ALL LOST LIVES MATTER
The time is now!
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that!”
Martin Luther King Jr.
With all that’s going on in America, the time is now! I have seen more Racism in the last 6 years than I think I have in my 51 years of existence. More violence, more hate, more corruption. And now more than ever the world, this country needs a savior.
I was born in the times of Martin Luther King and grew up during the race riots of the ’70s, sure there were fights and people got hurt, but rarely did anyone get killed. But now we are all targets. It doesn’t matter if you're black, white, Hispanic, or if you're gay, or if you carry the wrong flag, you’re a target. There is now someone out there with enough hate in their heart who will kill you for something you believe in. if you're Christian or Muslim, or Jewish you’re a target, the violence is senseless, it's hurting our country, and it ultimately hurts God's heart.
In my time we have had our differences, but at the end of the day the one thing we all took pride in, that bridged the gap, was the fact that we were all proud to be Americans! Americans from a country that was founded on Christian beliefs, and biblical principles. That put God in everything we did, God was in our schools, was in our courtrooms, and was in our white house!
And the game-changer that I see is that we have lost that pride, that one common denominator, our Christian values.
So Christians the time is now! The time to take back our communities, to stand our ground just like our forefathers did, and say not here! The one thing that binds us, that glues us together as believers, is we have one God, one Savior, on mission, and one purpose. No matter the color of our skin, what language we speak, or the flag we fly, we are all children of God!
So Christians I challenge you all to stand for your community, stand for your beliefs, and turn this country back around one life at a time!
Pastor Chris Bray
Sermon excerpt 7-10-2016
I had a sermon all laid out, but my heart hurts for our country and I had to put it to the side so that I could let God speak through me! So, I will be brief, and to the point, and I ask that this week you be in prayer for our country as we heal from the division and lack of tolerance in our country! And as we have been saying it’s time for some revival, it’s time for God's church to reach their communities!
So how do we as a church start to reach our community?
First, we must understand our role in the gospel
God gave us the freedom to live and act the way we want
1 Corinthians 9:1–5 (ESV)
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?
2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me.
4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
· The beauty of the gospel and the God we serve is that we have the right to be free to do what we want
· What sets us apart is that God gives us the free choice to love Him and obey Him
· And what the world needs to see is us doing just that!
But if we love Him, we serve Him, and serve others to bring them to Christ!
1 Corinthians 9:19–27 (NLT)
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.
· We are to serve ALL people
· I don’t care if they’re black or white
· I don’t care if they’re gay or straight
· I don’t care if they’re rednecks or yuppies
· I DON’T CARE
· It’s time to stop judging and start loving all people
20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.
· We need to become all things to all people
· I don’t care who you vote for
· I don’t care what your education is
· It’s time to put all that aside and start connecting with others!
21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
· People in the bars need Jesus
· People in the strip clubs need Jesus
· People at work need Jesus
· Your next-door neighbor needs Jesus
· Protestors need Jesus
· White people need Jesus
· Black people need Jesus
· Democrats need Jesus
· Republicans need Jesus
· So stop looking down your noses and start sharing the Good news
22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.
· We need to find common ground with everyone
· And it starts right here
· We have people from every background
· Every Education level
· Some wealthy, some not
· And if we can put our differences behind us
· And show the world, God loves everyone
· We can change our community, one life at a time
·
23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
· We need to be doing everything we can short of sinning ourselves to share the gospel
· We can heal a community, a nation, a world
· But it takes us to sacrifice first
It takes obedience to God and His word
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
· It’s time to run to win
· It’s time to Step out on faith
· It’s time Stop worrying about cost
· It’s time to Start thinking in terms of what will it take
· It’s time to Start thinking in terms of what do I need to do
· There was a time when God's Church, this church went all out
· There was a time when God's Church, this church stepped out on faith
· There was a time when we all pitched in!
· Because we knew all lost lives mattered!
26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.
· It’s time to get our focus back, the wakeup call is NOW!
· It’s time to start walking in faith, like never before!
· It’s time to get back on mission
· It’s time to stop taking the easy way, the path of least resistance!
· It’s time to get the heart of Jesus, your Savior, for the lost and wayward of this world!
· It's time!
27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
· It’s time to be disciplined
· It’s time to do whatever it takes
· It’s time to be on mission
· It’s time to show the world Jesus is the only way!!
Close!
It’s time to realize all LOST lives matter!!
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