Loving Others Who Are Different

  Praying for the END of Racism.........there is an old saying, "Sunday mornings at 11a.m. is the most segregated hour of the week." Only statement this week...what are you doing to bridge the gap of racism in your community? 

 I found this verse very interesting as I have never seen it used with racism...but it applies. James 2:9 ESV "But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors".

Are you showing partiality in your daily life? Are you judging someone or making assumptions because of the color of that person's skin?

Prayer points this week:
1. Ask the Lord to show you anything in you that would cause you to judge others based on the color of someone's skin or their culture. Psalm 139:23-24

2. Ask the Lord to help you to be fair in your dealings with ALL people. Judge their hearts not their skin.

3. Pray for Christian churches of ALL denominations to work together in harmony for the Kingdom. Pray for a NEW HEART in EVERY Christian in the GREATER MONTGOMERY AREA..

Colossians 3:10-11 ESV
"And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,

Suffering

This week, there has been a lot of suffering in a lot of families in the Greater Montgomery area. Some of those families don't know the Lord but many do. This blog post by one of Montgomery pastors, Alan Cross,from Gateway Baptist, sheds some good light on how to handle suffering.

This week:
1. pray for those who you know are suffering...ask the Lord to help those who are followers of Christ to honor God through the suffering.

2. For those who are suffering who are not followers of Christ, ask the Lord to fill them with such a great love and peace that they will KNOW He is God and they will desire His presence in their lives.

3. Pray for all who are suffering to know the Lord's presence,whatever they may be going through.


http://www.downshoredrift.com/downshoredrift/2012/10/what-do-we-mean-when-we-say-god-is-in-control.html

Praying About Crime in the Greater Montgomery Area

A person I know got victimized. Well, someone broke into their home and stole some "things". The person was caught and the victim decided to forgive them. Why, you ask? Because as the victim said; "This boy has far more going on in his heart than my possessions are worth. I need to forgive him and let him know so that he can know that somewhere out there, Christ will not only forgive him but make him whole. And...if he had killed me, I KNOW where I am going, he does not. I need to be able to SHOW him God's forgiveness." 

WOW....what a great disciple of Christ that person is. I wonder as we read the papers or watch the news tonight, if we saw each criminal as that person does...as a human being with DEEP ROOTED hurt. See, the "crime" is always a symptom of the heart. It is not fair or excusable what a person does, but as Christians, we need to SEE that person through GOD'S EYES instead of our own.

Jesus was pretty strong about forgiveness of others when you are wronged. Even when we see someone who has wronged someone else..........here are a few verses to ponder this week:

Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. "

Luke 6:35-38;42
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." ... How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Pray for Montgomery as our public safety officers fight crime, for victims and for the perpetrators as well. Crime is a SYMPTOM of a LARGER heart issue. Pray for HEARTS to be changed in the Greater Montgomery area!

Helping the Poor In Greater Montgomery

This morning I got a call from an elderly lady here in Montgomery on a fixed income. She was wondering how she was going to pay for her Diabetes meds this week. She has too much income for Medicaid/Medicare insurance and not enough to pay for the meds. What does she do? She has worked all her life. She was a good citizen. She doesn't mooch off anyone. BUT..she doesn't bring in enough to pay for medication.

Most of us say that we don't want the government interfering in our lives and imposing "insurance" on us. Right? But we are not willing to do anything in return for "no government interference".

I would challenge you today to "rethink" your opinions of "the poor" here in Montgomery. Over 17% live below the poverty level. Most are the "working poor" that don't have enough income to make it. Most are hard working people. A lot of our "poor" here in Montgomery have mental and physical disabilities that deter them from "working" enough to make ends meet. Only a "small" percentage of people actually "fit" the stereotype of what most people call "bums". And even then, the Lord makes it very clear in the Bible that there are no "stipulations" to helping the poor.
Here are a few verse to remind us of our responsibility this wonderful Monday morning.

"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Proverbs 31:8-9

"He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished."
-Proverbs 17:5

"He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty."
-Proverbs 22:16

"Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"
-Matthew 19:21

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses."
-Proverbs 28:27

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
-1 Timothy 6:17-19
What are you doing today to care for the poor here in the Greater Montgomery area???

Just some scripture to ponder and pray over!
Happy Monday!