Peace is not won by war but through surrender

Today I heard a message that once again transformed my heart and my mind.  I attended a church here in Rochester called The Father's House and I admit when I walked through the doors I felt like crap.  I didn't understand why God had me there or what He had in store for me, but I knew I needed something from Him to give me the will to keep running this race.  Little did I know or expect I was going to receive just that.  The new series message beginning today was on the ECHO that our lives send as Christians and children of God.  As the pastor continued to teach he spoke of how even though our "being" has changed our "doing" has not.  We begin to think all I need is to be a new creature in Christ and that's it, but our doing must show that transformation as well.  We can't go out and DO things like the rest of the world and claim to be a child of God.  That is why the world is confused to this day.  They see us speaking the Word and quoting scriptures like many theologians of our time but our actions show no sign that we actually believe those scriptures.  We have to think in every way, are our lives echoing Christ?  For we are the children that have come after Him and now is the time for us to become TRUE kingdom builders.  Another part of the sermon that refocused me on the goal at hand was when he made a point that by being a child of God we must follow Christ way of meekness and humility.  We know the world we live in and as it has become cutthroat we sometimes don't see anyway of getting ahead than likening to that characteristic of humanity.  But when we are about kingdom building and our goal has now become eternal, getting the corner office or the biggest raise won't matter.  When we become humble with meekness Jesus will bless us with these things not just to be an example to others but to further His kingdom.  When our lives echo His in every way there won't the thought of the "survival of the fittest" or the best finish first but there will be a true mentality of self-sacrifice and humbleness.  When we take on Jesus' yoke (teaching) the competition of the world won't matter because we've already got the best.

Repairing the breach

Well seeing this is my first blog EVER I figured why not start with a bang!  Today I read an article entitled "Libyan Exodus" from WORLD magazine (a Christian magazine) and it discussed the unrest in Libya, but more specifically the refugees that are now suffering from "Libya's crossfire."  Some of these refugees are returning back to Egypt but only to a "post-revolution" where they have no form of economic stability. Meaning their true home lends no form of rest or true peace.  Then there are those refugees traveling through the Libyan desert and some whom have even been kept in Tripoli, 2,500 according to the article in WORLD.  Many refugees from Somali now find that in escape from war within their own countries they find that they have encountered a much greater evil in Libya.  They are not only discriminated against for being dark Africans in a Muslim country but are being forced to fight in Qaddafi's government forces.  Wow, just think from lesser hope to no hope at all.  I mean these refugees have experienced horrific things unheard of here in America, yet we complain over things so miniscule.  Many of them have lost entire families and see no reason to live; there is no light at the end of their tunnel.  So i present a question how is it that you will shed light to such darkness?  How will you become repairers of the breach?  The time is more important than ever that we, as Christians, spread true hope for proverbs said that hope planted is like a tree of life.   Don't sit where you are in your comfortability thinking that what is going on in these foreign places doesn't affect you.  Right now we have the opportunity to PRAY for and if possible reach out to these broken children of Christ seeking for true freedom in their political dictatorships.  Their hearts have now become willing and open to a life where even if they find no peace in economic and political systems, they will find everlasting peace in Christ Jesus.  It starts with us, youth of the nation.  NOW is the time to pray like never before; to fast expecting the "chains of injustice to be broken and the yoke of oppression to be loose" (Isaiah 58)! What will you do when it's your time to stand against injustice? Now we see that it only takes one for thousands to follow.