John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
“Our God” by Chris Tomlin (with lyrics)
If you have been watching the news lately, you have been bombarded with images of chaos in Baltimore. It is no doubt disturbing, but where we see tragedy, the Lord sees opportunity. Man’s garbage is the Lord’s treasure. Where we see loss, the Lord sees potential gain. In many parts of the world, farmers who are clearing new land, set it on fire. They burn everything. You see the ashes are a natural fertilizer. From those ashes will spawn beautiful healthy crops. That’s amazing isn’t it? I love the way that God works. Hallelujah! In the wake of destruction, new life is wrought. Praise God! Let us not focus on the negative destruction. Instead, let us focus on renewal. Let us focus on building anew. Let us focus on dismantling and restructuring our broken justice system. Let us lobby our government to invest in our communities. America spent billions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Let us convince them to invest here in America. Let us demand that our tax dollars not be wasted. Let us stop spending more money on prisons than schools. Let us be united in these noble efforts. If we believe, we can achieve. Amen!
Where we see poverty and despair, God sees hope and promise. Hallelujah! The Lord believes in us. It is high time that we believe in ourselves. Let us stop making excuses and start working toward solutions. Amen! Stop sitting around talking about it and stand up and do something. As individuals in a democracy, our powers are limited when we are alone. However, when we come together, we are a mighty and powerful force indeed. In the name of Jesus, stand up and be proactive. Let us stop pointing fingers. We all bare the responsibility for the way things are. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of this issue being considered a black issue. We are all human beings. Color is moot and meaningless; or at least it should be. God does not see color. It is only our sinful nature which makes such a foolish distinction. We need to realize that what is done to one of us is done to all of us. The reason why things are the way they are is because we are divided. There are those in power who like it that way because we are easier to control that way. They don’t want us to unite. The devil loves contention. 
Wake up in the name of Jesus. Open your eyes in Christ’s name. Stop watching and start doing. Find ways to improve and enrich the lives of others; for in so doing, you will improve and enrich your own life.
By the power of love, we can overcome. By the power of love, we can taste victory. By the power of love, we can defeat all of the negative “isms” that plague us. God is love and love is God. Let us not wage war on peace; rather, let us wage peace on war. Amen! Let us strive to be like Acts 4:32 – Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
We can overcome this, my brothers and sisters. Even from where I sit in chains, I believe that – for my trust and hope is in the Lord. So should it be with all of you. Thank God for all the good people doing good in their communities. God bless you all.
I leave you with this: Philippians 3:12-16 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold 
of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 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. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
May God bless and keep you! May we rise from the ashes as one people!
Love in Christ,
Randall