The news has been both extremely eventful and extremely tragic this week. I'm sure everyone by now is aware of the tragedy that has taken place in Dallas, Texas. This horrible event followed the tragedies of police-action shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. I have absolutely no interest in this devotional in assigning blame; I wish to address this from another perspective. Whenever tragedies like this occur, one of the questions that's always asked is, "What can we do to stop this from happening again?" At the risk of sounding fatalistic, my answer to that question is simple:
Within ourselves, we can't do anything to stop it.
Let me explain why I say that. The book of Genesis states that God created Adam and Eve. In the process of time they had their firstborn child, a boy they named Cain. Soon after they had another son named Abel. The Bible tells us that Cain eventually murdered his brother Abel. I always make this point from that story:
The first human being born into this world became a murderer, and we've been out to get each other ever since.
Yes, I know that the vast majority of us never have and never will physically taken another human life. But Jesus made an interesting statement in Matthew 5:21-22:
"You have heard that it was said by the ancients, "You shall not murder,' and "Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment."
The Apostle John also said this in I John 3:15:
"Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
I would dare say that none of us could honestly say that we've never been guilty of this, which leads me to my point: mankind in his inherently sinful condition cannot fix sin on his own. Our best intentions and efforts will never remedy the hate and violence that have been in our nature since the Fall. Simply put, we need Divine help. We need revival. In addressing this, Apostle Keith Taylor of Cross Tabernacle in Terre Haute, Indiana made this statement. With his permission I will conclude this week with his thoughts:
"I'm praying out my heart tonight. This Nation is under severe demonic attack - and the Church prayers are silent. We post opinions and hurtful trash that feeds the demonic evil. It's one thing to identify it, yet it's another to become God's voice of love, grace and mercy. The great divides will never be touched in the natural, and religious pointless rants that only deliver name calling and judging in a so called Christian code will only widen the divisions inside churches. Past hurts and wounds that are very real will never heal if we look for a political healing or take religious prejudice medicine over and over again."
"Lord, many have lost family and friends these past few days, and many may have left the face of this earth not knowing You. Lord, many have fallen prey to hate - murder and evil demonic spirits have driven many. Lord, break our hearts, open our eyes, and touch our hardness and help us be broken because of what has taken place and is taking place. Father God. we need Your mercy. Father, we need deliverance. Father, touch Your children and show us how to truly love one another and to love those who do not know You. Father, we are in desperate need of a revival in the midst of our leaders - not only in our Nation, but within Your Church."
"Help us, Father!"
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