Dr. Rick Mandl - October 30, 2020
What Will Heal Our Land?
Devotional Manuscript: What Will Heal Our Land?
Message by Dr. Rick Mandl, Friday, October 30, 2020.
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
Hey church family, I wanted to share a little bit with you from what has become my favorite book this month. It’s called “One Blood” by John M. Perkins, he is a black pastor and a senior leader in the evangelical church in America. This book “One Blood” is subtitled “Parting Words To The Church On Race And Love.” This is a book that our staff and board are currently reading through. And I would recommend it to you. And one of the things that I love about this book is what the author, John Perkins, identifies as the starting point in this whole conversation about race and reconciliation and the key to winning the battle.
Let me share with you a little bit of what he writes... Perkins says., "Since the beginning of time Satan has not cahnged his approach. He hasn't changed anything. He hasn't needed to. The poison that he used in the garden still works today. We've each fel;t his fiery darts - the darts of prejudice, discouragement, apathy, complacency. And we can certainly see how his darts have crippled the church. There's more working against the church coming together across ethnic and cultural lines than just our personal preferences. The Enemy has staked his claim on keeping us divided and keeping us from trusting one another. He knows that what Jesus said before He went to Calvary was true, that if we are one- the world will believe! The devil believes in God's Word. I wish we did.
He's launched a fierce attack: 'For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Some people don't believe we should talk abotu the devil. They think that by talking about him we give him more power than he desreves. I don't think it makes sense to go into battle and not know who you’re fighting against.”
The chapter I’ve been reading from is titled “Prayer, The Weapon Of Our Warfare” and in this chapter Perkins says, “In this battle for biblical reconciliation, we don’t go against the enemy with swords, spears and javelins. We don’t fight with small stones and slingshots. We pray. We pray. We pray because the battle is the Lord’s." In this chapter Perkins suggests several things for which we can be praying. He begins with... Pray for His will to be done; Pray for our Hearts; Pray for our brothers and sisters; Pray for organizations that are fighting for reconciliation; And finally, Pray for the Church – for it’s God’s hope for the world.
When facing a problems as huge as the divisions that plague our nation right now, as I was reading the challenge that John Perkins gives us, I was reminded of the words of Hudson Taylor who said, “It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.” There is tremendous power in prayer. And that’s why we’re inviting you to join us for a day of fasting and prayer for our nation this Sunday, November 1. We'll be . . . . Praying for the upcoming election; Praying for restoration and reconciliation; Praying for the next generation; Praying for anything for which you would like prayer. We’re encouraging all of you to fast and pray this Sunday. And then as many of you as are available to join us for a zoom prayer meeting this Sunday at 3:00. If you’d like to be part of that zoom prayer meeting, just reply to this email and I’ll send you details. I hope to have all of you praying with us this Sunday, November 1st.
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
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