentoring these young people. They simply do not have an understanding of how Evil has been working in the world and our country.
In fact, I've been surprised at just how little comprehension they have of Heaven and Hell, the afterlife, or God's Justice and Judgment. Too often, there is a simplistic and false belief that "if I'm a good person, that's enough to get me into Heaven". Or there's the equally false belief that they could not believe in a God that justifies killing innocent women and children. If we, as mature Christians, are unable to explain that our entrance into Heaven has nothing to do with what we did to earn it -- but, rather, what Jesus did to make a way for us to experience that Eternal Life, then it will be easy for Satan's followers to convince them that their salvation depends on themselves.
Yes, we can teach them that God is full of Grace and Mercy, but He is also a Holy God, and demands righteousness from those who believe in Him. We are called to live Godly lives, rejecting sin to become more like Jesus. It is important that these younger generations understand that one day, we all will stand before Jesus, and we will listen as He gives us an accounting of our lives. How did we live our lives -- according to what the internet, our friends, or the world told us was good enough? Or did we fervently try to live a life that was pleasing to Him? What did we do for His Kingdom here on earth, and for others? Or were we only fixated on our fleshly desires? God is a Righteous and Holy Judge, and He declares that Vengeance is His, whenever injustice is done to the innocent.
We must be able to explain what the Bible tells us is coming in our future -- the things Jesus warned us about. There will be wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, death, hunger, persecution, and an evil spiritual presence that will try to force us to reject our love and obedience to Jesus. They need to be prepared for that! If it's not those of us who are washed in the Blood of Jesus, then who will guide them? We must be honest, yet careful not to exploit their confusion and fears. I sense so much uncertainty in these twenty-somethings [and younger]. They are searching for something to hope in, as they innately understand that the world is disintegrating around them. We, who have known what it is to have certainty about our eternal future, must point them towards Jesus, giving them the courage and faith to endure dark days. They have an imperishable life waiting for them, and they can navigate whatever is coming if we can give them the certainty of Hope in our Lord. They don't need false promises of worldly comfort, but the certainty of their security in Christ.
So, I hope you will join me in being observant and committed to walk beside the members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Show them how to walk in this world, without becoming part of the world; how to develop a close relationship with Jesus, so that the embers of revival we see in their generations will be fanned into a firestorm of faith. Lord, guide us to teach them and nourish their hunger for understanding and Truth. Holy Spirit, give us the Spirit of the Lord and Your wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, might, and fear of the Lord, in order that these young generations might endure the world that will soon be their future. Help us to prepare them to greet our Returning King in all His Glory, and in all their godly character. We, who have been blessed in receiving true knowledge of You, commit ourselves to share it with those who will need it to overcome the Enemy. I thank you, Lord, for placing me in the generation that can discern this span of time and see why I am here. Renew my strength and commitment as I wait for you, Lord! Amen!
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
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