On AIDS awareness and people like those at Saddleback!

If you don't already know, today is AIDS awareness day and what continues to strike me is the blatant strength that some "step up" with on topics like this one. For example, the Christians at Saddleback are taking great leaps into stepping out of their comfort zone and meeting needs...worldwide! Have you seen their P.E.A.C.E. plan? Here it is in a nutshell...

The P.E.A.C.E. Plan
Ordinary people empowered by God making a difference together wherever they are.
Planting Churches
Equipping Servant Leaders
Assisting the Poor
Caring for the Sick
Educating the Next Generation

They regard their vision for P.E.A.C.E. in a personal, local, and world-wide way. What a way to do it. They are taking the over 40 million people suffering from AIDS (world-wide) and the issue head on! They are setting up huge goals as a people to reach those in need. I was really moved by a comment that Rick Warren offerred during this campaign to help the AIDS victims. He said our obligation was that God doesn't give you money and notoriety for yourself. He said we should ask the question "God, what do you want me to do with my influence and affluence?"

Have you thought of that? If your family owns one car, you are immediately in the top 6% of affluence in the world! If your family owns two cars, you are now in the top 4% in the world! American poverty (as tragic as it is) is smaller than the world understands. We are in such a position to help and love people...and we should be doing it. Of course, we shouldn't have so many problems on our own soil...the love of money is the root of all ___...but we are also responsible for those who are needy elsewhere, not just in our own backyard.

Saddleback is trying to take their P.E.A.C.E. program world-wide, something that probably seems impossible. Boy, wouldn't that be exactly how God would choose to do it...just to remind us of the faith we are to have in Him. I pray that Saddleback is blessed to be a blessing. I pray that we take good notes and step out of our own boats in faith (right, Peter?) and seek the heart of a God who can move mountains (and already has...by the way...what you see is what's left of a world-wide flood, the last of which he raised and lowered soil to form...check out "God and Dinosaurs?" in the links section of this blog for more info and answers or download free seminars to watch from www.drdino.com) and do things we cannot even begin to grasp. Wouldn't it be fun to be a part of it? How has/is God forming you to change another's life? What did you do today and why will it matter 5, 10, 100 years from now?