Have You Ever Been Rescued From A Dangerous Situation?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock over the last few weeks, you know that our nation – our world – is walking through dangerous times. The steadfast societal structures we depend upon are showing us exactly how weak they are.
Terrorists continue to take lives in large numbers in our greates cities worldwide. The presidential election is as wild as a circus. Two lives were tragically ended in the same week in Louisiana and Minnesota during routine police encounters. Madmen commit mass murder against partiers in Florida and target police protecting protesters in Texas. To make matters worse, social media gives everyone with a phone in their hand the opportunity to vehemently vent their opposing views. Contagious hate boils over and anger is in the air! The command from Jesus to“Love Your Enemies” seems too hard for us to bear.
We need a rescue. Our societal structures were never meant to save us. They are man-made creations. They can be torn apart by mankind as well. It has been well said, “The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”
The right question is not, “Why did he/she/they do it?” Any answer you decide upon will be inadequate at best. The Why? question leads most often to more hate, blame, and fear. The right question is, “How can I get involved in the rescue operation God is activating around me right now?”
There is some benefit in understanding the mindset that produces the terrible act. The damage is already done by any evil you know about by the time you know about it! The time to act passionately and aggressively in someone’s life is NOW.
Every ignorant or evil shooter; every loud and violent voice; was once someone’s neighbor, friend or classmate. There is a old saying about lighting a candle in the darkness. These words in their original context are transformed into a powerful dividing line. Some only fret and vent, while others get personally involved in reaching out to rescue and heal.
It was first said in 1907 by the English Wesleyan Minister, William Lonsdale Watkinson:
“But denunciatory rhetoric is so much cheaper than good works, and proves to be a popular temptation. Yet is is far better to light the candle than to curse the darkness.”
Prosecutors and investigators have long used a proven formula for finding suspects. They look for someone with these characteristics: Motive, Means, Opportunity, and the absence of an Alabi. When God provides these same factors as a bridge for you into someone’s life, then it is a sin NOT to ACT!
Every crisis that erupts is another opportunity. There are always hurting people around us who need to be rescued from the edge of evil.
This Sunday at RiverTown I’ll show you how to use God’s word in the story of Abraham rescuing his nephew Lot (Genesis 14) to determine when and how YOU could and should be His arm of rescue.
See You Sunday,
Pastor David Rathel
Check Out The Video From Last Sunday’s Message:
