Youth Page June 2004  


Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20
  Jennifer and I were sitting in a restaurant for our lunch break and she began telling me the problems that she and her boyfriend were having. Even though there were differences in what we believed, she was still able to come to me and ask for help. Why? With God as my center I am able to give advice that is different from the world, and she knew it. At the end of our conversation, Jennifer said something that struck me funny. She said, "Thank you for not being judgmental." She noticed something different about me, even though at that time she may not have known that the difference was God.

  It's not our job to judge. We are to present the power that God has given us, show by our lives that it works, and let people know that it is available to everyone. If people don't see the love of God through us then they will find it somewhere else. People alone can't change people, but the love of God through people can change people.

"You can
preach a better
sermon with
your life than
with your lips."
   In 1Corinthians 3:6, Paul recognizes his part in the ministry. "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." When
we plant the "seed" of God's Word in a person's heart, that alone might not change anything, but God will give the increase, God will make the changes, when the time is right. Just like he did for Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty king who did not worship the true God.

  He made a big gold idol and told his people to worship it. But, through Daniel and his friends, the true God made Himself known. The king had noticed something different about God's guys, so he began to spend more time with them. Daniel I : 19 says, 'And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah (Shadrack), Mishael (Meshack), and Azariah (Abednego): therefore stood they before the king."

  In Daniel chapter 2, the king was having troubling dreams so he called his astrologers, chaldeans, and magicians (all the smart people) to interpret the dream. The only problem was he could not remember what his dream was. His dream was so disturbing that he threatened them: if they could not interpret his dream then all the wise men would be put to death. Daniel, who was one of the wise men, prayed that God would give him the interpretation of the dream. He expected God to deliver him and his friends. And God did! God gave Daniel the interpretation while he slept, and Daniel gave God the praise and credit. As a result, Nebucadnezzar saw God's might, and changed! In Daniel 4:37 he said,

"Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
  The king recognized that God is the ultimate authority, the ultimate power of the universe, and the ultimate judge.

   There are other great stories in Daniel where people trusted God. Sometimes it takes a few times for things to sink in, but as we help people give God the praise and credit, He will continue to give us the opportunity to stand and bless. You do your best, God will do the rest, and don't you worry
- God's got your back.

Much love,

Hannah        Karen Tallman