Praying to End Racism in Montgomery, AL

From Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church.

Racism is an insult to your Creator. GOD chose to make each person the race he wanted them to be, including you.
Racism is a SIN problem, not a SKIN problem!
Racism is an expression of narcissism.

'Anyone who says 'I love God' but hates others is a liar." 1 John 4:20
"Anyone who does not love the people that we CAN see, CANNOT love God whom we do not see!" 1 John 4:20
"If you are nice only to your people, you are no better than everyone else. Even unbelievers do that!" -JESUS , Matthew 5:47
"Whoever hates others is walking around in darkness... and is completely blinded." 1 John 2:11
"Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and no murderer has eternal life in him!" 1 John 3:15
"I tell you this clearly: You must love even your enemies and you must do good even to those who hate you."- JESUS Luke 6:27
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Our challenge in Montgomery.......let us examine ourselves as Psalm 139:23-24 charges us to do and then ask God to change our hearts and minds to love ALL PEOPLE because ALL PEOPLE are God's creation. The way we treat people tells a lot about who we are.......
1. Pray for ourselves, for our hearts to be changed concerning the way we see people.
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. Psalm 139:23-24

2. Pray for others, that they will truly see Christ in us.
“I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it
is Christ who lives in me.”—Galatians 2:20

3. Pray for our city to be reconciled to Christ and to each other.
"And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I
sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will
determine your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7

As Followers of Christ, it is up to us to be able to take the steps to examine ourselves, change our actions and love others. It is not up to just the pastors in our churches, it is up to EVERY. FOLLOWER. OF. CHRIST. to act in a manner that is pleasing to Christ.

"She opened her heart and accepted what Paul said.............."

Tomorrow, the Montgomery Baptist Association will be meeting with a team of people who care deeply about this city. We will be looking at the opportunity to start some new outreach with the ultimate goal of planting new churches. Some church plant dreams include these areas: a deaf church, a Mixtec church(starting VERY SOON), a Chinese church and more.
Would you pray this week for these areas of potential outreach and church planting?
I was reading our Preschool Sunday School lesson the other day for next week and it highlights the conversion, baptism and ministry of a woman, Lydia, who opened her home for a church to meet. I'm wondering what would happen if even a few of us who are followers of Christ opened our home for a Bible Study (if we have not already)that would lead to a new church that was a discipling, missionary church to a people group that may not have that place to gather here in Montgomery to be discipled and worship the Lord. 

"One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying." 
Acts 16:14

Lydia went on to use her home for a church to meet and for Paul to use to share the gospel with others.

Prayer points this week:
Would you pray for those in Montgomery, like Lydia, when having the gospel shared, would "open their hearts" to God and receive Him?
Would you pray for all of our Christian churches to have the fire to go and share the gospel everywhere, like Paul, and share with people who may be different than the followers of Christ in our churches?
Would you pray that WE, as followers of Christ(you and me)would open our hearts and homes to helping the gospel be shared among those who do not know him yet?