Love Stops Hate

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

A gun does not hate as much as a knife does not hate. Only people hate.  A gun does not pull its own trigger; rather hatred behind the trigger pulls it to harm the one who is hated.  A gun is not bias, it has no feelings, it does not seek one out to shoot and it cannot be blamed for any wrongs that are suffered due to the hatred of the one using it.  The same is true for a driver who is drunk, gets into a car and begins to drive.  The car cannot be responsible for the impairment of the one driving and gets into a collision and hurts other drivers. It is the irresponsibility of the driver who is at fault.  The same is true for anything used to hurt others.

The only control that will ultimately work in our society is “self” control.  No one can legislate to anyone who is out of control with anger, hate or animosity toward others.  It will not matter if there are bans on any weapons, if one is hateful and angry enough, he/she will find a way to use any means possible to carry out their attacks. 

It now seems to be a new normal that we hear of mass shootings in our nation.  It appears that our nation is reeking with hate, anger and revenge.  No longer is it “if” there will be another shooting, but “when” will there be another casualty to ones hateful, uncontrolled life.  No longer are these heinous crimes in far away countries or on the battlefields of war, rather, they have come to America in full force and with a vengeance. 

It is vital for believers in Jesus to be realist and ensure that we do not keep our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is ok.  It is not.  It is not ok for Jesus followers to draw a line in the sand and fight over who is right and wrong.  It is not ok for Jesus believers to be segregated by color, ethnicity, denominations or hatred for others.   

It is time for all of God’s people to rally together as one to help change the culture of our nation.  The Psalmist said, “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!” Psalm 133:1 (The Message) Jesus prayed, “I’m praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me.  The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us.  Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.” John 17:20-21 (The Message) Jesus was not praying the unification of Baptist, Church of Christ, Methodist, Catholics, Assembly of God or anything church group, rather that all believers will be unified so that the world would know Jesus was sent by the Father to give all of us the opportunity for a life love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

The way violence is diminished is by Jesus followers to love God and love our neighbors.  The way hate-crimes stop is by the unity of Christians in a society and the reduction of segregated churches because of color and ethnicity.  The way self-control becomes an attribute in a society is by allowing the Spirit to fully take up residence in the lives of the believers.  The way mass murders stop is by loving God with all of our hearts, soul, strength and mind and loving our neighbors as ourselves. 

You see, when a community is being led by godly, Spirit-filled, unifying, loving, merciful, grace-oriented Jesus followers, it only stands to reason that love will lead, not hate.  Grace prevails, not hate.  Mercy demonstrates, not hate.  Forgiveness is plentiful, not hate. 

It is not up to the government to legislate a self-controlled, unifying, loving, merciful, grace-oriented communities across the United States of America, rather it is up to all believers in Jesus to weave ourselves within the communities we live in and teach by living the “Golden Rule”  and love unconditionally. 

Today, it begins with those of us who say we love God.  Jesus said, “They will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”  We must not allow Dr. King's powerful words to be spoken in vain:  “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

What are you willing to drive out?

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

Color Matters

Shots fired.  Protest.  Anger.  Retaliation.  Bitterness.  Hatred.  Racism.  Riots.  Burning buildings.  Looting.  Baltimore.  St. Louis.  Dallas.  Baton Rouge.  Minnesota.  

Hate has a grip on our nation by a few who are bent on causing chaos and destruction We are experiencing the viciousness of evil and the power that the Evil one (Satan) has whenever he is given an opportunity to turn love into hatred.

It has become so easy to point fingers and play the blame game as to why there is so much hatred and unrest in a nation that is predominately a “Christian” nation. As I watch the news or read post on Facebook or have conversations about the hateful unrest in our nation, it is perplexing to me that believers in Jesus are so bent on making the issue about “color of skin” rather than about the real issue…Evil.  Satan.  The Prince of Darkness. 

Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy….” John 10:10a One of the ways that Satan steals is by stealing our commitment to living the Jesus life honorably.  The way we live the Jesus life honorably is by following the two most important commands of God.  Love God and Love People. Matthew 22:37-40.

All people matter. All colors of people matter.   God’s colors are his way of making each of us specifically designed, unique and special.    Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created human beings in his own image….” (NLT).  God is the designer of each one of us.  He crafted us.  Shaped us.  Colored us.  And, gifted us.  Who are we to be critical of the artist that brought each of us into this world for his purposes and plans?

Our responsibility to one another is to accept each other whether we are rich, poor, or different shades of brown, black, white, yellow or red.    James 2:9a declares, “But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin….”  James also makes a strong statement by saying,“There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” James 2:13

An ungodly society will be content with color profiling, but believers in Jesus must live by a different standard.  It must be the same standard and prayer of Jesus:  “I am praying…for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” John 17:20-21

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his speech to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Washington D.C on August 28^th 1963, declared his dreams for a nation stricken by color profiling.  He said:

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”  

“I have a dream… one day…little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”

Color mattered in 1963 as much as it does in 2016.  Coloring profiling has not diminished in its importance in 53 years.  Until believers in Jesus of all colors come together and unite as one, there is absolutely no chance that a nation will change either.  When believers allow God to lead and no longer allow Satan any opportunity to steal, kill and destroy, it will only be then we will help a nation heal for the dreadful disease of hatred. 

NOW is the time to rally our nation toward God.

NOW is the time to stop being so comfortable in our church houses and hit the streets to DECLARE One Nation Under God and demonstrate that ones color of skin is not a barrier to a friendship.

Now is the time that all churches ensure that the doors of their houses are open to all colors.

NOW is the time to be diversely strong and be united in Jesus for the betterment of our nation.

When God is the center piece of our lives, as society changes
When the Word of God is read and lived out, lives change
When prayer is a continual part of ones life, lives change
When love God and love others is our theology, lives change
When mercy is our reaction towards haters, lives change
When forgiveness is limitless, lives change
When living the Jesus life, lives change
When sharing the Jesus story, lives change

When Satan no longer has opportunity to steal, kill and destroy, life change

For there to be less hatred and color profiling, God must lead, Jesus must live in our hearts as Lord and the Spirit must be alive and active within us. 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian