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Accessing Godly Wisdom

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Sandy was a young woman whom my wife and I met a few years ago. At 36 years old, Sandy had been married three times, and had six children. She had recently ended a relationship, she said, because her boyfriend would choke her and beat up on her.

Sandy said she loved her kids, but they didnt want anything to do with her. “I need help,” Sandy told me. “Im so confused, and I just want peace.”

Wow, talk about a woman in need of the Lords direction and wisdom! I had a long conversation with Sandy, and eventually ended up leading her to the Lord, which was the best decision she could make!

Many people, like Sandy, are searching for peace of mind and heart. But the only way to have true peace is to have the mind of Jesus Christ, which happens the moment you receive Him into your life.

Romans 8:6 tells us that “the mind controlled by the Spirit [of God] is life and peace.”

Receiving thoughts and direction from God, through the Holy Spirit, is the only way to live! Is there someone in your life looking for this kind of peace? Take a risk! Tell them that the only way to experience true peace is through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Masks We Wear

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In our neighborhood, and I suspect in yours, in October the kids put on costumes and go trick-or-treating. Most kids wear the mask of their favorite comic book hero to hide their identity and hopefully get a treat.

The sad thing is that many of us adults do the same type of thing. We put on the mask of a pious Christian. We go to church on Sunday. We say all the right things. We pretend to be faithful. We pretend to be a “good Christian.”

The apostle Paul attacked this imitation of Christian living. In 2 Corinthians, he says that “unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity like men (and women) sent from God.” Paul is telling us to take off our masks. To stop trying to deceive others. To stop trying to cover up our sins.

God can see through the masquerade that keeps us from walking openly with Him. Its only when we open our hearts and allow Christ to make us the kind of people He wants us to be that we can stop pretending to be someone were not and truly let the world see Christ through us.

Your Family

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Theres a wonderful promise in the Old Testament that I came to understand when I was a young boy. The promise is found in Genesis 26:6. God says to Abraham, “Through your descendants all the nations on earth will be blessed.”

When I read that as a boy, I remember thinking, This is something I can pray for my own kids someday! So, as my wife and I started our family, we prayed that prayer for each of our four boys. We said, “Lord, through these boys, please bless all the nations of the world.”

Now, there were some rough years. One of our sons, Andrew, took a big spiritual hike for about 13 years. We experienced a lot of sadness. But we kept praying, “Lord, bless the nations of the world through our boys.” And praise God, Andrew did finally surrender his life to Jesus Christ!

Now, hes an evangelist – sharing the Good News all around the world. In fact, each one of our boys is serving the Lord in different capacities. Its thrilling to watch how God has answered that prayer of ours!

So, dream great dreams for your family. No matter where your kids are right now with the Lord, dont despair. Pray for your children by name, asking God to bless the nations of the world through them. The Lord will hear, and answer!

Never Beyond Hope

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When it comes to reaching tough kids, one of my favorite stories is that of Nicky Cruz. Nicky was a Puerto Rican teenager who moved to New York City and joined one of the most violent gangs in the city.

To anyone who knew him, Nicky seemed beyond any hope of change. He was angry at his parents, angry at himself, angry at the world, and angry at God.

But then God led a young preacher named David Wilkerson to New York City. David had a passion to reach gang members for Jesus Christ. He saw beyond their tough exterior, and knew that deep down, their hearts were desperate for love and healing.

When David met Nicky, he knew the only thing that could reach Nickys heart was the love of Jesus. Eventually, because of Davids persistence, and the power of the Holy Spirit, Nicky received Jesus into his life.

Through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he became a new creation. And today, Nicky Cruz leads a ministry that shares the Good News with inner-city gang members!

Is there a teenager you know who seems beyond hope? Try finding ways to show Christs love to that young boy or girl. Pray, as Paul did for the Ephesians, that “the eyes of their heart would be enlightened.” And remember, no one is beyond Gods reach.

Don’t Judge

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I remember meeting Nick a few years ago. He was a 19-year-old who wore black clothes and lots of make-up. But despite his appearance, Nick was sincerely searching for the truth. He told me he had checked out different religions, and was drawn mostly to Christianity.

Because of his appearance, some Christians in his community had labeled him as a homosexual and Satanist – which he wasnt! So, Nick was confused about what to believe.

I was really impressed with Nick. He was honest and sincere about his search for truth. I shared from the Gospel of John, Chapter 8, where Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Nick said to me, “Well, Ill definitely put it under consideration.” Although he didnt surrender His life to Jesus that night, Nick realized that not all Christians were judging him. And Jesus Christ loved him just the way he was.

We need be careful to not pass judgment on kids who look and act differently than our own. Instead, its our privilege and calling to love these young people into the Saviors arms. If youve shared Jesus Christ with a young person, Id love to hear your story. Please send me a note at radio@palau.org