You Are The Answer

    Lately God is reminding me that He made me the way
I am for a reason. He gave me a voice for a reason. He gave me a heart for those
hurting for a reason.  All my suffering
was not in vain. God is using my pain. My pain unites me with my brother who is
suffering. I stand in solidarity with the person who is in pain and loudly
proclaim there is hope.

I can’t keep silent anymore. Well let’s be honest I rarely keep silent, but this my friends needs to be said.

We are the answer. Christ follower do you realize
that? Do you understand what that means? Yes. I understand God provides. I
believe whole heartedly in the power of my God, but I also believe whole
heartedly in the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. God uses us.

So stop making excuses. Quit telling the hungry I
will pray for you, Quit telling the homeless God will provide. Quit telling
those without hope I will pray for you. Show them hope. Enter into a
relationship with them. Feed the hungry. Do something.

Of course pray see how God can use you in this
situation. Once you’ve prayed don’t stop. Do something. Jesus didn’t just meet
spiritual needs. He cared very deeply about the physical needs of people. He
called us to care for one another. Have we forgotten that?

Your life is not about the American dream. If you
are a Christian then you are first and foremost a Christian. Your life is about
so much more than accumulating status, wealth, security and power. Your life is
about bringing God’s kingdom to earth.

So what are you going to do about it? The world
needs YOU. Do you realize that? All of us are here on this earth to be used by
God. Our life is not our own.

Now before you go all crazy on me of course I
believe in prayer. Pray your heart out. God works miracles through prayer.
After you pray remember sometimes YOU are the answer. Prayer is not a
replacement for action. Listen to the way God taught us to pray “Thy Kingdom
Come Thy Will Be Done on Earth As It
Is In Heaven” We are supposed to boldly usher in the Kingdom not just passively
wait.

I’m not saying this as someone who is looking down
on you. I am saying this as someone who has been hurt again and again by the
Christian who talks and talks and talks but has no action. I am saying this
because my friends are hurting. I am saying this as someone who forgets on a
regular basis the power within me. I am saying this as someone who regularly
chooses the American dream instead of the kingdom reality.

 So call me a
hippie, tell me I am a dreamer, point out Acts 2:42-47 and tell me that was a
different time, or my favorite call me a socialist. Oh and say it like it’s a dirty
word. I don’t have energy anymore to argue what the bible
says. I just want to do it. I just want to love because I have tasted the
sweetness of living in the Kingdom. I just want to love, because this world so desperately
needs it. I so desperately need it.You my friends need this love and grace too. 

There
is nothing more beautiful than being in community with people who understand
this. There is nothing more beautiful then when we gather together, share what
we have, pray, hug, and help those in need. Don’t waste the power God has given
you. Church in America don’t settle. This world needs You. This country needs
you. You are the answer that your hurting neighbor is waiting for. You have the
hope of the Jesus in you. Don’t waste it. Don’t settle for religion. Don’t
settle for following a list of rules. Don’t settle for just showing up on
Sunday.