After I graduated from college, Tiffany and I began our journey into the ministry. I will never forget the churches we looked at. There was a church in Wyoming that was looking for a youth pastor. The pastor was great but I couldn't see myself falling in love with ranches and rodeos. So we passed on that church.
Then we started to look at another church. They invited us to visit and meet with their team. We didn't take the job. The main reason we turned away from that position was because the church people were struggling with racism. They asked me point blank, "How do you feel about ______ people?" There was a problem and they wanted to know what side we were on. We quickly learned that God was not calling us to that church.
Racism is a difficult thing in our country. We have overcome those obstacles but there are still traces of it. Traces of it in Lagrange County sorry to say. If there is anywhere for people to have the opportunity to start over, it would be in the church and it will be available for anyone, regardless of skin color. That is how God wants it.
Peter had a problem with racism. Peter was a Jewish man who was committed to reaching other Jews. Until God interrupted him and instructed him to let go of this superior attitude and reach the gentiles.
Read about in Acts 10 or click to view http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+10&version=NIV (Click back arrow on web browser to return)
Peter learned that God wanted to give the opportunity to start over with life in the gentile people. Gentiles are non Jews which is the rest of the population on the planet. And look what happened to Cornelius. He and his family gave their lives to Jesus Christ. Peter was amazed and I'm sure he thought to himself, "I could've missed this if I let racism rule my heart. God can change anyone and it is my job to make him known to all." Peter ended up in Rome, which was the epicenter of the earth at that time, preaching the gospel to all people.
God wants to give the opportunity to start over to anyone. Is there someone who needs this good news that you are holding back sharing with? Learn from Peter today.
As you close: Pray that all white, black, hispanic and whoever else lives in our county will surrender their lives to Jesus Christ and experience the opportunity to start over. Pray that our church will reach all people groups in our area.
God Bless!
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