This also applies to those of you in other cities and in other countries. Incidents like this happen in your city and in your country, also. But, two nights ago on 37th Street in Savannah there was an officer-involved shooting. The cameras that the men wore showed the GBI exactly what happened.
I'm not going to get into who was right and who was wrong. I want to get into the fact that this incident would have never happened at all if those that call themselves Christians had been as vigilant about their business as these brave volunteer officers were about theirs.
God has given those that call on His Name a power greater than any weapon or show of force that this world has ever known. It is called prayer. I don't have the time nor the space to even begin to list the things that people have accomplished through prayer. It is more powerful than any sickness or injury. God's grace and the blood of His Son when they are applied through prayer is greater than any sin that holds the soul of men and women.
2 Chronicles 7:14 said that if His people would pray that He would heal their land. That's a simple solution to the complex problem of violence in our city. It is so simple that a little child could do it. But, you and I both have seen innocent children's lives taken by useless violence. When are we going to step up and protect our children?
When are you going to understand that the police force is not the major answer to the problem in our city? The real answer is when God changes the hearts of the sinner and turns their hatred into love. Guns and force doesn't bring that answer. That answer only comes when people become concerned enough to daily set aside the time to pray.
The issues of crime are not black and they are not white. The great issue is sin. The great answer is when the people of Savannah--regardless of color, regardless of religion, regardless of nationality--decide to join hands in love and in prayer for the sinners.
We can pray in our homes. We can pray in our churches. Some of us have already gathered daily for prayer. We can get together and pray in the parks. We can pray on the sidewalks. We can pray silently. We can pray out loud. We can sing as we pray. We can dance before the Lord as we worship Him.
Men and women are so ungodly in this town that they think it's the normal thing to rob, maim and kill. They do it freely. They plot with each other. They encourage each other to be evil. They invite others to help them break the law and destroy innocent lives.
I'm asking the Christians that are seriously concerned about the violence in our city to take their concern to the next level. Make up your mind like some of the rest of us have already done and pray earnestly every day against the ungodly violence in this place. The power of prayer can go a lot farther than the police can. It can stop the violence before it ever begins by turning the sinner's heart to a loving God.
Tomorrow I'll post a prayer pattern for you to follow. But, don't wait until tomorrow. Start today and ask the Lord to show you and all of us how to effectively pray for the lost in this city. Let's unite our love and our faith and help the police force control this city.
Thank you
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