The cry for change has come to America. The way things used to be can no longer be status quo. The American church must change and become a change agent in this time of great transition. We must begin to recognize the true purpose of the church, acknowledging Who called it into existence and why. We can no longer allow philosophy, humanism, intellectualism, the tradition of men or the basic principles of this world to cheat us into thinking that we need more of_____ (money, fame, possessions, etc.) to be somebody. We are complete in Christ Jesus! It is who He is and what He has done for mankind that truly makes us who we are and determines our course in life! And this, because He has given each person a gift, that is, a pre-planned purpose for living and the ability to accomplish it.
The Church, the Body of Christ, believers and followers of Christ, aka, Christians must take a stand in this American land! You might be wondering "what in the world is she referring to?" and "what stand are we to take?" It is time for the church, the people of the True and Living God to stand up for Him! It is time to decide to live for God and not just for His benefits! What do I mean. We have got to allow the Lord to be represented in and through us on a daily basis. We must live, move, and have our being in Him, for His purposes, not our own. We must allow Him to direct our paths, from the inside to the outside.
People need to see that we are like the One we say we belong to. We, Christians must live this Life in the open for others to see! Not make it a private part of who we are. Our relationship with Christ should cause us to radiate to others! It should cause us to have morals and standards that are in line with His Word, that we practice even when under pressure from unbelievers! It should cause us to treat people, all people, whether they are like us or not, with decency and dignity! And with love and kindness, even if they are different in ethnicity, nationality, religion, economic status, values, etc. Jesus was like that. He talked to the most unlikely people. He was found in the most unlikely places (according to the religious), because His goal was relationship.
Relationship with God empowers us to relate to others in a way that transcends the way of man because God is Love! Out of our relationship with God, our relationships with others allow us to share the love of God in ways that bring transformation; to a person, a family, a community, a nation! Love is the antidote to a godless generation! Love is the antidote to the adult who carries an abused child on the inside! Love is the antidote for children without fathers around, and struggling, overworked and overwhelmed single moms and grandmas trying hard to make things work!
Love is the antidote for racism of all kinds, and for economic unfairness in our land! Love is the antidote for husbands, fathers, and men who are afraid that they may not live up to what it is to be a man! And love is the antidote to healthy relationships between men and women, for marriages to happen and to last, that is, God's love. Love is a spiritual concept. Perfect love, the Bible says, covers a multitude of sin, casts out fear, and operates out of faith. Love leads to actions that bring about good to others, that enacts God's righteousness in the practicalities of life. It doesn't sit on the porch watching, it walks off the porch and lends a hand. Love has to do something or it would not, in essence be love, that is, God's love.
For God so loved the world, that he did something. We must, too. We must refocus our energy on getting to know God, developing a relationship with Him by reading His Word to understand him. And praying to have conversation with Him. We must learn to put our trust in God so that we, too, can give to others the most precious commodity on earth, love, God's love, to bring change in America that will transform minds, hearts, and attitudes causing people's actions to be a help and strength to others; a blessing not a cursing. Changing individuals, families, communities, and this nation to being "one nation under the God of love...," with motives that have nothing to do with fear, but rather faith.
Faith in a God who is true, real, and able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask, think or imagine! He works through us. Won't you let Him? Choose to be an agent of godly change! Let's choose to be the kind of people, the church, that Jesus Christ died for... Changed for His glory, radically changed to impact lives for Him!
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