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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.

An Open Sincerity

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Many of us came to Christ through the words and example of a Christian who showed the open sincerity of a true believer. That sincerity can come to each of us when we acknowledge our personal frailties and take off the masks we use to hide them.

In the early days of my ministry I sometimes tried to be self-sufficient and relied on my education and my Bible knowledge instead of God. Sometimes I wore a mask of toughness and confidence that kept me from getting through to people who were hungry to hear of Gods love. Thankfully, God saw though my masquerade and eventually took off my mask of pride. Only then was I able to share the Good News with sincerity and power.

In those times when we doubt our competence to be ambassadors for Christ, lets remember the words of the apostle Paul from Philippians 4: “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

As Christians, its our privilege and responsibility to share the message of Gods love. We dont need to hold back! God will give us the strength to share the Good News with the sincerity that comes from total trust in Him.

If youve experienced the blessing that comes from letting God be your confidence, Id love to hear about it. Write to me at radio@palau.org. Ill be praying for you!

Pretense Leads to Burnout

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Sooner or later most of us will encounter a Christian who is wearing a mask. We find out the pious Christian we thought we knew isnt the Christ-centered person they appeared to be. It seems to happen all too often on the national news and, sadly, in our local church.

The reality is that most people wear some sort of mask. Were scared that without a facade, people will see our inadequacies. Were scared that people wont like us if they really knew us.

But, the apostle Paul reminded us in 2 Corinthians that “whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away…and we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lords glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.”

Pauls message is that we can take off our masks, when we truly accept Christ into our hearts. Not only will we experience freedom, but Paul promises we will grow steadily in the image of Christ.

Lets face it – living a life of pretense is exhausting. We can avoid the burnout and live victoriously when we stop pretending. So, stop pretending and turn to Christ for your security. Then, youll be ready to tell others of the glorious freedom you found in Christ.

Your Spiritual Letter of Recommendation

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Most of us at some point have asked for, or perhaps written, a letter of recommendation. In the early days of the church it was common to write such letters. These letters verified that a person was a church member of good standing and was truly walking with God.

When the apostle Paul was asked by the Corinthians for such a letter, he told them that “you yourselves are our letters of recommendation, written on our hearts…not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God.” He was telling them that they were his living letter and all the recommendation that was needed.

As Paul points out, either we have handwritten approval from man, or divine approval from the Holy Spirit. Our lives show where our approval comes from. Just as a doctors reputation is the proof of his or her abilities – so the impact of our lives on the lives of others is the living proof of our relationship with Jesus.

A Spirit-filled believer doesnt have to present a Christian letter of recommendation. Everything about that person gives witness to the presence of the Holy Spirit. Are you living proof of Jesus? Do people see Him through your life?

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.