God is at Work in the midst of Tragedy

As a handful of people try to move American's away from being "one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all," the rest of us
must take a stand for what our fellow Americans died to establish and
protect. 

Everyday, our soldiers sacrifice the comforts of home life in America, and
put themselves in harms way to protect the freedoms we enjoy in this
country.

Our freedom did not come cheap in this country, and our freedom is not
self-sustaining.  People with common interest must stand together to protect
the freedom that others have determined to destroy.

Christians, this week, Satan took a hate-filled, lone gunman (someone taught
him and he has plenty of peers) in Charleston South Carolina, and pulled off
an intimidation trick in God's house.

The Emmanuel AME, church family, took in a stranger and showed him the love
of Jesus, and the stranger killed nine people.

What is the intimidation trick.  Satan is trying to put fear in local
churches and cause us to look at strangers searching for meaning in life,
with suspicion.

Christians, non-Christians are getting sick and tired of searching for
something and always finding nothing of lasting value in the world around
us.  Many non-Christians know about God, so they visit churches to learn
more.  In Bible based churches, "seekers" will find more than religion.
"Seekers" will find a lasting relationship with the living God of all the
universe, through Jesus. 

Satan, wants to hinder our leading the stranger to Christ. 

The love that Pastor Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Susie Jackson,  Ethel
Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Simmons, Sr.,
Sharonda Singleton, Myra Thompson, and the rest of the Emanuel family showed
the lone gunman, before the hate in his heart led him to kill, will be the
very force that draws Him to a real encounter with Jesus (let us pray for
his salvation).  God is at work even in the midst of tragedy.

To the Emanuel AME family, we love you, we are praying for you, and we thank
you for reminding us to demonstrate the love that gets the world's attention
(John 13:35).

God Bless,

Pastor Brian Kennedy, Sr.
Mtzionontario.com