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The late Dr. Steve Farrar talks about how our culture needs more godly men.
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We cannot win both the applause of people and the “well done” of Christ. Do you play both sides?

Many in the West did in the years leading up to World War II. In 1938 Neville Chamberlain met with Adolf Hitler. The British prime minister had long championed a policy of appeasing the dictator’s aggressions, so he agreed to Hitler’s demands. Six months later Hitler occupied all of Czechoslovakia. Next he invaded Poland, and the war began. For a decade the world watched as Hitler flexed his muscles. Yet freedom-loving nations waffled between apathy and fear. Many simply couldn’t pick a side.

The prophet Elijah once asked, “How long are you going to struggle with the two choices? If the Lord is God, follow Him” (1 Kings 18:21 NASB).

Read more Unbreakable Courage

For more inspirational messages please visit Max Lucado.

One of the great chapters in the history of the modern church has been the Billy Graham crusades, reaching millions of people around the world. Now carried on through his son and grandson. We were preparing for one in our area, and it was amazing to watch the Billy Graham Crusade Team move in to help us organize what was an unprecedented effort. One of our first jobs was a pretty practical one. The setup team needed housing for the year. A lot of people had ideas of what kind of places the team members should live in, but the Crusade Team, they had experience. They knew what it took to come in for a year.

For one thing, they moved every year, if you can imagine that. We're talking committed people here. I heard the Crusade Director explaining to a realtor just what they were looking for. He said something like this, "We need a one-year lease. We won't be here long." Okay. "We need the most reasonable price; we can't spend a lot. We need a place that will require minimal yard work and maintenance. We'll be so busy we won't have much time." Well, you know what? I think they've got it right.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When You Know You're Not Staying."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Peter 2:11. Listen to how you and I are spoken of as believers. "Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul." The King James Version uses "pilgrims in this world." Well, whatever word you use, the point is clear; we're just passing through. We're like those Billy Graham Team members. We're not staying in the area too long.

Jesus told His disciples to keep it simple. He said, for example, in Luke 9:2-4, "He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God, and He told them, 'Take nothing for the journey, no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house where you stay, remain there until you leave that town.'" In other words, "Travel light. Don't get bogged down with earth stuff. You're not staying here for too long."

Many of us sure act like this is our final destination. We're building quite a kingdom of house, a kingdom of car, we've got our recreational equipment, we've got our nest egg all built up for the future. Hey, we're just pilgrims! And pilgrims keep it simple. They travel light. I like what those Billy Graham staff people said before that crusade, "We won't be here for long. We can't really spend a lot on this stuff. We won't have much time to spend on maintaining a base."

That's how we all ought to be living. The tragedy of many North American Christians is that we are so encumbered. We can't go very far for the Lord or give very much for the Lord, or get too involved in the Lord's work. We are owned by what we own. These are times when I think God is calling us to think about our lifestyle in terms of what really matters forever. If it isn't going to matter there, how much should it matter here? To simplify our lifestyle; to stop this growing buildup of earth stuff and debt obligations. He wants us to be less attached to earth and more attached to heaven.

Jesus is still looking for some modern day apostolic type people who aren't burdened down with a lot of baggage. Think about it. Pray about it. Does your Lord want you to simplify your life in some ways? Does He want you to lighten up on the baggage a little bit? Does He want you to start to untangle your life some?

You see, you live very differently when you know you're not staying.

Anne shares from John 17.

Defining the biblical term "shalom" as "breaking the hold of chaos," Dave and Ashley Willis describe how you can cultivate shalom in your home as well as in your relationships – particularly by breaking "strangleholds" caused by people who are overly needy. Our guests also discuss the pursuit of shalom in marriage through the careful and deliberate management of conflict. Also, parenting teens often means navigating some of the most challenging conversations families face—from broken trust to friendships and dating. Tim Shoemaker and his son Mark offer practical, grace-filled guidance to help parents communicate well, build trust, and strengthen their relationship with their teens. You’ll discover how listening well and responding with wisdom can turn difficult moments into opportunities for growth and deeper connection.
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