Praying for Good Over Evil......

Yesterday was a day of many emotions for me. The terrible deaths of 9 believers in Christ in Charleston hit home around Montgomery and I heard on the news last night that many churches, including mine, took time to talk about and pray for the families AND the shooter.

Many news people have been stunned and overwhelmed with emotion over the way in which this group of family members and church members AND the town itself has handled what has happened.

Those of us who are believers should not be surprised about how our fellow sisters and brothers handled it and this should spur us on to think about our reactions to tragedy in our own city, our churches and our families.

As followers of Christ, we have instructions on how to deal with things that come our way in life. These Christians in Charleston chose to follow those instructions. Here is a reminder for all of us today as we face whatever comes our way as we live out the gospel in the GREATER Montgomery area. Let's step up and be examples to the world as well.  Let's blow the socks off the world and SHOW them the Jesus Way in EVERY aspect of our lives.

So we start with this each day:
Psalm 139:23-24 says this:  "Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting".

Then we remember these words as we go about our days.
Romans 12:9-21
 Love must be sincere.
 Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
 Be devoted to one another in love.
Honor one another above yourselves.
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.
Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.
Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord.
 On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Pray over this each day this week and ask the Lord to reveal to you and to all followers of Christ in the Greater Montgomery area the ways in which we need to show TRUE LOVE to others that we work with, live with and share a neighborhood with.