What is The Solution?

“For nation will rise against nation” (Matthew 24:7)

In a moment of anger and frustration over the current destruction and lawlessness in Ferguson, Missouri, I recently made some online comments that I now deeply regret. I was not being part of the solution, but rather, part of the problem. And for that I apologize to all.

What is the solution, if any, to generations of racial tension, division, hatred, violence, and injustice?

The great divide in our country is not a problem of black against white, liberal against conservative, democrat against republican

The solution is first realizing that the problem is a spiritual problem—an issue of the heart.

I've learned and experienced, that what comes out of a man is only what was already inside him. Hatred, vengeance, even murder—are in the heart of human beings. 

Jesus said murder begins in the heart.

"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (Matthew 15:19)

Maybe you’ve never physically killed someone. But to Christ, hating someone is the same as murdering him. Lusting after someone who is not your wife or husband is just the same as actually committing the physical act of adultery.

Man looks at what is on the outside of a person, their appearance, but God sees the heart.

So what is the solution?

Jesus said, “A man must be born again.”

The nature or ‘spirit’ of mankind is sinful and fallen. We need a spiritual re-birth—a new heart. And only God through Jesus Christ can give that.

The last six thousand years of world history is proof enough that man on his own does not possess the power or goodness within himself to solve the world’s problems of hatred, racism, division, and war.

Only Christ is the solution.

If you really are open, and are searching for truth, for the solution, for the spiritual re-birth that only Christ can give, then you will find it through Him.

And you start by crying out to God. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

Then begin with reading the Bible, John chapter 3, verses 1-21.

If you genuinely seek Christ you will find Him.

This is the solution to the world’s problems.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails

Set Free From The Past

“Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” (Philippians 3:13)

Dwelling on the past.

We all do it.

Someone hurt us. Rejected us. Broke our heart. Neglected us. Even abused us. They weren't there for us when we needed them. They told us we were a disappointment to them.

Everyone has, at one time in their life, carried around some serious emotional baggage from their past.

And sadly, many people still carry it.

Wouldn't you like to, once and for all, be free from the oppressive, heavy weight of that baggage?

Personally, I know only one Counselor who was able to set me free from the pain, shame and oppression of my troubled past.

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Doesn't it give you great hope that God Himself is your Counselor!

And what He spoke through Paul, He speaks to us today, that we have to forget those things which are behind us. Forget the past. And reach forward to those things which are ahead.

Part of forgetting the past is forgiving those who hurt us.

"Easier said than done" you say?

Bitterness and unforgiveness will destroy a person.

A friend of mine once said,

"Unforgiveness is like drinking poison, hoping the other person will die."

Choosing to forgive someone who hurt you is not saying that what they did to you was okay.

What they did to you was not okay.

Forgiveness means that you, from your heart, are choosing to release that person from the debt of your unforgiveness.

And in the process, you are setting yourself free from your self-imposed bitter prison.

You can be set free. Your broken heart can be healed.

Jesus said:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed.” (Luke 4:18)

The Mighty God—Jesus. His name is also called Wonderful, Counselor, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.

You will know His peace when you choose to forgive the people and forget the hurts of your past, and look forward to the wonderful things that are ahead for all who trust in Jesus and look for His appearing.

Jesus promised us:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

In our opening verse, Paul not only said to forget those things which are behind us. But he said we're to be reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

Jesus is our future, but He is also present with us right now. Reach for Him. Cry out to Him. Trust in Him. Reach out for those things He has for you right now—like the people He has placed all around you who need His love, kindness and compassion.

Paul said:

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-15)

The goal Paul speaks of here is to make Jesus known to whoever will listen, to whoever will hear and believe the Gospel and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

And the prize is when Jesus calls us upward, to be with Him in the place He has prepared for us. And that prize is free. You can't earn it. It's a free gift to all those who have chosen to believe in Jesus as Savior and who have surrendered their hearts to Him who loves us; having died for us while we were still sinners.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Godly, bible-based counseling can be very beneficial.

But there is only One whose name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,

His name is Jesus.

No matter how bad your past was, no matter where you're at, no matter what you've done, reach out for Him today.

Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, to bring liberty to the captives, and to set free those who are oppressed.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

In God's Image

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:27) 

"God created man in His own image."

This is, in my opinion, perhaps, one of the most misunderstood passages in the entire Bible.


What image (or likeness) is God?

"God is not a man, that He should lie." (Numbers 23:19)

God is Spirit. He is invisible. Jesus said, 

"No one has seen God at any time." (John 1:18). 

God is not a man, He is eternal Spirit. And He has given us an eternal spirit. Our current body is not eternal. 

Thus, to be created in "God's own image" is to be made an invisible, eternal spirit—the life force that is who we are at our very essence.

The Son of Man, Jesus, is said to be the "image of the invisible God." (Colossians 1:15). Jesus "became flesh." He did not exist in a fleshly body in Heaven prior to coming to earth. He was eternal Spirit; He was with God and He was God. (See John 1:1).

Only God is good. All men are sinners.

Man cannot try to justify his sinful human condition, no matter what that is, by claiming, "I was born this way", or, "I was made in God's image." 

We were all born sinners, and we are all commanded to repent and turn from our sin and turn to God.

"Truly, these (former) times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus Christ) whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31)

But you can be spared from God's coming judgment by surrendering to His current and eternal love.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)   

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.