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Barrington Brennen |
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Everywhere you turn, people are crying "help."
It’s
not only cries from wounds or broken bones caused by auto accidents. It is not
just cries from painful robberies experienced the night before. It is the loud
cries from wounded and hurting families who feel trapped, alienated, confused
and powerless. It is the cries from tired parents, love hungry teenagers, and
angry spouses. It is the cries from exhausted parents who are just about to give
up on their troublesome, drug-crazed teenagers. It is the cries from school
teachers whose skills seem inept against the defiant and violent behaviors of
the disrespectful students. There are even more cries coming from behind prison
walls where many feel the pain of rejection. The rejection of their parents and
peers early in their lives led them to lives of hurting others just to get even.
It is true that not all who need help are crying. These tearless citizens are
numbed by either the prolonged, painful journey of life they have experienced,
or they were never truly taught right from wrong. They have no idea they are in
a mess.
People are crying because they do not know what to do. Some
are crying because deep down in side they know they have placed themselves in
the vicious cycle of pain and pleasure, ups and downs. Their only knowledge of
how to relieve the pain or how to get out of the mess isn’t working. The truth
is most people are crying because they have been too stubborn to learn, too
stubborn to change, and too proud to admit their faults. They have locked
themselves as it seems in a bottomless pit of shameful deceits where the
slippery walls of ignorance and pride surround them preventing any attempt to
get out.
How can we fix this? Is their hope for our families? Yes
there is hope, but only after we apply the following basic four ingredients.
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BRAIN POWER
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To fix our families we first need lots of brain power. Everyone has a
brain but too many are lacking the mental energy to do something about
what is wrong. Too many are lacking the intellect, knowledge and ethos
that are so greatly needed at this time in our nation. Historically it
seems that we are more famous for just standing by and "leaving it
alone" or not probing deeply into the reasons for our nations’
problems. Or is it we are not really aware that there is a problem? I can
hear many shouting "What is wrong?" or "If it isn’t
broken don’t fix it."
Too long have we stood on the side and let negative
traditions and so called cultural norms take control of our society. Every
citizen can develop this brain power. Having the brain power means that we are
willing to think, change, feel and then act. Having the brain means that we are
willing to say that something is wrong. Having the brain power means that we are
not sleeping but wide awake and have not allowed the pain around us to sap us or
own ability to think and reason.
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EMOTIONAL POWER
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Another important ingredient for change is the ability to feel the pain
that surrounds us. It is allowing ourselves to get angry at what is wrong
in our society. Francis Shaffer in his book "A Time for Anger - the
Myth of Neutrality" reminds us that if there is anyone who should be
angry and do something about the ills in the society it is the Christian.
How can we sit down like cold insensitive creatures and do not allow
ourselves to be touched by the pain of others? How can we not shed tears
over the loss of innocent lives? How can we not weep over the repeated
sexual molestations of innocent toddlers by persons whom they should
trust? How can we not cry over the teenage girl pregnant with her third
child and dying of AIDS? How can we not feel the pain of a
fifteen-year-old boy who is raped by his uncle? How can we not get angry
at the husband who leaves his faithful wife for another woman, gets her
pregnant, and expects his wife to take care of the baby? How can we not
get angry when visiting pastors wives from abroad are solicited for sex by
make-believe good-natured men who are really male prostitutes? How can we
not get emotional when married men enjoy being seduced in a public night
club by female lap dancers? How can we not get angry when mothers leave
their children at home while they go out all night on the town having
multiple sex partners?
We must feel it. Until we are able to feel the pain and allow
out emotions to get involved, we will not be able to fix the problem. We need
the intellect so badly, but we also need the feelings. When we have intellect
(brain power) without feelings we have a cold family or society. Let’s start
feeling.
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MUSCLE POWER
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After utilizing our brain and emotional powers we must now have the
muscle power. We cannot just talk and cry about the problem, we must get
up and do something about it. Having the muscle power means that after
going through the mental processes of reasoning from cause to effect, and
allowing ourselves to feel, we now put into action what has been
discussed. In truth when we allow ourselves to honestly think and feel we
create an energy to get up and go. It calls for everyone doing their part,
no matter how small. We cannot be satisfied being labeled lazy or docile.
Muscle power dose not only mean marching against crime or attending
important planning meetings. It is more importantly participating in the
process of change.
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SPIRITUAL POWER
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What is greatly needed today is the spiritual power to change our
nation. The forces of evil are surrounding and weakening us. Having
spiritual power means that we are relying on God to give us the wisdom and
strength to make the change first in our own lives and then in the live of
others. It is admitting that the evil forces are too great to battle
alone. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-13.
(New Living
Translation):
10. "A final word: Be strong with the Lord's mighty
power. 11. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm
against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. 12. For we are not fighting
against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and
authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who
rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. 13. Use
every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that
after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Unless we allow the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to
take control of our lives, another powerful force (although not as powerful)
will overwhelm us. Too many of us under estimates the power of Satan. His main
mission is to "seek out those he can destroy." His main target is the
family. If he can weaken the family then the church, government, and the
community is lost. We must be spiritually alert not to allow the subtle power of
the devil to overtake us. We are told in 1 Peter 5:8:
"Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil,
your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some
victim to devour."
Let us get closer to God. Too many of us are just going to
church. We are truly church going people. However, far too many are not allowing
the God of their religion to control their lives. Too many are just mesmerized
by the awe and power of their leaders, or by the sensational and
emotionally-packed services they attend each week. Too often church is just a
parade of dress and hat styles, or a grandiose show of talents and
entertainment. Too many go to church to have their emotions perked up rather
than having their intellect stimulated and spiritual power renewed. This is
certainly not spirituality. This is the type of "spirituality" that
destroying of families and nations. It is now the time that we seek a more
genuine relationship with our Redeemer. It is now the time that we get real in
our spiritual relationship with Jesus.
BALANCE ALL FOUR
Many feel that having spiritual power alone is enough to
transform our families and nation. This is not so. We need a balance among all
four ingredients. We can have all night prayer meetings and candle light vigils,
but if the power we are experiencing is not motivating us to get into action, it
is not the right power. True spiritual power frees us from the attitude of
indifference. It allows us to get in touch with our feelings and then propels us
into unprecedented action. True spiritual power releases the gifts of the spirit
in us. It allows the individual talents to shine. Not all may be on a committee,
paint houses, conduct seminars, or march to protest the high level of crime. But
all can speak out against the evils by their vote, calling the police when they
have witnessed a violation of a law, and not turning their heads when they know
of wrong doing in their church or community.
Dear reader, let us work together to fix our nation. We can do it. Let us
join all powerful forces of thinking, praying, feeling, and doing to make a
difference in nation. Now is the time for action. Let our tears be seen when
pain is inflicted. Let our feet be heard marching against the war of crime. Let
our hands be heard using the hammers of justice of truth. Let of voices be heard
speaking loudly against all wicked action. Let our hearts and hands reach out to
the incest and rape victim and the abused and robbery victim. Even so let us
reach out to the perpetrator, helping him or her to change and live a new life.
Let our hold body spring into action in every home, church, and community. Let’s
fix our nation.
