Watching the news or reading the newspaper, we can’t help but notice the periodic disturbing reports of children and teens involved in some type of crime. We instinctively know this is wrong, but many people don’t know how to react or what to do. The easiest way to deal with it is punishment or jail time, but this is not a long-term solution. Like any other group, young people go wrong because there’s something important missing from their lives, and that missing element is Jesus Christ.

We are not alone.” If this phrase conjures up images of aliens, flying saucers, and outer space, then you’re probably like many others who have accepted Hollywood’s version of this catch phrase. But there’s also a biblical meaning to it that can’t be ignored. When we face life’s inevitable pain and struggles, God’s promise to walk with us in our darkest times means we’ll never have to walk alone.

2016 Change Experience Savannah, GA

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

“Deje el impío su camino, y el hombre inicuo sus pensamientos, y vuélvase a Jehová, el cual tendrá de él misericordia” (Isaías 55:7).

“Confesaos vuestras ofensas unos a otros, y orad unos por otros, para que seáis sanados. La oración eficaz del justo puede mucho” (Santiago 5:16).

“En esto se ha perfeccionado el amor en nosotros, para que tengamos confianza en el día del juicio; pues como él es, así somos nosotros en este mundo” (1 Juan 4:17).

“El que no escatimó ni a su propio Hijo, sino que lo entregó por todos nosotros, ¿cómo no nos dará también con él todas las cosas?” (Romanos 8:32).

“Ciertamente la soberbia concebirá contienda, más con los avisados está la sabiduría” (Proverbios 13:10, VRV).

“Porque seré propicio a sus injusticias; y nunca más me acordaré de sus pecados y de sus iniquidades” (Hebreos 8:12).

“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand” (Genesis 39:2, 3).

“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life” (Proverbs 4:5, 6, 8, 9, 13).

Struggling with life’s problems can make us feel powerless and small when we try to handle them all by ourselves. Looking at all the pain and suffering in the world, and the hurt it causes when some of it touches our lives, is disheartening and discouraging. But fortunately, there’s Someone stronger than us Who’s waiting for us to call on Him for help, and a heartfelt prayer gets Him to intervene on our behalf. Studying the Word of God reveals not only how powerful prayer is, but the proper way to pray to see results.

Looking at the content of today’s media outlets, we can see that the world is accustomed to a steady diet of evil, hate, and violence. The message of the day is usually negative, whether it comes from television, newspapers, or movies. If we’re not careful, we can become fearful, and fall under the misconception that we’re helpless against evil. But when we pick up our Bible and begin reading it deeply, the message that God gives us power over evil jumps off the page at us.

As human beings, we all have a deep-seated need to believe in something. For some of us, it may be our favorite sports team, while for others, it may be random acts of kindness or the founding principles of our country. Having our belief system shaken can cause us great mental and emotional anguish, which may explain why we cling so tightly to it. God knows how important it is for us to believe, and He mentions it repeatedly in the Bible.

Life is a series of choices, and God lets us decide for ourselves on one of the most important choices of all–whether to focus on our problems, or on Him. Focusing on our problems weighs us down, and keeps us from seeing Him clearly. But even when we turn our eyes away from God, He’s still waiting for us to acknowledge His presence. When we involve Jesus in our lives and let Him intervene on our behalf, we have perfect peace.

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