Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017

While the nation continues to fight over the future of Confederate statues, most people understand that those statues are not the point of the fight, but merely a physical entity, something tangible, that some see as a representation of our nation’s checkered past with race relations. The real struggle is in our hearts and minds, something completely intangible, and therefore incredibly difficult to pin down. There is only one person able to truly change hearts and minds: Jesus. Pastor Josh Whitlow of Heights Church in Richmond, VA gave a sermon the day after the Charlottesville riots on the Holy Spirit. One of his main points was this: “Being filled with the Holy Spirit doesn’t make me better than you, it makes me better than me.” Welcoming Christ into your life means that the King of kings is living inside you, and that residency gives strength, freedom, guidance, and unending love. But does that make you better than your neighbor? No, it only makes you a better version of yourself. So when it comes to the issue of white supremacy or other race hatred, if having the King of kings living within you doesn’t make you better than your neighbor, how could the color of your skin make any difference? Pray today for Jesus to touch the hearts and minds of those still harboring hatred and resentment against their fellow man. Stand ready to share the life-changing news of Jesus Christ to all who have ears.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20 ESV